diff --git a/src/main/git-service.ts b/src/main/git-service.ts
index 0953bc1..5e896b5 100644
--- a/src/main/git-service.ts
+++ b/src/main/git-service.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,10 @@ export interface GitChange {
 
 export interface GitLoad {
   branch: string
+  /** Commits that the branch holds and the remote does not. 0 when unknown. */
+  ahead: number
+  /** True when a push would send something. Drives the lit push button. */
+  canPush: boolean
   changes: GitChange[]
 }
 
@@ -125,19 +129,39 @@ function parseBranch(header: string): string {
   return head.split(' ')[0].trim() || 'HEAD'
 }
 
+/**
+ * Read the push state from a `## ...` porcelain branch header.
+ *
+ * A branch without an upstream reports no ahead count, but its first push still
+ * sends every commit, so it counts as pushable with an unknown count.
+ */
+export function parseAhead(header: string): { ahead: number; canPush: boolean } {
+  if (header.startsWith('No commits yet on ') || header.startsWith('HEAD ')) return { ahead: 0, canPush: false }
+  const m = header.match(/\[[^\]]*\bahead (\d+)/)
+  if (m) return { ahead: Number(m[1]), canPush: true }
+  return { ahead: 0, canPush: !header.includes('...') }
+}
+
 interface StatusEntry { index: string; working: string; path: string }
 
-interface ParsedStatus { branch: string; files: StatusEntry[] }
+interface ParsedStatus { branch: string; ahead: number; canPush: boolean; files: StatusEntry[] }
 
 /** Parse `git status --porcelain -b -z` output. NUL-separated, never quoted. */
 export function parseStatus(raw: string): ParsedStatus {
   const parts = raw.split('\0')
   let branch = 'HEAD'
+  let ahead = 0
+  let canPush = false
   const files: StatusEntry[] = []
   for (let i = 0; i < parts.length; i++) {
     const p = parts[i]
     if (!p) continue
-    if (p.startsWith('## ')) { branch = parseBranch(p.slice(3)); continue }
+    if (p.startsWith('## ')) {
+      const header = p.slice(3)
+      branch = parseBranch(header)
+      ;({ ahead, canPush } = parseAhead(header))
+      continue
+    }
     const index = p[0]
     const working = p[1]
     const path = p.slice(3) // skip "XY "
@@ -146,7 +170,7 @@ export function parseStatus(raw: string): ParsedStatus {
     if (index === 'R' || index === 'C' || working === 'R' || working === 'C') i++
     files.push({ index, working, path })
   }
-  return { branch, files }
+  return { branch, ahead, canPush, files }
 }
 
 async function headText(root: string, path: string): Promise<string> {
@@ -239,7 +263,7 @@ async function doLoad(root: string): Promise<GitLoad | null> {
   }
   if (raw == null) return null
 
-  const { branch, files } = parseStatus(raw)
+  const { branch, ahead, canPush, files } = parseStatus(raw)
   // Each changed file needs its HEAD blob (a `git show` spawn) + its disk text.
   // Done serially this is O(files) subprocess spawns in a row — staging one file
   // re-reads ALL of them, which is the dominant cost of a reload. Run them with
@@ -271,7 +295,7 @@ async function doLoad(root: string): Promise<GitLoad | null> {
     return out
   })).flat()
 
-  return { branch, changes }
+  return { branch, ahead, canPush, changes }
 }
 
 export async function stage(root: string, paths: string[]): Promise<void> {
diff --git a/src/main/index.ts b/src/main/index.ts
index 777e26c..d264edb 100644
--- a/src/main/index.ts
+++ b/src/main/index.ts
@@ -91,7 +91,8 @@ function gitDir(root: string): string {
  * done by external tools (Sublime Merge, the CLI, …) would never refresh the
  * git column. Watch the few git files that mark those events so the renderer
  * re-reads status: HEAD (branch switch), index (staging), refs/heads + logs
- * (commits), MERGE_HEAD (in-progress merge). */
+ * (commits), refs/remotes (a push, which clears the ahead count), MERGE_HEAD
+ * (in-progress merge). */
 function startGitWatcher(): void {
   if (gitWatcher) { gitWatcher.close(); gitWatcher = null }
   const root = getRoot()
@@ -102,6 +103,7 @@ function startGitWatcher(): void {
       join(dir, 'HEAD'),
       join(dir, 'index'),
       join(dir, 'refs', 'heads'),
+      join(dir, 'refs', 'remotes'),
       join(dir, 'logs', 'HEAD'),
       join(dir, 'MERGE_HEAD'),
     ],
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/App.tsx b/src/renderer/src/App.tsx
index bc2a14e..b7d3f91 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/App.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/App.tsx
@@ -1037,6 +1037,7 @@ export function App(): React.ReactElement {
   const crumb = active ? active.split('/') : []
   // Whole-project line counts, shown in the status bar next to the branch.
   const totals = proj.changes.reduce((a, c) => ({ add: a.add + c.add, del: a.del + c.del }), { add: 0, del: 0 })
+  const stagedCount = proj.changes.filter((c) => c.staged).length
 
