diff --git a/src/main/runtime/headless-tab-group-split-layout.ts b/src/main/runtime/headless-tab-group-split-layout.ts
index 91167f0bc..da7351d49 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/headless-tab-group-split-layout.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/headless-tab-group-split-layout.ts
@@ -193,8 +193,7 @@ export function buildHeadlessTabGroupSplit(args: {
       return {
         ...group,
         tabOrder: sourceOrder,
-        activeTabId:
-          group.activeTabId === args.tabId ? (sourceOrder[0] ?? null) : group.activeTabId
+        activeTabId: group.activeTabId === args.tabId ? (sourceOrder[0] ?? null) : group.activeTabId
       }
     }
     return group
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/editor/CombinedDiffViewer.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/editor/CombinedDiffViewer.tsx
index 8cb8d0455..1a09dc27e 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/editor/CombinedDiffViewer.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/editor/CombinedDiffViewer.tsx
@@ -55,7 +55,11 @@ import {
   ORCA_EDITOR_EXTERNAL_FILE_CHANGE_EVENT,
   type EditorPathMutationTarget
 } from './editor-autosave'
-import { getCombinedBranchEntries, getCombinedUncommittedEntries } from './combined-diff-entries'
+import {
+  getCombinedBranchEntries,
+  getCombinedUncommittedEntries,
+  shouldAutoReloadCombinedDiffFromGitStatus
+} from './combined-diff-entries'
 import { getCombinedDiffCommitMessageBody } from './combined-diff-commit-message'
 import { getDiffSectionEstimatedHeight, isIntrinsicHeightImageDiff } from './diff-section-layout'
 import { getLargeDiffRenderLimit } from './large-diff-render-limit'
@@ -387,6 +391,11 @@ export default function CombinedDiffViewer({
   )
   const entries = isBranchMode ? branchEntries : isCommitMode ? commitEntries : uncommittedEntries
   const treeMode = isBranchMode ? 'branch' : isCommitMode ? 'commit' : 'uncommitted'
+  const hasUncommittedEntriesSnapshot = file.uncommittedEntriesSnapshot !== undefined
+  const shouldAutoReloadFromGitStatus = shouldAutoReloadCombinedDiffFromGitStatus({
+    mode: treeMode,
+    hasUncommittedEntriesSnapshot
+  })
   const entrySignature = React.useMemo(
     () =>
       JSON.stringify({
@@ -820,15 +829,15 @@ export default function CombinedDiffViewer({
   )
 
   const combinedGitStatusSignature = React.useMemo(() => {
-    if (treeMode !== 'uncommitted') {
+    if (!shouldAutoReloadFromGitStatus) {
       return ''
     }
     return buildCombinedGitStatusSignature(sections, gitStatusEntries)
-  }, [gitStatusEntries, sections, treeMode])
+  }, [gitStatusEntries, sections, shouldAutoReloadFromGitStatus])
   const prevCombinedGitStatusSignatureRef = useRef<string | null>(null)
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    if (treeMode !== 'uncommitted') {
+    if (!shouldAutoReloadFromGitStatus) {
       prevCombinedGitStatusSignatureRef.current = null
       return
     }
@@ -843,7 +852,7 @@ export default function CombinedDiffViewer({
     for (const index of loadedIndicesRef.current) {
       requestCombinedDiffSectionReload(index)
     }
-  }, [combinedGitStatusSignature, requestCombinedDiffSectionReload, treeMode])
+  }, [combinedGitStatusSignature, requestCombinedDiffSectionReload, shouldAutoReloadFromGitStatus])
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (treeMode !== 'uncommitted') {
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/editor/combined-diff-entries.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/editor/combined-diff-entries.test.ts
index d16fa0392..2aa493556 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/editor/combined-diff-entries.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/editor/combined-diff-entries.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
-import { getCombinedBranchEntries, getCombinedUncommittedEntries } from './combined-diff-entries'
+import {
+  getCombinedBranchEntries,
+  getCombinedUncommittedEntries,
+  shouldAutoReloadCombinedDiffFromGitStatus
+} from './combined-diff-entries'
 import type { GitBranchChangeEntry, GitStatusEntry } from '../../../../shared/types'
 
