diff --git a/changelog/pending/20221117--sdk-nodejs--attempt-to-select-stack-then-create-as-fallback-on-createorselect.yaml b/changelog/pending/20221117--sdk-nodejs--attempt-to-select-stack-then-create-as-fallback-on-createorselect.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..64282b7a4baf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/pending/20221117--sdk-nodejs--attempt-to-select-stack-then-create-as-fallback-on-createorselect.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+changes:
+- type: fix
+  scope: sdk/nodejs
+  description: Attempt to select stack then create as fallback on 'createOrSelect'
diff --git a/sdk/nodejs/automation/stack.ts b/sdk/nodejs/automation/stack.ts
index 9dbd021d6f01..de91d8cc6bdc 100644
--- a/sdk/nodejs/automation/stack.ts
+++ b/sdk/nodejs/automation/stack.ts
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ import TailFile from "@logdna/tail-file";
 import * as log from "../log";
 import { CommandResult, runPulumiCmd } from "./cmd";
 import { ConfigMap, ConfigValue } from "./config";
-import { StackAlreadyExistsError } from "./errors";
+import { StackNotFoundError } from "./errors";
 import { EngineEvent, SummaryEvent } from "./events";
 import { LanguageServer, maxRPCMessageSize } from "./server";
 import { Deployment, PulumiFn, Workspace } from "./workspace";
@@ -105,12 +105,12 @@ export class Stack {
             this.ready = workspace.selectStack(name);
             return this;
         case "createOrSelect":
-            this.ready = workspace.createStack(name).catch((err) => {
-                if (err instanceof StackAlreadyExistsError) {
-                    return workspace.selectStack(name);
-                }
-                throw err;
-            });
+			this.ready = workspace.selectStack(name).catch((err) => {
+				if (err instanceof StackNotFoundError) {
+					return workspace.createStack(name);
+				}
+				throw err;
+			})
             return this;
         default:
             throw new Error(`unexpected Stack creation mode: ${mode}`);