   // No project yet (launched via Spotlight / bare) → show the project launcher.
   if (proj.ready && !proj.root) {
@@ -1116,7 +1117,7 @@ export function App(): React.ReactElement {
           <div className={'col' + (activePanel === 'git' ? ' panel-active' : '') + flashClass} style={{ width: gitW, flex: '0 1 ' + gitW + 'px' }}
             onMouseDownCapture={(e) => { setActivePanel('git'); syncGitSel(e.target) }}
             onMouseOver={(e) => syncGitSel(e.target)}>
-            <GitPanel branch={proj.branch} changes={proj.changes} committed={NO_COMMITTED}
+            <GitPanel branch={proj.branch} ahead={proj.ahead} canPush={proj.canPush} changes={proj.changes} committed={NO_COMMITTED}
               commitMsg={commitMsg} setCommitMsg={setCommitMsg}
               onStage={stageGuarded} onUnstage={unstageGuarded} onStageAll={actions.stageAll} onUnstageAll={actions.unstageAll} onCommit={commit} onPush={push}
               onOpen={openFile} onContext={openMenu} activePath={active} activeSide={activeSide} ctxPath={menu?.path ?? null}
@@ -1165,6 +1166,7 @@ export function App(): React.ReactElement {
         <span className="sb-branch">⑂ {proj.branch}</span>
         <span className="sb-add">+{totals.add}</span>
         <span className="sb-del">−{totals.del}</span>
+        <span className="sb-staged">{stagedCount} staged · {proj.changes.length - stagedCount} unstaged</span>
         <span className="sb-spacer" />
         {active && <>
           <span className="sb-path">{active}</span>
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components.tsx
index 0817980..a44cf66 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components.tsx
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ export const Icon: Record<string, (p?: SvgProps) => React.ReactElement> = {
   finder: (p) => (<svg width="13" height="13" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none" {...p}><rect x="2" y="3.5" width="12" height="9" rx="1.5" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="1.2" /><path d="M9 7l3-3M12 4v2.6M12 4H9.4" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="1.2" fill="none" strokeLinecap="round" strokeLinejoin="round" /></svg>),
   eye: (p) => (<svg width="13" height="13" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none" {...p}><path d="M1.5 8S4 3.5 8 3.5 14.5 8 14.5 8 12 12.5 8 12.5 1.5 8 1.5 8z" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="1.2" fill="none" /><circle cx="8" cy="8" r="2" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="1.2" /></svg>),
   push: (p) => (<svg width="13" height="13" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none" {...p}><path d="M8 13V4M8 4 4.5 7.5M8 4l3.5 3.5M3.5 2.5h9" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="1.4" fill="none" strokeLinecap="round" strokeLinejoin="round" /></svg>),
+  arrowUp: (p) => (<svg width="13" height="13" viewBox="0 0 16 16" fill="none" {...p}><path d="M8 13V3.5M8 3.5 4.5 7M8 3.5 11.5 7" stroke="currentColor" strokeWidth="1.4" fill="none" strokeLinecap="round" strokeLinejoin="round" /></svg>),
 }
 
 /** Hover tooltip. One surface, no arrow, no shadow — the current state is named
@@ -174,8 +175,22 @@ function GitList({ list, ...row }: {
   )
 }
 
