diff --git a/src/lib/init/local-ops.ts b/src/lib/init/local-ops.ts
index 26a9df87f..0189cccea 100644
--- a/src/lib/init/local-ops.ts
+++ b/src/lib/init/local-ops.ts
@@ -835,7 +835,10 @@ async function createSentryProject(
     if (options.org && options.project) {
       const existing = await tryGetExistingProject(orgSlug, slug);
       if (existing) {
-        return existing;
+        return {
+          ...existing,
+          message: `Using existing project "${slug}" in ${orgSlug}`,
+        };
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/lib/init/types.ts b/src/lib/init/types.ts
index 675cc8150..c8ff46e01 100644
--- a/src/lib/init/types.ts
+++ b/src/lib/init/types.ts
@@ -30,8 +30,6 @@ export type LocalOpPayload =
 export type ListDirPayload = {
   type: "local-op";
   operation: "list-dir";
-  /** Human-readable spinner hint from the server (≤ 120 chars, sensitive values redacted). */
-  detail?: string;
   cwd: string;
   params: {
     path: string;
@@ -44,8 +42,6 @@ export type ListDirPayload = {
 export type ReadFilesPayload = {
   type: "local-op";
   operation: "read-files";
-  /** Human-readable spinner hint from the server (≤ 120 chars, sensitive values redacted). */
-  detail?: string;
   cwd: string;
   params: {
     paths: string[];
@@ -56,8 +52,6 @@ export type ReadFilesPayload = {
 export type FileExistsBatchPayload = {
   type: "local-op";
   operation: "file-exists-batch";
-  /** Human-readable spinner hint from the server (≤ 120 chars, sensitive values redacted). */
-  detail?: string;
   cwd: string;
   params: {
     paths: string[];
@@ -67,8 +61,6 @@ export type FileExistsBatchPayload = {
 export type RunCommandsPayload = {
   type: "local-op";
   operation: "run-commands";
-  /** Human-readable spinner hint from the server (≤ 120 chars, sensitive values redacted). */
-  detail?: string;
   cwd: string;
   params: {
     commands: string[];
@@ -79,8 +71,6 @@ export type RunCommandsPayload = {
 export type ApplyPatchsetPayload = {
   type: "local-op";
   operation: "apply-patchset";
-  /** Human-readable spinner hint from the server (≤ 120 chars, sensitive values redacted). */
-  detail?: string;
   cwd: string;
   params: {
     patches: Array<{
@@ -94,8 +84,6 @@ export type ApplyPatchsetPayload = {
 export type CreateSentryProjectPayload = {
   type: "local-op";
   operation: "create-sentry-project";
-  /** Human-readable spinner hint from the server (≤ 120 chars, sensitive values redacted). */
-  detail?: string;
   cwd: string;
   params: {
     name: string;
@@ -106,6 +94,8 @@ export type CreateSentryProjectPayload = {
 export type LocalOpResult = {
   ok: boolean;
   error?: string;
+  /** Optional user-facing message (e.g. "Using existing project 'foo'"). */
+  message?: string;
   data?: unknown;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/lib/init/wizard-runner.ts b/src/lib/init/wizard-runner.ts
index 1b05a786f..92eedf310 100644
--- a/src/lib/init/wizard-runner.ts
+++ b/src/lib/init/wizard-runner.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
  */
 
