diff --git a/apps/server/src/git/GitManager.ts b/apps/server/src/git/GitManager.ts
index 5423f4f1476..92ee9007b3a 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/git/GitManager.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/git/GitManager.ts
@@ -747,7 +747,7 @@ export const makeGitManager = Effect.fn("makeGitManager")(function* () {
     );
   const readRemoteStatus = Effect.fn("readRemoteStatus")(function* (cwd: string) {
     const details = yield* gitCore
-      .statusDetails(cwd)
+      .statusDetailsRemote(cwd)
       .pipe(Effect.catchIf(isNotGitRepositoryError, () => Effect.succeed(null)));
     if (details === null || !details.isRepo) {
       return null;
diff --git a/apps/server/src/vcs/GitVcsDriver.ts b/apps/server/src/vcs/GitVcsDriver.ts
index 465cd21f320..adf991556d4 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/vcs/GitVcsDriver.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/vcs/GitVcsDriver.ts
@@ -68,6 +68,17 @@ export interface GitStatusDetails {
   aheadOfDefaultCount: number;
 }
 
+export interface GitRemoteStatusDetails {
+  isRepo: boolean;
+  isDefaultBranch: boolean;
+  branch: string | null;
+  upstreamRef: string | null;
+  hasUpstream: boolean;
+  aheadCount: number;
+  behindCount: number;
+  aheadOfDefaultCount: number;
+}
+
 export interface GitPreparedCommitContext {
   stagedSummary: string;
   stagedPatch: string;
@@ -162,6 +173,9 @@ export interface GitVcsDriverShape {
   readonly status: (input: VcsStatusInput) => Effect.Effect<VcsStatusResult, GitCommandError>;
   readonly statusDetails: (cwd: string) => Effect.Effect<GitStatusDetails, GitCommandError>;
   readonly statusDetailsLocal: (cwd: string) => Effect.Effect<GitStatusDetails, GitCommandError>;
+  readonly statusDetailsRemote: (
+    cwd: string,
+  ) => Effect.Effect<GitRemoteStatusDetails, GitCommandError>;
   readonly prepareCommitContext: (
     cwd: string,
     filePaths?: readonly string[],
diff --git a/apps/server/src/vcs/GitVcsDriverCore.test.ts b/apps/server/src/vcs/GitVcsDriverCore.test.ts
index 1909b3b5033..c0e0f1876c4 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/vcs/GitVcsDriverCore.test.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/vcs/GitVcsDriverCore.test.ts
@@ -155,6 +155,67 @@ it.layer(TestLayer)("GitVcsDriver core integration", (it) => {
       }),
     );
 
