diff --git a/R/create_extendr_package.R b/R/create_extendr_package.R
index 0987cdc3..26744219 100644
--- a/R/create_extendr_package.R
+++ b/R/create_extendr_package.R
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@
 #' @examples
 create_extendr_package <- function(path, ...) {
 
+  # error if usethis is not installed
+  rlang::check_installed("usethis")
+
   args <- rlang::list2(...)
 
   # hunch is that rstudio project text input widgets return empty strings
@@ -22,45 +25,15 @@ create_extendr_package <- function(path, ...) {
   # handles it correctly
   args <- lapply(args, function(x) if (x == "") return(NULL) else return(x))
 
-  # generate header for INDEX file
-  header <- paste0("Package: ", basename(path))
-
   # build package directory, but don't open yet!
-  if (!args[["usethis"]]) {
-
-    dir.create(path, recursive = TRUE, showWarnings = FALSE)
-
-    header <- c(
-      header,
-      "",
-      "WARNING:",
-      "The project build failed to generate the necessary R package files.",
-      "Please consider installing {usethis} with `install.packages('usethis')`",
-      "and running usethis::create_package(getwd()).",
-      ""
-    )
-
-  } else {
-
-    usethis::create_package(
-      path,
-      fields = list(),
-      rstudio = TRUE,
-      roxygen = args[["roxygen"]],
-      check_name = args[["check_name"]],
-      open = FALSE
-    )
-
-    header <- c(
-      header,
-      "",
-      "BUILD COMPLETE:",
-      "The project build successfully generated the necessary R package files.",
-      paste0("Roxygen: ", args[["roxygen"]]),
-      ""
-    )
-
-  }
+  usethis::create_package(
+    path,
+    fields = list(),
+    rstudio = TRUE,
+    roxygen = args[["roxygen"]],
+    check_name = args[["check_name"]],
+    open = FALSE
+  )
 
   # add rust scaffolding to project dir
   use_extendr(
@@ -72,6 +45,15 @@ create_extendr_package <- function(path, ...) {
     edition = args[["edition"]]
   )
 
+  # generate header for INDEX file
+  header <- c(
+    paste0("Package: ", basename(path)),
+    "",
+    "BUILD COMPLETE:",
+    "The project build successfully generated the necessary R package files.",
+    ""
+  )
+
   text <- c(
     "NOTE:",
     "To use {rextendr} in any meaningful way, the user must have",
diff --git a/inst/rstudio/templates/project/extendr.dcf b/inst/rstudio/templates/project/extendr.dcf
index 61b6055c..b27578e3 100644
--- a/inst/rstudio/templates/project/extendr.dcf
+++ b/inst/rstudio/templates/project/extendr.dcf
@@ -4,12 +4,6 @@ Subtitle: Create an R package with Rust extensions.
 Caption: Create an R package with Rust extensions.
 OpenFiles: INDEX
 
-Parameter: usethis
-Widget: CheckboxInput
-Label: Use usethis
-Default: On
-Position: left
-
 Parameter: roxygen
 Widget: CheckboxInput
 Label: Use roxygen2