diff --git a/tools/repo/fresh-repo.sh b/tools/repo/fresh-repo.sh
index 72d11167a..166960b33 100755
--- a/tools/repo/fresh-repo.sh
+++ b/tools/repo/fresh-repo.sh
@@ -263,7 +263,8 @@ say "  gh repo create $NEW_REPO --private --description 'Igneum: the GPU-mined z
 say "  # 3. push every rewritten ref from the clone (the pass removed its origin remote on purpose)"
 say "  cd $CLONE"
 say "  git remote add origin https://github.com/$NEW_REPO.git"
-say "  git push --mirror origin"
+say "  git push origin master                       # master FIRST: a mirror push into an empty Forgejo repository makes its first ref the default branch (adv-accept, 7 Oct 2026, 21:54 UK)
+  git push --mirror origin"
 say "  # 4. after the push, on GitHub: default branch master; Settings > Secrets: DL_TOKEN, DL_TOKEN_NEXT, LOG_INTAKE_KEY,"
 say "  #    LOG_INTAKE_KEY_NEXT (tr -d '[:space:]' < ~/.config/igneum/<file> | gh secret set <NAME> --repo $NEW_REPO);"
 say "  #    Vercel project igneum (team igneum): Git > disconnect $ORG/igneum, connect $NEW_REPO, production branch master;"