+    it.effect("reports remote divergence without reading working-tree details", () =>
+      Effect.gen(function* () {
+        const cwd = yield* makeTmpDir();
+        const remote = yield* makeTmpDir("git-vcs-driver-remote-");
+        const { initialBranch } = yield* initRepoWithCommit(cwd);
+        yield* git(remote, ["init", "--bare"]);
+        yield* git(cwd, ["remote", "add", "origin", remote]);
+        yield* git(cwd, ["push", "-u", "origin", initialBranch]);
+        yield* git(cwd, ["checkout", "-b", "feature/remote-status"]);
+        yield* writeTextFile(cwd, "feature.txt", "feature\n");
+        yield* git(cwd, ["add", "feature.txt"]);
+        yield* git(cwd, ["commit", "-m", "feature commit"]);
+        yield* git(cwd, ["push", "-u", "origin", "feature/remote-status"]);
+        yield* writeTextFile(cwd, "untracked.txt", "local-only\n");
+
+        const status = yield* (yield* GitVcsDriver.GitVcsDriver).statusDetailsRemote(cwd);
+
+        assert.equal(status.isRepo, true);
+        assert.equal(status.branch, "feature/remote-status");
+        assert.equal(status.hasUpstream, true);
+        assert.equal(status.aheadCount, 0);
+        assert.equal(status.behindCount, 0);
+        assert.equal(status.aheadOfDefaultCount, 1);
+        assert.notProperty(status, "workingTree");
+        assert.notProperty(status, "hasWorkingTreeChanges");
+      }),
+    );
+
+    it.effect("uses origin HEAD for default-branch detection with a non-origin upstream", () =>
+      Effect.gen(function* () {
+        const cwd = yield* makeTmpDir();
+        const origin = yield* makeTmpDir("git-vcs-driver-origin-");
+        const upstream = yield* makeTmpDir("git-vcs-driver-upstream-");
+        yield* initRepoWithCommit(cwd);
+        yield* git(origin, ["init", "--bare"]);
+        yield* git(upstream, ["init", "--bare"]);
+        yield* git(cwd, ["branch", "-M", "main"]);
+        yield* git(cwd, ["remote", "add", "origin", origin]);
+        yield* git(cwd, ["remote", "add", "upstream", upstream]);
+        yield* git(cwd, ["push", "origin", "main"]);
+        yield* git(cwd, ["push", "upstream", "main"]);
+        yield* git(cwd, ["symbolic-ref", "refs/remotes/origin/HEAD", "refs/remotes/origin/main"]);
+        yield* git(cwd, ["checkout", "-b", "release"]);
+        yield* writeTextFile(cwd, "release.txt", "release\n");
+        yield* git(cwd, ["add", "release.txt"]);
+        yield* git(cwd, ["commit", "-m", "release commit"]);
+        yield* git(cwd, ["push", "-u", "upstream", "release"]);
+        yield* git(cwd, [
+          "symbolic-ref",
+          "refs/remotes/upstream/HEAD",
+          "refs/remotes/upstream/release",
+        ]);
+
+        const status = yield* (yield* GitVcsDriver.GitVcsDriver).statusDetailsRemote(cwd);
+
+        assert.equal(status.branch, "release");
+        assert.equal(status.upstreamRef, "upstream/release");
+        assert.equal(status.isDefaultBranch, false);
+      }),
+    );
+
     it.effect("disables SSH askpass for background upstream status fetches", () =>
       Effect.gen(function* () {
         const cwd = yield* makeTmpDir();
diff --git a/apps/server/src/vcs/GitVcsDriverCore.ts b/apps/server/src/vcs/GitVcsDriverCore.ts
index 240c20336c6..42fda3c80b2 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/vcs/GitVcsDriverCore.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/vcs/GitVcsDriverCore.ts
@@ -71,6 +71,16 @@ const NON_REPOSITORY_STATUS_DETAILS = Object.freeze<GitVcsDriver.GitStatusDetail
   behindCount: 0,
   aheadOfDefaultCount: 0,
 });
+const NON_REPOSITORY_REMOTE_STATUS_DETAILS = Object.freeze<GitVcsDriver.GitRemoteStatusDetails>({
+  isRepo: false,
+  isDefaultBranch: false,
+  branch: null,
+  upstreamRef: null,
+  hasUpstream: false,
+  aheadCount: 0,
+  behindCount: 0,
+  aheadOfDefaultCount: 0,
+});
 
 type TraceTailState = {
   processedChars: number;
@@ -1154,6 +1164,78 @@ export const makeGitVcsDriverCore = Effect.fn("makeGitVcsDriverCore")(function*
     return Number.isFinite(parsed) ? Math.max(0, parsed) : 0;
   });
 
