diff --git a/modules/sdk-core/src/bitgo/safe/iSafes.ts b/modules/sdk-core/src/bitgo/safe/iSafes.ts
index ed51e8e86b..7a0212b8cd 100644
--- a/modules/sdk-core/src/bitgo/safe/iSafes.ts
+++ b/modules/sdk-core/src/bitgo/safe/iSafes.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
  * @experimental The safe client surface is experimental and may change (including breaking
  * changes) before the public release.
  */
+import type { InitializeSafeResponse } from '@bitgo/public-types';
 import { FinalizeSafeOptions, InitializeSafeOptions } from './iSafe';
 import { Safe } from './safe';
 
@@ -62,10 +63,12 @@ export interface ISafes {
    */
   generateSafe(params: CreateSafeOptions): Promise<Safe>;
   /**
-   * Phase 1 — initialize a safe (metadata only, no key material).
+   * Phase 1 — initialize a safe (metadata only, no key material). The server response is just
+   * `{ id, status }` (no `label`/`enterpriseId`/`creator`/`users`/`createdAt` yet), so this
+   * returns that raw shape rather than a full `Safe`.
    * @experimental
    */
-  initializeSafe(params: InitializeSafeOptions): Promise<Safe>;
+  initializeSafe(params: InitializeSafeOptions): Promise<InitializeSafeResponse>;
   /**
    * Phase 2 — run the 4 root key ceremonies tagged with `safeId`; returns the 12 minted key ids.
    * @experimental
diff --git a/modules/sdk-core/src/bitgo/safe/safes.ts b/modules/sdk-core/src/bitgo/safe/safes.ts
index c332bbc2fe..ff499c40de 100644
--- a/modules/sdk-core/src/bitgo/safe/safes.ts
+++ b/modules/sdk-core/src/bitgo/safe/safes.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,14 @@
  * changes) before the public release.
  */
 import * as t from 'io-ts';
-import { FinalizeSafeBody, InitializeSafeBody, RootKeyTriplet, RootKeyType, SafeData } from '@bitgo/public-types';
+import {
+  FinalizeSafeBody,
+  InitializeSafeBody,
+  InitializeSafeResponse,
+  RootKeyTriplet,
+  RootKeyType,
+  SafeData,
+} from '@bitgo/public-types';
 import { Environments } from '../../common';
 import { IBaseCoin } from '../baseCoin';
 import { BitGoBase } from '../bitgoBase';
@@ -87,19 +94,19 @@ export class Safes implements ISafes {
    */
   async generateSafe(params: CreateSafeOptions): Promise<Safe> {
     const safe = await this.initializeSafe({ label: params.label });
-    const rootKeys = await this.createSafeKeys({ ...params, safeId: safe.id() });
-    return await this.finalizeSafe(safe.id(), rootKeys);
+    const rootKeys = await this.createSafeKeys({ ...params, safeId: safe.id });
+    return await this.finalizeSafe(safe.id, rootKeys);
   }
 
   /**
    * Phase 1 — initialize a safe (metadata only, no key material).
    * POST /api/v2/enterprise/:eId/safes { label }
+   * Response is just `{ id, status }` — the safe has no label/roster/etc. yet.
    * @experimental
    */
-  async initializeSafe(params: InitializeSafeOptions): Promise<Safe> {
+  async initializeSafe(params: InitializeSafeOptions): Promise<InitializeSafeResponse> {
     const response = await postWithCodec(this.bitgo, this.url(), InitializeSafeBody, params).result();
-    const safeData = decodeWithCodec(SafeData, response, 'SafeData');
-    return new Safe(this.bitgo, safeData);
+    return decodeWithCodec(InitializeSafeResponse, response, 'InitializeSafeResponse');
   }
 
   /**
diff --git a/modules/sdk-core/test/unit/bitgo/safe/safes.ts b/modules/sdk-core/test/unit/bitgo/safe/safes.ts
index 0a8a7e54a2..941c340265 100644
--- a/modules/sdk-core/test/unit/bitgo/safe/safes.ts
+++ b/modules/sdk-core/test/unit/bitgo/safe/safes.ts
@@ -28,15 +28,15 @@ describe('Safes', function () {
   });
 
   describe('initializeSafe', function () {
-    it('POSTs to the safes collection URL and returns a Safe', async function () {
-      const send = sinon.stub().returns({ result: sinon.stub().resolves(safeDataWire) });
+    it('POSTs to the safes collection URL and returns the initializing id/status', async function () {
+      const initializeResponseWire = { id: 'test-safe-id', status: 'initializing' };
+      const send = sinon.stub().returns({ result: sinon.stub().resolves(initializeResponseWire) });
       mockBitGo.post.returns({ send });
 
       const result = await safes.initializeSafe({ label: 'my safe' });
 
-      result.should.be.instanceof(Safe);
-      result.id().should.equal('test-safe-id');
-      result.enterpriseId().should.equal('test-enterprise-id');
+      result.id.should.equal('test-safe-id');
+      result.status.should.equal('initializing');
       sinon.assert.calledWith(mockBitGo.post, '/enterprise/test-enterprise-id/safes');
       sinon.assert.calledWith(send, { label: 'my safe' });
     });
@@ -237,7 +237,7 @@ describe('Safes', function () {
 
   describe('generateSafe', function () {
     it('chains initialize → createSafeKeys → finalize, threading the safeId', async function () {
-      const initializing = new Safe(mockBitGo, { ...safeDataWire, status: 'initializing' } as any);
+      const initializing = { id: 'test-safe-id', status: 'initializing' as const };
       const rootKeys = { rootKeys: { hot: {} } } as any;
       const initStub = sinon.stub(safes, 'initializeSafe').resolves(initializing);
       const keysStub = sinon.stub(safes, 'createSafeKeys').resolves(rootKeys);