diff --git a/src/auto_commit_service/tray/local_agent.py b/src/auto_commit_service/tray/local_agent.py
index 15b0975..351ed0f 100644
--- a/src/auto_commit_service/tray/local_agent.py
+++ b/src/auto_commit_service/tray/local_agent.py
@@ -302,7 +302,9 @@ class LocalCommitAgent:
 
         if not message:
             logger.warning(f"Empty message for {repo_name}, skipping")
-            _git(repo_path, "reset", "HEAD")
+            # Unstage path-by-path — safe on unborn branches (no initial commit)
+            # where `git reset HEAD` fails because HEAD is unresolved.
+            _git(repo_path, "reset", "--", *allowed)
             return False
 
         # Dry-run gate — log intent, unstage, do not commit or push
@@ -311,7 +313,9 @@ class LocalCommitAgent:
                 f"[DRY-RUN] {repo_name} ({branch}) would commit {len(allowed)} file(s) "
                 f"with message: {message.splitlines()[0] if message else '(empty)'}"
             )
-            _git(repo_path, "reset", "HEAD")
+            # Unstage path-by-path — safe on unborn branches (no initial commit)
+            # where `git reset HEAD` fails because HEAD is unresolved.
+            _git(repo_path, "reset", "--", *allowed)
             return False
 
         # Commit