 import { randomBytes } from "node:crypto";
+import { basename } from "node:path";
 import {
   cancel,
   confirm,
@@ -49,6 +50,7 @@ import {
   tryGetExistingProject,
 } from "./local-ops.js";
 import type {
+  LocalOpPayload,
   LocalOpResult,
   SuspendPayload,
   WizardOptions,
@@ -90,6 +92,91 @@ function truncateForTerminal(message: string): string {
   return `${message.slice(0, maxWidth - 1)}…`;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Build a human-readable spinner message from the payload params.
+ * Each operation type generates a descriptive message showing which
+ * files are being read, written, or checked.
+ */
+export function describeLocalOp(payload: LocalOpPayload): string {
+  switch (payload.operation) {
+    case "read-files": {
+      const paths = payload.params.paths;
+      return describeFilePaths("Reading", paths);
+    }
+    case "file-exists-batch": {
+      const paths = payload.params.paths;
+      return describeFilePaths("Checking", paths);
+    }
+    case "apply-patchset": {
+      const patches = payload.params.patches;
+      const first = patches[0];
+      if (patches.length === 1 && first) {
+        const verb = patchActionVerb(first.action);
+        return `${verb} ${basename(first.path)}...`;
+      }
+      const counts = patchActionCounts(patches);
+      return `Applying ${patches.length} file changes (${counts})...`;
+    }
+    case "run-commands": {
+      const cmds = payload.params.commands;
+      const first = cmds[0];
+      if (cmds.length === 1 && first) {
+        return `Running ${first}...`;
+      }
+      return `Running ${cmds.length} commands (${first ?? "..."}, ...)...`;
+    }
+    case "list-dir":
+      return "Listing directory...";
+    case "create-sentry-project":
+      return `Creating project "${payload.params.name}" (${payload.params.platform})...`;
+    default:
+      return `${(payload as { operation: string }).operation}...`;
+  }
+}
+
+/** Format a file paths list into a human-readable message with a verb prefix. */
+function describeFilePaths(verb: string, paths: string[]): string {
+  const first = paths[0];
+  const second = paths[1];
+  if (!first) {
+    return `${verb} files...`;
+  }
+  if (paths.length === 1) {
+    return `${verb} ${basename(first)}...`;
+  }
+  if (paths.length === 2 && second) {
+    return `${verb} ${basename(first)}, ${basename(second)}...`;
+  }
+  return `${verb} ${paths.length} files (${basename(first)}${second ? `, ${basename(second)}` : ""}, ...)...`;
+}
+
+/** Map a patch action to a user-facing verb. */
+function patchActionVerb(action: string): string {
+  switch (action) {
+    case "create":
+      return "Creating";
+    case "modify":
+      return "Modifying";
+    case "delete":
+      return "Deleting";
+    default:
+      return "Updating";
+  }
+}
+
+/** Summarize patch actions into a compact string like "2 created, 1 modified". */
+function patchActionCounts(patches: Array<{ action: string }>): string {
+  const counts = new Map<string, number>();
+  for (const p of patches) {
+    counts.set(p.action, (counts.get(p.action) ?? 0) + 1);
+  }
+  const parts: string[] = [];
+  for (const [action, count] of counts) {
+    parts.push(`${count} ${action === "modify" ? "modified" : `${action}d`}`);
+  }
+  return parts.join(", ");
+}
+
 async function handleSuspendedStep(
   ctx: StepContext,
   stepPhases: Map<string, number>,
@@ -99,13 +186,16 @@ async function handleSuspendedStep(
   const label = STEP_LABELS[stepId] ?? stepId;
 
   if (payload.type === "local-op") {
-    const message = payload.detail
-      ? payload.detail
-      : `${label} (${payload.operation})...`;
+    const message = describeLocalOp(payload);
     spin.message(truncateForTerminal(message));
 
     const localResult = await handleLocalOp(payload, options);
 
+    if (localResult.message) {
+      spin.stop(localResult.message);
+      spin.start("Processing...");
+    }
+
     const history = stepHistory.get(stepId) ?? [];
     history.push(localResult);
     stepHistory.set(stepId, history);
diff --git a/test/lib/init/local-ops.create-sentry-project.test.ts b/test/lib/init/local-ops.create-sentry-project.test.ts
index 3cb8bf1be..a67035709 100644
--- a/test/lib/init/local-ops.create-sentry-project.test.ts
+++ b/test/lib/init/local-ops.create-sentry-project.test.ts
@@ -433,6 +433,9 @@ describe("create-sentry-project", () => {
       );
 
       expect(result.ok).toBe(true);
+      expect(result.message).toBe(
+        'Using existing project "my-app" in acme-corp'
+      );
       const data = result.data as { orgSlug: string; projectSlug: string };
       expect(data.orgSlug).toBe("acme-corp");
       expect(data.projectSlug).toBe("my-app");
diff --git a/test/lib/init/wizard-runner.test.ts b/test/lib/init/wizard-runner.test.ts
index ffd8701d9..02f43d599 100644
--- a/test/lib/init/wizard-runner.test.ts
+++ b/test/lib/init/wizard-runner.test.ts
@@ -36,10 +36,14 @@ import * as inter from "../../../src/lib/init/interactive.js";
 // biome-ignore lint/performance/noNamespaceImport: spyOn requires object reference
 import * as ops from "../../../src/lib/init/local-ops.js";
 import type {
+  LocalOpPayload,
   WizardOptions,
   WorkflowRunResult,
 } from "../../../src/lib/init/types.js";
-import { runWizard } from "../../../src/lib/init/wizard-runner.js";
+import {
+  describeLocalOp,
+  runWizard,
+} from "../../../src/lib/init/wizard-runner.js";
 // biome-ignore lint/performance/noNamespaceImport: spyOn requires object reference
 import * as sentryUrls from "../../../src/lib/sentry-urls.js";
 
