diff --git a/znai-cli/src/main/java/org/testingisdocumenting/znai/cli/DocScaffolding.java b/znai-cli/src/main/java/org/testingisdocumenting/znai/cli/DocScaffolding.java
index cdb0b0f5e..c90b16b49 100644
--- a/znai-cli/src/main/java/org/testingisdocumenting/znai/cli/DocScaffolding.java
+++ b/znai-cli/src/main/java/org/testingisdocumenting/znai/cli/DocScaffolding.java
@@ -21,12 +21,15 @@
 import org.testingisdocumenting.znai.utils.FileUtils;
 import org.testingisdocumenting.znai.utils.ResourceUtils;
 
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.nio.file.Files;
 import java.nio.file.Path;
 import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.LinkedHashMap;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
+import java.util.stream.Stream;
 
 public class DocScaffolding {
     private final Path workingDir;
@@ -47,6 +50,28 @@ public void create() {
         createLookupPaths();
     }
 
+    public void createFromFileSystem(Path templatePath) {
+        if (!Files.exists(templatePath)) {
+            throw new RuntimeException("template path does not exist: " + templatePath);
+        }
+
+        if (!Files.isDirectory(templatePath)) {
+            throw new RuntimeException("template path is not a directory: " + templatePath);
+        }
+
+        try (Stream<Path> discoveredFiles = Files.walk(templatePath)) {
+            discoveredFiles
+                    .filter(Files::isRegularFile)
+                    .forEach(f -> {
+                        Path relativePath = templatePath.relativize(f);
+                        Path targetPath = workingDir.resolve(relativePath);
+                        FileUtils.copyFile(f, targetPath);
+                    });
+        } catch (IOException e) {
+            throw new RuntimeException("failed to copy files from template: " + templatePath, e);
+        }
+    }
+
     private void createLookupPaths() {
         createFileFromResource("lookup-paths");
     }
diff --git a/znai-cli/src/main/java/org/testingisdocumenting/znai/cli/ZnaiCliApp.java b/znai-cli/src/main/java/org/testingisdocumenting/znai/cli/ZnaiCliApp.java
index 9381557d2..129fa79af 100644
--- a/znai-cli/src/main/java/org/testingisdocumenting/znai/cli/ZnaiCliApp.java
+++ b/znai-cli/src/main/java/org/testingisdocumenting/znai/cli/ZnaiCliApp.java
@@ -200,15 +200,41 @@ private PageModifiedTimeStrategy pageModifiedTimeStrategy() {
         };
     }
 
+    private boolean maybeCreateNewFromTemplate(DocScaffolding scaffolding) {
+        String templatePathEnv = System.getenv("ZNAI_NEW_TEMPLATE_PATH");
+        if (templatePathEnv == null) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        if (templatePathEnv.trim().isEmpty()) {
+            ConsoleOutputs.out(Color.RED, "template path value is empty");
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        Path templatePath = Paths.get(templatePathEnv);
+        if (Files.exists(templatePath) && Files.isDirectory(templatePath)) {
+            ConsoleOutputs.out(Color.BLUE, "scaffolding from template: ", Color.PURPLE, templatePath);
+            scaffolding.createFromFileSystem(templatePath);
+            return true;
+        } else {
+            ConsoleOutputs.err(Color.RED, "template path does not exist or is not a directory: ",
+                    Color.PURPLE, templatePath);
+            ConsoleOutputs.out(Color.YELLOW, "falling back to default scaffold");
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
     private void createNew() {
         Path pathToScaffold = (config.isSourceRootSet() ?
                 config.getSourceRoot() :
                 Paths.get("guide")).toAbsolutePath();
 
         ConsoleOutputs.out(Color.BLUE, "scaffolding new documentation: ", Color.PURPLE, pathToScaffold);
-
         DocScaffolding scaffolding = new DocScaffolding(pathToScaffold);
-        scaffolding.create();
+
+        if (!maybeCreateNewFromTemplate(scaffolding)) {
+            scaffolding.create();
+        }
     }
 
     private void announceMode(String name) {
diff --git a/znai-docs/znai/release-notes/1.81/add-2025-10-19-scaffold-custom-content.md b/znai-docs/znai/release-notes/1.81/add-2025-10-19-scaffold-custom-content.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..594ca67db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/znai-docs/znai/release-notes/1.81/add-2025-10-19-scaffold-custom-content.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+* Add: `znai new` custom content scaffold 
\ No newline at end of file