diff --git a/lib/sync.sh b/lib/sync.sh
index 5476807..0328280 100644
--- a/lib/sync.sh
+++ b/lib/sync.sh
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ ${BOT_TRAILER}: forward/${mono_branch}/$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)" >&2
 # ─── Reverse Sync: Subrepo → Monorepo ──────────────────────────────
 #
 # Always creates a PR on the monorepo — never pushes directly.
-# Returns: skip | pr-created | josh-rejected
+# Returns: skip | pr-created
 
 reverse_sync() {
   local mono_branch="$SYNC_BRANCH_MONO"
@@ -170,43 +170,56 @@ reverse_sync() {
   log "INFO" "New human commits to sync:"
   echo "$human_commits" >&2
 
-  # 4. Merge subrepo changes onto the latest josh-filtered monorepo view
-  #    This ensures the staging branch is based on the latest monorepo main,
-  #    not on the common ancestor between subrepo and monorepo histories.
-  local subrepo_head
-  subrepo_head=$(git rev-parse HEAD)
+  # 4. Clone monorepo directly (not through josh — we need a real branch from main)
+  local mono_auth_url api_host_path subfolder
+  api_host_path=$(echo "$MONOREPO_API" | sed 's|https://||; s|/api/v1/repos/|/|')
+  mono_auth_url="https://${BOT_USER}:${GITEA_TOKEN}@${api_host_path}.git"
+  subfolder=$(echo "$JOSH_SYNC_TARGETS" | jq -r --arg n "$JOSH_SYNC_TARGET_NAME" \
+    '.[] | select(.name == $n) | .subfolder')
 
-  git checkout -B sync-push "mono-filtered/${mono_branch}" >&2
-  git merge --no-ff "$subrepo_head" \
-    -m "Sync from subrepo $(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)
+  git clone "$mono_auth_url" \
+    --branch "$mono_branch" --single-branch \
+    "${work_dir}/monorepo" || die "Failed to clone monorepo"
 
-${BOT_TRAILER}: reverse/${subrepo_branch}/$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)" >&2 \
-    || die "Merge conflict during reverse sync — manual intervention needed"
+  cd "${work_dir}/monorepo" || exit
+  git config user.name "$BOT_NAME"
+  git config user.email "$BOT_EMAIL"
 
-  # 5. Push merged branch through josh to a staging branch
   local ts
   ts=$(date +%Y%m%d-%H%M%S)
   local staging_branch="auto-sync/subrepo-${subrepo_branch}-${ts}"
+  git checkout -B "$staging_branch" >&2
 
-  if git push -o "base=${mono_branch}" "$(josh_auth_url)" "HEAD:refs/heads/${staging_branch}"; then
-    log "INFO" "Pushed to staging branch via josh: ${staging_branch}"
+  # 5. Rsync subrepo content into subfolder (--delete handles removals)
+  mkdir -p "$subfolder"
+  rsync -a --delete --exclude='.git' "${work_dir}/subrepo/" "${subfolder}/"
+  git add "$subfolder"
 
-    # 6. Create PR on monorepo (NEVER direct push)
-    local pr_body
-    pr_body="## Subrepo changes\n\nNew commits from subrepo \`${subrepo_branch}\`:\n\n\`\`\`\n${human_commits}\n\`\`\`\n\n**Review checklist:**\n- [ ] Changes scoped to synced subfolder\n- [ ] No leaked credentials or environment-specific config\n- [ ] CI passes"
-
-    create_pr "${MONOREPO_API}" "${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
-      "$mono_branch" "$staging_branch" \
-      "[Subrepo Sync] ${subrepo_branch} → ${mono_branch}" \
-      "$pr_body" \
-      || die "Failed to create PR on monorepo (check GITEA_TOKEN)"
-
-    log "INFO" "Reverse sync PR created on monorepo"
-    echo "pr-created"
-  else
-    log "ERROR" "Josh rejected push — check josh-proxy logs"
-    echo "josh-rejected"
+  if git diff --cached --quiet; then
+    log "INFO" "No tree changes after rsync — skip"
+    echo "skip"
+    return
   fi
+
+  git commit -m "Sync from subrepo/${subrepo_branch} $(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)
+
+${BOT_TRAILER}: reverse/${subrepo_branch}/$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)" >&2
+
+  # 6. Push branch and create PR on monorepo (NEVER direct push to main)
+  git push origin "$staging_branch" || die "Failed to push staging branch"
+  log "INFO" "Pushed staging branch: ${staging_branch}"
+
+  local pr_body
+  pr_body="## Subrepo changes\n\nNew commits from subrepo \`${subrepo_branch}\`:\n\n\`\`\`\n${human_commits}\n\`\`\`\n\n**Review checklist:**\n- [ ] Changes scoped to synced subfolder\n- [ ] No leaked credentials or environment-specific config\n- [ ] CI passes"
+
+  create_pr "${MONOREPO_API}" "${GITEA_TOKEN}" \
+    "$mono_branch" "$staging_branch" \
+    "[Subrepo Sync] ${subrepo_branch} → ${mono_branch}" \
+    "$pr_body" \
+    || die "Failed to create PR on monorepo (check GITEA_TOKEN)"
+
+  log "INFO" "Reverse sync PR created on monorepo"
+  echo "pr-created"
 }
 
 # ─── Initial Import: Subrepo → Monorepo (first time) ───────────────