diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d73c90c..e24afe6 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -79,16 +79,18 @@ pnpm cella sync --track branch   # follow the tip once, without editing config
 main ──▶ cella/sync/<stamp> ──(3-way merge)──▶ PR ──(squash)──▶ main
 ```
 
-It runs a real git 3-way merge and leaves the result **staged** — it never auto-commits on the
-first pass. `sync` is **idempotent and two-phase**:
-
-1. **First run** cuts the branch and stages the merge, then stops so you can review (and resolve
-   any conflicts in your IDE — `git add` the resolved files).
-2. **Re-run `pnpm cella sync`** on the same branch to finish: it reconciles dependencies
-   (`pnpm install` + `pnpm check`), stages everything, commits the delta, pushes to `origin`,
+It runs a real git 3-way merge. `sync` is **idempotent and staged**: each run advances the sync
+one stage, and the run that commits never ships — the pause on the committed branch is where
+drift triage (`pnpm cella analyze` diffs committed HEAD) and follow-up commits happen.
+
+1. **First run** cuts the branch and merges. A clean merge is committed right away: dependencies
+   are reconciled (`pnpm install` + `pnpm check`), everything is staged, and the delta is
+   committed — then the run stops on the branch. A conflicted merge stops earlier so you can
+   resolve in your IDE (`git add` the resolved files) and re-run to commit.
+2. **Final re-run `pnpm cella sync`** on the committed branch ships it: pushes to `origin`,
    opens a PR into `main` (via `gh`), and switches you back to `main`.
 
-When you commit, the in-progress merge state (`MERGE_HEAD`) is discarded, so the staged delta
+When the commit stage runs, the in-progress merge state (`MERGE_HEAD`) is discarded, so the staged delta
 collapses into a **single-parent commit** (`chore: sync upstream cella <sha>`). This keeps the PR
 to one clean commit with the incremental diff — a two-parent merge commit would instead list the
 upstream branch's entire history, because the fork doesn't share pushed ancestry with upstream
diff --git a/src/services/sync.ts b/src/services/sync.ts
index 87a4a8e..104483a 100644
--- a/src/services/sync.ts
+++ b/src/services/sync.ts
@@ -300,7 +300,7 @@ function printShipSteps(temporaryBranch: string, base: string, title?: string):
   printPrCreateStep(temporaryBranch, base, title);
 }
 
-/** Guidance shown after a fresh cycle stages a merge: re-run to finish and ship it. */
+/** Guidance shown after a fresh cycle stops at conflicts: re-run to commit once resolved. */
 function printFinishSteps(): void {
   console.info(pc.dim('  pnpm cella sync'));
 }
@@ -370,7 +370,8 @@ function enableAutoMerge(forkPath: string, branch: string): boolean {
 
 /**
  * Push the finished sync branch to `origin`, open a PR into the trunk, and switch back to the
- * trunk. Runs automatically once a rerun completes the merge cleanly.
+ * trunk. Runs when `cella sync` is invoked on a sync branch whose merge is already committed —
+ * shipping is always its own run, after the commit stage stopped for drift triage.
  *
  * Before pushing, any merge commits on the branch are flattened away (see `flattenSyncBranch`)
  * so the PR never lists the upstream branch's entire history.
@@ -503,15 +504,16 @@ async function runSyncCycle(config: RuntimeConfig): Promise<SyncCycleOutcome> {
 }
 
 /**
- * Finish an in-progress merge left by an earlier `cella sync` run on the same temporary branch.
+ * Commit an in-progress merge on the temporary sync branch — never shipping in the same run.
  *
- * This is what makes the command idempotent: after a run stops at conflicts, resolve and stage
- * them, then run `cella sync` again. If conflicts remain we point them out and stop; once none
- * remain we reconcile dependencies (`pnpm install` + `pnpm check`), stage everything, commit the
- * staged delta as a single squashed commit (see `commitSquash`), then push the branch and open
- * the PR (see `shipSyncBranch`).
+ * Runs directly after a clean merge, or on a rerun once a conflicted merge is resolved and
+ * staged. If conflicts remain we point them out and stop; once none remain we reconcile
+ * dependencies (`pnpm install` + `pnpm check`), stage everything, and commit the staged delta
+ * as a single squashed commit (see `commitSquash`). It then stops on the committed branch:
+ * that is the window for drift triage (`cella analyze` diffs committed HEAD) and follow-up
+ * commits. Shipping (push + PR) is always its own rerun (see `runSyncCommand`).