@@ -538,7 +542,7 @@ describe("runWizard", () => {
       expect(payload.operation).toBe("list-dir");
     });
 
-    test("uses detail field for spinner message when present", async () => {
+    test("generates spinner message from payload params", async () => {
       mockStartResult = {
         status: "suspended",
         suspended: [["install-deps"]],
@@ -547,10 +551,9 @@ describe("runWizard", () => {
             suspendPayload: {
               type: "local-op",
               operation: "run-commands",
-              detail: "npm install @sentry/nextjs @sentry/profiling-node",
               cwd: "/app",
               params: {
-                commands: ["npm install @sentry/nextjs @sentry/profiling-node"],
+                commands: ["pip install sentry-sdk"],
               },
             },
           },
@@ -561,11 +564,11 @@ describe("runWizard", () => {
       await runWizard(makeOptions());
 
       expect(spinnerMock.message).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-        "npm install @sentry/nextjs @sentry/profiling-node"
+        "Running pip install sentry-sdk..."
       );
     });
 
-    test("falls back to generic message when detail is absent", async () => {
+    test("generates message for run-commands operation", async () => {
       mockStartResult = {
         status: "suspended",
         suspended: [["install-deps"]],
@@ -585,19 +588,17 @@ describe("runWizard", () => {
       await runWizard(makeOptions());
 
       expect(spinnerMock.message).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
-        "Installing dependencies (run-commands)..."
+        "Running npm install @sentry/nextjs..."
       );
     });
 
-    test("truncates detail message when terminal is narrow", async () => {
+    test("truncates generated message when terminal is narrow", async () => {
       const origColumns = process.stdout.columns;
       Object.defineProperty(process.stdout, "columns", {
         value: 40,
         configurable: true,
       });
 
-      const longDetail =
-        "npm install @sentry/nextjs @sentry/profiling-node @sentry/browser";
       mockStartResult = {
         status: "suspended",
         suspended: [["install-deps"]],
@@ -606,9 +607,12 @@ describe("runWizard", () => {
             suspendPayload: {
               type: "local-op",
               operation: "run-commands",
-              detail: longDetail,
               cwd: "/app",
-              params: { commands: [longDetail] },
+              params: {
+                commands: [
+                  "npm install @sentry/nextjs @sentry/profiling-node @sentry/browser",
+                ],
+              },
             },
           },
         },
@@ -620,7 +624,7 @@ describe("runWizard", () => {
 
         // 40 columns - 4 reserved = 36 max, truncated with "…"
         const call = spinnerMock.message.mock.calls.find((c: string[]) =>
-          c[0]?.includes("npm install")
+          c[0]?.includes("Running")
         ) as string[] | undefined;
         expect(call).toBeDefined();
         const msg = call?.[0] ?? "";
@@ -634,6 +638,41 @@ describe("runWizard", () => {
       }
     });
 
