diff --git a/.changeset/fix-issue-280-setup-help.md b/.changeset/fix-issue-280-setup-help.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..318b087f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fix-issue-280-setup-help.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+---\n"@googleworkspace/cli": patch\n---\n\nfix(setup): handle --help explicitly in setup flow to prevent accidental project creation
diff --git a/src/setup.rs b/src/setup.rs
index c3302c78..6ab550c7 100644
--- a/src/setup.rs
+++ b/src/setup.rs
@@ -1599,6 +1599,16 @@ fn prompt_login_after_setup() -> Result<bool, GwsError> {
 /// Run the full setup flow. Orchestrates all steps and outputs JSON summary.
 pub async fn run_setup(args: &[String]) -> Result<(), GwsError> {
     let opts = parse_setup_args(args);
+    if args.iter().any(|a| a == "--help" || a == "-h") {
+        eprintln!(
+            "Usage: gws auth setup [options]\n\n\
+             Options:\n  \
+               --project <id>  Use a specific GCP project\n  \
+               --login         Run `gws auth login` after successful setup\n  \
+               --dry-run       Preview changes without making them"
+        );
+        return Ok(());
+    }
     let dry_run = opts.dry_run;
     let interactive = std::io::IsTerminal::is_terminal(&std::io::stdin()) && !dry_run;