diff --git a/cmd/push.go b/cmd/push.go
index 1f0f857..a0b809b 100644
--- a/cmd/push.go
+++ b/cmd/push.go
@@ -93,8 +93,12 @@ func runPush(cfg *config.Config, opts *pushOptions) error {
 		cfg.Printf("No active branches to push (all merged or queued)")
 		return nil
 	}
+	// Best-effort fetch to update tracking refs (helps --force-with-lease
+	// in shallow clones). Silently ignored if branches don't exist on the
+	// remote yet.
+	_ = git.FetchBranches(remote, activeBranches)
 	cfg.Printf("Pushing %d %s to %s...", len(activeBranches), plural(len(activeBranches), "branch", "branches"), remote)
-	if err := git.Push(remote, activeBranches, true, true); err != nil {
+	if err := git.Push(remote, activeBranches, true, false); err != nil {
 		cfg.Errorf("failed to push: %s", err)
 		return ErrSilent
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/push_test.go b/cmd/push_test.go
index ff70e57..d44da1a 100644
--- a/cmd/push_test.go
+++ b/cmd/push_test.go
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ func TestPush_PushesAllBranches(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, "origin", pushCalls[0].remote)
 	assert.Equal(t, []string{"b1", "b2"}, pushCalls[0].branches)
 	assert.True(t, pushCalls[0].force)
-	assert.True(t, pushCalls[0].atomic)
+	assert.False(t, pushCalls[0].atomic)
 	assert.Contains(t, output, "Pushed 2 branches")
 	assert.Contains(t, output, "gh stack submit", "should hint about submit when branches have no PRs")
 }
@@ -182,6 +182,89 @@ func TestPush_PushFailure(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Contains(t, output, "failed to push")
 }
 
+func TestPush_FetchesBeforePush(t *testing.T) {
+	s := stack.Stack{
+		Trunk: stack.BranchRef{Branch: "main"},
+		Branches: []stack.BranchRef{
+			{Branch: "b1"},
+			{Branch: "b2"},
+		},
+	}
+
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	writeStackFile(t, tmpDir, s)
+
+	var callOrder []string
+
+	mock := newPushMock(tmpDir, "b1")
+	mock.FetchBranchesFn = func(remote string, branches []string) error {
+		callOrder = append(callOrder, "fetch")
+		assert.Equal(t, "origin", remote)
+		assert.Equal(t, []string{"b1", "b2"}, branches)
+		return nil
+	}
+	mock.PushFn = func(remote string, branches []string, force, atomic bool) error {
+		callOrder = append(callOrder, "push")
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	restore := git.SetOps(mock)
+	defer restore()
+
+	cfg, _, errR := config.NewTestConfig()
+	cfg.GitHubClientOverride = &github.MockClient{}
+	cmd := PushCmd(cfg)
+	cmd.SetOut(io.Discard)
+	cmd.SetErr(io.Discard)
+	err := cmd.Execute()
+
+	cfg.Err.Close()
+	_, _ = io.ReadAll(errR)
+
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{"fetch", "push"}, callOrder, "fetch must happen before push")
+}
+
+func TestPush_FetchFailureIsNonFatal(t *testing.T) {
+	s := stack.Stack{
+		Trunk: stack.BranchRef{Branch: "main"},
+		Branches: []stack.BranchRef{
+			{Branch: "b1"},
+		},
+	}
+
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	writeStackFile(t, tmpDir, s)
+
+	pushCalled := false
+
+	mock := newPushMock(tmpDir, "b1")
+	mock.FetchBranchesFn = func(string, []string) error {
+		return fmt.Errorf("network error")
+	}
+	mock.PushFn = func(string, []string, bool, bool) error {
+		pushCalled = true
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	restore := git.SetOps(mock)
+	defer restore()
+
+	cfg, _, errR := config.NewTestConfig()
+	cfg.GitHubClientOverride = &github.MockClient{}
+	cmd := PushCmd(cfg)
+	cmd.SetOut(io.Discard)
+	cmd.SetErr(io.Discard)
+	err := cmd.Execute()
+
+	cfg.Err.Close()
+	errOut, _ := io.ReadAll(errR)
+
+	assert.NoError(t, err, "fetch failure should not abort push")
+	assert.True(t, pushCalled, "push should proceed after fetch failure")
+	assert.NotContains(t, string(errOut), "Failed to fetch", "fetch failure should be silent")
+}
+
 func TestPush_DoesNotCreatePRs(t *testing.T) {
 	s := stack.Stack{
 		Trunk: stack.BranchRef{Branch: "main"},
diff --git a/cmd/submit.go b/cmd/submit.go
index a830177..5c4c0a3 100644
--- a/cmd/submit.go
+++ b/cmd/submit.go
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ func runSubmit(cfg *config.Config, opts *submitOptions) error {
 		return ErrNotInStack
 	}
 