+  const readStatusDetailsRemote = Effect.fn("readStatusDetailsRemote")(function* (cwd: string) {
+    const branchResult = yield* executeGit(
+      "GitVcsDriver.statusDetailsRemote.branch",
+      cwd,
+      ["rev-parse", "--abbrev-ref", "HEAD"],
+      { allowNonZeroExit: true },
+    ).pipe(Effect.catchIf(isMissingGitCwdError, () => Effect.succeed(null)));
+
+    if (branchResult === null) {
+      return NON_REPOSITORY_REMOTE_STATUS_DETAILS;
+    }
+    if (branchResult.exitCode !== 0) {
+      const stderr = branchResult.stderr.trim();
+      return yield* createGitCommandError(
+        "GitVcsDriver.statusDetailsRemote.branch",
+        cwd,
+        ["rev-parse", "--abbrev-ref", "HEAD"],
+        stderr || "git branch lookup failed",
+      );
+    }
+
+    const branchValue = branchResult.stdout.trim();
+    const branch = branchValue.length > 0 && branchValue !== "HEAD" ? branchValue : null;
+    const upstream = yield* resolveCurrentUpstream(cwd);
+    const upstreamRef = upstream?.upstreamRef ?? null;
+    let aheadCount = 0;
+    let behindCount = 0;
+
+    if (upstreamRef) {
+      const divergence = yield* executeGit(
+        "GitVcsDriver.statusDetailsRemote.divergence",
+        cwd,
+        ["rev-list", "--left-right", "--count", `HEAD...${upstreamRef}`],
+        { allowNonZeroExit: true },
+      );
+      if (divergence.exitCode === 0) {
+        const [aheadRaw, behindRaw] = divergence.stdout.trim().split(/\s+/);
+        const parsedAhead = Number.parseInt(aheadRaw ?? "0", 10);
+        const parsedBehind = Number.parseInt(behindRaw ?? "0", 10);
+        aheadCount = Number.isFinite(parsedAhead) ? Math.max(0, parsedAhead) : 0;
+        behindCount = Number.isFinite(parsedBehind) ? Math.max(0, parsedBehind) : 0;
+      }
+    } else if (branch) {
+      aheadCount = yield* computeAheadCountAgainstBase(cwd, branch).pipe(
+        Effect.orElseSucceed(() => 0),
+      );
+    }
+
+    const defaultBranch = yield* resolveDefaultBranchName(cwd, "origin");
+    const isDefaultBranch =
+      branch !== null &&
+      (branch === defaultBranch ||
+        (defaultBranch === null && (branch === "main" || branch === "master")));
+    const aheadOfDefaultCount =
+      branch && !isDefaultBranch
+        ? upstreamRef === null
+          ? aheadCount
+          : yield* computeAheadCountAgainstBase(cwd, branch).pipe(Effect.orElseSucceed(() => 0))
+        : 0;
+
+    return {
+      isRepo: true,
+      isDefaultBranch,
+      branch,
+      upstreamRef,
+      hasUpstream: upstreamRef !== null,
+      aheadCount,
+      behindCount,
+      aheadOfDefaultCount,
+    };
+  });
+
   const readBranchRecency = Effect.fn("readBranchRecency")(function* (cwd: string) {
     const branchRecency = yield* executeGit(
       "GitVcsDriver.readBranchRecency",
@@ -1356,6 +1438,16 @@ export const makeGitVcsDriverCore = Effect.fn("makeGitVcsDriverCore")(function*
     },
   );
 
+  const statusDetailsRemote: GitVcsDriver.GitVcsDriverShape["statusDetailsRemote"] = Effect.fn(
+    "statusDetailsRemote",
+  )(function* (cwd) {
+    yield* refreshStatusUpstreamIfStale(cwd).pipe(
+      Effect.catchIf(isMissingGitCwdError, () => Effect.void),
+      Effect.ignoreCause({ log: true }),
+    );
+    return yield* readStatusDetailsRemote(cwd);
+  });
+
   const status: GitVcsDriver.GitVcsDriverShape["status"] = (input) =>
     statusDetails(input.cwd).pipe(
       Effect.map((details) => ({
@@ -2302,6 +2394,7 @@ export const makeGitVcsDriverCore = Effect.fn("makeGitVcsDriverCore")(function*
     status,
     statusDetails,
     statusDetailsLocal,
+    statusDetailsRemote,
     prepareCommitContext,
     commit,
     pushCurrentBranch,
diff --git a/apps/server/src/vcs/VcsStatusBroadcaster.test.ts b/apps/server/src/vcs/VcsStatusBroadcaster.test.ts
index d47dda29bf0..e92ab374f4e 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/vcs/VcsStatusBroadcaster.test.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/vcs/VcsStatusBroadcaster.test.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import * as Option from "effect/Option";
 import * as Path from "effect/Path";
 import * as Scope from "effect/Scope";
 import * as Stream from "effect/Stream";
+import * as TestClock from "effect/testing/TestClock";
 import type {
   VcsStatusLocalResult,
   VcsStatusRemoteResult,
@@ -310,6 +311,48 @@ describe("VcsStatusBroadcaster", () => {
     }).pipe(Effect.provide(makeTestLayer(state)));
   });
 
