diff --git a/backend/internal/git/sync.go b/backend/internal/git/sync.go
index 0b4e45e..12f1283 100644
--- a/backend/internal/git/sync.go
+++ b/backend/internal/git/sync.go
@@ -170,6 +170,24 @@ func (r *Repo) Push(branch string) error {
 	return err
 }
 
+// HasCommits reports whether the repository has any commit (false on
+// a freshly initialised, unborn branch).
+func (r *Repo) HasCommits() bool {
+	r.mu.Lock()
+	defer r.mu.Unlock()
+	_, err := r.run("rev-parse", "--verify", "HEAD")
+	return err == nil
+}
+
+// RemoteBranchExists reports whether origin/branch is known locally
+// (run Fetch first for a fresh answer).
+func (r *Repo) RemoteBranchExists(branch string) bool {
+	r.mu.Lock()
+	defer r.mu.Unlock()
+	_, err := r.run("rev-parse", "--verify", "refs/remotes/origin/"+branch)
+	return err == nil
+}
+
 // MergeInProgress reports whether a merge has been started but not
 // yet committed or aborted.
 func (r *Repo) MergeInProgress() bool {
diff --git a/backend/internal/graph/gitsync.go b/backend/internal/graph/gitsync.go
index a7af047..5a13d7a 100644
--- a/backend/internal/graph/gitsync.go
+++ b/backend/internal/graph/gitsync.go
@@ -186,6 +186,20 @@ func (s *Server) backgroundSync() {
 		record(fmt.Errorf("fetch: %w", err), false)
 		return
 	}
+	// Bootstrap: an empty wiki (no commits yet) adopts the remote live
+	// branch automatically, so a fresh instance needs no manual reset.
+	if !repo.HasCommits() {
+		if repo.RemoteBranchExists(gs.LiveBranch) {
+			_, err := repo.ResetToRemote(gs.LiveBranch, syncAuthor, syncEmail)
+			if err != nil {
+				record(fmt.Errorf("bootstrap från remote: %w", err), true)
+			} else {
+				log.Printf("[gitsync] empty wiki bootstrapped from origin/%s", gs.LiveBranch)
+				record(nil, false)
+			}
+			return
+		}
+	}
 	current, err := repo.CurrentBranch()
 	if err != nil || current != gs.LiveBranch {
 		// Someone is working on another branch; leave it alone.