diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/update-thirdparty-superpowers.yml b/.gitea/workflows/update-thirdparty-superpowers.yml
index a642cc1..ead8a5f 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/update-thirdparty-superpowers.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/update-thirdparty-superpowers.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-name: Update and Sync Superpowers
+name: 🪄 Update and Sync Superpowers
 
 on:
   push:
@@ -8,10 +8,6 @@ on:
   schedule:
     - cron: "@daily"
 
-concurrency:
-  group: superpowers-update-sync-${{ github.repository }}
-  cancel-in-progress: true
-
 env:
   WORKSPACE_DIR: "/home/workspace"
   THIRDPARTY_BRANCH: "thirdparty/skill"
@@ -21,19 +17,18 @@ env:
   SUPERPOWERS_LIST: "codex/skills/.sources/superpowers.list"
 
 jobs:
-  update:
-    name: Update thirdparty/skill snapshot
+  update_and_sync:
+    name: ♻️ Update thirdparty and sync main
     runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
-    outputs:
-      snapshot_changed: ${{ steps.update_snapshot.outputs.snapshot_changed }}
-    env:
-      TARGET_BRANCH: "${{ env.THIRDPARTY_BRANCH }}"
 
     steps:
-      - name: Prepare repo
+      - name: 🧰 Prepare repo
+        shell: bash
         run: |
+          set -euo pipefail
+
           echo "========================================"
-          echo "Prepare repo to WORKSPACE_DIR"
+          echo "🧰 Prepare repo in WORKSPACE_DIR"
           echo "========================================"
 
           REPO_NAME="${{ github.event.repository.name }}"
@@ -48,6 +43,9 @@ jobs:
           if [ -d "$REPO_DIR" ]; then
             if [ -d "$REPO_DIR/.git" ]; then
               cd "$REPO_DIR"
+              git ls-files -v | awk '/^[a-zS] / {sub(/^[a-zS] /, ""); print}' | while IFS= read -r path; do
+                git update-index --no-assume-unchanged --no-skip-worktree -- "$path"
+              done
               git clean -fdx
               git reset --hard
               git fetch --all --tags --force --prune --prune-tags
@@ -66,84 +64,48 @@ jobs:
           git checkout -B main origin/main
 
           git config --global --add safe.directory "$REPO_DIR"
-          echo "REPO_DIR=$REPO_DIR" >> $GITHUB_ENV
+          echo "REPO_DIR=$REPO_DIR" >> "$GITHUB_ENV"
 
-      - name: Update thirdparty/skill snapshot
-        id: update_snapshot
+      - name: ♻️ Update thirdparty and sync main
         shell: bash
         run: |
           set -euo pipefail
           cd "$REPO_DIR"
+
+          echo "========================================"
+          echo "📦 Refresh thirdparty/skill snapshot"
+          echo "========================================"
+
           before_ref=""
-          if git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/remotes/origin/$TARGET_BRANCH"; then
-            before_ref="$(git rev-parse "origin/$TARGET_BRANCH")"
-          fi
-          bash .gitea/ci/update_thirdparty_superpowers.sh
-          git fetch origin "$TARGET_BRANCH"
-          after_ref="$(git rev-parse "origin/$TARGET_BRANCH")"
-          if [ "$after_ref" != "$before_ref" ]; then
-            echo "snapshot_changed=true" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+          if git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/remotes/origin/$THIRDPARTY_BRANCH"; then
+            before_ref="$(git rev-parse "origin/$THIRDPARTY_BRANCH")"
+            echo "📌 Previous $THIRDPARTY_BRANCH: $before_ref"
           else
-            echo "snapshot_changed=false" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+            echo "📌 Previous $THIRDPARTY_BRANCH: <missing>"
+          fi
+
+          TARGET_BRANCH="$THIRDPARTY_BRANCH" bash .gitea/ci/update_thirdparty_superpowers.sh
+
+          git fetch origin "$THIRDPARTY_BRANCH"
+          after_ref="$(git rev-parse "origin/$THIRDPARTY_BRANCH")"
+          echo "📌 Current $THIRDPARTY_BRANCH: $after_ref"
+
+          if [ "$after_ref" = "$before_ref" ]; then
+            echo "✅ No thirdparty snapshot change; skip main sync."
+            exit 0
           fi
-  sync:
-    name: Sync skills to main
-    needs: update
-    if: ${{ needs.update.outputs.snapshot_changed == 'true' }}
-    runs-on: ubuntu-22.04
-    env:
-      TARGET_BRANCH: "main"
-      SUPERPOWERS_BRANCH: "${{ env.THIRDPARTY_BRANCH }}"
-      SUPERPOWERS_DIR: "superpowers"
-      SUPERPOWERS_LIST: "codex/skills/.sources/superpowers.list"
 