-export function GitPanel({ branch, changes, committed, commitMsg, setCommitMsg, onStage, onUnstage, onStageAll, onUnstageAll, onCommit, onPush, onOpen, onContext, activePath, activeSide, ctxPath, kbdId }: {
+/** Push button tooltip. The count is absent on a branch with no upstream. */
+function pushTitle(canPush: boolean, ahead: number): string {
+  if (!canPush) return 'Nothing to push (⌘P)'
+  if (ahead > 0) return `Push ${ahead} commit${ahead > 1 ? 's' : ''} to remote (⌘P)`
+  return 'Push the branch to remote (⌘P)'
+}
+
+/** Dictation tools capitalize and add line breaks; a commit subject is one lowercase line. */
+export function normalizeCommitMsg(value: string): string {
+  return value.toLowerCase().replace(/[ \t]*[\r\n]+[ \t]*/g, ' ')
+}
+
+export function GitPanel({ branch, ahead, canPush, changes, committed, commitMsg, setCommitMsg, onStage, onUnstage, onStageAll, onUnstageAll, onCommit, onPush, onOpen, onContext, activePath, activeSide, ctxPath, kbdId }: {
   branch: string
+  ahead: number
+  canPush: boolean
   changes: Change[]
   committed: Set<string>
   commitMsg: string
@@ -200,14 +215,6 @@ export function GitPanel({ branch, changes, committed, commitMsg, setCommitMsg,
 
   return (
     <Fragment>
-      <div className="commit-box">
-        <textarea className="commit-input" rows={1} value={commitMsg} spellCheck={false}
-          placeholder="Shift+Enter to commit"
-          onChange={(e) => setCommitMsg(e.target.value)}
-          onKeyDown={(e) => { if (e.key === 'Enter' && (e.shiftKey || e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey) && canCommit) { e.preventDefault(); onCommit() } }} />
-        <button className="push-btn" title="Push to remote (⌘P)" onClick={onPush}>{Icon.push()}</button>
-      </div>
-
       <div className="git-body">
         {visible.length === 0 ? (
           <div className="git-empty">— No changes. The working tree is clean.</div>
@@ -242,9 +249,15 @@ export function GitPanel({ branch, changes, committed, commitMsg, setCommitMsg,
         )}
       </div>
 
-      {/* The line counts live in the status bar; this footer only counts files. */}
-      <div className="git-foot">
-        <span>{stagedList.length} staged · {changesList.length} unstaged</span>
+      <div className="commit-box">
+        <textarea className="commit-input" rows={1} value={commitMsg} spellCheck={false}
+          placeholder="Shift+Enter to commit"
+          onChange={(e) => setCommitMsg(normalizeCommitMsg(e.target.value))}
+          onKeyDown={(e) => { if (e.key === 'Enter' && (e.shiftKey || e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey) && canCommit) { e.preventDefault(); onCommit() } }} />
+        <div className="commit-actions">
+          <button className="commit-btn" disabled={stagedList.length === 0} title="Commit the staged files (⌘↵)" onClick={onCommit}>Commit {Icon.arrowUp()}</button>
+          <button className={'push-btn' + (canPush ? ' lit' : '')} title={pushTitle(canPush, ahead)} onClick={onPush}>{Icon.push()}</button>
+        </div>
       </div>
     </Fragment>
   )
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/editor.tsx b/src/renderer/src/editor.tsx
index 17c0daa..1428e10 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/editor.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/editor.tsx
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ interface Band extends ChangeMark { top: number; height: number }
 /** The line box of `.ce-pre` and its top padding — the unwrapped arithmetic. */
 const LINE_H = 20
 const PAD_TOP = 10
+/** Pointer travel that still counts as a click and not as a text selection. */
+const DRAG_SLOP = 4
 
 /* Editable buffer: a transparent textarea over a Prism-highlighted <pre>, with a
  * scroll-synced line-number gutter. Live highlighting while typing.
@@ -92,14 +94,17 @@ function CodeEditor({ path, text, lang, wrap, flash, marks, onPick, onChange, on
   flash: FlashLine | null
   /** Changed lines of this file, from the HEAD-vs-disk diff. */
   marks: ChangeMark[]
-  /** A click landed on a marked line: open the full-screen Diff there. */
-  onPick: (line: number) => void
+  /** A click landed on a marked line: open the full-screen Diff there. Null on
+   * a new file, where every line is marked and the diff has no left side. */
+  onPick: ((line: number) => void) | null
   onChange: (text: string) => void
   onContext: OnContext
   onSymbol: OnSymbol
 }): React.ReactElement {
   const scrollRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)
   const innerRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)
+  const taRef = useRef<HTMLTextAreaElement>(null)
+  const downRef = useRef<{ x: number; y: number; hadSel: boolean } | null>(null)
   const gutterRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null)
   const preRef = useRef<HTMLPreElement>(null)
   const tabSize = useProject().config.editor.tabSize
@@ -159,11 +164,29 @@ function CodeEditor({ path, text, lang, wrap, flash, marks, onPick, onChange, on
     }))
   }, [marks, wrap, text, paneW])
 
