diff --git a/.config/hooks/post-checkout b/.config/hooks/post-checkout
index 179beb252..41593f932 100755
--- a/.config/hooks/post-checkout
+++ b/.config/hooks/post-checkout
@@ -2,10 +2,23 @@
 # Post-checkout hook. Folds in pql's planning logic (its .pql/hooks installer is
 # dead under core.hooksPath=.config/hooks).
 #
-# On a branch checkout (third arg == 1), rebuild pql.db from the changelog so the
-# local planning cache reflects the new branch's state. File-level checkouts
-# ($3 == 0) are skipped. Args: <prev-HEAD> <new-HEAD> <branch-flag>.
+# On a branch checkout (third arg == 1), keep the local planning cache (pql.db)
+# in sync with the changelog. File-level checkouts ($3 == 0) are skipped.
+# Args: <prev-HEAD> <new-HEAD> <branch-flag>.
+#
+# prev-HEAD == new-HEAD means the working-tree content did not change — a branch
+# *creation* (`git checkout -b`) or a no-op checkout. pql.db is already correct
+# for this content, so a `plan rebuild` here would only DROP uncommitted ticket
+# mutations that have not reached the changelog yet (e.g. a just-activated
+# in_progress status set right before the branch was cut). Instead, flush + stage
+# them — the same changelog capture the pre-commit hook does — so the activation
+# is durable across the checkout. A real branch *switch* (prev != new) loads a
+# different changelog, so rebuild pql.db to match the branch we moved to.
 if [ "${3:-0}" = "1" ] && command -v pql >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-    pql plan rebuild >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+    if [ "$1" = "$2" ]; then
+        pql plan export --stage >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+    else
+        pql plan rebuild >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+    fi
     pql decisions sync >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
 fi