diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/new/execution/writeTemplateContents.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/new/execution/writeTemplateContents.test.ts
index c71ff17d4e..86d5e5f4f7 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/new/execution/writeTemplateContents.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/new/execution/writeTemplateContents.test.ts
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ describe('writeTemplateContents', () => {
       out: {
         'test.txt': 'test',
         'plugin.txt': 'id=test',
-        'test.json': '{\n  "x": 1\n}',
+        'test.json': '{"x":1}',
       },
     });
   });
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/new/execution/writeTemplateContents.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/new/execution/writeTemplateContents.ts
index e99507fd6b..ddd94d40ae 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/new/execution/writeTemplateContents.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/new/execution/writeTemplateContents.ts
@@ -62,12 +62,15 @@ export async function writeTemplateContents(
           ? templater.template(file.content)
           : file.content;
 
-      // Try to format JSON files
-      if (file.path.endsWith('.json')) {
+      // Automatically inject input values into package.json
+      if (file.path === 'package.json') {
         try {
-          content = JSON.stringify(JSON.parse(content), null, 2);
-        } catch {
-          /* ignore */
+          content = injectPackageJsonInput(input, content);
+        } catch (error) {
+          throw new ForwardedError(
+            'Failed to transform templated package.json',
+            error,
+          );
         }
       }
 
@@ -82,3 +85,43 @@ export async function writeTemplateContents(
     throw error;
   }
 }
+
+export function injectPackageJsonInput(
+  input: PortableTemplateInput,
+  content: string,
+) {
+  const pkgJson = JSON.parse(content);
+
+  const toAdd = new Array<[name: string, value: unknown]>();
+
+  if (pkgJson.version) {
+    pkgJson.version = input.version;
+  } else {
+    toAdd.push(['version', input.version]);
+  }
+  if (pkgJson.license) {
+    pkgJson.license = input.license;
+  } else {
+    toAdd.push(['license', input.license]);
+  }
+  if (input.private) {
+    if (pkgJson.private === false) {
+      pkgJson.private = true;
+    } else if (!pkgJson.private) {
+      toAdd.push(['private', true]);
+    }
+  } else {
+    delete pkgJson.private;
+  }
+
+  const entries = Object.entries(pkgJson);
+
+  const nameIndex = entries.findIndex(([name]) => name === 'name');
+  if (nameIndex === -1) {
+    throw new Error('templated package.json does not contain a name field');
+  }
+
+  entries.splice(nameIndex + 1, 0, ...toAdd);
+
+  return JSON.stringify(Object.fromEntries(entries), null, 2);
+}
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-module/package.json.hbs b/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-module/package.json.hbs
index 2aa648fbc0..20d78380ca 100644
--- a/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-module/package.json.hbs
+++ b/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-module/package.json.hbs
@@ -1,17 +1,9 @@
 {
   "name": "{{packageName}}",
   "description": "The {{moduleId}} backend module for the {{pluginId}} plugin.",
-  "version": "{{packageVersion}}",
   "main": "src/index.ts",
   "types": "src/index.ts",
-  "license": "{{license}}",
-{{#if privatePackage}}
-  "private": {{privatePackage}},
-{{/if}}
   "publishConfig": {
-{{#if npmRegistry}}
-    "registry": "{{npmRegistry}}",
-{{/if}}
     "access": "public",
     "main": "dist/index.cjs.js",
     "types": "dist/index.d.ts"
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/package.json.hbs b/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/package.json.hbs
index 3acb1b2f44..ad3810dff3 100644
--- a/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/package.json.hbs
+++ b/packages/cli/templates/default-backend-plugin/package.json.hbs
@@ -1,16 +1,8 @@
 {
   "name": "{{packageName}}",
-  "version": "{{packageVersion}}",
   "main": "src/index.ts",
   "types": "src/index.ts",
-  "license": "{{license}}",
-{{#if privatePackage}}
-  "private": {{privatePackage}},
-{{/if}}
   "publishConfig": {
-{{#if npmRegistry}}
-    "registry": "{{npmRegistry}}",
-{{/if}}
     "access": "public",
     "main": "dist/index.cjs.js",
     "types": "dist/index.d.ts"
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-common-plugin-package/package.json.hbs b/packages/cli/templates/default-common-plugin-package/package.json.hbs
index 93c51a9f97..085ccb40dd 100644
--- a/packages/cli/templates/default-common-plugin-package/package.json.hbs
+++ b/packages/cli/templates/default-common-plugin-package/package.json.hbs
@@ -1,17 +1,9 @@
 {
   "name": "{{packageName}}",
   "description": "Common functionalities for the {{pluginId}} plugin",
-  "version": "{{packageVersion}}",