-  /* A click on a marked line opens the full-screen Diff at that line. The click
-   * lands on the textarea rather than on a row, so the line comes from the
-   * bands — the same geometry that drew the tint. */
+  /* A click on a marked line opens the full-screen Diff at that line. The line
+   * comes from the bands, because the click lands on the textarea.
+   * A drag and a click that clears a selection both end with a click event. Open
+   * the Diff only for a plain click that moved almost nothing, held no selection
+   * and cleared none, or the overlay steals every attempt to select code. The
+   * browser collapses a selection first, thus the flag comes from mouse-down. */
+  function hasSelection(): boolean {
+    const ta = taRef.current
+    if (ta && ta.selectionEnd !== ta.selectionStart) return true
+    const sel = window.getSelection()
+    return !!sel && !sel.isCollapsed
+  }
+
+  function isPlainClick(e: React.MouseEvent): boolean {
+    if (e.detail > 1 || e.shiftKey || e.altKey) return false
+    const down = downRef.current
+    if (down && Math.abs(e.clientX - down.x) + Math.abs(e.clientY - down.y) > DRAG_SLOP) return false
+    if (down?.hadSel) return false
+    return !hasSelection()
+  }
+
   function pickAt(e: React.MouseEvent): void {
-    if (!bands.length) return
+    if (!onPick || !bands.length || !isPlainClick(e)) return
     const box = innerRef.current?.getBoundingClientRect()
     if (!box) return
     const y = e.clientY - box.top
@@ -272,7 +295,8 @@ function CodeEditor({ path, text, lang, wrap, flash, marks, onPick, onChange, on
       )}
       {/* No marks, no pick: an unchanged file pays nothing for the reveal. */}
       <div className="ce-scroll" ref={scrollRef} onScroll={onScroll}
-        onClick={(e) => { if (e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey) handleTokenClick(e); else if (marks.length) pickAt(e) }}>
+        onMouseDown={(e) => { downRef.current = { x: e.clientX, y: e.clientY, hadSel: hasSelection() } }}
+        onClick={(e) => { if (e.metaKey || e.ctrlKey) handleTokenClick(e); else if (onPick && marks.length) pickAt(e) }}>
         <div className="ce-inner" ref={innerRef}>
           {bands.map((b) => (
             <Fragment key={b.line}>
@@ -281,7 +305,7 @@ function CodeEditor({ path, text, lang, wrap, flash, marks, onPick, onChange, on
             </Fragment>
           ))}
           {flash && flashBox && <div key={flash.id} className="ce-flash" style={{ top: flashBox.top, height: flashBox.height }} />}
-          <textarea className="ce-ta" value={text} spellCheck={false} autoComplete="off"
+          <textarea className="ce-ta" ref={taRef} value={text} spellCheck={false} autoComplete="off"
             wrap={wrap ? 'soft' : 'off'} style={{ tabSize }}
             onChange={(e) => { onChange(e.target.value); ensureCaretVisible(e.target) }}
             onKeyDown={onKeyDown}
@@ -668,7 +692,7 @@ export function Editor({ active, mode, side, setMode, onContext, onOpenDiff, cur
             <NoOriginal />
           ) : editable ? (
             <CodeEditor path={tab.path} text={bufferText} lang={lang} wrap={wrap} flash={flash} marks={marks}
-              onPick={onOpenDiff} onChange={onEdit} onContext={onContext} onSymbol={onSymbol} />
+              onPick={fileStatus === 'A' ? null : onOpenDiff} onChange={onEdit} onContext={onContext} onSymbol={onSymbol} />
           ) : (
             built && <PaneView cacheKey={tab.path + ':' + paneMode} path={tab.path} lines={built.lines}
               lang={lang} showSign={built.showSign} wrap={wrap} cursor={cursor} selection={selection}
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/env.d.ts b/src/renderer/src/env.d.ts
index c1e8002..7c24d64 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/env.d.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/env.d.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ interface HelderBridge {
     write: (text: string) => Promise<void>
   }
   git: {
-    load: () => Promise<{ branch: string; changes: GitChangeRaw[] } | null>
+    load: () => Promise<{ branch: string; ahead: number; canPush: boolean; changes: GitChangeRaw[] } | null>
     stage: (paths: string[]) => Promise<void>
     unstage: (paths: string[]) => Promise<void>
     commit: (message: string) => Promise<void>
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/project.tsx b/src/renderer/src/project.tsx
index 73037fb..6ae30c8 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/project.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/project.tsx
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ export interface ProjectData {
   name: string
   root: string | null
   branch: string
+  /** Commits that the remote does not have yet. 0 when the count is unknown. */
+  ahead: number
+  /** True when a push would send something. Lights the push button. */
+  canPush: boolean
   tree: FileNode | null
   files: Record<string, string>
   /** Git rows. One file can appear twice: staged and unstaged (see Change.id). */
@@ -98,7 +102,7 @@ function mockData(): ProjectData {
   const changes = mockChanges(staged)
   return {
     // non-null root so browser-preview shows the workbench, not the launcher
-    name: MOCK.name, root: '/mock/' + MOCK.name, branch: MOCK.branch,
+    name: MOCK.name, root: '/mock/' + MOCK.name, branch: MOCK.branch, ahead: 2, canPush: true,
     tree: MOCK.tree, files: MOCK.files, changes, diffs: MOCK.diffs,
     rowDiffs: mockRowDiffs(changes),
     staged, config: DEFAULT_CONFIG, isRepo: true, ready: true, recents: [],
@@ -106,7 +110,7 @@ function mockData(): ProjectData {
 }
 