-    steps:
-      - name: Prepare repo
-        run: |
           echo "========================================"
-          echo "Prepare repo to WORKSPACE_DIR"
+          echo "🚀 Sync skills into main"
           echo "========================================"
 
-          REPO_NAME="${{ github.event.repository.name }}"
-          REPO_DIR="${{ env.WORKSPACE_DIR }}/$REPO_NAME"
-          TOKEN="${{ secrets.WORKFLOW }}"
-          if [ -n "$TOKEN" ]; then
-            REPO_URL="https://oauth2:${TOKEN}@${GITHUB_SERVER_URL#https://}/${{ github.repository }}.git"
-          else
-            REPO_URL="${GITHUB_SERVER_URL}/${{ github.repository }}.git"
-          fi
+          git fetch origin main
+          git checkout -B main origin/main
 
-          if [ -d "$REPO_DIR" ]; then
-            if [ -d "$REPO_DIR/.git" ]; then
-              cd "$REPO_DIR"
-              # Clear local index flags so checked-out workflow/script files
-              # always refresh from the latest main branch contents.
-              git ls-files -v | awk '/^[a-zS] / {sub(/^[a-zS] /, ""); print}' | while IFS= read -r path; do
-                git update-index --no-assume-unchanged --no-skip-worktree -- "$path"
-              done
-              git clean -fdx
-              git reset --hard
-              git fetch --all --tags --force --prune --prune-tags
-            else
-              rm -rf "$REPO_DIR"
-            fi
-          fi
-
-          if [ ! -d "$REPO_DIR/.git" ]; then
-            mkdir -p "${{ env.WORKSPACE_DIR }}"
-            git clone "$REPO_URL" "$REPO_DIR"
-            cd "$REPO_DIR"
-          fi
-
-          git fetch origin "$TARGET_BRANCH"
-          git checkout -B "$TARGET_BRANCH" "origin/$TARGET_BRANCH"
-
-          git config --global --add safe.directory "$REPO_DIR"
-          echo "REPO_DIR=$REPO_DIR" >> $GITHUB_ENV
-
-      - name: Sync superpowers skills to main
-        shell: bash
-        run: |
-          set -euo pipefail
-          cd "$REPO_DIR"
+          TARGET_BRANCH="main" \
+          SUPERPOWERS_BRANCH="$THIRDPARTY_BRANCH" \
+          SUPERPOWERS_DIR="$SUPERPOWERS_DIR" \
+          SUPERPOWERS_LIST="$SUPERPOWERS_LIST" \
           bash .gitea/ci/sync_superpowers.sh
+
+          echo "🎉 Update and sync finished."
diff --git a/tests/test_superpowers_workflows.py b/tests/test_superpowers_workflows.py
index 1e91701..752d598 100644
--- a/tests/test_superpowers_workflows.py
+++ b/tests/test_superpowers_workflows.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ class SuperpowersWorkflowTests(unittest.TestCase):
 
     def test_auto_update_workflow_name_describes_full_pipeline(self):
         text = AUTO_UPDATE_WORKFLOW.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
-        self.assertIn("name: Update and Sync Superpowers", text)
+        self.assertIn("Update and Sync Superpowers", text)
 
     def test_auto_update_workflow_triggers_on_main_push(self):
         text = AUTO_UPDATE_WORKFLOW.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
@@ -31,11 +31,13 @@ class SuperpowersWorkflowTests(unittest.TestCase):
         text = AUTO_UPDATE_WORKFLOW.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
         self.assertIn("bash .gitea/ci/update_thirdparty_superpowers.sh", text)
 
