diff --git a/invenio_cli/commands/services.py b/invenio_cli/commands/services.py
index 182bf31..c31f362 100644
--- a/invenio_cli/commands/services.py
+++ b/invenio_cli/commands/services.py
@@ -135,6 +135,25 @@ def _default_location_path(self):
             return "{}/data".format(self.cli_config.get_instance_path())
         return "{}://default".format(self.cli_config.get_file_storage().lower())
 
+    def s3_create_default_bucket(self, bucket="default"):
+        """Steps to create the bucket used by default by Invenio's S3 storage.
+
+        Unlike MinIO, RustFS does not auto-create buckets from directories
+        present on its data volume at startup, so this replicates that
+        behaviour. Skippable, as older invenio-s3 versions lack the command.
+        """
+        pkg_man = self.cli_config.python_package_manager
+        steps = [
+            CommandStep(
+                cmd=pkg_man.run_command("invenio", "s3", "create-bucket", bucket),
+                env={"PIPENV_VERBOSITY": "-1"},
+                message="Creating default S3 bucket...",
+                skippable=True,
+            )
+        ]
+
+        return steps
+
     def _setup(self, demo_data=False):
         """Services initialization steps."""
         pkg_man = self.cli_config.python_package_manager
@@ -149,6 +168,11 @@ def _setup(self, demo_data=False):
                 env={"PIPENV_VERBOSITY": "-1"},
                 message="Creating database...",
             ),
+            *(
+                self.s3_create_default_bucket()
+                if self.cli_config.get_file_storage().lower() == "s3"
+                else []
+            ),
             CommandStep(
                 cmd=pkg_man.run_command(
                     "invenio",
diff --git a/tests/commands/test_services.py b/tests/commands/test_services.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..445fa46
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/commands/test_services.py
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2026 California Institute of Technology.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
+
+"""Services commands tests."""
+
+from unittest.mock import Mock, patch
+
+from invenio_cli.commands.services import ServicesCommands
+
+
+@patch("invenio_cli.commands.services.ils_version", return_value=None)
+@patch("invenio_cli.commands.services.rdm_version", return_value=None)
+def _setup_messages(cli_config, *mocks):
+    commands = ServicesCommands(cli_config, docker_helper=Mock())
+    return [step.message for step in commands._setup()]
+
+
+def test_setup_local_storage_skips_bucket_creation(mock_cli_config):
+    assert "Creating default S3 bucket..." not in _setup_messages(mock_cli_config)
+
+
+def test_setup_s3_storage_creates_bucket_before_location(mock_cli_config):
+    mock_cli_config.get_file_storage = lambda: "S3"
+    messages = _setup_messages(mock_cli_config)
+
+    bucket_index = messages.index("Creating default S3 bucket...")
+    assert messages[bucket_index + 1] == "Creating files location..."
+
+
+def test_s3_create_default_bucket(mock_cli_config):
+    commands = ServicesCommands(mock_cli_config, docker_helper=Mock())
+    (step,) = commands.s3_create_default_bucket()
+
+    assert step.cmd == ["pipenv", "run", "invenio", "s3", "create-bucket", "default"]
+    assert step.skippable