diff --git a/.talismanrc b/.talismanrc
index b03f6eed4..54870602d 100644
--- a/.talismanrc
+++ b/.talismanrc
@@ -1,4 +1,6 @@
 fileignoreconfig:
-- filename: pnpm-lock.yaml
-  checksum: 7ec6345eb15ed0be001753ee49733421a8a07096dc8a18465cdad1b82562fed8
+- filename: packages/contentstack-import/src/commands/cm/stacks/import.ts
+  checksum: bbf5ebdec2350c3b6d8118a25046e4e11b68c56434ac6c89be6aaab047a6ac4b
+- filename: packages/contentstack-import/src/import/modules/assets.ts
+  checksum: ce46c32788ea908075873b4dee475bae75975eb58771d0da06a3debb6817bf91
 version: '1.0'
diff --git a/packages/contentstack-bulk-operations/src/commands/cm/stacks/bulk-assets.ts b/packages/contentstack-bulk-operations/src/commands/cm/stacks/bulk-assets.ts
index e8bfc9835..c50b12766 100644
--- a/packages/contentstack-bulk-operations/src/commands/cm/stacks/bulk-assets.ts
+++ b/packages/contentstack-bulk-operations/src/commands/cm/stacks/bulk-assets.ts
@@ -5,15 +5,7 @@ import { flags, handleAndLogError, log } from '@contentstack/cli-utilities';
 
 import { AssetPublishData, BulkOperationResult, OperationType, ResourceType } from '../../../interfaces';
 import { BaseBulkCommand } from '../../../base-bulk-command';
-import {
-  $t,
-  messages,
-  fetchAssets,
-  scanDataDirStats,
-  BATCH_CONSTANTS,
-  categorizeByScanStatus,
-  fillMissingFlags,
-} from '../../../utils';
+import { $t, messages, fetchAssets, scanDataDirStats, BATCH_CONSTANTS, categorizeByScanStatus } from '../../../utils';
 import type { DataDirScanStats } from '../../../utils';
 import { AssetService } from '../../../services';
 
@@ -67,13 +59,6 @@ export default class BulkAssets extends BaseBulkCommand {
 
   protected resourceType: ResourceType = ResourceType.ASSET;
 
-  protected async resolveFlagsInteractively(flags: any): Promise<any> {
-    if (flags['data-dir']) {
-      return flags;
-    }
-    return fillMissingFlags(flags, { promptDataDir: true });
-  }
-
   async run(): Promise<void> {
     try {
       if (this.bulkOperationConfig.sourceEnv) {
diff --git a/packages/contentstack-bulk-operations/src/messages/index.ts b/packages/contentstack-bulk-operations/src/messages/index.ts
index c51fe6023..ab7e6f7d9 100644
--- a/packages/contentstack-bulk-operations/src/messages/index.ts
+++ b/packages/contentstack-bulk-operations/src/messages/index.ts
@@ -379,11 +379,6 @@ const interactiveMsg = {
   TAXONOMY_UNSUPPORTED_RETRY: 'Retry and revert are not supported for bulk-taxonomies.',
   TAXONOMY_UNSUPPORTED_CROSS_PUBLISH: 'Cross-publish is not supported for bulk-taxonomies.',
 
-  // Data-dir (backup folder) prompt
-  USE_DATA_DIR_PROMPT: 'Do you want to publish assets using publish details from an import backup folder (data-dir)?',
-  ENTER_DATA_DIR: 'Enter the path to the import backup folder (data-dir):',
-  DATA_DIR_REQUIRED: 'Backup folder path is required',
-
   // Errors
   NO_DELIVERY_TOKENS_FOUND:
     'No delivery token aliases found. Add one using: csdx auth:tokens:add -a <alias> --delivery-token <token> --api-key <api-key> --environment <source-env> --type delivery',
diff --git a/packages/contentstack-bulk-operations/src/utils/interactive.ts b/packages/contentstack-bulk-operations/src/utils/interactive.ts
index a17485e9a..41e3d319a 100644
--- a/packages/contentstack-bulk-operations/src/utils/interactive.ts
+++ b/packages/contentstack-bulk-operations/src/utils/interactive.ts
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ async function promptForSourceAlias(): Promise<string> {
 /**
  * Fills in missing required flags by prompting the user
  */
-export async function fillMissingFlags(flags: any, options?: { promptDataDir?: boolean }): Promise<any> {
+export async function fillMissingFlags(flags: any): Promise<any> {
   const updatedFlags = { ...flags };
 
   // Skip interactive mode for retry/revert operations
@@ -162,17 +162,21 @@ export async function fillMissingFlags(flags: any, options?: { promptDataDir?: b
   // Track if we prompted for anything
   let didPrompt = false;
 
