diff --git a/secrets b/secrets
index 3ad6c40..219cfbf 100755
--- a/secrets
+++ b/secrets
@@ -1235,6 +1235,25 @@ ensure_store_protections() {
 cmd_init() {
   check_cmd age
   check_cmd git
+
+  # EGB-671: flag parsing. --remote wires the encrypted-vault git remote and
+  # establishes an upstream branch (so the first project push won't hit the
+  # commit_and_push_secrets `pull --ff-only` die on a brand-new empty remote).
+  # --yes / non-interactive means init-only: skip the interactive first-add.
+  local remote="" assume_yes=false
+  while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
+    case "$1" in
+      --remote) [ $# -ge 2 ] || die "--remote requires a URL"
+        case "$2" in --|-*) die "--remote value looks like a flag: $2" ;; esac
+        remote="$2"; shift 2 ;;
+      --remote=*) remote="${1#--remote=}"
+        [ -n "$remote" ] || die "--remote= requires a value"; shift ;;
+      --yes|-y) assume_yes=true; shift ;;
+      -*) die "Unknown init flag: $1. Usage: secrets init [--remote <url>] [--yes]" ;;
+      *) die "Unexpected argument to init: $1" ;;
+    esac
+  done
+
   resolve_store
 
   if [ -d "$SECRETS_DIR/.git" ]; then
@@ -1242,17 +1261,15 @@ cmd_init() {
   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.
+  # should join their existing vault, not init a fresh one. Catch it BEFORE
+  # git init so we don't leave a half-initialized store.
   if [ -f "$KEY_FILE" ]; then
-    # Render a runnable clone command when .secrets-store carried a remote
-    # URL (already sanitized by resolve_store), mirroring check_initialized.
     local clone_src="<your-secrets-remote>"
     [ -n "${_REMOTE_URL:-}" ] && clone_src="$_REMOTE_URL"
     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:
+If this is a second machine, don't run 'secrets init' — join your existing vault:
 
-    git clone $clone_src $SECRETS_DIR
+    secrets join --remote $clone_src --key $KEY_FILE
 
 Your key file has been left untouched."
   fi
@@ -1268,9 +1285,7 @@ Your key file has been left untouched."
   # Write .gitignore
   write_store_gitignore
 
-  # Stamp the store format (EGB-703): a fresh store is born v2 — it has no
-  # v1 blobs, so it is already in v2 shape. The marker is a committed,
-  # non-secret metadata file (NOT gitignored); the first push stages it.
+  # Stamp the store format (EGB-703): a fresh store is born v2.
   printf '2\n' > "$SECRETS_DIR/$STORE_FORMAT_FILE_NAME"
 
