diff --git a/lib/merge.py b/lib/merge.py
index 49ac654..fd05a51 100644
--- a/lib/merge.py
+++ b/lib/merge.py
@@ -1456,9 +1456,9 @@ async def _merge_domain_queue(conn, domain: str) -> tuple[int, int]:
                 failed += 1
                 continue
 
-            # Local ff-merge: push cherry-picked branch as main (Rhea's approach, Leo+Rhea: local primary)
-            # The branch was just cherry-picked onto origin/main,
-            # so origin/{branch} is a descendant of origin/main. Push it as main.
+            # Local ff-push: cherry-picked branch is a descendant of origin/main.
+            # Regular push = fast-forward. Non-ff rejected by default (same safety).
+            # --force-with-lease removed: Forgejo categorically blocks it on protected branches.
             await _git("fetch", "origin", branch, timeout=15)
             rc, main_sha = await _git("rev-parse", "origin/main")
             main_sha = main_sha.strip() if rc == 0 else ""
@@ -1469,8 +1469,7 @@ async def _merge_domain_queue(conn, domain: str) -> tuple[int, int]:
             merge_msg = ""
             if branch_sha:
                 rc, out = await _git(
-                    "push", f"--force-with-lease=main:{main_sha}",
-                    "origin", f"{branch_sha}:main",
+                    "push", "origin", f"{branch_sha}:main",
                     timeout=30,
                 )
                 if rc == 0: