diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 69d52eb52..9593ac299 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 # Unreleased
 
+## Bug Fixes
+
+Fix an issue where stack creation panics if no project is provided in the `StackCreateOptions` creation options structure by @arybolovlev [#1284](https://github.com/hashicorp/go-tfe/pull/1284)
+
 # v1.101.0
 
 ## Enhancements
diff --git a/stack.go b/stack.go
index 0e70bb719..3bc091839 100644
--- a/stack.go
+++ b/stack.go
@@ -310,7 +310,7 @@ func (s StackCreateOptions) valid() error {
 		return ErrRequiredName
 	}
 
-	if s.Project.ID == "" {
+	if s.Project == nil || s.Project.ID == "" {
 		return ErrRequiredProject
 	}
 
diff --git a/stack_test.go b/stack_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ce59527f9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/stack_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+// Copyright IBM Corp. 2018, 2025
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: MPL-2.0
+
+package tfe
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func Test_validStackCreateOptions(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	t.Run("with empty stack name", func(t *testing.T) {
+		s := &StackCreateOptions{
+			Name: "",
+		}
+		err := s.valid()
+		assert.Error(t, err, ErrRequiredName.Error())
+	})
+
+	t.Run("with empty project option", func(t *testing.T) {
+		s := &StackCreateOptions{
+			Name: "test",
+		}
+		err := s.valid()
+		assert.Error(t, err, ErrRequiredProject.Error())
+	})
+
+	t.Run("with empty project ID", func(t *testing.T) {
+		s := &StackCreateOptions{
+			Name: "test",
+			Project: &Project{
+				ID: "",
+			},
+		}
+		err := s.valid()
+		assert.Error(t, err, ErrRequiredProject.Error())
+	})
+
+	t.Run("with valid options", func(t *testing.T) {
+		s := &StackCreateOptions{
+			Name: "test",
+			Project: &Project{
+				ID: "prj-test",
+			},
+		}
+		err := s.valid()
+		assert.NoError(t, err)
+	})
+}