   # Install pre-commit hook
@@ -1282,11 +1297,159 @@ Your key file has been left untouched."
 
   info "Done! Your public key is:"
   echo "  $pubkey"
+
+  if [ -n "$remote" ]; then
+    _init_wire_remote "$remote"
+  else
+    echo ""
+    echo "Next steps:"
+    echo "  1. Add a remote:  secrets init --remote <url>   (or: git -C $SECRETS_DIR remote add origin <url>)"
+    echo "  2. Copy $KEY_FILE to your other machine (AirDrop, scp, USB)"
+    echo "  3. On the other machine: secrets join --remote <url> --key <path-to-key.txt>"
+  fi
+
+  # Interactive first-add (EGB-671): only when truly interactive AND not --yes.
+  # Require BOTH stdin and stdout to be ttys — bats/CI capture a command's
+  # stdout (so `[ -t 1 ]` is false under automation even when stdin is still
+  # the terminal), which is the reliable "don't prompt" signal. Default is No.
+  if [ "$assume_yes" != true ] && [ -t 0 ] && [ -t 1 ] && [ -e /dev/tty ]; then
+    _init_first_add
+  fi
+}
+
+# EGB-671: wire the encrypted-vault remote and establish an upstream branch.
+# Commits the born-v2 store (so .secrets-format etc. exist on the remote) and
+# push -u, so a later `secrets push` pulls --ff-only against a real upstream
+# instead of dying on a non-existent branch.
+_init_wire_remote() {
+  local remote="$1"
+  git -C "$SECRETS_DIR" remote add origin "$remote"
+  ensure_store_protections
+  _stamp_writer_version
+  git -C "$SECRETS_DIR" add -A
+  git -C "$SECRETS_DIR" commit -m "Initialize secrets store (format v2)" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+  local br
+  br=$(git -C "$SECRETS_DIR" symbolic-ref --short HEAD 2>/dev/null || echo main)
+  if git -C "$SECRETS_DIR" push -u origin "$br" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    info "Wired remote origin=$remote and pushed the initial store (upstream: origin/$br)."
+  else
+    info "Added remote origin=$remote, but the initial push failed."
+    echo "  Create the PRIVATE repo first, then: git -C $SECRETS_DIR push -u origin $br" >&2
+  fi
   echo ""
-  echo "Next steps:"
-  echo "  1. Add a remote:  cd $SECRETS_DIR && git remote add origin <url>"
-  echo "  2. Copy $KEY_FILE to your other machine (AirDrop, scp, USB)"
-  echo "  3. Run 'secrets push <project>' from a project directory"
+  echo "Next: copy $KEY_FILE to your other machine, then run there:"
+  echo "  secrets join --remote $remote --key <path-to-key.txt>"
+}
+
+# EGB-671: interactive "add your first project" post-step. Reads from /dev/tty
+# so it never collides with a piped stdin. Default No. Drives the existing
+# push path (cmd_push is $PWD-bound) by cd'ing into the chosen project dir.
+_init_first_add() {
+  printf "Add a project's secrets to the vault now? [y/N] " > /dev/tty 2>/dev/null || return 0
+  local ans=""
+  read -r ans < /dev/tty 2>/dev/null || return 0
+  case "$ans" in [Yy]*) ;; *) return 0 ;; esac
+  printf "Path to the project directory: " > /dev/tty 2>/dev/null || return 0
+  local dir=""
+  read -r dir < /dev/tty 2>/dev/null || return 0
+  [ -n "$dir" ] || return 0
+  case "$dir" in
+    "~") dir="$HOME" ;;
+    "~/"*) dir="$HOME/${dir#\~/}" ;;
+  esac
+  if [ ! -d "$dir" ]; then
+    echo "Not a directory: $dir — skipping first-add. Run 'secrets push' from a project later." > /dev/tty 2>/dev/null || true
+    return 0
+  fi
+  ( cd "$dir" && cmd_push ) || true
+  return 0
+}
+
+# EGB-671: second-machine onboarding. Clone the vault, install the key, and
+# decrypt-test it BEFORE declaring success — the one thing a hand-copied
+# README sequence never did (a mis-copied key fails silently at first pull).
+# Security logic (path rails on --key/--store, URL sanitization) lives in the