+	cfg.Printf("Checking stack state...")
+
 	// Find the stack for the current branch without switching branches.
 	// Submit should never change the user's checked-out branch.
 	stacks := sf.FindAllStacksForBranch(currentBranch)
@@ -129,7 +131,7 @@ func runSubmit(cfg *config.Config, opts *submitOptions) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	// If a modification is pending, delete the old remote stack first so that
+	// If a modification is pending, delete the old remote stack first so that
 	// PR base updates are allowed and force-pushes don't trigger auto-merges.
 	if stacksAvailable {
 		if err := handlePendingModify(cfg, client, s, gitDir); err != nil {
@@ -141,6 +143,11 @@ func runSubmit(cfg *config.Config, opts *submitOptions) error {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Best-effort fetch to update tracking refs (helps --force-with-lease
+	// in shallow clones). Silently ignored if branches don't exist on the
+	// remote yet.
+	_ = git.FetchBranches(remote, activeBranches)
+
 	// Push each branch and create/update its PR in stack order (bottom to top).
 	// Sequential pushing ensures each branch's base is up-to-date on the
 	// remote before the next branch is pushed, preventing race conditions.
diff --git a/cmd/submit_test.go b/cmd/submit_test.go
index 2b0e40d..2ffe5d3 100644
--- a/cmd/submit_test.go
+++ b/cmd/submit_test.go
@@ -1370,3 +1370,68 @@ func TestSubmit_WithPendingModify_SequentialPush(t *testing.T) {
 	// State file should be cleared
 	assert.False(t, modify.StateExists(tmpDir), "modify state file should be cleared after success")
 }
+
+func TestSubmit_FetchesBeforePush(t *testing.T) {
+	s := stack.Stack{
+		Trunk: stack.BranchRef{Branch: "main"},
+		Branches: []stack.BranchRef{
+			{Branch: "b1"},
+			{Branch: "b2"},
+		},
+	}
+
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	writeStackFile(t, tmpDir, s)
+
+	var callOrder []string
+	var fetchedBranches []string
+
+	mock := newSubmitMock(tmpDir, "b1")
+	mock.FetchBranchesFn = func(remote string, branches []string) error {
+		callOrder = append(callOrder, "fetch")
+		fetchedBranches = branches
+		assert.Equal(t, "origin", remote)
+		return nil
+	}
+	mock.PushFn = func(remote string, branches []string, force, atomic bool) error {
+		callOrder = append(callOrder, "push")
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	restore := git.SetOps(mock)
+	defer restore()
+
+	cfg, _, errR := config.NewTestConfig()
+	cfg.GitHubClientOverride = &github.MockClient{
+		FindPRForBranchFn: func(branch string) (*github.PullRequest, error) {
+			return &github.PullRequest{
+				Number:      1,
+				URL:         "https://github.com/o/r/pull/1",
+				BaseRefName: "main",
+				HeadRefName: branch,
+				State:       "OPEN",
+			}, nil
+		},
+		ListStacksFn: func() ([]github.RemoteStack, error) {
+			return []github.RemoteStack{}, nil
+		},
+		CreateStackFn: func(prNumbers []int) (int, error) {
+			return 42, nil
+		},
+	}
+
+	cmd := SubmitCmd(cfg)
+	cmd.SetArgs([]string{"--auto"})
+	cmd.SetOut(io.Discard)
+	cmd.SetErr(io.Discard)
+	err := cmd.Execute()
+
+	cfg.Err.Close()
+	_, _ = io.ReadAll(errR)
+
+	assert.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, []string{"b1", "b2"}, fetchedBranches, "should fetch active branches")
+	// fetch must come before all pushes
+	require.True(t, len(callOrder) >= 3, "expected at least 3 calls (fetch + 2 pushes)")
+	assert.Equal(t, "fetch", callOrder[0], "fetch must happen before any push")
+}
diff --git a/cmd/sync.go b/cmd/sync.go
index 34a4baf..866105c 100644
--- a/cmd/sync.go
+++ b/cmd/sync.go
@@ -76,11 +76,11 @@ func runSync(cfg *config.Config, opts *syncOptions) error {
 		return ErrSilent
 	}
 
