[▲ Vercel Community](/) · [Categories](/categories) · [Latest](/latest) · [Top](/top) · [Events](/events) · [Live](/live) [Help](/c/help/9) # First deployment with --target preview was recorded as Production 0 views · 0 likes · 5 posts Kazu Pet Ai (@kazu-pet-ai) · 2026-10-16 Hello Vercel Community, I have a Hobby project where the first CLI deployment was recorded as Production, although I explicitly specified `--target preview` and did not use `--prod`. - Team: `kazu-pet-aibreeder-management-os` - Project: `project-1024-voices-staging` - Deployment: `dpl_2V5Cm46KGNx2qjaT18B7JtrhB63s` - Recorded target: `production` - Deployment status: Error We have paused further deployments because we need the next one to be Preview and do not want to modify or deploy to Production. I found the related discussion [First Preview deployment without any Production bootstrap](https://community.vercel.com/t/first-preview-deployment-without-any-production-bootstrap/50848) and the staff reply about the first-deployment behavior and a placeholder deployment. My case differs in that the initial Production-classified deployment failed and its record still exists. Could someone clarify: 1. Does a failed first deployment count as the project's first deployment for subsequent target selection? 2. With this failed record still present, is `vercel deploy --target preview` (without `--prod`) expected to create a Preview deployment, or could it still be classified as Production? 3. Is there a supported, non-deploying way to verify the target that the next CLI deployment will use before we run it? No further deployment has been attempted. Please let me know if diagnostics should be shared through a private channel. Thank you. Amy Egan (@amyegan) · 2026-10-16 It is expected that the first deployment goes to the production environment. I shared a workaround in another post [https://community.vercel.com/t/vercel-cli-ignores-target-preview-and-creates-production-deployment/46384#post_10](https://community.vercel.com/t/vercel-cli-ignores-target-preview-and-creates-production-deployment/46384#post_10) Kazu Pet Ai (@kazu-pet-ai) · 2026-10-17 Thanks, Amy. In my case, the first Production-classified deployment still exists, but its status is Error. Before I retry, could you please confirm whether that failed deployment still counts as the project’s first deployment, so that the next command with --target preview will be classified as Preview? I have not deleted the failed deployment. Jmarcelodesign 8127 (@jmarcelodesign-8127) · 2026-10-19 Hello Vercel team, I have the same question for another existing Hobby project. Its first deployment is still retained, has target=production, and ended in ERROR despite an explicit Preview intention. The Python requirements parsing failure has been fixed in a separate candidate that has not been uploaded. The project has 37 sensitive application variables scoped exclusively to Preview. Does retaining that failed deployment ensure that the next deployment without --prod is Preview? Which official command, API parameter, project setting, or verifiable prerequisite establishes this without creating any Production bootstrap, promoting a deployment, or copying Preview variables to Production? The authenticated Vercel Help assistant told me that an ERROR record counts as the initial deployment, but also stated that the public documentation has no dedicated clause for this case. Its human-case form for CI/CD > Environments requires a paid account on my Hobby plan. I would appreciate clarification from the team through this free discussion. I can provide the project and deployment identifiers privately through an official channel if needed. No new deployment has been attempted. This request asks for clarification only, not resource changes or a paid support upgrade. Kazu Pet Ai (@kazu-pet-ai) · 2026-10-20 Hi Amy, following up on the remaining question. Does the retained first deployment still count as the project's initial deployment even though its status is ERROR? If so, is the next command vercel deploy --target preview expected to be classified as Preview? Is there any supported way to verify the target before actually deploying? The failed deployment record is still present, and no further deployment has been attempted. Thank you.