+# audited core, reused — never re-implemented in a standalone install script.
+cmd_join() {
+  check_cmd age
+  check_cmd git
+
+  local remote="" keyfile=""
+  while [ $# -gt 0 ]; do
+    case "$1" in
+      --remote) [ $# -ge 2 ] || die "--remote requires a URL"
+        case "$2" in --|-*) die "--remote value looks like a flag: $2" ;; esac
+        remote="$2"; shift 2 ;;
+      --remote=*) remote="${1#--remote=}"
+        [ -n "$remote" ] || die "--remote= requires a value"; shift ;;
+      --key) [ $# -ge 2 ] || die "--key requires a path"
+        case "$2" in --|-*) die "--key value looks like a flag: $2" ;; esac
+        keyfile="$2"; shift 2 ;;
+      --key=*) keyfile="${1#--key=}"
+        [ -n "$keyfile" ] || die "--key= requires a value"; shift ;;
+      -*) die "Unknown join flag: $1. Usage: secrets join --remote <url> --key <path>" ;;
+      *) die "Unexpected argument to join: $1" ;;
+    esac
+  done
+
+  resolve_store
+
+  [ -n "$remote" ] || die "secrets join requires --remote <url>
+  Usage: secrets join --remote <url> --key <path-to-key.txt>"
+  [ -n "$keyfile" ] || die "secrets join requires --key <path>
+  This is the age key (key.txt) from your first machine.
+  Usage: secrets join --remote <url> --key <path-to-key.txt>"
+  if [ -d "$keyfile" ]; then
+    die "--key must point to the key FILE, not a directory: $keyfile
+  Did you mean: --key $keyfile/key.txt ?"
+  fi
+  [ -e "$keyfile" ] || die "Key file not found: $keyfile
+  Copy key.txt from your first machine (AirDrop/scp/USB) and pass its path."
+  [ -r "$keyfile" ] || die "Key file not readable: $keyfile"
+
+  if [ -e "$SECRETS_DIR" ]; then
+    die "A store already exists at $SECRETS_DIR.
+  'secrets join' clones a fresh vault — it won't clobber an existing one.
+  If you meant to refresh it, run 'secrets pull' instead, or remove $SECRETS_DIR first."
+  fi
+
+  info "Joining vault: cloning $remote → $SECRETS_DIR"
+  if ! git clone "$remote" "$SECRETS_DIR" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    rm -rf "$SECRETS_DIR"
+    die "Failed to clone $remote
+  Check the URL and that you have access to the repo."
+  fi
+
+  # Install the key BEFORE anything that decrypts, at mode 600.
+  cp "$keyfile" "$SECRETS_DIR/key.txt"
+  chmod 600 "$SECRETS_DIR/key.txt"
+  KEY_FILE="$SECRETS_DIR/key.txt"
+  ensure_store_protections
+
+  if ! get_pubkey >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    die "The file you passed to --key is not a valid age identity: $keyfile
+  Your store was cloned to $SECRETS_DIR; replace key.txt with a valid key and run 'secrets pull'."
+  fi
+
+  # Verify gate: decrypt-test every blob. An EMPTY store returns 0 from
+  # _verify_all ("nothing to check") — that proves nothing about the key, so
+  # join must NOT report VERIFIED in that case (EGB-671 / E-S1b).
+  local blob_count
+  blob_count=$(find "$SECRETS_DIR" -type f -name '*.age' 2>/dev/null | wc -l | tr -d ' ')
+  if [ "$blob_count" -eq 0 ]; then
+    info "Joined $SECRETS_DIR — the vault is empty, so there's nothing to verify yet."
+    echo "Next: run 'secrets pull' in a project once secrets have been pushed from another machine."
+    return 0
+  fi
+  if _verify_all >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    info "VERIFIED — your key decrypts all $blob_count blob(s). You've joined the vault."
+    echo "Next: run 'secrets pull' in any project to restore its secrets."
+    return 0
+  fi
+  die "Your key does NOT decrypt this vault ($blob_count blob(s) failed).
+  This is almost always the wrong key.txt. The store is at $SECRETS_DIR;
+  replace key.txt with the correct key and run 'secrets pull', or remove
+  $SECRETS_DIR and re-run 'secrets join' with the right --key."
 }
 