-	if err := git.Fetch(remote); err != nil {
-		cfg.Warningf("Failed to fetch %s: %v", remote, err)
-	} else {
-		cfg.Successf("Fetched latest changes from %s", remote)
-	}
+	// Fetch trunk + active branches so tracking refs are current for
+	// fast-forward detection (Step 2) and --force-with-lease (Step 4).
+	fetchTargets := append([]string{s.Trunk.Branch}, activeBranchNames(s)...)
+	_ = git.FetchBranches(remote, fetchTargets)
+	cfg.Successf("Fetched latest changes from %s", remote)
 
 	// --- Step 2: Fast-forward trunk ---
 	trunk := s.Trunk.Branch
diff --git a/internal/git/git.go b/internal/git/git.go
index e9ed717..36e1325 100644
--- a/internal/git/git.go
+++ b/internal/git/git.go
@@ -124,6 +124,12 @@ func Fetch(remote string) error {
 	return ops.Fetch(remote)
 }
 
+// FetchBranches fetches specific branches from a remote,
+// updating their tracking refs.
+func FetchBranches(remote string, branches []string) error {
+	return ops.FetchBranches(remote, branches)
+}
+
 // DefaultBranch returns the HEAD branch from origin.
 func DefaultBranch() (string, error) {
 	return ops.DefaultBranch()
diff --git a/internal/git/gitops.go b/internal/git/gitops.go
index e3c1870..3ed107f 100644
--- a/internal/git/gitops.go
+++ b/internal/git/gitops.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ type Ops interface {
 	BranchExists(name string) bool
 	CheckoutBranch(name string) error
 	Fetch(remote string) error
+	FetchBranches(remote string, branches []string) error
 	DefaultBranch() (string, error)
 	CreateBranch(name, base string) error
 	Push(remote string, branches []string, force, atomic bool) error
@@ -106,6 +107,33 @@ func (d *defaultOps) Fetch(remote string) error {
 	return client.Fetch(context.Background(), remote, "")
 }
 
+func (d *defaultOps) FetchBranches(remote string, branches []string) error {
+	// Only fetch branches that already have a remote tracking ref.
+	var tracked []string
+	for _, b := range branches {
+		ref := fmt.Sprintf("refs/remotes/%s/%s", remote, b)
+		if err := runSilent("rev-parse", "--verify", "--quiet", ref); err == nil {
+			tracked = append(tracked, b)
+		}
+	}
+	if len(tracked) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	// Fast path: fetch all tracked branches in a single call.
+	args := []string{"fetch", remote}
+	args = append(args, tracked...)
+	if err := runSilent(args...); err == nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+	// Fallback: a ref may have been deleted on the remote while the
+	// local tracking ref still exists. Fetch branches individually so
+	// one missing ref doesn't block the others.
+	for _, b := range tracked {
+		_ = runSilent("fetch", remote, b)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (d *defaultOps) DefaultBranch() (string, error) {
 	ref, err := run("symbolic-ref", "refs/remotes/origin/HEAD")
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/git/mock_ops.go b/internal/git/mock_ops.go
index 12ddf5b..07bfb75 100644
--- a/internal/git/mock_ops.go
+++ b/internal/git/mock_ops.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ type MockOps struct {
 	BranchExistsFn        func(string) bool
 	CheckoutBranchFn      func(string) error
 	FetchFn               func(string) error
+	FetchBranchesFn       func(string, []string) error
 	DefaultBranchFn       func() (string, error)
 	CreateBranchFn        func(string, string) error
 	PushFn                func(string, []string, bool, bool) error
@@ -87,6 +88,13 @@ func (m *MockOps) Fetch(remote string) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (m *MockOps) FetchBranches(remote string, branches []string) error {
+	if m.FetchBranchesFn != nil {
+		return m.FetchBranchesFn(remote, branches)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (m *MockOps) DefaultBranch() (string, error) {
 	if m.DefaultBranchFn != nil {
 		return m.DefaultBranchFn()