diff --git a/.changeset/derive-status-heals-stale-draft-pin.md b/.changeset/derive-status-heals-stale-draft-pin.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c4ede40
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/derive-status-heals-stale-draft-pin.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@zettelgeist/core': patch
+---
+
+`deriveStatus` now ignores a `status: draft` frontmatter override when the spec has at least one counted task and every counted task is checked. The override is provably stale in that case (the board's "+" button writes it on new-card creation and nothing clears it afterwards). The card transparently moves to `in-review` (or `done` if merged) on the next render — no file mutation, no user action. Other override values (`planned`, `in-progress`, `in-review`, `done`, `blocked`, `cancelled`) and `draft` overrides with partial or zero progress are unchanged.
diff --git a/.changeset/hook-noop-when-config-missing.md b/.changeset/hook-noop-when-config-missing.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1b7c3a7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/hook-noop-when-config-missing.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@zettelgeist/cli': patch
+---
+
+Pre-commit hook now self-disables in repos that aren't zettelgeist repos. Previously, a stale install left over from a removed config (or a partial init) would block every commit with `error: not a zettelgeist repo`. The installed hook block now exits 0 silently when `.zettelgeist.yaml` is missing. Re-run `zettelgeist install-hook` (or `zettelgeist init`) to update existing hooks.
diff --git a/.changeset/tick-task-clears-draft-override.md b/.changeset/tick-task-clears-draft-override.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3a99fe4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/tick-task-clears-draft-override.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@zettelgeist/mcp-server': patch
+---
+
+`tick_task` now clears a stale `status: draft` frontmatter override on `requirements.md` as part of the same commit. This unblocks specs created from the board's "+" column button (which pins `status: draft`) from staying stuck in the draft column after every task is ticked. Other override values (`blocked`, `cancelled`, `planned`, `in-progress`, `in-review`, `done`) are left untouched — they may reflect explicit user intent. `untick_task` does not clear the override, so the draft column reset use-case still works.
diff --git a/packages/core/src/status.ts b/packages/core/src/status.ts
index b5c2272..a1bd8a4 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/status.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/status.ts
@@ -19,14 +19,26 @@ export function deriveStatus(spec: Spec, repo: RepoState): Status {
   // blocked/cancelled. Board drag-to-column writes this field; ignoring the
   // override here would render those drags invisible (the card snaps back).
   const fm = spec.frontmatter.status;
-  if (typeof fm === 'string' && VALID_STATUSES.has(fm as Status)) {
-    return fm as Status;
-  }
-
   const counted = spec.tasks.filter(isCounted);
   const claimed = repo.claimedSpecs.has(spec.name);
   const merged = repo.mergedSpecs.has(spec.name);
 
+  if (typeof fm === 'string' && VALID_STATUSES.has(fm as Status)) {
+    // Self-heal a stale `status: draft` override. The board's "+" button
+    // writes `status: draft` so a new card lands in the draft column;
+    // nothing clears it once the user starts (and finishes) the work, so
+    // before this rule, a spec with every task ticked could remain pinned
+    // to "draft" indefinitely. We ignore the override only when it is
+    // provably wrong — `draft` AND at least one counted task exists AND
+    // every counted task is checked — so partial-progress pins (which
+    // may reflect deliberate user intent) are still honoured. Other
+    // override values (planned/in-progress/in-review/done/blocked/
+    // cancelled) are never auto-cleared here.
+    const isStaleDraftPin =
+      fm === 'draft' && counted.length > 0 && counted.every((t) => t.checked);
+    if (!isStaleDraftPin) return fm as Status;
+  }
+
   if (counted.length === 0) {
     // No counted tasks. A live claim still bumps to in-progress.
     return claimed ? 'in-progress' : 'draft';
diff --git a/packages/core/tests/status.test.ts b/packages/core/tests/status.test.ts
index 7f841bb..bea5096 100644
--- a/packages/core/tests/status.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/tests/status.test.ts
@@ -133,6 +133,78 @@ describe('deriveStatus', () => {
     ).toBe('in-review');
   });
 
