diff --git a/bin/git-issue b/bin/git-issue
index 0cc9eab..1f8491c 100755
--- a/bin/git-issue
+++ b/bin/git-issue
@@ -1312,9 +1312,17 @@ setup_sync_enable() {
     git config git-issue.sync.enabled true
     echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Enabled automatic notes sync in git config${NC}"
     
-    # Configure automatic notes fetching
-    git config --add remote.origin.fetch '+refs/notes/*:refs/notes/*' 2>/dev/null || true
-    echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Configured automatic notes fetching${NC}"
+    # Configure automatic notes fetching. The refspec is deliberately not
+    # forcing: with a leading '+' a fetch replaces a local issue ref that has
+    # unpushed edits, and git-issue keeps one linear history per issue, so the
+    # edits are gone except from the reflog. Without it git rejects that fetch
+    # as non-fast-forward and the local edit stays. Earlier releases wrote the
+    # forcing form, so an existing one is rewritten.
+    git config --unset-all remote.origin.fetch '^\+refs/notes/\*:refs/notes/\*$' 2>/dev/null || true
+    if ! git config --get-all remote.origin.fetch 2>/dev/null | grep -qx 'refs/notes/\*:refs/notes/\*'; then
+        git config --add remote.origin.fetch 'refs/notes/*:refs/notes/*' 2>/dev/null || true
+    fi
+    echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Configured automatic notes fetching (non-forcing)${NC}"
     
     echo ""
     echo -e "${GREEN}🎉 Automatic git notes sync is now enabled!${NC}"
diff --git a/docs/user-guide.md b/docs/user-guide.md
index 02d7134..7191bfe 100644
--- a/docs/user-guide.md
+++ b/docs/user-guide.md
@@ -220,7 +220,18 @@ git issue setup-sync status
 
 This installs a pre-push hook that pushes the notes refs and a
 post-merge hook that fetches them, and adds the refspec so `git fetch`
-brings them down. On a second machine, clone, run `setup-sync enable`,
+brings them down. Neither side forces: an issue edited locally and on the
+remote since your last push is rejected by both fetch and push, and the
+hooks name it, rather than one edit replacing the other. Other issues
+still sync. To settle a diverged issue, pick a side:
+
+```bash
+git push --force origin refs/notes/issue-<id>                     # keep yours
+git fetch origin +refs/notes/issue-<id>:refs/notes/issue-<id>     # take theirs
+```
+
+The discarded version stays in the reflog (`git reflog show refs/notes/issue-<id>`)
+on the clone that held it. On a second machine, clone, run `setup-sync enable`,
 and `git fetch` once. To do it by hand instead:
 
 ```bash
diff --git a/hooks/post-merge b/hooks/post-merge
index 5ac345d..f4e29f1 100755
--- a/hooks/post-merge
+++ b/hooks/post-merge
@@ -29,17 +29,27 @@ REMOTE=$(git remote | head -1)
 
 echo -e "${BLUE}🔄 Syncing issue notes from $REMOTE...${NC}"
 
-# Fetch issue notes from remote
-if git fetch "$REMOTE" 'refs/notes/issue-*:refs/notes/issue-*' 2>/dev/null; then
-    # Count synced notes
-    NOTE_COUNT=$(git for-each-ref --format="%(refname)" refs/notes/issue-* 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
-    if [[ $NOTE_COUNT -gt 0 ]]; then
-        echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Synced $NOTE_COUNT issue notes${NC}"
-    fi
-else
+# Fetch issue notes from remote. The refspec is not forcing, so an issue
+# edited locally and on the remote since the last push is rejected rather
+# than replaced; say which ones, because a silent refusal looks like a
+# fetch that worked.
+FETCH_OUT=$(git fetch "$REMOTE" 'refs/notes/issue-*:refs/notes/issue-*' 2>&1)
+FETCH_RC=$?