 describe('getCombinedUncommittedEntries', () => {
@@ -58,3 +62,38 @@ describe('getCombinedBranchEntries', () => {
     expect(getCombinedBranchEntries(undefined, liveEntries)).toEqual(liveEntries)
   })
 })
+
+describe('shouldAutoReloadCombinedDiffFromGitStatus', () => {
+  it('does not auto-reload snapshot-backed uncommitted diffs', () => {
+    expect(
+      shouldAutoReloadCombinedDiffFromGitStatus({
+        mode: 'uncommitted',
+        hasUncommittedEntriesSnapshot: true
+      })
+    ).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('keeps the legacy live-entry uncommitted path reloadable', () => {
+    expect(
+      shouldAutoReloadCombinedDiffFromGitStatus({
+        mode: 'uncommitted',
+        hasUncommittedEntriesSnapshot: false
+      })
+    ).toBe(true)
+  })
+
+  it('does not use git status to reload branch or commit combined diffs', () => {
+    expect(
+      shouldAutoReloadCombinedDiffFromGitStatus({
+        mode: 'branch',
+        hasUncommittedEntriesSnapshot: false
+      })
+    ).toBe(false)
+    expect(
+      shouldAutoReloadCombinedDiffFromGitStatus({
+        mode: 'commit',
+        hasUncommittedEntriesSnapshot: false
+      })
+    ).toBe(false)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/editor/combined-diff-entries.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/editor/combined-diff-entries.ts
index 147601382..c2ca3526d 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/editor/combined-diff-entries.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/editor/combined-diff-entries.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import type { OpenFile } from '@/store/slices/editor'
 import type { GitBranchChangeEntry, GitStatusEntry } from '../../../../shared/types'
+import type { CombinedDiffFileTreeMode } from './combined-diff-file-tree-model'
 
 /**
  * Fallback filtering for combined-diff tabs that were opened before the
@@ -29,3 +30,15 @@ export function getCombinedBranchEntries(
   // to later Source Control refreshes.
   return [...(snapshotEntries ?? liveEntries)]
 }
+
+export function shouldAutoReloadCombinedDiffFromGitStatus({
+  mode,
+  hasUncommittedEntriesSnapshot
+}: {
+  mode: CombinedDiffFileTreeMode
+  hasUncommittedEntriesSnapshot: boolean
+}): boolean {
+  // Why: snapshot-backed tabs intentionally preserve the tab-open diff while
+  // staging/commit status churns; targeted editor-write reloads still refresh.
+  return mode === 'uncommitted' && !hasUncommittedEntriesSnapshot
+}
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/editor/editor-panel-diff-reload.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/editor/editor-panel-diff-reload.test.ts
index 3c1b8b1cf..2463ce680 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/editor/editor-panel-diff-reload.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/editor/editor-panel-diff-reload.test.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import {
   isReloadableSingleFileDiffTab,
   shouldReloadDiffOnGitStatusChange
 } from './editor-panel-diff-reload'
+import type { GitStatusEntry } from '../../../../shared/types'
 
