diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8007470..7e7c766 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ Manage repo-level dependencies with an encrypted manifest and a gitignored clone
 A public observer sees only 'this repo uses modules' — no names, no pinned commits, no count.
 
 ![lang: bash](https://img.shields.io/badge/lang-bash-4EAA25?style=flat&logo=gnubash&logoColor=white)
-[![tests: 135 passing](https://img.shields.io/badge/tests-135%20passing-brightgreen?style=flat)](test/)
+[![tests: 136 passing](https://img.shields.io/badge/tests-136%20passing-brightgreen?style=flat)](test/)
 ![License: MIT](https://img.shields.io/badge/License-MIT-blue?style=flat)
 
 </div>
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ cd modules && mise trust && mise install
 mise run test
 ```
 
-**135 tests** across 13 suites, using [BATS](https://github.com/bats-core/bats-core). All tests use local git repos in temp directories — no network, no external dependencies.
+**136 tests** across 13 suites, using [BATS](https://github.com/bats-core/bats-core). All tests use local git repos in temp directories — no network, no external dependencies.
 
 The `git-mechanics` suite verifies git's behavior around gitignored nested repos. The `merge-driver` suite simulates concurrent pin bumps to validate the manifest merge logic. The `roundtrip` suite drives the full setup → add → lock → fresh-clone → unlock → init path end-to-end with git-crypt.
 
diff --git a/lib/common.sh b/lib/common.sh
index 1484797..7f48729 100644
--- a/lib/common.sh
+++ b/lib/common.sh
@@ -168,9 +168,11 @@ sync_tracked_branch() {
   fi
 
   if git -C "$mod_path" show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/heads/$branch"; then
-    if ! git -C "$mod_path" checkout -q "$branch" 2>&1; then
-      echo "  $name: failed to checkout local branch '$branch'" >&2
-      return 1
+    if [ "$current_branch" != "$branch" ]; then
+      if ! git -C "$mod_path" checkout -q "$branch" 2>&1; then
+        echo "  $name: failed to checkout local branch '$branch'" >&2
+        return 1
+      fi
     fi
   else
     if ! git -C "$mod_path" checkout -q -b "$branch" --track "origin/$branch" 2>&1; then
diff --git a/test/init.bats b/test/init.bats
index f595469..d324f1a 100644
--- a/test/init.bats
+++ b/test/init.bats
@@ -117,6 +117,23 @@ setup() {
   [ "$upstream" = "origin/main" ]
 }
 
+@test "init skips checkout hook when tracked clone is already on target branch" {
+  modules add "$REMOTE" --name tracked --track main
+  git -C "$PARENT" commit -m "add tracked module"
+
+  local hook_log="$BATS_TEST_TMPDIR/post-checkout-fired"
+  cat > "$PARENT/modules/tracked/.git/hooks/post-checkout" <<EOF
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+printf 'post-checkout fired\n' >> "$hook_log"
+EOF
+  chmod +x "$PARENT/modules/tracked/.git/hooks/post-checkout"
+
+  run modules init
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+  [[ "$output" == *"tracking main"* ]]
+  [ ! -e "$hook_log" ]
+}
+
 @test "init refuses dirty tracked clones" {
   modules add "$REMOTE" --name tracked --track main