diff --git a/cmd/bd/init.go b/cmd/bd/init.go
index f715f749..78fcf36b 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/init.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/init.go
@@ -776,9 +776,12 @@ func mergeDriverInstalled() bool {
 		return false
 	}
 
-	// Look for beads JSONL merge attribute
-	return strings.Contains(string(content), ".beads/beads.jsonl") &&
+	// Look for beads JSONL merge attribute (either canonical or legacy filename)
+	hasCanonical := strings.Contains(string(content), ".beads/issues.jsonl") &&
 		strings.Contains(string(content), "merge=beads")
+	hasLegacy := strings.Contains(string(content), ".beads/beads.jsonl") &&
+		strings.Contains(string(content), "merge=beads")
+	return hasCanonical || hasLegacy
 }
 
 // installMergeDriver configures git to use bd merge for JSONL files
diff --git a/cmd/bd/init_test.go b/cmd/bd/init_test.go
index 5f3fc2e4..6aeb426c 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/init_test.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/init_test.go
@@ -848,6 +848,66 @@ func TestInitMergeDriverAutoConfiguration(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Errorf("Merge driver should not contain invalid %%L or %%R placeholders, got %q", driver)
 		}
 	})
+
+	t.Run("detect canonical issues.jsonl filename in gitattributes", func(t *testing.T) {
+		// Reset global state
+		origDBPath := dbPath
+		defer func() { dbPath = origDBPath }()
+		dbPath = ""
+
+		tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+		originalWd, err := os.Getwd()
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Failed to get working directory: %v", err)
+		}
+		defer os.Chdir(originalWd)
+
+		if err := os.Chdir(tmpDir); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Failed to change to temp directory: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		// Initialize git repo
+		if err := runCommandInDir(tmpDir, "git", "init"); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Failed to init git: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		// Pre-configure correct merge driver and canonical filename in .gitattributes
+		if err := runCommandInDir(tmpDir, "git", "config", "merge.beads.driver", "bd merge %A %O %A %B"); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Failed to set git config: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		// Create .gitattributes with canonical filename (issues.jsonl, not beads.jsonl)
+		gitattrsPath := filepath.Join(tmpDir, ".gitattributes")
+		if err := os.WriteFile(gitattrsPath, []byte(".beads/issues.jsonl merge=beads\n"), 0644); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Failed to create .gitattributes: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		// Run bd init - should detect existing correct config and NOT reinstall
+		rootCmd.SetArgs([]string{"init", "--prefix", "test", "--quiet"})
+		if err := rootCmd.Execute(); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Init failed: %v", err)
+		}
+
+		// Verify merge driver is still correct (not reinstalled unnecessarily)
+		driver, err := runCommandInDirWithOutput(tmpDir, "git", "config", "merge.beads.driver")
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Failed to get merge.beads.driver: %v", err)
+		}
+		driver = strings.TrimSpace(driver)
+		expected := "bd merge %A %O %A %B"
+		if driver != expected {
+			t.Errorf("Expected merge driver to remain %q, got %q", expected, driver)
+		}
+
+		// Verify .gitattributes still has canonical filename (not overwritten)
+		content, err := os.ReadFile(gitattrsPath)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("Failed to read .gitattributes: %v", err)
+		}
+		if !strings.Contains(string(content), ".beads/issues.jsonl merge=beads") {
+			t.Errorf(".gitattributes should still contain canonical filename pattern")
+		}
+	})
 }
 
 // TestReadFirstIssueFromJSONL_ValidFile verifies reading first issue from valid JSONL