diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 66ffbab..5e3652f 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/).
 ### Added
 - `planecli intake` command group: `ls`, `create`, `accept`, `decline`, `delete`, `enabled` for project intake queues. Mutations take the work item UUID shown in the `Issue ID` column of `intake ls`. `accept`/`decline` require the project Admin role (the API silently ignores the change for lower roles, so the CLI verifies it and fails loudly). `delete` also permanently deletes the underlying work item for any status other than `accepted`
 
+### Fixed
+- `document create` no longer crashes before the API call: `CreatePage` now receives the required `description_html` at construction (`<p></p>` when `--content` is omitted)
+
 ## [0.5.1] - 2026-07-03
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/src/planecli/commands/documents.py b/src/planecli/commands/documents.py
index 1ceaa53..4ef19c2 100644
--- a/src/planecli/commands/documents.py
+++ b/src/planecli/commands/documents.py
@@ -165,9 +165,8 @@ async def create(
         client = get_client()
         workspace = get_workspace()
 
-        page_data = CreatePage(name=title)
-        if content:
-            page_data.description_html = f"<p>{content}</p>"
+        description_html = f"<p>{content}</p>" if content else "<p></p>"
+        page_data = CreatePage(name=title, description_html=description_html)
 
         if project:
             proj = await resolve_project_async(project, client, workspace)
diff --git a/tests/test_commands/test_documents.py b/tests/test_commands/test_documents.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..118627c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_commands/test_documents.py
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+"""Tests for document / page commands."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from unittest.mock import AsyncMock, MagicMock, patch
+
+from plane.models.pages import CreatePage
+
+from planecli.commands.documents import DOC_FIELDS, create
+
+
+def _page_model(**overrides) -> MagicMock:
+    """A fake Page: only `.model_dump()` is used by the create command."""
+    payload = {
+        "id": "page-1",
+        "name": "Test doc",
+        "description_html": "<p></p>",
+        "created_at": "2026-08-28T10:00:00Z",
+        "updated_at": "2026-08-28T10:00:00Z",
+    }
+    payload.update(overrides)
+    m = MagicMock()
+    m.model_dump.return_value = payload
+    return m
+
+
+@patch("planecli.commands.documents.output_single")
+@patch("planecli.commands.documents.run_sdk", new_callable=AsyncMock)
+@patch("planecli.commands.documents.resolve_project_async", new_callable=AsyncMock)
+@patch("planecli.commands.documents.get_workspace", return_value="ws")
+@patch("planecli.commands.documents.get_client")
+async def test_create_passes_description_html_when_content_provided(
+    mock_client, mock_ws, mock_resolve, mock_run_sdk, mock_output_single
+):
+    """CreatePage is constructed with wrapped --content, not assigned after the fact."""
+    mock_resolve.return_value = {"id": "p1", "identifier": "ABC"}
+    mock_run_sdk.return_value = _page_model(name="Test doc", description_html="<p>hello</p>")
+
+    await create(title="Test doc", content="hello", project="ABC")
+
+    args = mock_run_sdk.call_args[0]
+    assert args[0] is mock_client.return_value.pages.create_project_page
+    assert args[1:3] == ("ws", "p1")
+    payload = args[3]
+    assert isinstance(payload, CreatePage)
+    assert payload.name == "Test doc"
+    assert payload.description_html == "<p>hello</p>"
+    data, fields = mock_output_single.call_args[0]
+    assert fields is DOC_FIELDS
+    assert data["name"] == "Test doc"
+
+
+@patch("planecli.commands.documents.output_single")
+@patch("planecli.commands.documents.run_sdk", new_callable=AsyncMock)
+@patch("planecli.commands.documents.resolve_project_async", new_callable=AsyncMock)
+@patch("planecli.commands.documents.get_workspace", return_value="ws")
+@patch("planecli.commands.documents.get_client")
+async def test_create_passes_empty_html_body_when_content_omitted(
+    mock_client, mock_ws, mock_resolve, mock_run_sdk, mock_output_single
+):
+    """Omitting --content still supplies a valid empty HTML body at construction."""
+    mock_resolve.return_value = {"id": "p1"}
+    mock_run_sdk.return_value = _page_model()
+
+    await create(title="Test doc", project="ABC")
+
+    payload = mock_run_sdk.call_args[0][3]
+    assert isinstance(payload, CreatePage)
+    assert payload.name == "Test doc"
+    assert payload.description_html == "<p></p>"