diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 26e7baa..8eccd3a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ Exceptions are acceptable depending on the circumstances (critical bug fixes tha
 - changed the Go module dependencies to their latest versions
 - changed per-repo logging in parallel operations to run inside goroutines for progressive feedback
 
+### Fixed
+
+- fixed `RestoreAfterSync` to stay on the default branch after a successful sync
+
 ## [0.4.0] - 2026-03-31
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/internal/repo/sync.go b/internal/repo/sync.go
index 19351bf..eab3742 100644
--- a/internal/repo/sync.go
+++ b/internal/repo/sync.go
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ func SyncAndRestore(
 		return SyncResult{Name: name, Status: fmt.Sprintf("FAIL (pull --rebase: %v)", err)}
 	}
 
-	return RestoreAfterSync(repoPath, name, defaultBranch, currentBranch, wipBranch, isDirty, runner)
+	return FinalizeSync(repoPath, name, defaultBranch, wipBranch, isDirty, runner)
 }
 
 // RestoreBranch restores the appropriate branch after a failure.
@@ -163,9 +163,9 @@ func RestoreBranch(repoPath, currentBranch, wipBranch string, isDirty bool, runn
 	}
 }
 
-// RestoreAfterSync restores the original branch state after a successful sync.
-func RestoreAfterSync(
-	repoPath, name, defaultBranch, currentBranch, wipBranch string, isDirty bool, runner GitRunner,
+// FinalizeSync rebases the WIP branch (if dirty) and ensures the repo ends on the default branch.
+func FinalizeSync(
+	repoPath, name, defaultBranch, wipBranch string, isDirty bool, runner GitRunner,
 ) SyncResult {
 	status := "synced"
 	if isDirty {
@@ -173,10 +173,10 @@ func RestoreAfterSync(
 		if err := runner.Run(repoPath, "rebase", defaultBranch); err != nil {
 			_ = runner.Run(repoPath, "rebase", "--abort")
 		}
-		_ = runner.Run(repoPath, "checkout", currentBranch)
+		if err := runner.Run(repoPath, "checkout", defaultBranch); err != nil {
+			return SyncResult{Name: name, Status: fmt.Sprintf("FAIL (checkout %s: %v)", defaultBranch, err)}
+		}
 		status = fmt.Sprintf("synced (wip: %s)", wipBranch)
-	} else if currentBranch != defaultBranch {
-		_ = runner.Run(repoPath, "checkout", currentBranch)
 	}
 	return SyncResult{Name: name, Status: status}
 }
diff --git a/internal/repo/sync_test.go b/internal/repo/sync_test.go
index 08ffc1a..19446f0 100644
--- a/internal/repo/sync_test.go
+++ b/internal/repo/sync_test.go
@@ -198,6 +198,26 @@ func TestSyncAndRestore(t *testing.T) {
 		// then
 		assert.Contains(t, result.Status, "FAIL (pull --rebase")
 	})
+
+	t.Run("should stay on default branch when starting from non-default branch", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		// given
+		var checkouts []string
+		runner := doubles.NewGitRunnerStub()
+		runner.RunFunc = func(_ string, args ...string) error {
+			if len(args) > 0 && args[0] == "checkout" {
+				checkouts = append(checkouts, args[1])
+			}
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		// when
+		result := repo.SyncAndRestore("/repo", "my-repo", "main", "feat/x", "wip/feat/x", false, runner)
+
+		// then
+		assert.Equal(t, "synced", result.Status)
+		assert.Equal(t, []string{"main"}, checkouts)
+	})
 }
 
 func TestRestoreBranch(t *testing.T) {
@@ -242,7 +262,7 @@ func TestRestoreBranch(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
-func TestRestoreAfterSync(t *testing.T) {
+func TestFinalizeSync(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 
 	t.Run("should return synced for clean repo on default branch", func(t *testing.T) {
@@ -251,13 +271,13 @@ func TestRestoreAfterSync(t *testing.T) {
 		runner := doubles.NewGitRunnerStub()
 
 		// when
-		result := repo.RestoreAfterSync("/repo", "my-repo", "main", "main", "wip/main", false, runner)
+		result := repo.FinalizeSync("/repo", "my-repo", "main", "wip/main", false, runner)
 
 		// then
 		assert.Equal(t, "synced", result.Status)
 	})
 
-	t.Run("should checkout original branch when not on default", func(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("should stay on default branch when clean repo was on non-default branch", func(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Parallel()
 		// given
 		var checkedOut string
@@ -270,23 +290,50 @@ func TestRestoreAfterSync(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 
 		// when
-		result := repo.RestoreAfterSync("/repo", "my-repo", "main", "feat/x", "wip/feat/x", false, runner)
+		result := repo.FinalizeSync("/repo", "my-repo", "main", "wip/feat/x", false, runner)
 
 		// then
 		assert.Equal(t, "synced", result.Status)
-		assert.Equal(t, "feat/x", checkedOut)
+		assert.Empty(t, checkedOut)
 	})
 
-	t.Run("should rebase WIP branch and return wip status for dirty repo", func(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Run("should rebase WIP branch and checkout default branch for dirty repo", func(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Parallel()
 		// given
+		var lastCheckedOut string
 		runner := doubles.NewGitRunnerStub()
+		runner.RunFunc = func(_ string, args ...string) error {
+			if len(args) > 0 && args[0] == "checkout" {
+				lastCheckedOut = args[1]
+			}
+			return nil
+		}
 
 		// when
-		result := repo.RestoreAfterSync("/repo", "my-repo", "main", "feat/x", "wip/feat/x", true, runner)
+		result := repo.FinalizeSync("/repo", "my-repo", "main", "wip/feat/x", true, runner)
 
 		// then
 		assert.Contains(t, result.Status, "synced (wip: wip/feat/x)")
+		assert.Equal(t, "main", lastCheckedOut)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("should return FAIL when checkout to default branch fails for dirty repo", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		// given
+		runner := doubles.NewGitRunnerStub()
+		runner.RunFunc = func(_ string, args ...string) error {
+			if len(args) >= 2 && args[0] == "checkout" && args[1] == "main" {
+				return errors.New("checkout failed")
+			}
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		// when
+		result := repo.FinalizeSync("/repo", "my-repo", "main", "wip/feat/x", true, runner)
+
+		// then
+		assert.Contains(t, result.Status, "FAIL")
+		assert.Contains(t, result.Status, "checkout main")
 	})
 }