diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index e31f76a..59473fe 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ Single bash script (`secrets`) with subcommands: init, push, pull, list, rm, rek
 secrets              # CLI script (~600 lines bash)
 hooks/pre-commit     # Pre-commit hook template
 test/
-  secrets.bats       # bats-core test suite (113 tests)
+  secrets.bats       # bats-core test suite (118 tests)
   test_helper.bash   # Shared setup/teardown
 README.md            # User-facing documentation
 CLAUDE.md            # This file
diff --git a/secrets b/secrets
index 76eb7c4..b50122f 100755
--- a/secrets
+++ b/secrets
@@ -701,26 +701,9 @@ HOOKEOF
   fi
 }
 
-# ─── Subcommands ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
-
-cmd_init() {
-  check_cmd age
-  check_cmd git
-  resolve_store
-
-  if [ -d "$SECRETS_DIR/.git" ]; then
-    die "Already initialized at $SECRETS_DIR. Key file preserved."
-  fi
-
-  info "Initializing secrets repo at $SECRETS_DIR"
-  mkdir -p "$SECRETS_DIR"
-  git init "$SECRETS_DIR" >/dev/null
-
-  # Generate age key pair
-  info "Generating age key pair"
-  age-keygen -o "$KEY_FILE" 2>&1
-
-  # Write .gitignore
+# Write the store-level .gitignore. Critical: the `key.txt` line is what
+# keeps the private key out of `git add -A` during push/rekey.
+write_store_gitignore() {
   cat > "$SECRETS_DIR/.gitignore" << 'EOF'
 # Never commit the private key
 key.txt
@@ -735,6 +718,56 @@ key.txt
 !**/.env.*.age
 !**/.dev.vars.age
 EOF
+}
+
+# Restore store-level protections if missing. A cloned store has no
+# pre-commit hook (hooks aren't cloned), and a half-initialized store may
+# lack .gitignore — without it, `git add -A` would commit key.txt.
+ensure_store_protections() {
+  if [ ! -f "$SECRETS_DIR/.gitignore" ]; then
+    write_store_gitignore
+    info "Restored store .gitignore"
+  fi
+  if [ ! -x "$SECRETS_DIR/.git/hooks/pre-commit" ]; then
+    mkdir -p "$SECRETS_DIR/.git/hooks"
+    install_hook
+    info "Reinstalled pre-commit hook"
+  fi
+}
+
+# ─── Subcommands ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+cmd_init() {
+  check_cmd age
+  check_cmd git
+  resolve_store
+
+  if [ -d "$SECRETS_DIR/.git" ]; then
+    die "Already initialized at $SECRETS_DIR. Key file preserved."
+  fi
+
+  # Second-machine trap: a copied key.txt without a repo means the user
+  # should clone their existing secrets repo, not init a fresh one.
+  # Catch it BEFORE git init so we don't leave a half-initialized store.
+  if [ -f "$KEY_FILE" ]; then
+    die "Found an existing key at $KEY_FILE but no repo at $SECRETS_DIR.
+If this is a second machine, don't run 'secrets init' — clone your existing secrets repo instead:
+
+    git clone <your-secrets-remote> $SECRETS_DIR
+
+Your key file has been left untouched."
+  fi
+
+  info "Initializing secrets repo at $SECRETS_DIR"
+  mkdir -p "$SECRETS_DIR"
+  git init "$SECRETS_DIR" >/dev/null
+
+  # Generate age key pair
+  info "Generating age key pair"
+  age-keygen -o "$KEY_FILE" 2>&1
+
+  # Write .gitignore
+  write_store_gitignore
 
   # Install pre-commit hook
   mkdir -p "$SECRETS_DIR/.git/hooks"
@@ -781,6 +814,10 @@ push_dir_to_project() {
 commit_and_push_secrets() {
   local message="$1"
 
+  # Must run before `git add -A`: a store missing its .gitignore would
+  # otherwise stage and push key.txt.
+  ensure_store_protections
+
   if git -C "$SECRETS_DIR" remote get-url origin >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     if ! git -C "$SECRETS_DIR" pull --ff-only 2>/dev/null; then
       die "Fast-forward pull failed. Run 'secrets pull' first, then retry push."
@@ -917,11 +954,8 @@ cmd_pull() {
   # Merge any external files (.secrets-files) declared in this project.
   pull_external_files "$PWD" "$project"
 
-  # Reinstall hook if missing
-  if [ ! -x "$SECRETS_DIR/.git/hooks/pre-commit" ]; then
-    install_hook
-    info "Reinstalled pre-commit hook"
-  fi
+  # Reinstall hook / store .gitignore if missing
+  ensure_store_protections
 }
 
 # Pull and decrypt .age files from a project path into a target directory.
@@ -1004,11 +1038,8 @@ cmd_pull_workspaces() {
 
   info "Decrypted $total file(s) total"
 
-  # Reinstall hook if missing
-  if [ ! -x "$SECRETS_DIR/.git/hooks/pre-commit" ]; then
-    install_hook
-    info "Reinstalled pre-commit hook"
-  fi
+  # Reinstall hook / store .gitignore if missing
+  ensure_store_protections
 }
 
 cmd_list() {
@@ -1139,13 +1170,15 @@ cmd_rekey() {
 
   info "Re-encrypting all files with new key..."
 