 const emptyData: ProjectData = {
-  name: 'Loading…', root: null, branch: '—', tree: null, files: {},
+  name: 'Loading…', root: null, branch: '—', ahead: 0, canPush: false, tree: null, files: {},
   changes: [], diffs: {}, rowDiffs: {}, staged: new Set(), config: DEFAULT_CONFIG, isRepo: false, ready: false, recents: [],
 }
 
@@ -118,7 +122,7 @@ const Ctx = createContext<{ data: ProjectData; actions: ProjectActions }>({
 /** Map a git.load() result into the git-derived slice of ProjectData. Shared by
  * the full reload and the git-only fast path so the two stay in lockstep. */
 type GitLoadResult = Awaited<ReturnType<NonNullable<typeof window.helder>['git']['load']>>
-function deriveGit(git: GitLoadResult): Pick<ProjectData, 'branch' | 'changes' | 'diffs' | 'rowDiffs' | 'staged' | 'isRepo'> {
+function deriveGit(git: GitLoadResult): Pick<ProjectData, 'branch' | 'ahead' | 'canPush' | 'changes' | 'diffs' | 'rowDiffs' | 'staged' | 'isRepo'> {
   const changes: Change[] = []
   const rowDiffs: Record<string, Diff> = {}
   const diffs: Record<string, Diff> = {}
@@ -143,7 +147,12 @@ function deriveGit(git: GitLoadResult): Pick<ProjectData, 'branch' | 'changes' |
     }
   }
   for (const [path, w] of whole) diffs[path] = makeDiff(w.status, w.head, w.disk)
-  return { branch: git ? git.branch : '—', changes, diffs, rowDiffs, staged, isRepo: !!git }
+  return {
+    branch: git ? git.branch : '—',
+    ahead: git ? git.ahead ?? 0 : 0,
+    canPush: git ? !!git.canPush : false,
+    changes, diffs, rowDiffs, staged, isRepo: !!git,
+  }
 }
 