+REJECTED=$(echo "$FETCH_OUT" | grep '\[rejected\]' | grep -o 'refs/notes/issue-[0-9a-f]*' | sort -u)
+if [[ -n "$REJECTED" ]]; then
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠️  Issue notes diverged from $REMOTE (local edits kept, remote edits not fetched):${NC}"
+    echo "$REJECTED" | sed 's/^/     /'
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}   Keep yours: git push --force $REMOTE refs/notes/issue-<id>${NC}"
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}   Take theirs: git fetch $REMOTE +refs/notes/issue-<id>:refs/notes/issue-<id>${NC}"
+fi
+if [[ $FETCH_RC -ne 0 && -z "$REJECTED" ]]; then
     # Silently fail if remote doesn't have notes - this is normal for new repos
     exit 0
 fi
+NOTE_COUNT=$(git for-each-ref --format="%(refname)" refs/notes/issue-* 2>/dev/null | wc -l)
+if [[ $NOTE_COUNT -gt 0 ]]; then
+    echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Synced $NOTE_COUNT issue notes${NC}"
+fi
 
 # Optional: fetch commit notes too if they exist
 git fetch "$REMOTE" 'refs/notes/commits:refs/notes/commits' 2>/dev/null || true
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/hooks/pre-push b/hooks/pre-push
index 5452b36..42edee5 100755
--- a/hooks/pre-push
+++ b/hooks/pre-push
@@ -66,11 +66,24 @@ while IFS= read -r ref; do
     REFSPECS+=("$ref")
 done <<< "$CHANGED_REFS"
 
-# Push with --atomic so all ref updates succeed or fail together
-if git push --atomic "$REMOTE" "${REFSPECS[@]}"; then
+# Not --atomic: an issue edited here and on the remote since the last push
+# is rejected as a non-fast-forward, and an atomic push would hold back every
+# other changed issue with it. Name the rejected ones, as post-merge does.
+PUSH_OUT=$(git push "$REMOTE" "${REFSPECS[@]}" 2>&1)
+PUSH_RC=$?
+REJECTED=$(echo "$PUSH_OUT" | grep '\[rejected\]' | grep -o 'refs/notes/issue-[0-9a-f]*' | sort -u)
+if [[ -n "$REJECTED" ]]; then
+    REJECTED_COUNT=$(echo "$REJECTED" | wc -l | tr -d ' ')
+    echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Pushed $((CHANGED_COUNT - REJECTED_COUNT)) issue notes${NC}"
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠️  Issue notes diverged from $REMOTE (not pushed):${NC}"
+    echo "$REJECTED" | sed 's/^/     /'
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}   Keep yours: git push --force $REMOTE refs/notes/issue-<id>${NC}"
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}   Take theirs: git fetch $REMOTE +refs/notes/issue-<id>:refs/notes/issue-<id>${NC}"
+elif [[ $PUSH_RC -eq 0 ]]; then
     echo -e "${GREEN}✓ Successfully pushed $CHANGED_COUNT issue notes${NC}"
 else
-    echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠️  Failed to push some issue notes (this may be normal for new remotes)${NC}"
+    echo "$PUSH_OUT"
+    echo -e "${YELLOW}⚠️  Failed to push issue notes (this may be normal for new remotes)${NC}"
     # Don't fail the push - notes sync failure shouldn't block code push
     exit 0
 fi
diff --git a/tests/test_hooks_sync.sh b/tests/test_hooks_sync.sh
index ad289aa..70a0570 100755
--- a/tests/test_hooks_sync.sh
+++ b/tests/test_hooks_sync.sh
@@ -190,6 +190,83 @@ TESTS_RUN=$((TESTS_RUN + 1))
 # Test 16: Test invalid setup-sync argument
 run_test "invalid setup-sync argument" "git issue setup-sync invalid" "Usage: git issue setup-sync"
 
+# Test 17: enable writes a non-forcing notes refspec and rewrites a forcing one
+echo -n "Verifying non-forcing notes refspec... "
+git remote add origin /nonexistent >/dev/null 2>&1
+git config --add remote.origin.fetch '+refs/notes/*:refs/notes/*'