+  it.effect("delays automatic refresh when a cached remote snapshot is available", () => {
+    const state = {
+      currentLocalStatus: baseLocalStatus,
+      currentRemoteStatus: baseRemoteStatus,
+      localStatusCalls: 0,
+      remoteStatusCalls: 0,
+      localInvalidationCalls: 0,
+      remoteInvalidationCalls: 0,
+    };
+
+    return Effect.gen(function* () {
+      const broadcaster = yield* VcsStatusBroadcaster.VcsStatusBroadcaster;
+      yield* broadcaster.getStatus({ cwd: "/repo" });
+      const scope = yield* Scope.make();
+      const snapshotDeferred = yield* Deferred.make<VcsStatusStreamEvent>();
+      yield* Stream.runForEach(
+        broadcaster.streamStatus(
+          { cwd: "/repo" },
+          { automaticRemoteRefreshInterval: Effect.succeed(Duration.minutes(1)) },
+        ),
+        (event) =>
+          event._tag === "snapshot"
+            ? Deferred.succeed(snapshotDeferred, event).pipe(Effect.ignore)
+            : Effect.void,
+      ).pipe(Effect.forkIn(scope));
+
+      yield* Deferred.await(snapshotDeferred);
+      assert.equal(state.remoteStatusCalls, 1);
+      assert.equal(state.remoteInvalidationCalls, 0);
+
+      yield* TestClock.adjust(Duration.seconds(59));
+      assert.equal(state.remoteStatusCalls, 1);
+
+      yield* TestClock.adjust(Duration.seconds(1));
+      yield* Effect.yieldNow;
+      assert.equal(state.remoteStatusCalls, 2);
+      assert.equal(state.remoteInvalidationCalls, 1);
+
+      yield* Scope.close(scope, Exit.void);
+    }).pipe(Effect.provide(Layer.merge(makeTestLayer(state), TestClock.layer())));
+  });
+
   it("backs off remote refresh failures exponentially and honors larger configured intervals", () => {
     assert.equal(
       Duration.toMillis(VcsStatusBroadcaster.remoteRefreshFailureDelay(1, Duration.seconds(1))),
diff --git a/apps/server/src/vcs/VcsStatusBroadcaster.ts b/apps/server/src/vcs/VcsStatusBroadcaster.ts
index 40cdcf2c809..9cd5a6c337c 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/vcs/VcsStatusBroadcaster.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/vcs/VcsStatusBroadcaster.ts
@@ -257,6 +257,7 @@ export const layer = Layer.effect(
     const makeRemoteRefreshLoop = (
       cwd: string,
       automaticRemoteRefreshInterval: Effect.Effect<Duration.Duration, never>,
+      refreshImmediately: boolean,
     ) => {
       return Effect.gen(function* () {
         const consecutiveFailuresRef = yield* Ref.make(0);
@@ -289,6 +290,15 @@ export const layer = Layer.effect(
           return nextDelay;
         });
 
+        if (!refreshImmediately) {
+          const configuredInterval = yield* automaticRemoteRefreshInterval;
+          yield* Effect.sleep(
+            Duration.isZero(configuredInterval)
+              ? DEFAULT_VCS_STATUS_REFRESH_INTERVAL
+              : configuredInterval,
+          );
+        }
+
         return yield* refreshRemoteStatusIfEnabled.pipe(
           Effect.repeat(
             Schedule.identity<Duration.Duration>().pipe(
@@ -303,6 +313,7 @@ export const layer = Layer.effect(
     const retainRemotePoller = Effect.fn("VcsStatusBroadcaster.retainRemotePoller")(function* (
       cwd: string,
       automaticRemoteRefreshInterval: Effect.Effect<Duration.Duration, never>,
+      refreshImmediately: boolean,
     ) {
       yield* SynchronizedRef.modifyEffect(pollersRef, (activePollers) => {
         const existing = activePollers.get(cwd);
@@ -315,7 +326,7 @@ export const layer = Layer.effect(
           return Effect.succeed([undefined, nextPollers] as const);
         }
 
-        return makeRemoteRefreshLoop(cwd, automaticRemoteRefreshInterval).pipe(
+        return makeRemoteRefreshLoop(cwd, automaticRemoteRefreshInterval, refreshImmediately).pipe(
           Effect.forkIn(broadcasterScope),
           Effect.map((fiber) => {
             const nextPollers = new Map(activePollers);
@@ -363,11 +374,13 @@ export const layer = Layer.effect(
           const cwd = yield* withFileSystem(normalizeCwd(input.cwd));
           const subscription = yield* PubSub.subscribe(changesPubSub);
           const initialLocal = yield* getOrLoadLocalStatus(cwd);
-          const initialRemote = (yield* getCachedStatus(cwd))?.remote?.value ?? null;
+          const cachedStatus = yield* getCachedStatus(cwd);
+          const initialRemote = cachedStatus?.remote?.value ?? null;
           yield* retainRemotePoller(
             cwd,
             options?.automaticRemoteRefreshInterval ??
               Effect.succeed(DEFAULT_VCS_STATUS_REFRESH_INTERVAL),
+            cachedStatus?.remote === null || cachedStatus?.remote === undefined,
           );
 
           const release = releaseRemotePoller(cwd).pipe(Effect.ignore, Effect.asVoid);