diff --git a/git_pull_execute.sh b/git_pull_execute.sh
index 652aba2..b8464e7 100755
--- a/git_pull_execute.sh
+++ b/git_pull_execute.sh
@@ -208,19 +208,15 @@ else
         # Uses conf files already present from last pull to determine exclusions
         configure_sparse_checkout "$TARGET_DIR"
 
-        log "git reset --hard"
-        git reset --hard
-
-        log "git clean -fd"
-        git clean -fd
-
         echo "  Pulling latest changes..."
-        if GIT_SSH_COMMAND="ssh -i $GITEA_SSH_KEY -p $SSH_PORT" git pull; then
+        if GIT_SSH_COMMAND="ssh -i $GITEA_SSH_KEY -p $SSH_PORT" git pull --ff-only; then
             echo "  Git pull successful"
             SYNC_SUCCESS=true
         else
-            error "Git pull failed"
-            notify "Git pull failed on $(hostname) — check Gitea connectivity" "Git Sync" "alert"
+            # ff-only fails when local commits or tracked changes exist that can't
+            # fast-forward. Fail loudly — never silently destroy local work.
+            error "Git pull failed — local changes conflict with remote (will not force-reset)"
+            notify "Git pull failed on $(hostname) — local changes conflict, manual resolve needed" "Git Sync" "alert"
             exit 1
         fi