 # Encrypt env files from a source dir into a project path in the secrets repo.
@@ -1498,8 +1661,22 @@ cmd_push() {
         '.dotenv = ((.dotenv // []) + $add) | .external = ((.external // []) + $ext)' "$manifest" \
         | _write_manifest_canonical "$manifest" || die "Failed to update $manifest"
     else
-      jq -n --argjson add "$add_json" --argjson ext "$absorbed_json" \
-        '{version: '"$MANIFEST_VERSION"', dotenv: $add} | if ($ext | length) > 0 then .external = $ext else . end' \
+      # EGB-671 / EGB-677 contract #2: scaffolding the project's FIRST manifest.
+      # Record an explicit, committed options.autoAdd value. Ask once when
+      # interactive (read from /dev/tty so a piped stdin never collides);
+      # otherwise write the tool default (ON) explicitly so the value is
+      # committed and team-shared rather than left implicit.
+      local autoadd_commit="true"
+      # Require BOTH stdin and stdout to be ttys (bats/CI capture stdout, so
+      # `[ -t 1 ]` is false under automation — never block a scripted push).
+      if [ -t 0 ] && [ -t 1 ] && [ -e /dev/tty ]; then
+        printf "Auto-track new env files in this project as you add them? [Y/n] " > /dev/tty 2>/dev/null || true
+        local _aa=""
+        read -r _aa < /dev/tty 2>/dev/null || _aa=""
+        case "$_aa" in [Nn]*) autoadd_commit="false" ;; *) autoadd_commit="true" ;; esac
+      fi
+      jq -n --argjson add "$add_json" --argjson ext "$absorbed_json" --argjson autoadd "$autoadd_commit" \
+        '{version: '"$MANIFEST_VERSION"', dotenv: $add, options: {autoAdd: $autoadd}} | if ($ext | length) > 0 then .external = $ext else . end' \
         | _write_manifest_canonical "$manifest" || die "Failed to write $manifest"
     fi
     if [ "$write_adds" = true ]; then
@@ -1616,9 +1793,14 @@ cmd_pull() {
         continue
       fi
       case "$rel" in */*) mkdir -p "$target_dir/$(dirname "$rel")" ;; esac
-      age -d -i "$KEY_FILE" -o "$target_dir/$rel" "$blob"
+      # EGB-671 (DX-3): a wrong-but-structurally-valid key must NOT fail
+      # silently. Die loudly on decrypt failure instead of leaving a partial.
+      if ! age -d -i "$KEY_FILE" -o "$target_dir/$rel" "$blob"; then
+        die "Failed to decrypt '$rel' with the current key ($KEY_FILE).
+  Wrong key for this vault? Run 'secrets verify --all' to check the key."
+      fi
       if [ ! -s "$target_dir/$rel" ]; then
-        echo "WARNING: Decrypted file '$rel' is empty (possibly truncated .age blob)"
+        echo "WARNING: Decrypted file '$rel' is empty (an empty source file, or a truncated .age blob)"
       fi
       count=$((count + 1))
     done <<< "$declared"
@@ -1642,10 +1824,14 @@ cmd_pull() {
     local name
     name=$(basename "$f" .age)
     local outfile="$target_dir/$name"
-    age -d -i "$KEY_FILE" -o "$outfile" "$f"
+    # EGB-671 (DX-3): die loudly on decrypt failure (wrong key) — never silent.
+    if ! age -d -i "$KEY_FILE" -o "$outfile" "$f"; then
+      die "Failed to decrypt '$name' with the current key ($KEY_FILE).
+  Wrong key for this vault? Run 'secrets verify --all' to check the key."
+    fi
     # Integrity check: verify non-empty
     if [ ! -s "$outfile" ]; then
-      echo "WARNING: Decrypted file '$name' is empty (possibly truncated .age blob)"
+      echo "WARNING: Decrypted file '$name' is empty (an empty source file, or a truncated .age blob)"
     fi
     count=$((count + 1))
   done
@@ -1674,9 +1860,13 @@ pull_project_to_dir() {
     local name
     name=$(basename "$f" .age)
     local outfile="$target_dir/$name"
-    age -d -i "$KEY_FILE" -o "$outfile" "$f"
+    # EGB-671 (DX-3): die loudly on decrypt failure (wrong key) — never silent.
+    if ! age -d -i "$KEY_FILE" -o "$outfile" "$f"; then
+      die "Failed to decrypt '$name' with the current key ($KEY_FILE).
+  Wrong key for this vault? Run 'secrets verify --all' to check the key."
+    fi
     if [ ! -s "$outfile" ]; then
-      echo "WARNING: Decrypted file '$name' is empty (possibly truncated .age blob)"
+      echo "WARNING: Decrypted file '$name' is empty (an empty source file, or a truncated .age blob)"
     fi
     count=$((count + 1))
   done
@@ -2523,6 +2713,10 @@ secrets — encrypted secret file sync between machines
 