+  it('self-heals a `status: draft` override when every counted task is checked (unmerged)', () => {
+    // The board's "+" button pins `status: draft` so new cards appear in
+    // the draft column. Without a self-heal, the override beats the
+    // derived status forever — even after the user ticks every task.
+    expect(
+      deriveStatus(
+        spec({
+          frontmatter: { status: 'draft' },
+          tasks: [
+            { index: 1, checked: true, text: 'a', tags: [] },
+            { index: 2, checked: true, text: 'b', tags: [] },
+          ],
+        }),
+        emptyRepoState,
+      ),
+    ).toBe('in-review');
+  });
+
+  it('self-healed draft override goes to "done" when also merged', () => {
+    expect(
+      deriveStatus(
+        spec({
+          name: 'foo',
+          frontmatter: { status: 'draft' },
+          tasks: [{ index: 1, checked: true, text: 'a', tags: [] }],
+        }),
+        { claimedSpecs: new Set(), mergedSpecs: new Set(['foo']) },
+      ),
+    ).toBe('done');
+  });
+
+  it('respects a `status: draft` override when only SOME tasks are checked', () => {
+    // Partial progress might be deliberate ("I want to rethink this; keep
+    // it on the draft column"), so we only self-heal at all-done.
+    expect(
+      deriveStatus(
+        spec({
+          frontmatter: { status: 'draft' },
+          tasks: [
+            { index: 1, checked: true, text: 'a', tags: [] },
+            { index: 2, checked: false, text: 'b', tags: [] },
+          ],
+        }),
+        emptyRepoState,
+      ),
+    ).toBe('draft');
+  });
+
+  it('respects a `status: draft` override when there are no counted tasks', () => {
+    // Matches conformance fixture 19-all-statuses/a-draft: status:draft
+    // override on a spec with no tasks at all stays "draft".
+    expect(
+      deriveStatus(spec({ frontmatter: { status: 'draft' } }), emptyRepoState),
+    ).toBe('draft');
+  });
+
+  it('does NOT self-heal other override values even when all tasks are checked', () => {
+    // The self-heal is narrowly for `draft` — other overrides may reflect
+    // intentional user state and must not be silently re-derived.
+    for (const s of ['planned', 'in-progress', 'in-review', 'done', 'blocked', 'cancelled'] as const) {
+      expect(
+        deriveStatus(
+          spec({
+            frontmatter: { status: s },
+            tasks: [{ index: 1, checked: true, text: 'a', tags: [] }],
+          }),
+          emptyRepoState,
+        ),
+      ).toBe(s);
+    }
+  });
+
   it('returns "done" when all non-#skip tasks ticked and merged', () => {
     expect(
       deriveStatus(
diff --git a/packages/git-hook/src/install-hook.ts b/packages/git-hook/src/install-hook.ts
index 74f9eaf..32791cc 100644
--- a/packages/git-hook/src/install-hook.ts
+++ b/packages/git-hook/src/install-hook.ts
@@ -8,8 +8,14 @@ export const HOOK_MARKER_END = '# <<< zettelgeist <<<';
 // Resolve the zettelgeist binary at hook execution time. Pre-commit hooks
 // run with the user's login PATH, which won't include ./node_modules/.bin —
 // so we fall back to the workspace-local binary if PATH lookup misses.
+//
+// The leading `.zettelgeist.yaml` guard makes the hook self-disabling in
+// repos that aren't zettelgeist repos: a stale install left over from a
+// removed config, or a partial init, would otherwise block every commit
+// with `error: not a zettelgeist repo`.
 export const HOOK_BLOCK =
   HOOK_MARKER_BEGIN + '\n' +
+  '[ -f .zettelgeist.yaml ] || exit 0\n' +
   'if command -v zettelgeist >/dev/null 2>&1; then\n' +
   '  zettelgeist regen --check\n' +
   'elif [ -x ./node_modules/.bin/zettelgeist ]; then\n' +
diff --git a/packages/git-hook/tests/install-hook.test.ts b/packages/git-hook/tests/install-hook.test.ts
index 71d59d4..98beab0 100644
--- a/packages/git-hook/tests/install-hook.test.ts
+++ b/packages/git-hook/tests/install-hook.test.ts
@@ -50,6 +50,35 @@ describe('mergeHookContent', () => {
     expect(HOOK_BLOCK).toContain('command -v zettelgeist');
     expect(HOOK_BLOCK).toContain('./node_modules/.bin/zettelgeist');
   });
+
+  it('HOOK_BLOCK self-disables when .zettelgeist.yaml is missing', () => {
+    expect(HOOK_BLOCK).toContain('[ -f .zettelgeist.yaml ] || exit 0');
+  });
+});
+
+describe('HOOK_BLOCK execution', () => {
+  let tmp: string;
+
+  beforeEach(async () => {
+    tmp = await fs.mkdtemp(path.join(os.tmpdir(), 'zg-hook-exec-'));
+  });
+
+  afterEach(async () => {
+    await fs.rm(tmp, { recursive: true, force: true });
+  });
+
+  it('exits 0 silently in a directory without .zettelgeist.yaml', async () => {
+    // We run the block in sh from inside `tmp`, with PATH cleared so the
+    // command-v fallback would otherwise fail. The pre-flight check must
+    // short-circuit before any zettelgeist lookup happens.
+    const { stdout, stderr } = await execFileP(
+      'sh',
+      ['-c', HOOK_BLOCK],
+      { cwd: tmp, env: { PATH: '/usr/bin:/bin' } },
+    );
+    expect(stderr).toBe('');
+    expect(stdout).toBe('');
+  });
 });
 