 export function useProject(): ProjectData {
@@ -197,7 +206,7 @@ export function ProjectProvider({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }): Re
     setData((d) => ({
       name: cur.name, root: cur.root,
       tree, files: d.root === cur.root ? d.files : {}, config, ready: true, recents: d.recents,
-      ...(gitFresh ? deriveGit(git) : { branch: d.branch, changes: d.changes, diffs: d.diffs, rowDiffs: d.rowDiffs, staged: d.staged, isRepo: d.isRepo }),
+      ...(gitFresh ? deriveGit(git) : { branch: d.branch, ahead: d.ahead, canPush: d.canPush, changes: d.changes, diffs: d.diffs, rowDiffs: d.rowDiffs, staged: d.staged, isRepo: d.isRepo }),
     }))
     // The whole-repo content index is only a fallback (real viewing/search go
     // through fs.read + ripgrep), and reading every file serially costs seconds.
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/styles.css b/src/renderer/src/styles.css
index a2a5c61..a09167a 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/styles.css
+++ b/src/renderer/src/styles.css
@@ -219,18 +219,24 @@ kbd { flex:0 0 auto; font-family:var(--mono); font-size:12px; font-weight:600; c
 .phead .ico-btn:hover { background:var(--hover); color:var(--fg-1); }
 
 /* ============ git panel ============ */
-/* One line at rest, so this bar matches the Explorer head and the view strip.
-   Focus grows the box downward inside the git column only. */
-.commit-box { height:var(--bar-h); flex:0 0 auto; padding:0 12px; border-bottom:1px solid var(--border); display:flex; gap:8px; align-items:center; }
-.commit-box:focus-within { height:auto; padding:8px 12px; align-items:flex-start; }
-.commit-input { flex:1; min-width:0; resize:none; background:var(--bg-0); border:1px solid var(--border-2); border-radius:var(--r-sm); color:var(--fg-1); font-family:var(--ui); font-size:12px; line-height:1.5; padding:3px 9px; outline:none; height:26px; }
-/* Focus is the same everywhere: 2px amber border plus the 22% ring. */
-.commit-input:focus { border-color:var(--accent); border-width:2px; padding:6px 8px; box-shadow:0 0 0 2px var(--accent-ring); height:72px; }
+/* The commit box sits at the foot of the column: the message over the action
+   row, both edge to edge. The message keeps one height, so focus never moves
+   the file list. The file counts live in the status bar. */
+.commit-box { flex:0 0 auto; display:flex; flex-direction:column; align-items:stretch; }
+.commit-input { width:100%; height:72px; box-sizing:border-box; resize:none; background:var(--bg-0); border:0; border-top:1px solid var(--border); border-radius:0; color:var(--fg-1); font-family:var(--ui); font-size:12px; line-height:1.5; padding:9px 12px; outline:none; }
+/* Focus is the same everywhere: 2px amber border plus the 22% ring. The
+   padding drops 2px against the border, so the text does not move. */
+.commit-input:focus { border:2px solid var(--accent); padding:8px 10px; box-shadow:inset 0 0 0 2px var(--accent-ring); }
 .commit-input::placeholder { color:var(--fg-3); }
-.push-btn { flex:0 0 26px; display:flex; align-items:center; justify-content:center; width:26px; height:26px; background:transparent; border:1px solid var(--border-2); border-radius:var(--r-sm); color:var(--fg-2); cursor:pointer; }
+.commit-actions { display:flex; align-items:stretch; gap:0; height:32px; }
+.push-btn { flex:0 0 36px; display:flex; align-items:center; justify-content:center; background:var(--bg-2); border:0; border-top:1px solid var(--border); border-left:1px solid var(--border); border-radius:0; color:var(--fg-2); cursor:pointer; }
 .push-btn:hover { background:var(--hover); color:var(--accent); }
-.commit-btn { flex:0 0 auto; display:flex; align-items:center; gap:6px; background:var(--accent); color:#201608; border:0; border-radius:7px; font:inherit; font-size:12px; font-weight:600; padding:0 11px; height:32px; cursor:pointer; }
-.commit-btn:hover:not(:disabled) { background:#f6b35f; }
+/* Lit: the branch is ahead of its remote. Amber marks the pending action,
+   without a second filled block next to the amber Commit button. */
+.push-btn.lit { color:var(--accent); background:var(--accent-soft); }
+.push-btn.lit:hover { background:var(--accent-soft); color:var(--accent-lite); }
+.commit-btn { flex:1; min-width:0; display:flex; align-items:center; justify-content:center; gap:6px; background:var(--accent); color:#201608; border:0; border-radius:0; font-family:var(--ui); font-size:12px; font-weight:600; padding:0 11px; cursor:pointer; }
+.commit-btn:hover:not(:disabled) { background:var(--accent-lite); }
 .commit-btn:disabled { background:var(--bg-3); color:var(--fg-3); cursor:not-allowed; }
 .git-body { overflow:auto; flex:1; padding:0 0 8px; }
 /* Group header: the standard 10px mono label, count right in amber. */
@@ -293,8 +299,6 @@ kbd { flex:0 0 auto; font-family:var(--mono); font-size:12px; font-weight:600; c
 .git-act.push { margin-left:auto; } /* right-align when the dir column is hidden */
 .git-row:hover .git-act { visibility:visible; }
 .git-act:hover { color:var(--accent); }
-.git-foot { border-top:1px solid var(--border); padding:12px; display:flex; align-items:center; gap:8px;
-  font-family:var(--mono); font-size:11px; line-height:1.5; color:var(--fg-3); }
 .branch-chip { display:flex; align-items:center; gap:6px; color:var(--fg-3); }
 .branch-chip svg { display:none; }
 .branch-chip b { font-weight:400; color:var(--fg-3); }
@@ -744,6 +748,7 @@ kbd { flex:0 0 auto; font-family:var(--mono); font-size:12px; font-weight:600; c
 .statusbar .sb-branch { color:var(--accent); }
 .statusbar .sb-add { color:var(--add); }
 .statusbar .sb-del { color:var(--del); }
+.statusbar .sb-staged { color:var(--fg-3); }
 .statusbar .sb-spacer { flex:1; }
 .statusbar .sb-path { overflow:hidden; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap; max-width:52%; }
 .statusbar .sb-lang { color:var(--fg-2); }
diff --git a/test/app-interactions.test.tsx b/test/app-interactions.test.tsx
index 1da0aa6..be03d36 100644
--- a/test/app-interactions.test.tsx
+++ b/test/app-interactions.test.tsx
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ vi.mock('../src/renderer/src/terminals', () => {
 
