diff --git a/eval_protocol/cli.py b/eval_protocol/cli.py
index c8ba4594..e8c0e19e 100644
--- a/eval_protocol/cli.py
+++ b/eval_protocol/cli.py
@@ -425,6 +425,7 @@ def parse_args(args=None):
     rft_parser.add_argument("--rft-job-id", help="Specify an explicit RFT job id")
     rft_parser.add_argument("--yes", "-y", action="store_true", help="Non-interactive mode")
     rft_parser.add_argument("--dry-run", action="store_true", help="Print planned REST calls without sending")
+    rft_parser.add_argument("--force", action="store_true", help="Overwrite existing evaluator with the same ID")
 
     # Run command (for Hydra-based evaluations)
     # This subparser intentionally defines no arguments itself.
diff --git a/eval_protocol/cli_commands/create_rft.py b/eval_protocol/cli_commands/create_rft.py
index e3687869..1f903d4b 100644
--- a/eval_protocol/cli_commands/create_rft.py
+++ b/eval_protocol/cli_commands/create_rft.py
@@ -5,12 +5,15 @@
 import argparse
 from typing import Any, Dict, Optional
 
+import requests
+
 from ..auth import (
     get_fireworks_account_id,
     get_fireworks_api_base,
     get_fireworks_api_key,
     verify_api_key_and_get_account_id,
 )
+from ..common_utils import get_user_agent
 from ..fireworks_rft import (
     _map_api_host_to_app_host,
     build_default_output_model,
@@ -263,10 +266,72 @@ def _auto_select_evaluator_id(cwd: str) -> Optional[str]:
     return None
 
 
+def _poll_evaluator_status(
+    evaluator_resource_name: str, api_key: str, api_base: str, timeout_minutes: int = 10
+) -> bool:
+    """
+    Poll evaluator status until it becomes ACTIVE or times out.
+
+    Args:
+        evaluator_resource_name: Full evaluator resource name (e.g., accounts/xxx/evaluators/yyy)
+        api_key: Fireworks API key
+        api_base: Fireworks API base URL
+        timeout_minutes: Maximum time to wait in minutes
+
+    Returns:
+        True if evaluator becomes ACTIVE, False if timeout or BUILD_FAILED
+    """
+    headers = {
+        "Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}",
+        "Content-Type": "application/json",
+        "User-Agent": get_user_agent(),
+    }
+
+    check_url = f"{api_base}/v1/{evaluator_resource_name}"
+    timeout_seconds = timeout_minutes * 60
+    poll_interval = 10  # seconds
+    start_time = time.time()
+
+    print(f"Polling evaluator status (timeout: {timeout_minutes}m, interval: {poll_interval}s)...")
+
+    while time.time() - start_time < timeout_seconds:
+        try:
+            response = requests.get(check_url, headers=headers, timeout=30)
+            response.raise_for_status()
+
+            evaluator_data = response.json()
+            state = evaluator_data.get("state", "STATE_UNSPECIFIED")
+            status = evaluator_data.get("status", "")
+
+            if state == "ACTIVE":
+                print("✅ Evaluator is ACTIVE and ready!")
+                return True
+            elif state == "BUILD_FAILED":
+                print(f"❌ Evaluator build failed. Status: {status}")
+                return False
+            elif state == "BUILDING":
+                elapsed_minutes = (time.time() - start_time) / 60
+                print(f"⏳ Evaluator is still building... ({elapsed_minutes:.1f}m elapsed)")
+            else:
+                print(f"⏳ Evaluator state: {state}, status: {status}")
+
+        except requests.exceptions.RequestException as e:
+            print(f"Warning: Failed to check evaluator status: {e}")
+
+        # Wait before next poll
+        time.sleep(poll_interval)
+
+    # Timeout reached
+    elapsed_minutes = (time.time() - start_time) / 60
+    print(f"⏰ Timeout after {elapsed_minutes:.1f}m - evaluator is not yet ACTIVE")
+    return False
+
+
 def create_rft_command(args) -> int:
     evaluator_id: Optional[str] = getattr(args, "evaluator_id", None)
     non_interactive: bool = bool(getattr(args, "yes", False))
     dry_run: bool = bool(getattr(args, "dry_run", False))
+    force: bool = bool(getattr(args, "force", False))
 
     api_key = get_fireworks_api_key()
     if not api_key:
@@ -326,12 +391,34 @@ def create_rft_command(args) -> int:
             id=evaluator_id,
             display_name=None,
             description=None,
-            force=False,
+            force=force,  # Pass through the --force flag
             yes=True,
+            env_file=None,  # Add the new env_file parameter
         )
+
+        if force:
+            print(f"🔄 Force flag enabled - will overwrite existing evaluator '{evaluator_id}'")
+
         rc = upload_command(upload_args)
         if rc == 0:
             print(f"✓ Uploaded/ensured evaluator: {evaluator_id}")
+
+            # Poll for evaluator status
+            print(f"Waiting for evaluator '{evaluator_id}' to become ACTIVE...")
+            is_active = _poll_evaluator_status(
+                evaluator_resource_name=evaluator_resource_name, api_key=api_key, api_base=api_base, timeout_minutes=10
+            )
+
+            if not is_active:
+                # Print helpful message with dashboard link
+                app_base = _map_api_host_to_app_host(api_base)
+                evaluator_slug = _extract_terminal_segment(evaluator_id)
+                dashboard_url = f"{app_base}/dashboard/evaluators/{evaluator_slug}"
+
+                print("\n❌ Evaluator is not ready within the timeout period.")
+                print(f"📊 Please check the evaluator status at: {dashboard_url}")
+                print("   Wait for it to become ACTIVE, then run 'eval-protocol create rft' again.")
+                return 1
         else:
             print("Warning: Evaluator upload did not complete successfully; proceeding to RFT creation.")
     except Exception as e: