diff --git a/docs/source/providers/files/remote_s3.md b/docs/source/providers/files/remote_s3.md
index d90830fa8..2e3cebabd 100644
--- a/docs/source/providers/files/remote_s3.md
+++ b/docs/source/providers/files/remote_s3.md
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ AWS S3-based file storage provider for scalable cloud file management with metad
 | `aws_access_key_id` | `str \| None` | No |  | AWS access key ID (optional if using IAM roles) |
 | `aws_secret_access_key` | `str \| None` | No |  | AWS secret access key (optional if using IAM roles) |
 | `endpoint_url` | `str \| None` | No |  | Custom S3 endpoint URL (for MinIO, LocalStack, etc.) |
+| `auto_create_bucket` | `<class 'bool'>` | No | False | Automatically create the S3 bucket if it doesn't exist |
 | `metadata_store` | `utils.sqlstore.sqlstore.SqliteSqlStoreConfig \| utils.sqlstore.sqlstore.PostgresSqlStoreConfig` | No | sqlite | SQL store configuration for file metadata |
 
 ## Sample Configuration
@@ -23,6 +24,7 @@ region: ${env.AWS_REGION:=us-east-1}
 aws_access_key_id: ${env.AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID:=}
 aws_secret_access_key: ${env.AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY:=}
 endpoint_url: ${env.S3_ENDPOINT_URL:=}
+auto_create_bucket: ${env.S3_AUTO_CREATE_BUCKET:=false}
 metadata_store:
   type: sqlite
   db_path: ${env.SQLITE_STORE_DIR:=~/.llama/dummy}/s3_files_metadata.db
diff --git a/llama_stack/providers/remote/files/s3/README.md b/llama_stack/providers/remote/files/s3/README.md
index 9257a9925..0f33122c7 100644
--- a/llama_stack/providers/remote/files/s3/README.md
+++ b/llama_stack/providers/remote/files/s3/README.md
@@ -108,6 +108,41 @@ The S3 provider requires the following permissions:
 }
 ```
 
+### Automatic Bucket Creation
+
+By default, the S3 provider expects the bucket to already exist. If you want the provider to automatically create the bucket when it doesn't exist, set `auto_create_bucket: true` in your configuration:
+
+```yaml
+config:
+  bucket_name: my-bucket
+  auto_create_bucket: true  # Will create bucket if it doesn't exist
+  region: us-east-1
+```
+
+**Note**: When `auto_create_bucket` is enabled, the provider will need additional permissions:
+
+```json
+{
+  "Version": "2012-10-17",
+  "Statement": [
+    {
+      "Effect": "Allow",
+      "Action": [
+        "s3:GetObject",
+        "s3:PutObject",
+        "s3:DeleteObject",
+        "s3:ListBucket",
+        "s3:CreateBucket"
+      ],
+      "Resource": [
+        "arn:aws:s3:::your-bucket-name",
+        "arn:aws:s3:::your-bucket-name/*"
+      ]
+    }
+  ]
+}
+```
+
 ### Bucket Policy (Optional)
 
 For additional security, you can add a bucket policy:
diff --git a/llama_stack/providers/remote/files/s3/config.py b/llama_stack/providers/remote/files/s3/config.py
index 6105a4816..da20d8668 100644
--- a/llama_stack/providers/remote/files/s3/config.py
+++ b/llama_stack/providers/remote/files/s3/config.py
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@ class S3FilesImplConfig(BaseModel):
         default=None, description="AWS secret access key (optional if using IAM roles)"
     )
     endpoint_url: str | None = Field(default=None, description="Custom S3 endpoint URL (for MinIO, LocalStack, etc.)")
+    auto_create_bucket: bool = Field(
+        default=False, description="Automatically create the S3 bucket if it doesn't exist"
+    )
     metadata_store: SqlStoreConfig = Field(description="SQL store configuration for file metadata")
 
     @classmethod
@@ -31,6 +34,7 @@ class S3FilesImplConfig(BaseModel):
             "aws_access_key_id": "${env.AWS_ACCESS_KEY_ID:=}",
             "aws_secret_access_key": "${env.AWS_SECRET_ACCESS_KEY:=}",
             "endpoint_url": "${env.S3_ENDPOINT_URL:=}",
+            "auto_create_bucket": "${env.S3_AUTO_CREATE_BUCKET:=false}",
             "metadata_store": SqliteSqlStoreConfig.sample_run_config(
                 __distro_dir__=__distro_dir__,
                 db_name="s3_files_metadata.db",
diff --git a/llama_stack/providers/remote/files/s3/files.py b/llama_stack/providers/remote/files/s3/files.py
index 5f436fe04..52e0cbbf4 100644
--- a/llama_stack/providers/remote/files/s3/files.py
+++ b/llama_stack/providers/remote/files/s3/files.py
@@ -59,6 +59,11 @@ async def _create_bucket_if_not_exists(client: boto3.client, config: S3FilesImpl
     except ClientError as e:
         error_code = e.response["Error"]["Code"]
         if error_code == "404":
+            if not config.auto_create_bucket:
+                raise RuntimeError(
+                    f"S3 bucket '{config.bucket_name}' does not exist. "
+                    f"Either create the bucket manually or set 'auto_create_bucket: true' in your configuration."
+                ) from e
             try:
                 # For us-east-1, we can't specify LocationConstraint
                 if config.region == "us-east-1":
diff --git a/tests/unit/providers/files/test_s3_files.py b/tests/unit/providers/files/test_s3_files.py
index 640411b53..daa250f10 100644
--- a/tests/unit/providers/files/test_s3_files.py
+++ b/tests/unit/providers/files/test_s3_files.py
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ def s3_config(tmp_path):
     return S3FilesImplConfig(
         bucket_name="test-bucket",
         region="not-a-region",
+        auto_create_bucket=True,
         metadata_store=SqliteSqlStoreConfig(db_path=db_path.as_posix()),
     )