 describe('installPreCommitHook', () => {
diff --git a/packages/mcp-server/src/tools/write.ts b/packages/mcp-server/src/tools/write.ts
index 9acb653..6260d0b 100644
--- a/packages/mcp-server/src/tools/write.ts
+++ b/packages/mcp-server/src/tools/write.ts
@@ -61,6 +61,44 @@ export const writeHandoffTool: ToolDef<z.infer<typeof writeHandoffInput>, { comm
 
 const TASK_LINE = /^([\s>]*[-*+]\s+\[)([ xX])(\]\s+.*)$/;
 
+/**
+ * Compute the new contents of `requirements.md` with a `status: draft`
+ * frontmatter override stripped, without touching the disk. Returns
+ * `null` when there is nothing to clear (no requirements.md, no
+ * frontmatter, status not draft, or status is one of the user-
+ * intentional values). The caller stages the returned write through
+ * `writeFileAndCommit`'s `extraWrites` so the actual fs mutation
+ * happens atomically alongside the tasks.md tick.
+ *
+ * Rationale: `draft` is uniquely the "no work yet" state. A `tick_task`
+ * is unambiguous evidence that work has started, so a pinned `draft`
+ * override (typically written by the board's "+" button) is provably
+ * wrong and would otherwise mask all forward progress. Other override
+ * values (`planned`, `in-progress`, `in-review`, `done`, `blocked`,
+ * `cancelled`) may reflect explicit user intent — we leave those alone.
+ */
+async function plannedDraftOverrideClear(
+  cwd: string,
+  specDir: string,
+): Promise<{ relPath: string; content: string } | null> {
+  const reqAbs = safeJoin(specDir, 'requirements.md');
+  let raw: string;
+  try {
+    raw = await fs.readFile(reqAbs, 'utf8');
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  }
+  const parsed = matter(raw, {});
+  const data = { ...(parsed.data ?? {}) } as Record<string, unknown>;
+  if (data.status !== 'draft') return null;
+  delete data.status;
+  const newFm = Object.keys(data).length > 0 ? `---\n${yaml.dump(data)}---\n` : '';
+  const body = parsed.content.startsWith('\n') ? parsed.content.slice(1) : parsed.content;
+  const newContent = newFm + body;
+  const relPath = path.relative(cwd, reqAbs).split(path.sep).join('/');
+  return { relPath, content: newContent };
+}
+
 async function tickOrUntick(cwd: string, name: string, n: number, checked: boolean): Promise<{ commit: string }> {
   const reader = makeDiskFsReader(cwd);
   const cfg = await loadConfig(reader);
@@ -83,13 +121,32 @@ async function tickOrUntick(cwd: string, name: string, n: number, checked: boole
     }
   }
   if (!mutated) throw new Error(`no task at index ${n} in ${name}`);
+
+  // Tick (only) clears a stale `status: draft` override on requirements.md
+  // so the board doesn't keep the card pinned in the draft column after
+  // the user has started working. Untick intentionally does NOT clear —
+  // an untick might be undoing an accidental tick on a draft spec, and
+  // re-pinning to draft would be the right move there.
+  const extraWrites: Array<{ relPath: string; content: string }> = [];
+  if (checked) {
+    const cleared = await plannedDraftOverrideClear(cwd, specDir);
+    if (cleared) extraWrites.push(cleared);
+  }
+
   const op = checked ? 'tick' : 'untick';
+  const opts: {
+    log: { specName: string; action: string };
+    extraWrites?: ReadonlyArray<{ relPath: string; content: string }>;
+  } = {
+    log: { specName: name, action: `${op}_task(${n})` },
+  };
+  if (extraWrites.length > 0) opts.extraWrites = extraWrites;
   return writeFileAndCommit(
     cwd,
     tasksRel,
     lines.join('\n'),
     `[zg] ${op}: ${name}#${n}`,
-    { log: { specName: name, action: `${op}_task(${n})` } },
+    opts,
   );
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/mcp-server/src/util/write-and-commit.ts b/packages/mcp-server/src/util/write-and-commit.ts
index 3766ee3..db9061a 100644
--- a/packages/mcp-server/src/util/write-and-commit.ts
+++ b/packages/mcp-server/src/util/write-and-commit.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,17 @@ export interface WriteAndCommitOptions {
     action: string;
     agentId?: string;
   };
+  /**
+   * Additional `{ relPath, content }` pairs written and committed
+   * atomically with the main file. The helper performs the temp+rename
+   * write BEFORE running conformance, so all files are on disk by the
+   * time INDEX.md regenerates — keeping the failure mode symmetric with
+   * the single-file path (a conformance throw leaves a consistent
+   * working-tree diff rather than a half-applied state). Used by tools
+   * that need a multi-file atomic edit, e.g. `tick_task` clearing a
+   * `status: draft` override in requirements.md alongside the tick.
+   */
+  extraWrites?: ReadonlyArray<{ relPath: string; content: string }>;
 }
 