 import { App } from '../src/renderer/src/App'
 import { ProjectProvider } from '../src/renderer/src/project'
+import { normalizeCommitMsg } from '../src/renderer/src/components'
 
 beforeAll(() => {
   globalThis.ResizeObserver = class { observe() {} unobserve() {} disconnect() {} } as never
@@ -78,7 +79,7 @@ describe('Pass on to Agent', () => {
 })
 
 describe('Stage + commit', () => {
-  it('stages a file and commits via Shift+Enter (no commit button)', async () => {
+  it('stages a file and commits via Shift+Enter', async () => {
     const c = renderApp()
     const row = await waitFor(() => {
       const r = find(c, '.git-row', 'UserController.php')
@@ -86,13 +87,26 @@ describe('Stage + commit', () => {
       return r
     })
     fireEvent.click(row.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>('button[title="Stage changes"]')!)
-    // the commit button is intentionally gone — committing is keyboard-only
-    expect(c.querySelector('.commit-btn')).toBeNull()
     const msg = c.querySelector<HTMLTextAreaElement>('.commit-input')!
     fireEvent.change(msg, { target: { value: 'wire up balance' } })
     fireEvent.keyDown(msg, { key: 'Enter', shiftKey: true })
     await waitFor(() => expect(find(c, '.toast', 'Committed')).toBeTruthy())
   })
+
+  it('commits from the button once a file is staged', async () => {
+    const c = renderApp()
+    const row = await waitFor(() => {
+      const r = find(c, '.git-row', 'UserController.php')
+      if (!r) throw new Error('git not ready')
+      return r
+    })
+    fireEvent.click(row.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>('button[title="Stage changes"]')!)
+    await waitFor(() => expect(c.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>('.commit-btn')!.disabled).toBe(false))
+    const msg = c.querySelector<HTMLTextAreaElement>('.commit-input')!
+    fireEvent.change(msg, { target: { value: 'wire up balance' } })
+    fireEvent.click(c.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>('.commit-btn')!)
+    await waitFor(() => expect(find(c, '.toast', 'Committed')).toBeTruthy())
+  })
 })
 