 Usage:
   secrets init                  Initialize the secrets repo and generate an age key
+  secrets init --remote <url>   Init, wire the remote, and push the initial store
+  secrets join --remote <url> --key <path>
+                                Join an existing vault on a new machine: clone,
+                                install the key, and verify it decrypts the store
   secrets push [project]        Encrypt secret files and push to the secrets repo
   secrets push --frozen         Sync only manifest-declared files (skip auto-add)
   secrets push --dry-run        Show what would be added/synced; change nothing
@@ -2679,7 +2873,8 @@ else
 fi
 
 case "${1:-help}" in
-  init)   cmd_init ;;
+  init)   shift; cmd_init "$@" ;;
+  join)   shift; cmd_join "$@" ;;
   push)
     if [ "${2:-}" = "-w" ] || [ "${2:-}" = "--workspaces" ]; then
       cmd_push_workspaces
diff --git a/test/join.bats b/test/join.bats
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..205570a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/join.bats
@@ -0,0 +1,145 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bats
+# EGB-671: `secrets join` (second-machine onboarding) + `secrets init --remote`
+# + day-2 silent-decrypt fix. Functional paths only — security-rail tests
+# (path traversal on --key/--store, URL injection) are operator-local per
+# .ship-policy.json and live in test/run-security.sh.
+
+load test_helper
+
+# Push a project to REMOTE_DIR and save the key, then remove the local store
+# to simulate a fresh second machine. Leaves: REMOTE_DIR has blobs,
+# $TEST_TMPDIR/saved-key.txt is the decrypting key, $SECRETS_DIR is gone.
+_machine1_push_then_wipe() {
+  init_with_remote
+  cp "$SECRETS_DIR/key.txt" "$TEST_TMPDIR/saved-key.txt"
+  create_project_dir "joinproj"
+  "$SECRETS_BIN" push >/dev/null 2>&1
+  cd "$HOME"
+  rm -rf "$SECRETS_DIR"
+}
+
+# Like above but never pushes a project — remote has a store with zero blobs.
+_machine1_empty_then_wipe() {
+  init_with_remote
+  cp "$SECRETS_DIR/key.txt" "$TEST_TMPDIR/saved-key.txt"
+  cd "$HOME"
+  rm -rf "$SECRETS_DIR"
+}
+
+# ─── secrets join ────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+@test "join without --remote fails with usage" {
+  run "$SECRETS_BIN" join
+  [ "$status" -ne 0 ]
+  [[ "$output" == *"--remote"* ]] || false
+}
+
+@test "join clones the store, installs the key at 600, verifies, and succeeds" {
+  _machine1_push_then_wipe
+  run "$SECRETS_BIN" join --remote "$REMOTE_DIR" --key "$TEST_TMPDIR/saved-key.txt"
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+  [[ "$output" == *"VERIFIED"* ]] || false
+  [ -d "$SECRETS_DIR/.git" ]
+  [ -f "$SECRETS_DIR/key.txt" ]
+  # key installed at mode 600
+  local perms
+  perms=$(stat -f '%Lp' "$SECRETS_DIR/key.txt" 2>/dev/null || stat -c '%a' "$SECRETS_DIR/key.txt")
+  [ "$perms" = "600" ]
+}
+
+@test "join with the wrong key fails loudly and does not report VERIFIED" {
+  _machine1_push_then_wipe
+  age-keygen -o "$TEST_TMPDIR/wrong-key.txt" 2>/dev/null
+  run "$SECRETS_BIN" join --remote "$REMOTE_DIR" --key "$TEST_TMPDIR/wrong-key.txt"
+  [ "$status" -ne 0 ]
+  [[ "$output" != *"VERIFIED"* ]] || false
+}
+
+@test "join against an empty store reports nothing-to-verify, NOT VERIFIED" {
+  _machine1_empty_then_wipe
+  run "$SECRETS_BIN" join --remote "$REMOTE_DIR" --key "$TEST_TMPDIR/saved-key.txt"
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+  [[ "$output" == *"nothing to verify"* ]] || false
+  [[ "$output" != *"VERIFIED"* ]] || false
+}
+
+@test "join refuses when a store already exists at the target" {