   "main": "src/index.ts",
   "types": "src/index.ts",
-  "license": "{{license}}",
-{{#if privatePackage}}
-  "private": {{privatePackage}},
-{{/if}}
   "publishConfig": {
-{{#if npmRegistry}}
-    "registry": "{{npmRegistry}}",
-{{/if}}
     "access": "public",
     "main": "dist/index.cjs.js",
     "module": "dist/index.esm.js",
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-node-plugin-package/package.json.hbs b/packages/cli/templates/default-node-plugin-package/package.json.hbs
index 82dc0aef12..182ef1c93f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/templates/default-node-plugin-package/package.json.hbs
+++ b/packages/cli/templates/default-node-plugin-package/package.json.hbs
@@ -1,17 +1,9 @@
 {
   "name": "{{packageName}}",
   "description": "Node.js library for the {{pluginId}} plugin",
-  "version": "{{packageVersion}}",
   "main": "src/index.ts",
   "types": "src/index.ts",
-  "license": "{{license}}",
-{{#if privatePackage}}
-  "private": {{privatePackage}},
-{{/if}}
   "publishConfig": {
-{{#if npmRegistry}}
-    "registry": "{{npmRegistry}}",
-{{/if}}
     "access": "public",
     "main": "dist/index.cjs.js",
     "types": "dist/index.d.ts"
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-plugin/package.json.hbs b/packages/cli/templates/default-plugin/package.json.hbs
index c19763afad..64888c2d37 100644
--- a/packages/cli/templates/default-plugin/package.json.hbs
+++ b/packages/cli/templates/default-plugin/package.json.hbs
@@ -1,16 +1,8 @@
 {
   "name": "{{packageName}}",
-  "version": "{{packageVersion}}",
   "main": "src/index.ts",
   "types": "src/index.ts",
-  "license": "{{license}}",
-{{#if privatePackage}}
-  "private": {{privatePackage}},
-{{/if}}
   "publishConfig": {
-{{#if npmRegistry}}
-  "registry": "{{npmRegistry}}",
-{{/if}}
     "access": "public",
     "main": "dist/index.esm.js",
     "types": "dist/index.d.ts"
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/default-react-plugin-package/package.json.hbs b/packages/cli/templates/default-react-plugin-package/package.json.hbs
index f133fe289e..d104a29305 100644
--- a/packages/cli/templates/default-react-plugin-package/package.json.hbs
+++ b/packages/cli/templates/default-react-plugin-package/package.json.hbs
@@ -1,17 +1,9 @@
 {
   "name": "{{packageName}}",
   "description": "Web library for the {{pluginId}} plugin",
-  "version": "{{packageVersion}}",
   "main": "src/index.ts",
   "types": "src/index.ts",
-  "license": "{{license}}",
-{{#if privatePackage}}
-  "private": {{privatePackage}},
-{{/if}}
   "publishConfig": {
-{{#if npmRegistry}}
-  "registry": "{{npmRegistry}}",
-{{/if}}
     "access": "public",
     "main": "dist/index.esm.js",
     "types": "dist/index.d.ts"
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/node-library-package/package.json.hbs b/packages/cli/templates/node-library-package/package.json.hbs
index 15e88daeb5..941bf309fd 100644
--- a/packages/cli/templates/node-library-package/package.json.hbs
+++ b/packages/cli/templates/node-library-package/package.json.hbs
@@ -1,16 +1,8 @@
 {
   "name": "{{packageName}}",
-  "version": "{{packageVersion}}",
   "main": "src/index.ts",
   "types": "src/index.ts",
-  "license": "{{license}}",
-{{#if privatePackage}}
-  "private": {{privatePackage}},
-{{/if}}
   "publishConfig": {
-{{#if npmRegistry}}
-  "registry": "{{npmRegistry}}",
-{{/if}}
     "access": "public",
     "main": "dist/index.cjs.js",
     "types": "dist/index.d.ts"
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/scaffolder-module/package.json.hbs b/packages/cli/templates/scaffolder-module/package.json.hbs
index fd6b1a4c7f..3866a83672 100644
--- a/packages/cli/templates/scaffolder-module/package.json.hbs
+++ b/packages/cli/templates/scaffolder-module/package.json.hbs
@@ -1,17 +1,9 @@
 {
   "name": "{{packageName}}",
   "description": "The {{moduleId}} module for @backstage/plugin-scaffolder-backend",
-  "version": "{{packageVersion}}",
   "main": "src/index.ts",
   "types": "src/index.ts",
-  "license": "{{license}}",
-{{#if privatePackage}}
-  "private": {{privatePackage}},
-{{/if}}
   "publishConfig": {
-{{#if npmRegistry}}
-    "registry": "{{npmRegistry}}",
-{{/if}}
     "access": "public",
     "main": "dist/index.cjs.js",
     "types": "dist/index.d.ts"
diff --git a/packages/cli/templates/web-library-package/package.json.hbs b/packages/cli/templates/web-library-package/package.json.hbs
index e63fe5f218..52e54b1783 100644
--- a/packages/cli/templates/web-library-package/package.json.hbs
+++ b/packages/cli/templates/web-library-package/package.json.hbs
@@ -1,16 +1,8 @@
 {
   "name": "{{packageName}}",
-  "version": "{{packageVersion}}",
   "main": "src/index.ts",
   "types": "src/index.ts",
-  "license": "{{license}}",
-{{#if privatePackage}}
-  "private": {{privatePackage}},
-{{/if}}
   "publishConfig": {
-{{#if npmRegistry}}
-  "registry": "{{npmRegistry}}",
-{{/if}}
     "access": "public",
     "main": "dist/index.esm.js",
     "types": "dist/index.d.ts"