diff --git a/templates/AngularSpa/AngularSpa.csproj b/templates/AngularSpa/AngularSpa.csproj
index a5857ed..8eedd19 100644
--- a/templates/AngularSpa/AngularSpa.csproj
+++ b/templates/AngularSpa/AngularSpa.csproj
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@
 
 <!--/-:cnd:noEmit -->
   <Target Name="DebugRunWebpack" BeforeTargets="Build" Condition=" '$(Configuration)' == 'Debug' And !Exists('wwwroot\dist') ">
+    <!-- Ensure Node.js is installed -->
+    <Exec Command="node --version" ContinueOnError="true">
+      <Output TaskParameter="ExitCode" PropertyName="ErrorCode" />
+    </Exec>
+    <Error Condition="'$(ErrorCode)' != '0'" Text="Node.js is required to build and run this project. To continue, please install Node.js from https://nodejs.org/, and then restart your command prompt or IDE." />
+
     <!-- In development, the dist files won't exist on the first run or when cloning to
          a different machine, so rebuild them if not already present. -->
     <Message Importance="high" Text="Performing first-run Webpack build..." />
diff --git a/templates/AureliaSpa/AureliaSpa.csproj b/templates/AureliaSpa/AureliaSpa.csproj
index 59371ac..5c07238 100644
--- a/templates/AureliaSpa/AureliaSpa.csproj
+++ b/templates/AureliaSpa/AureliaSpa.csproj
@@ -25,6 +25,12 @@
 
 <!--/-:cnd:noEmit -->
   <Target Name="DebugRunWebpack" BeforeTargets="Build" Condition=" '$(Configuration)' == 'Debug' And !Exists('wwwroot\dist') ">
+    <!-- Ensure Node.js is installed -->
+    <Exec Command="node --version" ContinueOnError="true">
+      <Output TaskParameter="ExitCode" PropertyName="ErrorCode" />
+    </Exec>
+    <Error Condition="'$(ErrorCode)' != '0'" Text="Node.js is required to build and run this project. To continue, please install Node.js from https://nodejs.org/, and then restart your command prompt or IDE." />
+
     <!-- In development, the dist files won't exist on the first run or when cloning to
          a different machine, so rebuild them if not already present. -->
     <Message Importance="high" Text="Performing first-run Webpack build..." />
diff --git a/templates/KnockoutSpa/KnockoutSpa.csproj b/templates/KnockoutSpa/KnockoutSpa.csproj
index 59371ac..5c07238 100644
--- a/templates/KnockoutSpa/KnockoutSpa.csproj
+++ b/templates/KnockoutSpa/KnockoutSpa.csproj
@@ -25,6 +25,12 @@
 
 <!--/-:cnd:noEmit -->
   <Target Name="DebugRunWebpack" BeforeTargets="Build" Condition=" '$(Configuration)' == 'Debug' And !Exists('wwwroot\dist') ">
+    <!-- Ensure Node.js is installed -->
+    <Exec Command="node --version" ContinueOnError="true">
+      <Output TaskParameter="ExitCode" PropertyName="ErrorCode" />
+    </Exec>
+    <Error Condition="'$(ErrorCode)' != '0'" Text="Node.js is required to build and run this project. To continue, please install Node.js from https://nodejs.org/, and then restart your command prompt or IDE." />
+
     <!-- In development, the dist files won't exist on the first run or when cloning to
          a different machine, so rebuild them if not already present. -->
     <Message Importance="high" Text="Performing first-run Webpack build..." />
diff --git a/templates/ReactReduxSpa/ReactReduxSpa.csproj b/templates/ReactReduxSpa/ReactReduxSpa.csproj
index c0d719c..aa05850 100644
--- a/templates/ReactReduxSpa/ReactReduxSpa.csproj
+++ b/templates/ReactReduxSpa/ReactReduxSpa.csproj
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@
 
 <!--/-:cnd:noEmit -->
   <Target Name="DebugRunWebpack" BeforeTargets="Build" Condition=" '$(Configuration)' == 'Debug' And !Exists('wwwroot\dist') ">
+    <!-- Ensure Node.js is installed -->
+    <Exec Command="node --version" ContinueOnError="true">
+      <Output TaskParameter="ExitCode" PropertyName="ErrorCode" />
+    </Exec>
+    <Error Condition="'$(ErrorCode)' != '0'" Text="Node.js is required to build and run this project. To continue, please install Node.js from https://nodejs.org/, and then restart your command prompt or IDE." />
+
     <!-- In development, the dist files won't exist on the first run or when cloning to
          a different machine, so rebuild them if not already present. -->
     <Message Importance="high" Text="Performing first-run Webpack build..." />
diff --git a/templates/ReactSpa/ReactSpa.csproj b/templates/ReactSpa/ReactSpa.csproj
index 59371ac..5c07238 100644
--- a/templates/ReactSpa/ReactSpa.csproj
+++ b/templates/ReactSpa/ReactSpa.csproj
@@ -25,6 +25,12 @@
 
 <!--/-:cnd:noEmit -->
   <Target Name="DebugRunWebpack" BeforeTargets="Build" Condition=" '$(Configuration)' == 'Debug' And !Exists('wwwroot\dist') ">
+    <!-- Ensure Node.js is installed -->
+    <Exec Command="node --version" ContinueOnError="true">
+      <Output TaskParameter="ExitCode" PropertyName="ErrorCode" />
+    </Exec>
+    <Error Condition="'$(ErrorCode)' != '0'" Text="Node.js is required to build and run this project. To continue, please install Node.js from https://nodejs.org/, and then restart your command prompt or IDE." />
+
     <!-- In development, the dist files won't exist on the first run or when cloning to
          a different machine, so rebuild them if not already present. -->
     <Message Importance="high" Text="Performing first-run Webpack build..." />
diff --git a/templates/VueSpa/VueSpa.csproj b/templates/VueSpa/VueSpa.csproj
index 59371ac..5c07238 100644
--- a/templates/VueSpa/VueSpa.csproj
+++ b/templates/VueSpa/VueSpa.csproj
@@ -25,6 +25,12 @@
 
 <!--/-:cnd:noEmit -->
   <Target Name="DebugRunWebpack" BeforeTargets="Build" Condition=" '$(Configuration)' == 'Debug' And !Exists('wwwroot\dist') ">
+    <!-- Ensure Node.js is installed -->
+    <Exec Command="node --version" ContinueOnError="true">
+      <Output TaskParameter="ExitCode" PropertyName="ErrorCode" />
+    </Exec>
+    <Error Condition="'$(ErrorCode)' != '0'" Text="Node.js is required to build and run this project. To continue, please install Node.js from https://nodejs.org/, and then restart your command prompt or IDE." />
+
     <!-- In development, the dist files won't exist on the first run or when cloning to
          a different machine, so rebuild them if not already present. -->
     <Message Importance="high" Text="Performing first-run Webpack build..." />