-    def test_auto_update_workflow_runs_sync_after_update(self):
+    def test_auto_update_workflow_uses_single_serial_job(self):
         text = AUTO_UPDATE_WORKFLOW.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
-        self.assertIn("update:", text)
-        self.assertIn("sync:", text)
-        self.assertIn("needs: update", text)
+        self.assertIn("update_and_sync:", text)
+        self.assertNotIn("\n  update:\n", text)
+        self.assertNotIn("\n  sync:\n", text)
+        self.assertNotIn("needs: update", text)
+        self.assertNotIn("outputs:", text)
         self.assertIn("bash .gitea/ci/sync_superpowers.sh", text)
 
     def test_auto_update_workflow_sync_job_clears_stale_index_flags(self):
@@ -43,11 +45,13 @@ class SuperpowersWorkflowTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertIn("git update-index --no-assume-unchanged", text)
         self.assertIn("--no-skip-worktree", text)
 
-    def test_auto_update_workflow_sync_job_runs_from_latest_main(self):
+    def test_auto_update_workflow_sync_step_runs_from_latest_main(self):
         text = AUTO_UPDATE_WORKFLOW.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
-        self.assertIn('TARGET_BRANCH: "main"', text)
-        self.assertIn('git fetch origin "$TARGET_BRANCH"', text)
-        self.assertIn('git checkout -B "$TARGET_BRANCH" "origin/$TARGET_BRANCH"', text)
+        self.assertIn('TARGET_BRANCH="$THIRDPARTY_BRANCH" bash .gitea/ci/update_thirdparty_superpowers.sh', text)
+        self.assertIn('TARGET_BRANCH="main" \\', text)
+        self.assertIn('SUPERPOWERS_BRANCH="$THIRDPARTY_BRANCH" \\', text)
+        self.assertIn('SUPERPOWERS_DIR="$SUPERPOWERS_DIR" \\', text)
+        self.assertIn('SUPERPOWERS_LIST="$SUPERPOWERS_LIST" \\', text)
 
     def test_auto_update_workflow_sync_job_uses_literal_superpowers_paths(self):
         text = AUTO_UPDATE_WORKFLOW.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
@@ -56,6 +60,15 @@ class SuperpowersWorkflowTests(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertNotIn('SUPERPOWERS_DIR: "${{ env.SUPERPOWERS_DIR }}"', text)
         self.assertNotIn('SUPERPOWERS_LIST: "${{ env.SUPERPOWERS_LIST }}"', text)
 
+    def test_auto_update_workflow_logs_clear_serial_flow(self):
+        text = AUTO_UPDATE_WORKFLOW.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+        self.assertIn("name: 🪄 Update and Sync Superpowers", text)
+        self.assertIn("- name: 🧰 Prepare repo", text)
+        self.assertIn('- name: ♻️ Update thirdparty and sync main', text)
+        self.assertIn('echo "📦 Refresh thirdparty/skill snapshot"', text)
+        self.assertIn('echo "✅ No thirdparty snapshot change; skip main sync."', text)
+        self.assertIn('echo "🚀 Sync skills into main"', text)
+
     def test_auto_update_script_targets_thirdparty_branch(self):
         text = AUTO_UPDATE_SCRIPT.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
         self.assertIn('TARGET_BRANCH="${TARGET_BRANCH:-thirdparty/skill}"', text)