 function makeDiffFile(overrides: Partial<OpenFile> = {}): OpenFile {
   return {
@@ -35,4 +36,34 @@ describe('editor-panel-diff-reload helpers', () => {
     expect(shouldReloadDiffOnGitStatusChange(makeDiffFile({ diffSource: 'branch' }))).toBe(false)
     expect(shouldReloadDiffOnGitStatusChange(makeDiffFile({ mode: 'edit' }))).toBe(false)
   })
+
+  it('keeps an unstaged diff snapshot when the row moves to staged', () => {
+    const entries: GitStatusEntry[] = [{ path: 'file.ts', status: 'modified', area: 'staged' }]
+
+    expect(shouldReloadDiffOnGitStatusChange(makeDiffFile(), entries)).toBe(false)
+  })
+
+  it('keeps a staged diff snapshot when the row is committed', () => {
+    expect(shouldReloadDiffOnGitStatusChange(makeDiffFile({ diffSource: 'staged' }), [])).toBe(
+      false
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('reloads a diff when its own status row is still present', () => {
+    expect(
+      shouldReloadDiffOnGitStatusChange(makeDiffFile(), [
+        { path: 'file.ts', status: 'modified', area: 'unstaged' }
+      ])
+    ).toBe(true)
+    expect(
+      shouldReloadDiffOnGitStatusChange(makeDiffFile(), [
+        { path: 'file.ts', status: 'untracked', area: 'untracked' }
+      ])
+    ).toBe(true)
+    expect(
+      shouldReloadDiffOnGitStatusChange(makeDiffFile({ diffSource: 'staged' }), [
+        { path: 'file.ts', status: 'modified', area: 'staged' }
+      ])
+    ).toBe(true)
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/editor/editor-panel-diff-reload.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/editor/editor-panel-diff-reload.ts
index 0f7ec409e..ed33a5cbf 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/editor/editor-panel-diff-reload.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/editor/editor-panel-diff-reload.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import type { OpenFile } from '@/store/slices/editor'
+import type { GitStatusEntry } from '../../../../shared/types'
 
 export function isReloadableSingleFileDiffTab(file: OpenFile): boolean {
   return (
@@ -10,6 +11,40 @@ export function isReloadableSingleFileDiffTab(file: OpenFile): boolean {
   )
 }
 
-export function shouldReloadDiffOnGitStatusChange(file: OpenFile): boolean {
-  return file.mode === 'diff' && (file.diffSource === 'unstaged' || file.diffSource === 'staged')
+function hasReloadableStatusEntry(
+  file: OpenFile,
+  gitStatusEntries: readonly GitStatusEntry[] | undefined
+): boolean {
+  if (gitStatusEntries === undefined) {
+    return true
+  }
+
+  // Why: a diff tab snapshots one status area. If staging/commit moves that
+  // row elsewhere, auto-reloading replaces useful context with another diff.
+  if (file.diffSource === 'unstaged') {
+    return gitStatusEntries.some(
+      (entry) =>
+        entry.path === file.relativePath &&
+        (entry.area === 'unstaged' || entry.area === 'untracked')
+    )
+  }
+
+  if (file.diffSource === 'staged') {
+    return gitStatusEntries.some(
+      (entry) => entry.path === file.relativePath && entry.area === 'staged'
+    )
+  }
+
+  return true
+}
+
+export function shouldReloadDiffOnGitStatusChange(
+  file: OpenFile,
+  gitStatusEntries?: readonly GitStatusEntry[]
+): boolean {
+  return (
+    file.mode === 'diff' &&
+    (file.diffSource === 'unstaged' || file.diffSource === 'staged') &&
+    hasReloadableStatusEntry(file, gitStatusEntries)
+  )
 }
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/editor/useEditorPanelContentState.test.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/editor/useEditorPanelContentState.test.tsx
index ec307769d..4244832ed 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/editor/useEditorPanelContentState.test.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/editor/useEditorPanelContentState.test.tsx
@@ -4,10 +4,12 @@ import { act } from 'react'
 import { createRoot, type Root } from 'react-dom/client'
 import { afterEach, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 import type { OpenFile } from '@/store/slices/editor'
-import type { FileContent } from './editor-panel-content-types'
+import type { GitStatusEntry } from '../../../../shared/types'
+import type { DiffContent, FileContent } from './editor-panel-content-types'
 
 const mocks = vi.hoisted(() => ({
   readRuntimeFileContent: vi.fn(),
+  getRuntimeGitDiff: vi.fn(),
   getConnectionId: vi.fn(),
   getState: vi.fn()
 }))
@@ -26,7 +28,7 @@ vi.mock('@/runtime/runtime-file-client', () => ({
 vi.mock('@/runtime/runtime-git-client', () => ({
   getRuntimeGitBranchDiff: vi.fn(),
   getRuntimeGitCommitDiff: vi.fn(),
-  getRuntimeGitDiff: vi.fn(),
+  getRuntimeGitDiff: mocks.getRuntimeGitDiff,
   getRuntimeGitScope: vi.fn(() => null)
 }))
 