+  "$SECRETS_BIN" init >/dev/null 2>&1
+  cp "$SECRETS_DIR/key.txt" "$TEST_TMPDIR/saved-key.txt"
+  run "$SECRETS_BIN" join --remote "$REMOTE_DIR" --key "$TEST_TMPDIR/saved-key.txt"
+  [ "$status" -ne 0 ]
+  [[ "$output" == *"already"* ]] || false
+}
+
+@test "join fails clearly when the key file is missing" {
+  run "$SECRETS_BIN" join --remote "$REMOTE_DIR" --key "$TEST_TMPDIR/nope.txt"
+  [ "$status" -ne 0 ]
+  [[ "$output" == *"key"* ]] || false
+}
+
+@test "join detects a directory passed as --key" {
+  _machine1_push_then_wipe
+  run "$SECRETS_BIN" join --remote "$REMOTE_DIR" --key "$TEST_TMPDIR"
+  [ "$status" -ne 0 ]
+  [[ "$output" == *"key"* ]] || false
+}
+
+# ─── secrets init --remote ────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+@test "init --remote sets origin and establishes an upstream branch" {
+  run "$SECRETS_BIN" init --remote "$REMOTE_DIR"
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+  run git -C "$SECRETS_DIR" remote get-url origin
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+  [ "$output" = "$REMOTE_DIR" ]
+  # upstream branch exists on the remote (so a later push won't ff-only die)
+  run git -C "$SECRETS_DIR" rev-parse --abbrev-ref '@{u}'
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+}
+
+@test "init --remote then push does not die on the brand-new remote" {
+  "$SECRETS_BIN" init --remote "$REMOTE_DIR" >/dev/null 2>&1
+  create_project_dir "freshproj"
+  run "$SECRETS_BIN" push
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+  [[ "$output" != *"Fast-forward pull failed"* ]] || false
+}
+
+@test "init with no flags still works (clean primitive)" {
+  run "$SECRETS_BIN" init
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+  [ -f "$SECRETS_DIR/key.txt" ]
+}
+
+@test "init does not hang on the first-add prompt when stdin is a tty but stdout is captured" {
+  # Regression: run-security.sh runs bats in a real terminal, so the command's
+  # stdin stays a tty while bats captures its stdout. The interactive first-add
+  # prompt must NOT fire in that shape (it gates on stdout being a tty too),
+  # or the whole suite hangs. Reproduce with a pty via `script`.
+  command -v script >/dev/null 2>&1 || skip "script (pty) not available"
+  # macOS/BSD syntax: `script -q <file> <cmd...>`. Skip on other syntaxes.
+  script -q /dev/null true >/dev/null 2>&1 || skip "unsupported script syntax"
+  local out="$TEST_TMPDIR/pty-initout"
+  run timeout 10 script -q /dev/null bash -c "'$SECRETS_BIN' init > '$out' 2>&1"
+  [ "$status" -ne 124 ]   # 124 == timeout == it hung on a prompt
+  run grep -c "Add a project's secrets" "$out"
+  [ "$output" = "0" ]
+}
+
+# ─── day-2 silent-decrypt fix ─────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+@test "pull dies loudly when a blob cannot be decrypted with the current key" {
+  init_with_remote
+  create_project_dir "decryptproj"
+  "$SECRETS_BIN" push >/dev/null 2>&1
+  # Swap in a different key so the stored blob no longer decrypts.
+  # (age-keygen refuses to overwrite, so generate elsewhere then copy.)
+  age-keygen -o "$TEST_TMPDIR/other-key.txt" 2>/dev/null
+  cp "$TEST_TMPDIR/other-key.txt" "$SECRETS_DIR/key.txt"
+  chmod 600 "$SECRETS_DIR/key.txt"
+  cd "$WORK_DIR/decryptproj"
+  rm -f .env .env.staging
+  run "$SECRETS_BIN" pull
+  [ "$status" -ne 0 ]
+  [[ "$output" == *"decrypt"* ]] || false
+}
diff --git a/test/manifest.bats b/test/manifest.bats
index eb5c42a..ce16125 100644
--- a/test/manifest.bats
+++ b/test/manifest.bats
@@ -167,6 +167,17 @@ load test_helper
   [ "$output" = "2" ]
 }
 