 export async function writeFileAndCommit(
@@ -43,6 +54,19 @@ export async function writeFileAndCommit(
   await fs.writeFile(tmp, content, 'utf8');
   await fs.rename(tmp, fileAbs);
 
+  // Stage any caller-supplied extra writes the same way (temp+rename)
+  // BEFORE running conformance, so INDEX.md regenerates against the
+  // post-write state of every file in this transaction.
+  if (options?.extraWrites) {
+    for (const w of options.extraWrites) {
+      const abs = path.join(cwd, w.relPath);
+      await fs.mkdir(path.dirname(abs), { recursive: true });
+      const t = `${abs}.tmp`;
+      await fs.writeFile(t, w.content, 'utf8');
+      await fs.rename(t, abs);
+    }
+  }
+
   // Regen — load config first so we can reuse it for the .log.md path too.
   const reader = makeDiskFsReader(cwd);
   const cfg = await loadConfig(reader);
@@ -87,6 +111,10 @@ export async function writeFileAndCommit(
     if (wrote) filesToAdd.push(logRelPath);
   }
 
+  if (options?.extraWrites) {
+    for (const w of options.extraWrites) filesToAdd.push(w.relPath);
+  }
+
   await execFileP('git', ['add', ...filesToAdd], { cwd });
   await execFileP('git', ['commit', '-m', commitMessage], { cwd });
   const { stdout } = await execFileP('git', ['rev-parse', 'HEAD'], { cwd });
diff --git a/packages/mcp-server/tests/tools/write.test.ts b/packages/mcp-server/tests/tools/write.test.ts
index bcc8753..30f6ba6 100644
--- a/packages/mcp-server/tests/tools/write.test.ts
+++ b/packages/mcp-server/tests/tools/write.test.ts
@@ -69,6 +69,78 @@ describe('writeTools', () => {
     expect(after.startsWith('- [ ] one')).toBe(true);
   });
 
