diff --git a/.changeset/template-depth-tracking.md b/.changeset/template-depth-tracking.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2e867e69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/template-depth-tracking.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+"@astrojs/compiler-binding": minor
+"@astrojs/compiler-rs": minor
+---
+
+Emit `templateEnter` / `templateExit` instructions when printing `<template>` elements for https://github.com/withastro/astro/pull/15980
diff --git a/crates/astro_codegen/src/printer/elements.rs b/crates/astro_codegen/src/printer/elements.rs
index 08161f03..8697ca09 100644
--- a/crates/astro_codegen/src/printer/elements.rs
+++ b/crates/astro_codegen/src/printer/elements.rs
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ impl<'a> AstroCodegen<'a> {
 
         // Check if this is a special element
         let is_head = name == "head";
+        let is_template = name == "template";
         let was_in_head = self.in_head;
 
         // Track non-hoistable context for nested style elements
@@ -158,6 +159,15 @@ impl<'a> AstroCodegen<'a> {
         // Close the opening tag and handle content
         self.print(">");
 
+        // Emit template depth tracking for HTML <template> elements
+        if is_template {
+            self.print(&format!(
+                "${{{}({})}}",
+                runtime::TEMPLATE_ENTER,
+                runtime::RESULT
+            ));
+        }
+
         // Handle special head insertion
         if is_head {
             // Children (use compact-aware printing)
@@ -214,6 +224,14 @@ impl<'a> AstroCodegen<'a> {
             self.print_jsx_children_compact(&el.children);
         }
 
+        if is_template {
+            self.print(&format!(
+                "${{{}({})}}",
+                runtime::TEMPLATE_EXIT,
+                runtime::RESULT
+            ));
+        }
+
         // Closing tag (skip for void elements like <meta>, <input>, <br>, etc.)
         if !is_void_element(name) {
             // Map closing tag to its source position so it appears in the sourcemap.
diff --git a/crates/astro_codegen/src/printer/mod.rs b/crates/astro_codegen/src/printer/mod.rs
index a0113d64..82d2144f 100644
--- a/crates/astro_codegen/src/printer/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/astro_codegen/src/printer/mod.rs
@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@ mod runtime {
     pub const RENDER_TRANSITION: &str = "$$renderTransition";
     pub const CREATE_TRANSITION_SCOPE: &str = "$$createTransitionScope";
     pub const RENDER_SCRIPT: &str = "$$renderScript";
+    pub const TEMPLATE_ENTER: &str = "$$templateEnter";
+    pub const TEMPLATE_EXIT: &str = "$$templateExit";
     pub const CREATE_METADATA: &str = "$$createMetadata";
     pub const RESULT: &str = "$$result";
 }
@@ -633,6 +635,10 @@ impl<'a> AstroCodegen<'a> {
             runtime::CREATE_TRANSITION_SCOPE
         ));
         self.println(&format!("  renderScript as {},", runtime::RENDER_SCRIPT));
+        if self.scan_result.has_template_element {
+            self.println(&format!("  templateEnter as {},", runtime::TEMPLATE_ENTER));
+            self.println(&format!("  templateExit as {},", runtime::TEMPLATE_EXIT));
+        }
         if !self.options.has_resolve_path() {
             self.println(&format!("  createMetadata as {}", runtime::CREATE_METADATA));
         }
diff --git a/crates/astro_codegen/src/scanner.rs b/crates/astro_codegen/src/scanner.rs
index 3e84271a..9e191381 100644
--- a/crates/astro_codegen/src/scanner.rs
+++ b/crates/astro_codegen/src/scanner.rs
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ pub struct ScanResult {
     pub hydration_directives: Vec<String>,
     /// Collected hoisted scripts
     pub hoisted_scripts: Vec<TransformResultHoistedScript>,
+    /// Whether the source contains an HTML `<template>` element
+    pub has_template_element: bool,
 }
 
 /// Scans an Astro AST to collect metadata in a single pass.
@@ -62,6 +64,8 @@ pub struct AstroScanner<'a> {
     uses_astro_global: bool,
     /// Whether we've found transition directives
     uses_transitions: bool,
+    /// Whether we've found an HTML `<template>` element
+    has_template_element: bool,
     /// Whether we've found an `await` expression
     has_await: bool,
     /// Set of component names that use `client:only`
@@ -86,6 +90,7 @@ impl<'a> AstroScanner<'a> {
             allocator,
             uses_astro_global: false,
             uses_transitions: false,
+            has_template_element: false,
             has_await: false,
             client_only_component_names: FxHashSet::default(),
             hydrated_components: Vec::new(),
@@ -110,6 +115,7 @@ impl<'a> AstroScanner<'a> {
             server_deferred_components: self.server_deferred_components,
             hydration_directives: self.hydration_directives,
             hoisted_scripts: self.hoisted_scripts,
+            has_template_element: self.has_template_element,
         }
     }
 
@@ -312,9 +318,15 @@ impl<'a> Visit<'a> for AstroScanner<'a> {
         // Check for directives on the opening element
         self.process_element_directives(&el.opening_element);
 