  */
-async function resumeSyncMerge(config: RuntimeConfig, branch: string): Promise<void> {
+async function commitSyncMerge(config: RuntimeConfig, branch: string): Promise<void> {
   const { forkPath } = config;
   const conflicts = await getConflictedFiles(forkPath);
 
@@ -547,7 +549,14 @@ async function resumeSyncMerge(config: RuntimeConfig, branch: string): Promise<v
   await commitSquash(forkPath, message);
   console.info();
   console.info(pc.green(`committed the sync on '${branch}' as '${message}'.`));
-  await shipSyncBranch(config, branch);
+  printTriageSteps(branch);
+}
+
+/** Guidance after the commit stage stops on the committed sync branch. */
+function printTriageSteps(branch: string): void {
+  console.info(pc.dim(`staying on '${branch}' without pushing.`));
+  console.info(pc.dim('  run drift triage (`pnpm cella analyze`), commit any follow-ups, then:'));
+  console.info(pc.dim('  pnpm cella sync   (pushes the branch and opens the PR)'));
 }
 
 /**
@@ -645,12 +654,14 @@ async function guardAgainstOpenSyncPr(config: RuntimeConfig): Promise<'continue'
 /**
  * Run the standalone `cella sync` command.
  *
- * Idempotent. Behaviour depends on where you are:
- * - On a sync branch with a merge in progress: finish that merge (resume after conflicts), then
- *   push and open the PR.
- * - On a sync branch with the merge already committed: push and open the PR (e.g. a previous
- *   push failed), then switch back to the trunk.
- * - Anywhere else: require a clean tree, then cut a fresh temporary branch and merge upstream.
+ * Idempotent. Each run advances the sync one stage and never commits and ships in the same run:
+ * - Anywhere else: require a clean tree, cut a fresh temporary branch and merge upstream; a
+ *   clean merge is committed right away (the run stops there, for drift triage), a conflicted
+ *   one stops for IDE resolution.
+ * - On a sync branch with a merge in progress: commit it (resume after conflicts), then stop.
+ * - On a sync branch with the merge already committed: push and open the PR, then switch back
+ *   to the trunk. Shipping is deliberately its own run — the pause before it is where drift
+ *   triage and follow-up commits happen.
  */
 export async function runSyncCommand(config: RuntimeConfig): Promise<void> {
   const { forkPath } = config;
@@ -658,9 +669,9 @@ export async function runSyncCommand(config: RuntimeConfig): Promise<void> {
   const onSyncBranch = isTemporarySyncBranch(currentBranch);
 
   // Resume path: an earlier run left a merge staged on this temporary branch (e.g. after
-  // conflicts). Re-running finishes it instead of starting over.
+  // conflicts). Re-running commits it instead of starting over.
   if (onSyncBranch && mergeInProgress(forkPath)) {
-    await resumeSyncMerge(config, currentBranch);
+    await commitSyncMerge(config, currentBranch);
     return;
   }
 
@@ -701,7 +712,11 @@ export async function runSyncCommand(config: RuntimeConfig): Promise<void> {
   if (outcome.status === 'conflicts') {
     console.info(`${warningMark} ${pc.yellow(`conflicts on '${temporaryBranch}'. Resolve and stage them, then:`)}`);
     printFinishSteps();
-    console.info(pc.dim('  rerun commits the sync, pushes the branch, and opens a PR.'));
+    console.info(pc.dim('  rerun commits the sync and stops for drift triage; a further rerun ships (push + PR).'));
     console.info(pc.dim('  let the rerun commit — a manual `git commit` records a merge commit that bloats the PR.'));
+    return;
   }
+
+  // Clean merge: commit it in the same run (never shipping — that stays a separate rerun).
+  await commitSyncMerge(config, temporaryBranch);
 }
diff --git a/src/utils/display.ts b/src/utils/display.ts
index 6e9c69b..a806531 100644
--- a/src/utils/display.ts
+++ b/src/utils/display.ts
@@ -552,9 +552,7 @@ export function printSyncComplete(result: MergeResult, options: { stagedBranch?:
   if (options.stagedBranch) {
     console.info(`${pc.green('✓')} Sync merge staged on '${options.stagedBranch}'`);
     console.info(
-      pc.dim(
-        `  ${updated} files updated, ${merged} auto-merged, ${conflicts} conflicts. Review, then rerun \`pnpm cella sync\` to finish.`,
-      ),
+      pc.dim(`  ${updated} files updated, ${merged} auto-merged, ${conflicts} conflicts. Committing next...`),
     );
   } else {
     console.info(`${pc.green('✓')} sync complete`);