@@ -45,18 +47,27 @@ import { useEditorPanelContentState } from './useEditorPanelContentState'
 type ProbeProps = {
   activeFile: OpenFile
   openFiles: OpenFile[]
+  gitStatusByWorktree?: Record<string, GitStatusEntry[]>
 }
 
 let latestFileContents: Record<string, FileContent> = {}
+let latestDiffContents: Record<string, DiffContent> = {}
+const EMPTY_GIT_STATUS_BY_WORKTREE: Record<string, GitStatusEntry[]> = {}
 
-function HookProbe({ activeFile, openFiles }: ProbeProps): null {
-  latestFileContents = useEditorPanelContentState({
+function HookProbe({
+  activeFile,
+  openFiles,
+  gitStatusByWorktree = EMPTY_GIT_STATUS_BY_WORKTREE
+}: ProbeProps): null {
+  const state = useEditorPanelContentState({
     activeFile,
     isChangesMode: false,
     openFiles,
-    gitStatusByWorktree: {},
+    gitStatusByWorktree,
     editorViewMode: {}
-  }).fileContents
+  })
+  latestFileContents = state.fileContents
+  latestDiffContents = state.diffContents
   return null
 }
 
@@ -79,7 +90,9 @@ describe('useEditorPanelContentState', () => {
 
   beforeEach(() => {
     latestFileContents = {}
+    latestDiffContents = {}
     mocks.readRuntimeFileContent.mockReset()
+    mocks.getRuntimeGitDiff.mockReset()
     mocks.getConnectionId.mockReset()
     mocks.getConnectionId.mockReturnValue(undefined)
     mocks.getState.mockReset()
@@ -126,4 +139,105 @@ describe('useEditorPanelContentState', () => {
       })
     )
   })
+
+  it('keeps a loaded unstaged diff when git status moves the row to staged', async () => {
+    const activeFile = createOpenFile({
+      id: 'wt-1::diff::unstaged::file.ts',
+      mode: 'diff',
+      diffSource: 'unstaged'
+    })
+    mocks.getRuntimeGitDiff.mockResolvedValue({
+      kind: 'text',
+      originalContent: 'old',
+      modifiedContent: 'large diff content',
+      originalIsBinary: false,
+      modifiedIsBinary: false
+    })
+
+    container = document.createElement('div')
+    document.body.appendChild(container)
+    root = createRoot(container)
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      root?.render(
+        <HookProbe
+          activeFile={activeFile}
+          openFiles={[activeFile]}
+          gitStatusByWorktree={{
+            'wt-1': [{ path: 'file.ts', status: 'modified', area: 'unstaged' }]
+          }}
+        />
+      )
+    })
+
+    await vi.waitFor(() =>
+      expect(latestDiffContents[activeFile.id]?.modifiedContent).toBe('large diff content')
+    )
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      root?.render(
+        <HookProbe
+          activeFile={activeFile}
+          openFiles={[activeFile]}
+          gitStatusByWorktree={{
+            'wt-1': [{ path: 'file.ts', status: 'modified', area: 'staged' }]
+          }}
+        />
+      )
+    })
+
+    expect(mocks.getRuntimeGitDiff).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+  })
+
+  it('reloads a loaded unstaged diff when its own status row is still present', async () => {
+    const activeFile = createOpenFile({
+      id: 'wt-1::diff::unstaged::file.ts',
+      mode: 'diff',
+      diffSource: 'unstaged'
+    })
+    mocks.getRuntimeGitDiff
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        kind: 'text',
+        originalContent: 'old',
+        modifiedContent: 'first diff content',
+        originalIsBinary: false,
+        modifiedIsBinary: false
+      })
+      .mockResolvedValueOnce({
+        kind: 'text',
+        originalContent: 'old',
+        modifiedContent: 'refreshed diff content',
+        originalIsBinary: false,
+        modifiedIsBinary: false