+  // The presence of --data-dir is what selects the import-backup publish flow:
+  // environments and locales are then derived per-asset from the backup, so we
+  // neither prompt for the data-dir path nor for environments/locales here.
+  const hasDataDir = !!updatedFlags['data-dir'];
+
   // Check if any required fields are missing
   const needsCredentials = !updatedFlags.alias && !updatedFlags['stack-api-key'];
   const needsOperation = !updatedFlags.operation;
-  const needsEnvironments = !updatedFlags.environments || updatedFlags.environments.length === 0;
   // Check if non-localized filter is used
   const isNonLocalized = updatedFlags.filter === FilterType.NON_LOCALIZED;
-  const needsLocales = !isNonLocalized && (!updatedFlags.locales || updatedFlags.locales.length === 0);
-  const needsDataDir = options?.promptDataDir && !updatedFlags['data-dir'];
+  const needsEnvironments = !hasDataDir && (!updatedFlags.environments || updatedFlags.environments.length === 0);
+  const needsLocales = !hasDataDir && !isNonLocalized && (!updatedFlags.locales || updatedFlags.locales.length === 0);
 
   // Only show interactive mode header if we need to prompt
-  if (needsCredentials || needsOperation || needsEnvironments || needsLocales || needsDataDir) {
+  if (needsCredentials || needsOperation || needsEnvironments || needsLocales) {
     cliux.print(messages.INTERACTIVE_MODE_START, { color: 'cyan' });
     didPrompt = true;
   }
@@ -192,26 +196,6 @@ export async function fillMissingFlags(flags: any, options?: { promptDataDir?: b
     updatedFlags.operation = await promptForOperation();
   }
 
-  // 2.5. Data-dir (import backup folder) — alternative to environments/locales for asset publish
-  if (needsDataDir) {
-    const useDataDir = await cliux.inquire<boolean>({
-      type: 'confirm',
-      name: 'useDataDir',
-      message: messages.USE_DATA_DIR_PROMPT,
-      default: false,
-    });
-    if (useDataDir) {
-      updatedFlags['data-dir'] = await cliux.inquire<string>({
-        type: 'input',
-        name: 'dataDir',
-        message: messages.ENTER_DATA_DIR,
-        validate: (v: string) => (!v?.trim() ? messages.DATA_DIR_REQUIRED : true),
-      });
-      cliux.print(messages.INTERACTIVE_MODE_COMPLETE, { color: 'green' });
-      return updatedFlags;
-    }
-  }
-
   // 3. Check for cross-publish mode
   const isCrossPublish = updatedFlags['source-env'] || updatedFlags['source-alias'];
 
diff --git a/packages/contentstack-import/src/commands/cm/stacks/import.ts b/packages/contentstack-import/src/commands/cm/stacks/import.ts
index b1aadbb72..fbd208892 100644
--- a/packages/contentstack-import/src/commands/cm/stacks/import.ts
+++ b/packages/contentstack-import/src/commands/cm/stacks/import.ts
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ export default class ImportCommand extends Command {
       if (importConfig.assetScanningEnabled) {
         cliux.print('\nAsset Scanning is enabled — assets were not published.', { color: 'yellow' });
         cliux.print('  Once scanning completes, publish your assets using:', { color: 'yellow' });
-        cliux.print(`  csdx cm:stacks:bulk-assets --data-dir ${backupDir} --stack-api-key ${importConfig.apiKey}`, { color: 'cyan' });
+        cliux.print(`  csdx cm:stacks:bulk-assets --data-dir ${backupDir} --stack-api-key ${importConfig.apiKey} --operation publish`, { color: 'cyan' });
       }
       this.logSuccessAndBackupMessages(backupDir, importConfig);
       // Clear progress module setting now that import is complete
diff --git a/packages/contentstack-import/src/import/modules/assets.ts b/packages/contentstack-import/src/import/modules/assets.ts
index fbce6e743..f6158d5a8 100644
--- a/packages/contentstack-import/src/import/modules/assets.ts
+++ b/packages/contentstack-import/src/import/modules/assets.ts
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ export default class ImportAssets extends BaseClass {
         log.info('   Asset Scanning is enabled for this stack.', this.importConfig.context);
         log.info('   Assets cannot be published immediately — scanning must complete first.', this.importConfig.context);
         log.info('   Once scanning is done, publish your assets using:', this.importConfig.context);
-        log.info('   csdx cm:stacks:bulk-assets --data-dir ./content --stack-api-key <key>', this.importConfig.context);
+        log.info('   csdx cm:stacks:bulk-assets --data-dir ./content --stack-api-key <key> --operation publish', this.importConfig.context);
       }
     } catch (error) {
       this.completeProgress(false, error?.message || 'Asset import failed');