diff --git a/command/issue.go b/command/issue.go
index 39a8528d0..4ab95e822 100644
--- a/command/issue.go
+++ b/command/issue.go
@@ -352,11 +352,11 @@ func issueCreate(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	var templateFiles []string
+	var nonLegacyTemplateFiles []string
 	if baseOverride == "" {
 		if rootDir, err := git.ToplevelDir(); err == nil {
 			// TODO: figure out how to stub this in tests
-			templateFiles = githubtemplate.FindNonLegacy(rootDir, "ISSUE_TEMPLATE")
+			nonLegacyTemplateFiles = githubtemplate.FindNonLegacy(rootDir, "ISSUE_TEMPLATE")
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ func issueCreate(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 				url.QueryEscape(title),
 				url.QueryEscape(body),
 			)
-		} else if len(templateFiles) > 1 {
+		} else if len(nonLegacyTemplateFiles) > 1 {
 			openURL += "/choose"
 		}
 		cmd.Printf("Opening %s in your browser.\n", displayURL(openURL))
@@ -431,7 +431,14 @@ func issueCreate(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	interactive := !(cmd.Flags().Changed("title") && cmd.Flags().Changed("body"))
 
 	if interactive {
-		err := titleBodySurvey(cmd, &tb, apiClient, baseRepo, title, body, defaults{}, templateFiles, false, repo.ViewerCanTriage())
+		var legacyTemplateFile *string
+		if baseOverride == "" {
+			if rootDir, err := git.ToplevelDir(); err == nil {
+				// TODO: figure out how to stub this in tests
+				legacyTemplateFile = githubtemplate.FindLegacy(rootDir, "ISSUE_TEMPLATE")
+			}
+		}
+		err := titleBodySurvey(cmd, &tb, apiClient, baseRepo, title, body, defaults{}, nonLegacyTemplateFiles, legacyTemplateFile, false, repo.ViewerCanTriage())
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("could not collect title and/or body: %w", err)
 		}
diff --git a/command/pr_create.go b/command/pr_create.go
index 820e516c2..3eea8ec71 100644
--- a/command/pr_create.go
+++ b/command/pr_create.go
@@ -214,13 +214,14 @@ func prCreate(cmd *cobra.Command, _ []string) error {
 	interactive := !(cmd.Flags().Changed("title") && cmd.Flags().Changed("body"))
 
 	if !isWeb && !autofill && interactive {
-		var templateFiles []string
+		var nonLegacyTemplateFiles []string
+		var legacyTemplateFile *string
 		if rootDir, err := git.ToplevelDir(); err == nil {
 			// TODO: figure out how to stub this in tests
-			templateFiles = githubtemplate.FindNonLegacy(rootDir, "PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE")
+			nonLegacyTemplateFiles = githubtemplate.FindNonLegacy(rootDir, "PULL_REQUEST_TEMPLATE")
+			legacyTemplateFile = githubtemplate.FindLegacy(rootDir, "ISSUE_TEMPLATE")
 		}
-
-		err := titleBodySurvey(cmd, &tb, client, baseRepo, title, body, defs, templateFiles, true, baseRepo.ViewerCanTriage())
+		err := titleBodySurvey(cmd, &tb, client, baseRepo, title, body, defs, nonLegacyTemplateFiles, legacyTemplateFile, true, baseRepo.ViewerCanTriage())
 		if err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("could not collect title and/or body: %w", err)
 		}
diff --git a/command/title_body_survey.go b/command/title_body_survey.go
index f0ef0e764..a6ac2c538 100644
--- a/command/title_body_survey.go
+++ b/command/title_body_survey.go
@@ -107,12 +107,12 @@ func confirmSubmission(allowPreview bool, allowMetadata bool) (Action, error) {
 	}
 }
 
-func selectTemplate(templatePaths []string, metadataType metadataStateType) (string, error) {
+func selectTemplate(nonLegacyTemplatePaths []string, legacyTemplatePath *string, metadataType metadataStateType) (string, error) {
 	templateResponse := struct {
 		Index int
 	}{}
-	templateNames := make([]string, 0, len(templatePaths))
-	for _, p := range templatePaths {
+	templateNames := make([]string, 0, len(nonLegacyTemplatePaths))
+	for _, p := range nonLegacyTemplatePaths {
 		templateNames = append(templateNames, githubtemplate.ExtractName(p))
 	}
 	if metadataType == issueMetadata {
@@ -134,14 +134,19 @@ func selectTemplate(templatePaths []string, metadataType metadataStateType) (str
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("could not prompt: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	if templateResponse.Index == len(templatePaths) { // the user has selected the blank template
-		return "", nil
+	if templateResponse.Index == len(nonLegacyTemplatePaths) { // the user has selected the blank template
+		if legacyTemplatePath != nil {
+			templateContents := githubtemplate.ExtractContents(*legacyTemplatePath)
+			return string(templateContents), nil
+		} else {
+			return "", nil
+		}
 	}
-	templateContents := githubtemplate.ExtractContents(templatePaths[templateResponse.Index])
+	templateContents := githubtemplate.ExtractContents(nonLegacyTemplatePaths[templateResponse.Index])
 	return string(templateContents), nil
 }
 
-func titleBodySurvey(cmd *cobra.Command, issueState *issueMetadataState, apiClient *api.Client, repo ghrepo.Interface, providedTitle, providedBody string, defs defaults, templatePaths []string, allowReviewers, allowMetadata bool) error {
+func titleBodySurvey(cmd *cobra.Command, issueState *issueMetadataState, apiClient *api.Client, repo ghrepo.Interface, providedTitle, providedBody string, defs defaults, nonLegacyTemplatePaths []string, legacyTemplatePath *string, allowReviewers, allowMetadata bool) error {
 	editorCommand, err := determineEditor(cmd)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -151,13 +156,15 @@ func titleBodySurvey(cmd *cobra.Command, issueState *issueMetadataState, apiClie
 	templateContents := ""
 
 	if providedBody == "" {
-		if len(templatePaths) > 0 {
+		if len(nonLegacyTemplatePaths) > 0 {
 			var err error
-			templateContents, err = selectTemplate(templatePaths, issueState.Type)
+			templateContents, err = selectTemplate(nonLegacyTemplatePaths, legacyTemplatePath, issueState.Type)
 			if err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 			issueState.Body = templateContents
+		} else if legacyTemplatePath != nil {
+			issueState.Body = string(githubtemplate.ExtractContents(*legacyTemplatePath))
 		} else {
 			issueState.Body = defs.Body
 		}