diff --git a/cmd/bd/init.go b/cmd/bd/init.go
index 055d5498..5403f6af 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/init.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/init.go
@@ -210,7 +210,16 @@ With --no-db: creates .beads/ directory and issues.jsonl file instead of SQLite
 			os.Exit(1)
 		}
 
-		// Set sync.branch if specified
+		// Set sync.branch: use explicit --branch flag, or auto-detect current branch
+		// This ensures bd sync --status works after bd init (bd-flil)
+		if branch == "" && isGitRepo() {
+			// Auto-detect current branch if not specified
+			currentBranch, err := getGitBranch()
+			if err == nil && currentBranch != "" {
+				branch = currentBranch
+			}
+		}
+
 		if branch != "" {
 			if err := syncbranch.Set(ctx, store, branch); err != nil {
 				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Error: failed to set sync branch: %v\n", err)
diff --git a/cmd/bd/init_team.go b/cmd/bd/init_team.go
index be6b1c18..0a36b341 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/init_team.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/init_team.go
@@ -188,13 +188,14 @@ func runTeamWizard(ctx context.Context, store storage.Storage) error {
 }
 
 // getGitBranch returns the current git branch name
+// Uses symbolic-ref instead of rev-parse to work in fresh repos without commits (bd-flil)
 func getGitBranch() (string, error) {
-	cmd := exec.Command("git", "rev-parse", "--abbrev-ref", "HEAD")
+	cmd := exec.Command("git", "symbolic-ref", "--short", "HEAD")
 	output, err := cmd.Output()
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
-	
+
 	return strings.TrimSpace(string(output)), nil
 }
 
diff --git a/cmd/bd/sync.go b/cmd/bd/sync.go
index bfb17f0c..0d5f8869 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/sync.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/sync.go
@@ -470,7 +470,8 @@ func gitPull(ctx context.Context) error {
 	}
 	
 	// Get current branch name
-	branchCmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, "git", "rev-parse", "--abbrev-ref", "HEAD")
+	// Use symbolic-ref to work in fresh repos without commits (bd-flil)
+	branchCmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, "git", "symbolic-ref", "--short", "HEAD")
 	branchOutput, err := branchCmd.Output()
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to get current branch: %w", err)
@@ -678,8 +679,9 @@ func exportToJSONL(ctx context.Context, jsonlPath string) error {
 }
 
 // getCurrentBranch returns the name of the current git branch
+// Uses symbolic-ref instead of rev-parse to work in fresh repos without commits (bd-flil)
 func getCurrentBranch(ctx context.Context) (string, error) {
-	cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, "git", "rev-parse", "--abbrev-ref", "HEAD")
+	cmd := exec.CommandContext(ctx, "git", "symbolic-ref", "--short", "HEAD")
 	output, err := cmd.Output()
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to get current branch: %w", err)
diff --git a/cmd/bd/version.go b/cmd/bd/version.go
index 42d290b0..1e01baa7 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/version.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/version.go
@@ -151,7 +151,8 @@ func resolveBranch() string {
 	}
 
 	// Fallback: try to get branch from git at runtime
-	cmd := exec.Command("git", "rev-parse", "--abbrev-ref", "HEAD")
+	// Use symbolic-ref to work in fresh repos without commits (bd-flil)
+	cmd := exec.Command("git", "symbolic-ref", "--short", "HEAD")
 	cmd.Dir = "."
 	if output, err := cmd.Output(); err == nil {
 		if branch := strings.TrimSpace(string(output)); branch != "" && branch != "HEAD" {
diff --git a/internal/storage/sqlite/bench_helpers_test.go b/internal/storage/sqlite/bench_helpers_test.go
index 27d8c00b..ce4871ae 100644
--- a/internal/storage/sqlite/bench_helpers_test.go
+++ b/internal/storage/sqlite/bench_helpers_test.go
@@ -92,14 +92,11 @@ func getCachedOrGenerateDB(b *testing.B, cacheKey string, generateFn func(contex
 
 	ctx := context.Background()
 
-
 	store, err := New(ctx, dbPath)
 	if err != nil {
 		b.Fatalf("Failed to create storage: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	ctx := context.Background()
-
 	// Initialize database with prefix
 	if err := store.SetConfig(ctx, "issue_prefix", "bd-"); err != nil {
 		store.Close()
diff --git a/internal/storage/sqlite/compact_bench_test.go b/internal/storage/sqlite/compact_bench_test.go
index d54359db..4caf6065 100644
--- a/internal/storage/sqlite/compact_bench_test.go
+++ b/internal/storage/sqlite/compact_bench_test.go
@@ -127,7 +127,6 @@ func setupBenchDB(tb testing.TB) (*SQLiteStorage, func()) {
 		tb.Fatalf("Failed to create storage: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	ctx := context.Background()
 	if err := store.SetConfig(ctx, "issue_prefix", "bd"); err != nil {
 		tb.Fatalf("Failed to set issue_prefix: %v", err)
 	}