diff --git a/internal/config/config.go b/internal/config/config.go
index d6f9e2c..2f2d369 100644
--- a/internal/config/config.go
+++ b/internal/config/config.go
@@ -67,6 +67,9 @@ func Validate(cfg domain.Config) error {
 	if strings.TrimSpace(cfg.Gitea.Org) == "" {
 		return errors.New("gitea org is required")
 	}
+	if strings.TrimSpace(cfg.Gitea.Username) == "" {
+		return errors.New("gitea username is required")
+	}
 	if cfg.Gitea.AuthType != AuthPassword && cfg.Gitea.AuthType != AuthToken {
 		return errors.New("authType must be password or token")
 	}
diff --git a/internal/config/config_test.go b/internal/config/config_test.go
index 82fe683..60a9c9b 100644
--- a/internal/config/config_test.go
+++ b/internal/config/config_test.go
@@ -62,6 +62,11 @@ func TestValidateRejectsMissingConnectionFields(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	cfg.Gitea.Org = "skills"
+	if err := Validate(cfg); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("Validate returned nil error without username")
+	}
+
+	cfg.Gitea.Username = "alice"
 	if err := Validate(cfg); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Validate returned error for valid config: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/service/service.go b/internal/service/service.go
index f5a2732..a6dfc31 100644
--- a/internal/service/service.go
+++ b/internal/service/service.go
@@ -375,11 +375,13 @@ func (s *Service) RunAutoUpdate(ctx context.Context) error {
 			state.Skills[i] = skill
 			continue
 		}
-		if commit, err := s.git.CurrentCommit(skill.LocalPath); err == nil {
-			skill.CurrentCommit = commit
-		} else {
+		commit, err := s.git.CurrentCommit(skill.LocalPath)
+		if err != nil {
 			skill.LastError = err.Error()
+			state.Skills[i] = skill
+			continue
 		}
+		skill.CurrentCommit = commit
 		skill.LastError = ""
 		skill.LastCheckedAt = time.Now().Format(time.RFC3339)
 		state.Skills[i] = skill
diff --git a/internal/service/service_test.go b/internal/service/service_test.go
index 85aa250..8858c2d 100644
--- a/internal/service/service_test.go
+++ b/internal/service/service_test.go
@@ -180,6 +180,37 @@ func TestRunAutoUpdateSkipsDirtyRepositories(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestRunAutoUpdateKeepsCurrentCommitError(t *testing.T) {
+	svc, _, _, _, git, _ := newTestService(t)
+	saveValidConfig(t, svc)
+	local := filepath.Join(t.TempDir(), "demo")
+	state := domain.State{Skills: []domain.SkillState{{
+		Org:           "skills",
+		Repo:          "demo",
+		LocalPath:     local,
+		DefaultBranch: "main",
+		CurrentCommit: "old",
+	}}}
+	if err := svc.store.Save(state); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	git.remoteCommit[local] = "new"
+	git.currentErr[local] = errors.New("rev-parse failed")
+
+	if err := svc.RunAutoUpdate(context.Background()); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("RunAutoUpdate returned error: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	reloaded, err := svc.store.Load()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	saved, _ := skillstore.FindSkill(reloaded, "skills", "demo")
+	if saved.LastError != "rev-parse failed" {
+		t.Fatalf("LastError = %q, want rev-parse failed", saved.LastError)
+	}
+}
+
 func newTestService(t *testing.T) (*Service, Paths, *fakeSecretStore, *fakeRemoteClient, *fakeGit, *fakeTargets) {
 	t.Helper()
 	dir := t.TempDir()
@@ -192,7 +223,7 @@ func newTestService(t *testing.T) (*Service, Paths, *fakeSecretStore, *fakeRemot
 	}
 	secrets := &fakeSecretStore{values: map[string]string{}}
 	remote := &fakeRemoteClient{}
-	git := &fakeGit{dirty: map[string]bool{}, currentCommit: map[string]string{}, remoteCommit: map[string]string{}}
+	git := &fakeGit{dirty: map[string]bool{}, currentCommit: map[string]string{}, remoteCommit: map[string]string{}, currentErr: map[string]error{}}
 	target := &fakeTargets{}
 	svc := New(Options{
 		Paths:       paths,
@@ -263,6 +294,7 @@ type fakeGit struct {
 	dirty         map[string]bool
 	currentCommit map[string]string
 	remoteCommit  map[string]string
+	currentErr     map[string]error
 	pullCalls     int
 }
 
@@ -272,6 +304,9 @@ func (f *fakeGit) Pull(context.Context, string, gitops.Credentials) error {
 	return nil
 }
 func (f *fakeGit) CurrentCommit(path string) (string, error) {
+	if err := f.currentErr[path]; err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
 	if commit := f.currentCommit[path]; commit != "" {
 		return commit, nil
 	}