+      })
+
+    container = document.createElement('div')
+    document.body.appendChild(container)
+    root = createRoot(container)
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      root?.render(<HookProbe activeFile={activeFile} openFiles={[activeFile]} />)
+    })
+
+    await vi.waitFor(() =>
+      expect(latestDiffContents[activeFile.id]?.modifiedContent).toBe('first diff content')
+    )
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      root?.render(
+        <HookProbe
+          activeFile={activeFile}
+          openFiles={[activeFile]}
+          gitStatusByWorktree={{
+            'wt-1': [{ path: 'file.ts', status: 'modified', area: 'unstaged' }]
+          }}
+        />
+      )
+    })
+
+    await vi.waitFor(() =>
+      expect(latestDiffContents[activeFile.id]?.modifiedContent).toBe('refreshed diff content')
+    )
+    expect(mocks.getRuntimeGitDiff).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2)
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/editor/useEditorPanelContentState.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/editor/useEditorPanelContentState.ts
index 862e1aadf..acfeb72cb 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/editor/useEditorPanelContentState.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/editor/useEditorPanelContentState.ts
@@ -336,19 +336,31 @@ export function useEditorPanelContentState({
   const changesStatusEntries = activeFile?.worktreeId
     ? gitStatusByWorktree[activeFile.worktreeId]
     : undefined
-  const activeFileGitStatusSignature = useMemo(() => {
+  const activeFileGitStatusEntries = useMemo(() => {
     if (!activeFile?.relativePath || !changesStatusEntries) {
+      return undefined
+    }
+    return changesStatusEntries.filter((entry) => entry.path === activeFile.relativePath)
+  }, [activeFile?.relativePath, changesStatusEntries])
+  const activeFileGitStatusSignature = useMemo(() => {
+    if (!activeFileGitStatusEntries) {
       return ''
     }
-    const matching = changesStatusEntries.filter((entry) => entry.path === activeFile.relativePath)
     return JSON.stringify(
-      matching.map((entry) => ({
+      activeFileGitStatusEntries.map((entry) => ({
         area: entry.area,
         status: entry.status,
         conflictStatus: entry.conflictStatus
       }))
     )
-  }, [activeFile?.relativePath, changesStatusEntries])
+  }, [activeFileGitStatusEntries])
+  const activeFileShouldReloadOnGitStatusChange = useMemo(
+    () =>
+      activeFile
+        ? shouldReloadDiffOnGitStatusChange(activeFile, activeFileGitStatusEntries)
+        : false,
+    [activeFile, activeFileGitStatusEntries]
+  )
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!activeFile?.id) {
       return
@@ -357,7 +369,7 @@ export function useEditorPanelContentState({
     if (!current) {
       return
     }
-    if (!(isChangesMode || shouldReloadDiffOnGitStatusChange(current))) {
+    if (!(isChangesMode || activeFileShouldReloadOnGitStatusChange)) {
       return
     }
     // Why: the lazy-load effect already fetches on first open; forcing here
@@ -366,7 +378,13 @@ export function useEditorPanelContentState({
       return
     }
     void loadDiffContent(current, { force: true })
-  }, [activeFileGitStatusSignature, isChangesMode, activeFile?.id, loadDiffContent])
+  }, [
+    activeFileShouldReloadOnGitStatusChange,
+    activeFileGitStatusSignature,
+    isChangesMode,
+    activeFile?.id,
+    loadDiffContent
+  ])
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const nonce = activeFile?.diffContentReloadNonce