diff --git a/api/services/repository_rename.py b/api/services/repository_rename.py
index 7065353..91d1f15 100644
--- a/api/services/repository_rename.py
+++ b/api/services/repository_rename.py
@@ -1052,12 +1052,28 @@ async def list_operations(
     return list(result.scalars().all())
 
 
+def _expected_head(operation: RepositoryRenameOperation) -> str:
+    """Head the Forge default branch must show at this point in the journal.
+
+    The preflight baseline anchors every phase up to ``statehub-rebound``.
+    ``source-synced`` legitimately advances the head (the source-synchronization
+    revision and fix-consistency writeback are pushed from the fresh clone), so
+    once that phase is journalled its recorded Forge head is the anchor.
+    """
+    journal, _ = _telemetry(operation)
+    synced = (journal.get("phases") or {}).get("source-synced") or {}
+    head = (synced.get("forge") or {}).get("head_commit")
+    return head or operation.expected_source_commit
+
+
 def _assert_snapshot(
     operation: RepositoryRenameOperation,
     snapshot: ForgeRepositorySnapshot,
     *,
     expected_name: str | None = None,
+    expected_head: str | None = None,
 ) -> None:
+    expected_head = expected_head or _expected_head(operation)
     if snapshot.repository_id != operation.expected_forge_repository_id:
         raise RenamePreconditionFailed(
             "Forge repository ID changed",
@@ -1068,11 +1084,11 @@ def _assert_snapshot(
         )
     if snapshot.default_branch != operation.expected_default_branch:
         raise RenamePreconditionFailed("Forge default branch changed")
-    if snapshot.head_commit != operation.expected_source_commit:
+    if snapshot.head_commit != expected_head:
         raise RenamePreconditionFailed(
             "Forge default-branch head moved",
             details={
-                "expected": operation.expected_source_commit,
+                "expected": expected_head,
                 "actual": snapshot.head_commit,
             },
         )
@@ -1232,7 +1248,7 @@ async def verify_operation(
     if forge is not None:
         add("forge_coordinate", forge.name == expected_name, expected_name, forge.name)
         add("forge_repository_id", forge.repository_id == operation.expected_forge_repository_id, operation.expected_forge_repository_id, forge.repository_id)
-        add("source_commit", forge.head_commit == operation.expected_source_commit, operation.expected_source_commit, forge.head_commit)
+        add("source_commit", forge.head_commit == _expected_head(operation), _expected_head(operation), forge.head_commit)
         add("default_branch", forge.default_branch == operation.expected_default_branch, operation.expected_default_branch, forge.default_branch)
         add("projection_readable", forge.projection_readable and forge.projection_source_present, True, forge.projection_readable and forge.projection_source_present)
     expected_canonical = operation.old_slug if operation.phase in {"preflighted", "forge-renamed", "rolled-back"} else operation.new_slug
@@ -1503,19 +1519,29 @@ async def apply_phase(
                     },
                 )
             clone_head = body.evidence.get("head_commit")
-            if clone_head != operation.expected_source_commit:
-                raise RenamePreconditionFailed(
-                    "Fresh clone head does not match the rename baseline",
-                    details={
-                        "expected": operation.expected_source_commit,
-                        "actual": clone_head,
-                    },
-                )
             forge = await _forge_at(gateway, operation, operation.new_slug)
             if forge is None:
                 raise RenamePreconditionFailed("Renamed Forge repository is absent")
-            _assert_snapshot(operation, forge, expected_name=operation.new_slug)
-            evidence = {"forge": forge.as_dict(), "operator_evidence": body.evidence}
+            if clone_head != forge.head_commit:
+                raise RenamePreconditionFailed(
+                    "Fresh clone head does not match the Forge default-branch head",
+                    details={
+                        "expected": forge.head_commit,
+                        "actual": clone_head,
+                        "baseline": operation.expected_source_commit,
+                    },
+                )
+            # The head may have advanced past the baseline through the
+            # source-synchronization revision; it becomes the new anchor.
+            _assert_snapshot(
+                operation, forge, expected_name=operation.new_slug, expected_head=clone_head
+            )
+            evidence = {
+                "forge": forge.as_dict(),
+                "baseline_commit": operation.expected_source_commit,
+                "head_advanced": forge.head_commit != operation.expected_source_commit,
+                "operator_evidence": body.evidence,
+            }
         elif requested_phase == "consumers-verified":
             if not body.checks or not all(body.checks.values()):
                 raise RenamePreconditionFailed(
diff --git a/tests/test_repository_rename_api.py b/tests/test_repository_rename_api.py
index 2597961..5988bae 100644
--- a/tests/test_repository_rename_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_repository_rename_api.py
@@ -735,6 +735,57 @@ async def test_redirected_forge_and_wrong_fresh_clone_identity_fail_closed_then_
     assert replay["evidence"]["telemetry"]["retries"] == 1
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_source_sync_may_advance_forge_head_past_the_baseline(client, rename_setup):
+    repo, forge = rename_setup
+    preflight = await _preflight(client, repo["id"])
+    operation, confirmation = await _operation(client, repo["id"], preflight)
+    await _phase(client, repo["id"], operation["id"], "forge-renamed", "preflighted", confirmation)
+    await _phase(client, repo["id"], operation["id"], "statehub-rebound", "forge-renamed", confirmation)
+
+    # The source-synchronization revision is pushed from the fresh clone.
+    advanced = "b" * 40
+    forge.head = advanced
+    stale = await client.post(
+        f"/repos/{repo['id']}/rename/operations/{operation['id']}/phases/source-synced",
+        json={
+            "expected_phase": "statehub-rebound",
+            "confirmation": confirmation,
+            "evidence": {"fresh_clone": True, "forge_repository_id": 417, "head_commit": "a" * 40},
+        },
+    )
+    assert stale.status_code == 412
+    synced = await _phase(
+        client,
+        repo["id"],
+        operation["id"],
+        "source-synced",
+        "statehub-rebound",
+        confirmation,
+        evidence={"fresh_clone": True, "forge_repository_id": 417, "head_commit": advanced},
+    )
+    assert synced["phase"] == "source-synced"
+    recorded = synced["evidence"]["phases"]["source-synced"]
+    assert recorded["head_advanced"] is True
+    assert recorded["baseline_commit"] == "a" * 40
+
+    # Later phases anchor on the recorded head, so drift beyond it still fails.
+    verify = await client.get(
+        f"/repos/{repo['id']}/rename/operations/{operation['id']}/verify"
+    )
+    assert verify.status_code == 200, verify.text
+    assert all(
+        check["ok"] for check in verify.json()["checks"] if check["name"] == "source_commit"
+    )
+    forge.head = "c" * 40
+    drifted = await client.get(
+        f"/repos/{repo['id']}/rename/operations/{operation['id']}/verify"
+    )
+    assert any(
+        not check["ok"] for check in drifted.json()["checks"] if check["name"] == "source_commit"
+    )
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_rollback_recovers_when_old_statehub_slug_temporarily_unavailable(
     client, test_engine, rename_setup