diff --git a/src/Aspire.ProjectTemplates/templates/aspire-empty/.template.config/aspirecli.host.json b/src/Aspire.ProjectTemplates/templates/aspire-empty/.template.config/aspirecli.host.json
index 5fcacd02c08..6a9410d80a9 100644
--- a/src/Aspire.ProjectTemplates/templates/aspire-empty/.template.config/aspirecli.host.json
+++ b/src/Aspire.ProjectTemplates/templates/aspire-empty/.template.config/aspirecli.host.json
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
   "createNuGetConfig": true,
   "symbolInfo": {
     "Framework": { "isHidden": true },
+    "HostIdentifier": { "isHidden": true },
     "AspireVersion": { "isHidden": true },
     "appHostHttpPort": { "isHidden": true },
     "appHostHttpsPort": { "isHidden": true },
diff --git a/src/Aspire.ProjectTemplates/templates/aspire-empty/.template.config/dotnetcli.host.json b/src/Aspire.ProjectTemplates/templates/aspire-empty/.template.config/dotnetcli.host.json
index caa3fe664a3..786eddca69e 100644
--- a/src/Aspire.ProjectTemplates/templates/aspire-empty/.template.config/dotnetcli.host.json
+++ b/src/Aspire.ProjectTemplates/templates/aspire-empty/.template.config/dotnetcli.host.json
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@
       "AspireVersion": {
         "isHidden": true
       },
+      "HostIdentifier": {
+        "isHidden": true
+      },
       "skipRestore": {
         "longName": "no-restore",
         "shortName": ""
diff --git a/src/Aspire.ProjectTemplates/templates/aspire-empty/.template.config/ide.host.json b/src/Aspire.ProjectTemplates/templates/aspire-empty/.template.config/ide.host.json
index 0f1707f5861..0771dc1fa97 100644
--- a/src/Aspire.ProjectTemplates/templates/aspire-empty/.template.config/ide.host.json
+++ b/src/Aspire.ProjectTemplates/templates/aspire-empty/.template.config/ide.host.json
@@ -8,6 +8,10 @@
       "id": "AspireVersion",
       "isVisible": false
     },
+    {
+      "id": "HostIdentifier",
+      "isVisible": false
+    },
     {
       "id": "LocalhostTld",
       "isVisible": true,
diff --git a/src/Aspire.ProjectTemplates/templates/aspire-empty/.template.config/template.json b/src/Aspire.ProjectTemplates/templates/aspire-empty/.template.config/template.json
index 804d9daf0df..b5fc8550fe5 100644
--- a/src/Aspire.ProjectTemplates/templates/aspire-empty/.template.config/template.json
+++ b/src/Aspire.ProjectTemplates/templates/aspire-empty/.template.config/template.json
@@ -66,12 +66,24 @@
       "replaces": "net10.0",
       "defaultValue": "net10.0"
     },
+    "HostIdentifier": {
+      "type": "parameter",
+      "datatype": "string"
+    },
     "AspireVersion": {
       "type": "parameter",
       "description": "The version of Aspire to use.",
       "displayName": "Aspire version",
-      "datatype": "string",
-      "defaultValue": "!!REPLACE_WITH_LATEST_MAJOR_MINOR_VERSION!!"
+      "datatype": "choice",
+      "choices": [
+        {
+          "choice": "!!REPLACE_WITH_LATEST_MAJOR_MINOR_VERSION!!",
+          "displayName": "!!REPLACE_WITH_LATEST_MAJOR_MINOR_VERSION!!",
+          "description": "Chooses Aspire !!REPLACE_WITH_LATEST_MAJOR_MINOR_VERSION!!"
+        }
+      ],
+      "defaultValue": "!!REPLACE_WITH_LATEST_MAJOR_MINOR_VERSION!!",
+      "isEnabled": "(HostIdentifier != \"aspirecli\")"
     },
     "hostIdentifier": {
       "type": "bind",