+git issue setup-sync enable >/dev/null 2>&1
+REFSPECS=$(git config --get-all remote.origin.fetch)
+if echo "$REFSPECS" | grep -qx 'refs/notes/\*:refs/notes/\*' && ! echo "$REFSPECS" | grep -q '^+refs/notes'; then
+    echo -e "${GREEN}PASS${NC}"
+    TESTS_PASSED=$((TESTS_PASSED + 1))
+else
+    echo -e "${RED}FAIL${NC}"
+    echo "  Refspecs: $REFSPECS"
+fi
+TESTS_RUN=$((TESTS_RUN + 1))
+
+# Test 18: a fetch does not replace an issue edited locally and on the remote
+echo -n "Verifying a diverged issue keeps the local edit on fetch... "
+SYNC_DIR="/tmp/git-issue-diverge-test-$$"
+mkdir -p "$SYNC_DIR"
+git init --bare "$SYNC_DIR/remote.git" >/dev/null 2>&1
+for who in alice bob; do
+    git init "$SYNC_DIR/$who" >/dev/null 2>&1
+    git -C "$SYNC_DIR/$who" config user.name "$who"
+    git -C "$SYNC_DIR/$who" config user.email "$who@example.com"
+    git -C "$SYNC_DIR/$who" remote add origin "$SYNC_DIR/remote.git"
+done
+git -C "$SYNC_DIR/alice" commit -q --allow-empty -m init
+git -C "$SYNC_DIR/alice" push -q origin HEAD:main >/dev/null 2>&1
+DIV_ID=$(git -C "$SYNC_DIR/alice" issue create "shared issue" 2>&1 | grep -o '#[a-f0-9]\+' | head -1 | cut -c2-)
+git -C "$SYNC_DIR/alice" push -q origin "refs/notes/issue-$DIV_ID" >/dev/null 2>&1
+git -C "$SYNC_DIR/bob" fetch -q origin main >/dev/null 2>&1
+git -C "$SYNC_DIR/bob" issue setup-sync enable >/dev/null 2>&1
+git -C "$SYNC_DIR/bob" fetch -q origin >/dev/null 2>&1
+git -C "$SYNC_DIR/alice" issue comment "$DIV_ID" "alice's edit" >/dev/null 2>&1
+git -C "$SYNC_DIR/alice" push -q origin "refs/notes/issue-$DIV_ID" >/dev/null 2>&1
+git -C "$SYNC_DIR/bob" issue comment "$DIV_ID" "bob's unpushed edit" >/dev/null 2>&1
+BOB_BEFORE=$(git -C "$SYNC_DIR/bob" rev-parse "refs/notes/issue-$DIV_ID")
+FETCH_MSG=$(git -C "$SYNC_DIR/bob" fetch origin 2>&1)
+BOB_AFTER=$(git -C "$SYNC_DIR/bob" rev-parse "refs/notes/issue-$DIV_ID")
+if [[ "$BOB_BEFORE" == "$BOB_AFTER" ]] && echo "$FETCH_MSG" | grep -q "rejected"; then
+    echo -e "${GREEN}PASS${NC}"
+    TESTS_PASSED=$((TESTS_PASSED + 1))
+else
+    echo -e "${RED}FAIL${NC}"
+    echo "  Local ref before: $BOB_BEFORE after: $BOB_AFTER"
+    echo "  Fetch said: $FETCH_MSG"
+fi
+TESTS_RUN=$((TESTS_RUN + 1))
+
+# Test 19: the post-merge hook names the diverged issue instead of staying silent
+echo -n "Verifying the post-merge hook reports the diverged issue... "
+HOOK_MSG=$(cd "$SYNC_DIR/bob" && .git/hooks/post-merge 2>&1)
+if echo "$HOOK_MSG" | grep -q "issue-$DIV_ID" && echo "$HOOK_MSG" | grep -q "diverged"; then
+    echo -e "${GREEN}PASS${NC}"
+    TESTS_PASSED=$((TESTS_PASSED + 1))
+else
+    echo -e "${RED}FAIL${NC}"
+    echo "  Hook said: $HOOK_MSG"
+fi
+TESTS_RUN=$((TESTS_RUN + 1))
+
+# Test 20: the pre-push hook still pushes other issues past a diverged one
+echo -n "Verifying the pre-push hook pushes past a diverged issue... "
+NEW_ID=$(git -C "$SYNC_DIR/bob" issue create "bob's new issue" 2>&1 | grep -o '#[a-f0-9]\+' | head -1 | cut -c2-)
+HOOK_MSG=$(cd "$SYNC_DIR/bob" && .git/hooks/pre-push origin "$SYNC_DIR/remote.git" 2>&1)
+REMOTE_NEW=$(git -C "$SYNC_DIR/remote.git" rev-parse -q --verify "refs/notes/issue-$NEW_ID")
+if [[ -n "$REMOTE_NEW" ]] && echo "$HOOK_MSG" | grep -q "issue-$DIV_ID" && echo "$HOOK_MSG" | grep -q "diverged"; then
+    echo -e "${GREEN}PASS${NC}"
+    TESTS_PASSED=$((TESTS_PASSED + 1))
+else
+    echo -e "${RED}FAIL${NC}"
+    echo "  Remote has new issue: ${REMOTE_NEW:-no}"
+    echo "  Hook said: $HOOK_MSG"
+fi
+TESTS_RUN=$((TESTS_RUN + 1))
+rm -rf "$SYNC_DIR"
+
 echo ""
 echo -e "${BLUE}Test Results:${NC}"
 echo "============="