diff --git a/hive-c0re/src/meta.rs b/hive-c0re/src/meta.rs
index 023ded4..cfd2f30 100644
--- a/hive-c0re/src/meta.rs
+++ b/hive-c0re/src/meta.rs
@@ -73,50 +73,110 @@ pub async fn sync_agents(
     if initial {
         git(&dir, &["init", "--initial-branch=main"]).await?;
     }
-    nix(&dir, &["flake", "lock"]).await?;
-    git(&dir, &["add", "-A"]).await?;
+    // Commit flake.nix *before* running nix flake lock — when meta is
+    // a git repo, nix treats it as a `git+file://` self-reference and
+    // only sees TRACKED files. Locking against an untracked flake.nix
+    // surfaces as "source tree does not contain '/flake.nix'".
+    git(&dir, &["add", "flake.nix"]).await?;
     let msg = if initial {
         format!("seed meta from {} agent(s)", agents.len())
     } else {
         "regenerate meta flake".to_owned()
     };
     git_commit(&dir, &msg).await?;
+    nix(&dir, &["flake", "lock"]).await?;
+    if !git_is_clean(&dir).await? {
+        git(&dir, &["add", "flake.lock"]).await?;
+        git_commit(&dir, "lock update").await?;
+    }
     Ok(())
 }
 
 /// Phase 1 of an apply-commit deploy. Updates the locked rev of
 /// `agent-<name>` to whatever `applied/<name>/main` currently points
-/// at. **Doesn't commit** — caller must follow with
-/// `finalize_deploy` on build success or `abort_deploy` on failure.
+/// at **and commits** the bump immediately — `git+file://` semantics
+/// mean nixos-container would otherwise build against the previously
+/// tracked lock, ignoring the working-tree change. `finalize_deploy`
+/// later amends the message with the deployed tag; `abort_deploy`
+/// drops the commit entirely so meta history shows only successful
+/// deploys.
 #[allow(dead_code)] // wired up by actions::run_apply_commit in a later commit
 pub async fn prepare_deploy(name: &str) -> Result<()> {
     let dir = meta_dir();
     let input = format!("agent-{name}");
-    nix(&dir, &["flake", "update", &input]).await
-}
-
-/// Phase 2-success. Commits the staged `flake.lock` change with a
-/// deploy-shaped message. No-op (clean working tree) is tolerated —
-/// some lock-updates resolve to the same rev that's already locked.
-#[allow(dead_code)]
-pub async fn finalize_deploy(name: &str, sha: &str, tag: &str) -> Result<()> {
-    let dir = meta_dir();
+    nix(&dir, &["flake", "update", &input]).await?;
     if git_is_clean(&dir).await? {
+        // Lock unchanged (rev already matches). Nothing to commit;
+        // finalize_deploy will be a no-op too.
         return Ok(());
     }
     git(&dir, &["add", "flake.lock"]).await?;
-    let short = &sha[..sha.len().min(12)];
-    git_commit(&dir, &format!("deploy {name} {tag} {short}")).await
+    git_commit(&dir, &format!("deploy {name} (building)")).await
 }
 
-/// Phase 2-failure. Drops the uncommitted `flake.lock` change so meta
-/// stays pinned at the previously-deployed shas. The failed proposal
-/// is still captured in `applied/<n>`'s annotated `failed/<id>` tag —
-/// meta's history only carries successful deploys.
+/// Phase 2-success. Amend the prepare-deploy commit's message with
+/// the canonical deployed tag + sha. No-op when prepare didn't
+/// commit (input was already at the right rev).
+#[allow(dead_code)]
+pub async fn finalize_deploy(name: &str, sha: &str, tag: &str) -> Result<()> {
+    let dir = meta_dir();
+    // Detect prepare's commit by its placeholder message; if HEAD is
+    // some other commit (e.g. prepare no-op'd, or a concurrent change
+    // landed) just add a fresh commit instead of amending.
+    let head_msg = git_head_msg(&dir).await.unwrap_or_default();
+    let short = &sha[..sha.len().min(12)];
+    let new_msg = format!("deploy {name} {tag} {short}");
+    if head_msg.starts_with(&format!("deploy {name} (building)")) {
+        git(
+            &dir,
+            &[
+                "-c",
+                &format!("user.name={GIT_NAME}"),
+                "-c",
+                &format!("user.email={GIT_EMAIL}"),
+                "commit",
+                "--amend",
+                "-m",
+                &new_msg,
+            ],
+        )
+        .await
+    } else {
+        Ok(())
+    }
+}
+
+/// Phase 2-failure. Drop the prepare-deploy commit so meta history
+/// only carries successful deploys. The failed proposal is still
+/// captured in `applied/<n>`'s annotated `failed/<id>` tag.
 #[allow(dead_code)]
 pub async fn abort_deploy() -> Result<()> {
     let dir = meta_dir();
-    git(&dir, &["restore", "flake.lock"]).await
+    let head_msg = git_head_msg(&dir).await.unwrap_or_default();
+    if head_msg.starts_with("deploy ") && head_msg.contains("(building)") {
+        // hard reset drops the commit + its working-tree changes.
+        git(&dir, &["reset", "--hard", "HEAD~1"]).await
+    } else {
+        // Prepare no-op'd (lock unchanged); also restore any lingering
+        // lock-only changes as a safety belt.
+        git(&dir, &["restore", "flake.lock"]).await
+    }
+}
+
+async fn git_head_msg(dir: &Path) -> Result<String> {
+    let out = lifecycle::git_command()
+        .current_dir(dir)
+        .args(["log", "-1", "--format=%s"])
+        .output()
+        .await
+        .with_context(|| format!("git log in {}", dir.display()))?;
+    if !out.status.success() {
+        bail!(
+            "git log -1 failed: {}",
+            String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stderr).trim()
+        );
+    }
+    Ok(String::from_utf8_lossy(&out.stdout).trim().to_owned())
 }
 
 /// One-shot used by the manual-rebuild path: relock just one