 describe('Explorer background menu', () => {
@@ -126,3 +140,9 @@ describe('Explorer background menu', () => {
     expect(find(c, '.ctx-item', 'Copy file name')).toBeTruthy()
   })
 })
+
+describe('Commit message normalization', () => {
+  it('lowercases the text and folds the line breaks into one line', () => {
+    expect(normalizeCommitMsg('Fix Login\nAnd Logout\r\n  Flow')).toBe('fix login and logout flow')
+  })
+})
diff --git a/test/git.test.ts b/test/git.test.ts
index 93bf627..a4fa451 100644
--- a/test/git.test.ts
+++ b/test/git.test.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,25 @@ import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
 import { simpleGit } from 'simple-git'
 import { readFile } from 'node:fs/promises'
 import { existsSync } from 'node:fs'
-import { classify, discard, load, stage } from '../src/main/git-service'
+import { classify, discard, load, parseAhead, stage } from '../src/main/git-service'
+
+describe('parseAhead', () => {
+  it('reads the ahead count from the porcelain header', () => {
+    expect(parseAhead('main...origin/main [ahead 3]')).toEqual({ ahead: 3, canPush: true })
+    expect(parseAhead('main...origin/main [ahead 1, behind 2]')).toEqual({ ahead: 1, canPush: true })
+  })
+  it('reports nothing to push on a branch in sync', () => {
+    expect(parseAhead('main...origin/main')).toEqual({ ahead: 0, canPush: false })
+    expect(parseAhead('main...origin/main [behind 2]')).toEqual({ ahead: 0, canPush: false })
+  })
+  it('treats a branch without an upstream as pushable, count unknown', () => {
+    expect(parseAhead('feature/x')).toEqual({ ahead: 0, canPush: true })
+  })
+  it('reports nothing to push on an empty repo or a detached HEAD', () => {
+    expect(parseAhead('No commits yet on main')).toEqual({ ahead: 0, canPush: false })
+    expect(parseAhead('HEAD (no branch)')).toEqual({ ahead: 0, canPush: false })
+  })
+})
 
 describe('classify', () => {
   it('reads the index code as staged, working code as unstaged', () => {
diff --git a/test/notes.test.tsx b/test/notes.test.tsx
index 7f33445..e07b93f 100644
--- a/test/notes.test.tsx
+++ b/test/notes.test.tsx
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ function stubBridge(): void {
       write: async (t: string) => { stored = t; writes.push(t) },
     },
     git: {
-      load: async () => ({ branch: 'main', changes: [] }),
+      load: async () => ({ branch: 'main', ahead: 0, canPush: false, changes: [] }),
       stage: async () => {}, unstage: async () => {}, commit: async () => {},
       push: async () => ({ ok: true, message: '' }), discard: async () => {},
     },
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ afterEach(() => {
 
 async function boot(): Promise<HTMLElement> {
   const c = render(<ProjectProvider><App /></ProjectProvider>).container
-  await waitFor(() => { if (!c.querySelector('.git-foot')) throw new Error('not ready') })
+  await waitFor(() => { if (!c.querySelector('.commit-box')) throw new Error('not ready') })
   return c
 }
 
diff --git a/test/stub-bridge.ts b/test/stub-bridge.ts
index c699eb6..2fbc9fc 100644
--- a/test/stub-bridge.ts
+++ b/test/stub-bridge.ts
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ export function installBridge(rows: StubRow[], files: Record<string, string>): v
     shell: { reveal: noop },
     notes: { read: async () => '', write: async () => {} },
     git: {
-      load: async () => ({ branch: 'main', changes: rows }),
+      load: async () => ({ branch: 'main', ahead: 0, canPush: false, changes: rows }),
       stage: async () => {}, unstage: async () => {}, commit: async () => {},
       push: async () => ({ ok: true, message: '' }), discard: async () => {},
     },
diff --git a/test/titlebar.test.tsx b/test/titlebar.test.tsx
index 2226483..c4531a6 100644
--- a/test/titlebar.test.tsx
+++ b/test/titlebar.test.tsx
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ function stubBridge(): void {
     shell: { reveal: noop },
     notes: { read: async () => '', write: async () => {} },
     git: {
-      load: async () => ({ branch: 'main', changes: [] }),
+      load: async () => ({ branch: 'main', ahead: 0, canPush: false, changes: [] }),
       stage: async () => {}, unstage: async () => {}, commit: async () => {},
       push: async () => ({ ok: true, message: '' }), discard: async () => {},
     },
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ afterEach(() => {
 
 async function boot(): Promise<HTMLElement> {
   const c = render(<ProjectProvider><App /></ProjectProvider>).container
-  await waitFor(() => { if (!c.querySelector('.git-foot')) throw new Error('not ready') })
+  await waitFor(() => { if (!c.querySelector('.commit-box')) throw new Error('not ready') })
   return c
 }