+        let name = get_jsx_element_name(&el.opening_element.name);
+
+        // Check for HTML <template> elements (not components)
+        if name == "template" && !is_component_name(&name) {
+            self.has_template_element = true;
+        }
+
         // Check for hoistable scripts — if we collect one, skip walking
         // children to avoid visit_astro_script double-collecting the same script.
-        let name = get_jsx_element_name(&el.opening_element.name);
         if name == "script" {
             if !self.in_non_hoistable && should_hoist_script(&el.opening_element.attributes) {
                 self.try_collect_script(el);
diff --git a/crates/astro_codegen/tests/fixtures/script_inside_template_not_hoisted.snap b/crates/astro_codegen/tests/fixtures/script_inside_template_not_hoisted.snap
index 88e73c64..d41f5f87 100644
--- a/crates/astro_codegen/tests/fixtures/script_inside_template_not_hoisted.snap
+++ b/crates/astro_codegen/tests/fixtures/script_inside_template_not_hoisted.snap
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ source: crates/astro_codegen/tests/snapshots.rs
 assertion_line: 81
 input_file: crates/astro_codegen/tests/fixtures/script_inside_template_not_hoisted.astro
 ---
-import { render as $$render, createComponent as $$createComponent, renderScript as $$renderScript, createMetadata as $$createMetadata } from "http://localhost:3000/";
+import { render as $$render, createComponent as $$createComponent, renderScript as $$renderScript, templateEnter as $$templateEnter, templateExit as $$templateExit, createMetadata as $$createMetadata } from "http://localhost:3000/";
 export const $$metadata = $$createMetadata(import.meta.url, {
 	modules: [],
 	hydratedComponents: [],
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ export const $$metadata = $$createMetadata(import.meta.url, {
 	}]
 });
 const $$Component = $$createComponent(($$result, $$props, $$slots) => {
-	return $$render`<template><script>console.log("inside template");<\/script></template>
+	return $$render`<template>${$$templateEnter($$result)}<script>console.log("inside template");<\/script>${$$templateExit($$result)}</template>
 ${$$renderScript($$result, "/src/pages/index.astro?astro&type=script&index=0&lang.ts")}`;
 }, undefined, undefined);
 export default $$Component;
diff --git a/crates/astro_codegen/tests/fixtures/template_element_depth_tracking.astro b/crates/astro_codegen/tests/fixtures/template_element_depth_tracking.astro
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f966432d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/astro_codegen/tests/fixtures/template_element_depth_tracking.astro
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<template id="tpl"><div>hello</div></template>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/crates/astro_codegen/tests/fixtures/template_element_depth_tracking.snap b/crates/astro_codegen/tests/fixtures/template_element_depth_tracking.snap
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..72753ed2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/astro_codegen/tests/fixtures/template_element_depth_tracking.snap
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+---
+source: crates/astro_codegen/tests/snapshots.rs
+assertion_line: 81
+input_file: crates/astro_codegen/tests/fixtures/template_element_depth_tracking.astro
+---
+import { render as $$render, createComponent as $$createComponent, maybeRenderHead as $$maybeRenderHead, templateEnter as $$templateEnter, templateExit as $$templateExit, createMetadata as $$createMetadata } from "http://localhost:3000/";
+export const $$metadata = $$createMetadata(import.meta.url, {
+	modules: [],
+	hydratedComponents: [],
+	clientOnlyComponents: [],
+	hydrationDirectives: new Set([]),
+	hoisted: []
+});
+const $$Component = $$createComponent(($$result, $$props, $$slots) => {
+	return $$render`<template id="tpl">${$$templateEnter($$result)}${$$maybeRenderHead($$result)}<div>hello</div>${$$templateExit($$result)}</template>`;
+}, undefined, undefined);
+export default $$Component;
diff --git a/crates/astro_codegen/tests/fixtures/template_element_nested_depth_tracking.astro b/crates/astro_codegen/tests/fixtures/template_element_nested_depth_tracking.astro
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..78544cff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/astro_codegen/tests/fixtures/template_element_nested_depth_tracking.astro
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+<template><template><div>inner</div></template></template>
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/crates/astro_codegen/tests/fixtures/template_element_nested_depth_tracking.snap b/crates/astro_codegen/tests/fixtures/template_element_nested_depth_tracking.snap
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b46abbd4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/astro_codegen/tests/fixtures/template_element_nested_depth_tracking.snap
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+---
+source: crates/astro_codegen/tests/snapshots.rs
+assertion_line: 81
+input_file: crates/astro_codegen/tests/fixtures/template_element_nested_depth_tracking.astro
+---
+import { render as $$render, createComponent as $$createComponent, maybeRenderHead as $$maybeRenderHead, templateEnter as $$templateEnter, templateExit as $$templateExit, createMetadata as $$createMetadata } from "http://localhost:3000/";
+export const $$metadata = $$createMetadata(import.meta.url, {
+	modules: [],
+	hydratedComponents: [],
+	clientOnlyComponents: [],
+	hydrationDirectives: new Set([]),
+	hoisted: []
+});
+const $$Component = $$createComponent(($$result, $$props, $$slots) => {
+	return $$render`<template>${$$templateEnter($$result)}<template>${$$templateEnter($$result)}${$$maybeRenderHead($$result)}<div>inner</div>${$$templateExit($$result)}</template>${$$templateExit($$result)}</template>`;
+}, undefined, undefined);
+export default $$Component;