diff --git a/R/use_extendr.R b/R/use_extendr.R
index e0694db3..7c62d9c7 100644
--- a/R/use_extendr.R
+++ b/R/use_extendr.R
@@ -172,6 +172,43 @@ use_extendr <- function(path = ".",
     data = list(pkg_name = pkg_name)
   )
 
+  # create tools directory if it does not exist
+  if (!dir.exists("tools")) {
+    dir.create("tools")
+  }
+
+  # add msrv.R template
+  use_rextendr_template(
+    "cran/msrv.R",
+    save_as = file.path("tools", "msrv.R"),
+    quiet = quiet,
+    overwrite = overwrite
+  )
+
+  # add configure and configure.win templates
+  use_rextendr_template(
+    "cran/configure",
+    save_as = "configure",
+    quiet = quiet,
+    overwrite = overwrite,
+    data = list(lib_name = lib_name)
+  )
+
+  # configure needs to be made executable
+  # ignore for Windows
+  if (.Platform[["OS.type"]] == "unix") {
+    Sys.chmod("configure", "0755")
+  }
+
+  use_rextendr_template(
+    "cran/configure.win",
+    save_as = "configure.win",
+    quiet = quiet,
+    overwrite = overwrite,
+    data = list(lib_name = lib_name)
+  )
+
+
   if (!isTRUE(quiet)) {
     cli::cli_alert_success("Finished configuring {.pkg extendr} for package {.pkg {pkg_name}}.")
     cli::cli_ul(
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/use_cran_defaults.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/use_cran_defaults.md
index 4bd18e92..06295c5e 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/use_cran_defaults.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/use_cran_defaults.md
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@
       v Writing 'src/rust/src/lib.rs'
       v Writing 'src/testpkg-win.def'
       v Writing 'R/extendr-wrappers.R'
+      v Writing 'tools/msrv.R'
+      v Writing 'configure'
+      v Writing 'configure.win'
       v Finished configuring extendr for package testpkg.
       * Please run `rextendr::document()` for changes to take effect.
 
@@ -25,9 +28,9 @@
     Code
       use_cran_defaults()
     Message
-      v Writing 'tools/msrv.R'
-      v Writing 'configure'
-      v Writing 'configure.win'
+      > File 'tools/msrv.R' already exists. Skip writing the file.
+      > File 'configure' already exists. Skip writing the file.
+      > File 'configure.win' already exists. Skip writing the file.
       > File 'src/Makevars' already exists. Skip writing the file.
       > File 'src/Makevars.win' already exists. Skip writing the file.
       v Adding "^src/rust/vendor$" to '.Rbuildignore'.
diff --git a/tests/testthat/_snaps/use_extendr.md b/tests/testthat/_snaps/use_extendr.md
index 5d8829ca..bb281aff 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/_snaps/use_extendr.md
+++ b/tests/testthat/_snaps/use_extendr.md
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@
       v Writing 'src/rust/src/lib.rs'
       v Writing 'src/testpkg-win.def'
       v Writing 'R/extendr-wrappers.R'
+      v Writing 'tools/msrv.R'
+      v Writing 'configure'
+      v Writing 'configure.win'
       v Finished configuring extendr for package testpkg.
       * Please run `rextendr::document()` for changes to take effect.
 
@@ -218,6 +221,9 @@
       > File 'src/rust/src/lib.rs' already exists. Skip writing the file.
       > File 'src/testpkg.wrap-win.def' already exists. Skip writing the file.
       > File 'R/extendr-wrappers.R' already exists. Skip writing the file.
+      > File 'tools/msrv.R' already exists. Skip writing the file.
+      > File 'configure' already exists. Skip writing the file.
+      > File 'configure.win' already exists. Skip writing the file.
       v Finished configuring extendr for package testpkg.wrap.
       * Please run `rextendr::document()` for changes to take effect.
 
@@ -235,6 +241,9 @@
       v Writing 'src/rust/src/lib.rs'
       v Writing 'src/testpkg-win.def'
       > File 'R/extendr-wrappers.R' already exists. Skip writing the file.
+      v Writing 'tools/msrv.R'
+      v Writing 'configure'
+      v Writing 'configure.win'
       v Finished configuring extendr for package testpkg.
       * Please run `rextendr::document()` for changes to take effect.