+  it('tick_task clears a stale `status: draft` override on requirements.md', async () => {
+    // Simulate the board's "+" button: it pins `status: draft` so the
+    // new card lands in the draft column. Without auto-clear, ticking
+    // every task would still show the spec as draft because the
+    // frontmatter override beats the derived status.
+    const reqPath = path.join(tmp, 'specs', 'foo', 'requirements.md');
+    await fs.writeFile(reqPath, '---\nstatus: draft\ndepends_on: []\n---\n# foo\n');
+    await execFileP('git', ['add', '.'], { cwd: tmp });
+    await execFileP('git', ['commit', '-q', '-m', 'pin draft'], { cwd: tmp });
+
+    await tickTaskTool.handler({ name: 'foo', n: 1 }, { cwd: tmp });
+
+    const after = await fs.readFile(reqPath, 'utf8');
+    expect(after).not.toContain('status:');
+    // Other frontmatter fields survive untouched.
+    expect(after).toContain('depends_on: []');
+    expect(after).toContain('# foo');
+  });
+
+  it('tick_task clears a `status: draft`-only frontmatter and drops the fence', async () => {
+    // When `status: draft` is the only frontmatter key, clearing it
+    // should produce a file with no frontmatter block at all (the
+    // dump-empty-then-fence branch in plannedDraftOverrideClear).
+    const reqPath = path.join(tmp, 'specs', 'foo', 'requirements.md');
+    await fs.writeFile(reqPath, '---\nstatus: draft\n---\n# foo\n');
+    await execFileP('git', ['add', '.'], { cwd: tmp });
+    await execFileP('git', ['commit', '-q', '-m', 'pin draft alone'], { cwd: tmp });
+
+    await tickTaskTool.handler({ name: 'foo', n: 1 }, { cwd: tmp });
+
+    const after = await fs.readFile(reqPath, 'utf8');
+    expect(after).not.toContain('---');
+    expect(after).not.toContain('status');
+    expect(after).toContain('# foo');
+  });
+
+  it('tick_task leaves other status overrides alone', async () => {
+    // `blocked` is a documented v0.1 frontmatter override. Ticking a
+    // task on a blocked spec MUST NOT silently un-block it.
+    const reqPath = path.join(tmp, 'specs', 'foo', 'requirements.md');
+    await fs.writeFile(reqPath, '---\nstatus: blocked\nblocked_by: waiting\n---\n# foo\n');
+    await execFileP('git', ['add', '.'], { cwd: tmp });
+    await execFileP('git', ['commit', '-q', '-m', 'pin blocked'], { cwd: tmp });
+
+    await tickTaskTool.handler({ name: 'foo', n: 1 }, { cwd: tmp });
+
+    const after = await fs.readFile(reqPath, 'utf8');
+    expect(after).toContain('status: blocked');
+    expect(after).toContain('blocked_by: waiting');
+  });
+
+  it('untick_task does NOT clear a draft override', async () => {
+    // Untick is symmetrical-undo, not a forward-progress signal — leave
+    // any pin in place so the user can reset a card back to draft.
+    const reqPath = path.join(tmp, 'specs', 'foo', 'requirements.md');
+    await fs.writeFile(reqPath, '---\nstatus: draft\n---\n# foo\n');
+    await execFileP('git', ['add', '.'], { cwd: tmp });
+    await execFileP('git', ['commit', '-q', '-m', 'pin draft'], { cwd: tmp });
+
+    // First tick clears the override (per previous test); restore it so
+    // we're testing untick in isolation.
+    await tickTaskTool.handler({ name: 'foo', n: 1 }, { cwd: tmp });
+    await fs.writeFile(reqPath, '---\nstatus: draft\n---\n# foo\n');
+    await execFileP('git', ['add', '.'], { cwd: tmp });
+    await execFileP('git', ['commit', '-q', '-m', 'restore pin'], { cwd: tmp });
+
+    await untickTaskTool.handler({ name: 'foo', n: 1 }, { cwd: tmp });
+
+    const after = await fs.readFile(reqPath, 'utf8');
+    expect(after).toContain('status: draft');
+  });
+
   it('writeSpecFileTool rejects relpath with traversal', async () => {
     await expect(writeSpecFileTool.handler(
       { name: 'foo', relpath: '../../evil.txt', content: 'pwn' },