-  # Re-encrypt all files
+  # Re-encrypt all files. The ".*" glob is required: dotenv files decrypt
+  # to dotfiles ("$tmpdir/p/.env") that a bare "*" would silently skip,
+  # leaving their blobs on the old key (undecryptable after rotation).
   for dir in "$tmpdir"/*/; do
     [ -d "$dir" ] || continue
     local project
     project=$(basename "$dir")
     mkdir -p "$SECRETS_DIR/$project"
-    for f in "$dir"*; do
+    for f in "$dir"* "$dir".*; do
       [ -f "$f" ] || continue
       local name
       name=$(basename "$f")
@@ -1162,7 +1195,8 @@ cmd_rekey() {
     fi
   done
 
-  # Commit and push
+  # Commit and push (heal .gitignore first so add -A can't stage key.txt)
+  ensure_store_protections
   git -C "$SECRETS_DIR" add -A
   git -C "$SECRETS_DIR" commit -m "rekey all secrets" >/dev/null
   if git -C "$SECRETS_DIR" remote get-url origin >/dev/null 2>&1; then
diff --git a/test/secrets.bats b/test/secrets.bats
index 2119c40..ad77ac2 100644
--- a/test/secrets.bats
+++ b/test/secrets.bats
@@ -1476,3 +1476,79 @@ gradle_project() {
   # definition must, and the '!' comment must be ignored.
   grep -q '^beaconClerkPkTest=realkey$' "$HOME/.gradle/gradle.properties"
 }
+
+# ─── init second-machine guard + store .gitignore self-heal ────────────
+
+@test "init with existing key but no repo dies with clone guidance" {
+  # Second-machine trap: user copies key.txt into ~/.secrets, then runs
+  # `secrets init` instead of cloning their secrets repo.
+  mkdir -p "$SECRETS_DIR"
+  age-keygen -o "$SECRETS_DIR/key.txt" 2>/dev/null
+  local key_before
+  key_before=$(cat "$SECRETS_DIR/key.txt")
+
+  run "$SECRETS_BIN" init
+  [ "$status" -eq 1 ]
+  [[ "$output" == *"git clone"* ]]
+  # Must not leave a half-initialized store behind
+  [ ! -d "$SECRETS_DIR/.git" ]
+  # Key untouched
+  [ "$(cat "$SECRETS_DIR/key.txt")" = "$key_before" ]
+}
+
+@test "push restores missing store .gitignore and never commits key.txt" {
+  init_with_remote
+  rm "$SECRETS_DIR/.gitignore"
+  create_project_dir
+
+  run "$SECRETS_BIN" push
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+  [ -f "$SECRETS_DIR/.gitignore" ]
+  grep -q "key.txt" "$SECRETS_DIR/.gitignore"
+  # key.txt must never be tracked (push does `git add -A` in the store)
+  run git -C "$SECRETS_DIR" ls-files
+  [[ "$output" != *"key.txt"* ]]
+}
+
+@test "pull restores missing store .gitignore" {
+  init_with_remote
+  create_project_dir
+  "$SECRETS_BIN" push >/dev/null 2>&1
+  rm "$SECRETS_DIR/.gitignore"
+  rm .env .env.staging
+
+  run "$SECRETS_BIN" pull
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+  [ -f "$SECRETS_DIR/.gitignore" ]
+}
+
+@test "rekey restores missing store .gitignore and never commits key.txt" {
+  init_with_remote
+  create_project_dir
+  "$SECRETS_BIN" push >/dev/null 2>&1
+  rm "$SECRETS_DIR/.gitignore"
+
+  run "$SECRETS_BIN" rekey
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+  [ -f "$SECRETS_DIR/.gitignore" ]
+  run git -C "$SECRETS_DIR" ls-files
+  [[ "$output" != *"key.txt"* ]]
+}
+
+@test "rekey re-encrypts dotenv blobs (round-trip survives key rotation)" {
+  # The decrypt loop matches dotfiles (".*.age") but a re-encrypt glob of
+  # "$dir"* would silently skip them — leaving .env.age on the OLD key
+  # after rotation, i.e. undecryptable. Guard the full round-trip.
+  init_with_remote
+  create_project_dir
+  "$SECRETS_BIN" push >/dev/null 2>&1
+
+  run "$SECRETS_BIN" rekey
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+
+  rm .env .env.staging
+  run "$SECRETS_BIN" pull
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+  [ "$(cat .env)" = "SECRET_KEY=abc123" ]
+  [ "$(cat .env.staging)" = "DB_HOST=staging.db.example.com" ]
+}