+    test("displays message from LocalOpResult via spin.stop", async () => {
+      handleLocalOpSpy.mockResolvedValue({
+        ok: true,
+        message: 'Using existing project "my-app" in acme',
+        data: { orgSlug: "acme", projectSlug: "my-app" },
+      });
+
+      mockStartResult = {
+        status: "suspended",
+        suspended: [["ensure-sentry-project"]],
+        steps: {
+          "ensure-sentry-project": {
+            suspendPayload: {
+              type: "local-op",
+              operation: "create-sentry-project",
+              cwd: "/app",
+              params: { name: "my-app", platform: "python" },
+            },
+          },
+        },
+      };
+      mockResumeResults = [{ status: "success" }];
+
+      await runWizard(makeOptions());
+
+      expect(spinnerMock.stop).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        'Using existing project "my-app" in acme'
+      );
+      // Spinner should restart after showing the message
+      const startCalls = spinnerMock.start.mock.calls.map(
+        (c: string[]) => c[0]
+      );
+      expect(startCalls).toContain("Processing...");
+    });
+
     test("dispatches interactive payload to handleInteractive", async () => {
       mockStartResult = {
         status: "suspended",
@@ -887,3 +926,176 @@ describe("runWizard", () => {
     });
   });
 });
+
+// ── describeLocalOp unit tests ──────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+describe("describeLocalOp", () => {
+  function payload(
+    overrides: Partial<LocalOpPayload> &
+      Pick<LocalOpPayload, "operation" | "params">
+  ): LocalOpPayload {
+    return { type: "local-op", cwd: "/app", ...overrides } as LocalOpPayload;
+  }
+
+  describe("read-files", () => {
+    test("single file shows basename", () => {
+      const msg = describeLocalOp(
+        payload({
+          operation: "read-files",
+          params: { paths: ["src/settings.py"] },
+        })
+      );
+      expect(msg).toBe("Reading settings.py...");
+    });
+
+    test("two files shows both basenames", () => {
+      const msg = describeLocalOp(
+        payload({
+          operation: "read-files",
+          params: { paths: ["src/settings.py", "src/urls.py"] },
+        })
+      );
+      expect(msg).toBe("Reading settings.py, urls.py...");
+    });
+
+    test("three+ files shows count and first two basenames", () => {
+      const msg = describeLocalOp(
+        payload({
+          operation: "read-files",
+          params: {
+            paths: ["a/one.py", "b/two.py", "c/three.py", "d/four.py"],
+          },
+        })
+      );
+      expect(msg).toBe("Reading 4 files (one.py, two.py, ...)...");
+    });
+
+    test("empty paths array", () => {
+      const msg = describeLocalOp(
+        payload({ operation: "read-files", params: { paths: [] } })
+      );
+      expect(msg).toBe("Reading files...");
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("file-exists-batch", () => {
+    test("single file shows basename", () => {
+      const msg = describeLocalOp(
+        payload({
+          operation: "file-exists-batch",
+          params: { paths: ["requirements.txt"] },
+        })
+      );
+      expect(msg).toBe("Checking requirements.txt...");
+    });
+
+    test("multiple files shows count", () => {
+      const msg = describeLocalOp(
+        payload({
+          operation: "file-exists-batch",
+          params: { paths: ["a.py", "b.py", "c.py"] },
+        })
+      );
+      expect(msg).toBe("Checking 3 files (a.py, b.py, ...)...");
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("apply-patchset", () => {
+    test("single create shows verb and basename", () => {
+      const msg = describeLocalOp(
+        payload({
+          operation: "apply-patchset",
+          params: {
+            patches: [{ path: "src/sentry.py", action: "create", patch: "" }],
+          },
+        })
+      );
+      expect(msg).toBe("Creating sentry.py...");
+    });
+
+    test("single modify shows verb and basename", () => {
+      const msg = describeLocalOp(
+        payload({
+          operation: "apply-patchset",
+          params: {
+            patches: [{ path: "settings.py", action: "modify", patch: "" }],
+          },
+        })
+      );
+      expect(msg).toBe("Modifying settings.py...");
+    });
+
+    test("single delete shows verb and basename", () => {
+      const msg = describeLocalOp(
+        payload({
+          operation: "apply-patchset",
+          params: {
+            patches: [{ path: "old.js", action: "delete", patch: "" }],
+          },
+        })
+      );
+      expect(msg).toBe("Deleting old.js...");
+    });
+
+    test("multiple patches shows count and breakdown", () => {
+      const msg = describeLocalOp(
+        payload({
+          operation: "apply-patchset",
+          params: {
+            patches: [
+              { path: "a.py", action: "create", patch: "" },
+              { path: "b.py", action: "create", patch: "" },
+              { path: "c.py", action: "modify", patch: "" },
+            ],
+          },
+        })
+      );
+      expect(msg).toBe("Applying 3 file changes (2 created, 1 modified)...");
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("run-commands", () => {
+    test("single command shows the command", () => {
+      const msg = describeLocalOp(
+        payload({
+          operation: "run-commands",
+          params: { commands: ["pip install sentry-sdk"] },
+        })
+      );
+      expect(msg).toBe("Running pip install sentry-sdk...");
+    });
+
+    test("multiple commands shows count and first", () => {
+      const msg = describeLocalOp(
+        payload({
+          operation: "run-commands",
+          params: {
+            commands: ["pip install sentry-sdk", "python manage.py check"],
+          },
+        })
+      );
+      expect(msg).toBe("Running 2 commands (pip install sentry-sdk, ...)...");
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("list-dir", () => {
+    test("shows generic listing message", () => {
+      const msg = describeLocalOp(
+        payload({ operation: "list-dir", params: { path: "." } })
+      );
+      expect(msg).toBe("Listing directory...");
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe("create-sentry-project", () => {
+    test("shows project name and platform", () => {
+      const msg = describeLocalOp(
+        payload({
+          operation: "create-sentry-project",
+          params: { name: "my-app", platform: "python-django" },
+        })
+      );
+      expect(msg).toBe('Creating project "my-app" (python-django)...');
+    });
+  });
+});