+@test "bootstrap: first push writes an explicit options.autoAdd value (EGB-677 contract #2)" {
+  init_with_remote
+  create_project_dir autoaddproj
+  # Non-interactive (bats has no tty): the prompt is skipped and the tool
+  # default (ON) is written explicitly so the value is committed + team-shared.
+  run "$SECRETS_BIN" push
+  [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+  run jq -r '.options.autoAdd' .secrets.json
+  [ "$output" = "true" ]
+}
+
 @test "failed push leaves no bootstrap manifest behind" {
   init_with_remote
   mkdir -p "$WORK_DIR/emptyproj"
diff --git a/test/secrets.bats b/test/secrets.bats
index 3a72910..ee2928f 100644
--- a/test/secrets.bats
+++ b/test/secrets.bats
@@ -1484,9 +1484,10 @@ gradle_project() {
 
 # ─── 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.
+@test "init with existing key but no repo dies with join guidance" {
+  # Second-machine trap (EGB-671): user copies key.txt into ~/.secrets, then
+  # runs `secrets init` instead of joining their existing vault. The trap now
+  # points at `secrets join` (the real one-command path), not a manual clone.
   mkdir -p "$SECRETS_DIR"
   age-keygen -o "$SECRETS_DIR/key.txt" 2>/dev/null
   # Guard against a vacuous '' = '' comparison if age-keygen failed
@@ -1496,7 +1497,7 @@ gradle_project() {
 
   run "$SECRETS_BIN" init
   [ "$status" -eq 1 ]
-  [[ "$output" == *"git clone"* ]] || false
+  [[ "$output" == *"secrets join"* ]] || false
   # Must not leave a half-initialized store behind
   [ ! -d "$SECRETS_DIR/.git" ]
   # Key untouched
@@ -1651,7 +1652,7 @@ gradle_project() {
   [[ "$output" != *"key.txt"* ]] || false
 }
 
-@test "init guard renders the real clone URL when .secrets-store carries a remote" {
+@test "init guard renders the real remote URL in join guidance when .secrets-store carries a remote" {
   mkdir -p "$HOME/.secrets-work"
   age-keygen -o "$HOME/.secrets-work/key.txt" 2>/dev/null
   [ -s "$HOME/.secrets-work/key.txt" ]
@@ -1660,7 +1661,7 @@ gradle_project() {
 
   run "$SECRETS_BIN" init
   [ "$status" -eq 1 ]
-  [[ "$output" == *"git clone git@example.com:me/secrets-work.git"* ]] || false
+  [[ "$output" == *"secrets join --remote git@example.com:me/secrets-work.git"* ]] || false
 }
 
 # ─── EGB-652: `file` external type (whole-file sync, e.g. Android keystore) ──