diff --git a/src/runpod_flash/cli/commands/deploy.py b/src/runpod_flash/cli/commands/deploy.py
index a87db7117..a68aaad26 100644
--- a/src/runpod_flash/cli/commands/deploy.py
+++ b/src/runpod_flash/cli/commands/deploy.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 import typer
 from rich.console import Console
 
-from runpod_flash.cli.utils.formatting import print_error
+from runpod_flash.cli.utils.formatting import print_error, print_warning
 from runpod_flash.core.exceptions import RunpodAPIKeyError
 from runpod_flash.core.resources.app import FlashApp
 
@@ -221,6 +221,15 @@ async def _resolve_and_deploy(
 
     local_manifest = validate_local_manifest()
 
+    if not local_manifest.get("resources"):
+        print_warning(
+            console,
+            "No deployable resources found in the manifest. "
+            "Client-mode endpoints (image=...) provision on first call, "
+            "not at deploy time. Nothing to upload.",
+        )
+        return
+
     from rich.progress import (
         BarColumn,
         DownloadColumn,