Near-Miss Double-Tap

trigger

"'fix: sync test count to 1,279 across 15 files — single manual pass before automation' (branch) → 'fix: sync test count to 1,279 across 15 files' (merge). Suffix dropped."

what it is

Merge commits paraphrase the branch commit message rather than preserving it verbatim. The LLM cannot pass through text without touching it — shortening a parenthetical, dropping a suffix, rewording a clause. A micro-compulsion to edit text that is already adequate, even in a mechanical git context where the convention is to preserve the original.

what it signals

Merge commits that are near-identical to branch commits but with small, purposeless edits. Compare the branch commit subject to the merge commit subject. If they differ by a dropped clause or shortened parenthetical, the LLM touched it on the way through.

instead

Accept the default merge message or write a deliberately different summary. Do not shorten the parenthetical from "(the chain — immutable history)" to "(the chain)" — the original was fine.

refs

• wake: e148cb8→afc8d00, 3f6cc07→9bd8fd3, fbbcb94→2828c09
• Consistent pattern: every merge paraphrases, never reproduces verbatim