diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 0d0a1a9666b..4cb4e02e505 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ Docs: https://docs.openclaw.ai
 
 ### Fixes
 
+- Git hooks: skip ignored staged paths when formatting and restaging pre-commit files, so merge commits no longer abort when `.gitignore` newly ignores staged merged content. Fixes #72744. Thanks @100yenadmin.
 - Memory-core/dreaming: add a supported `dreaming.model` knob for Dream Diary narrative subagents, wired through phase config and the existing plugin subagent model-override trust gate. Refs #65963. Thanks @esqandil and @mjamiv.
 - Memory-core/dreaming: treat request-scoped narrative fallback as expected, skip session cleanup when no subagent run was created, and remove duplicate phase-level cleanup so fallback no longer emits warning noise. Fixes #67152. Thanks @jsompis.
 - Agents/exec: apply configured `tools.exec.timeoutSec` to background and `yieldMs` commands when no per-call timeout is set, preventing auto-backgrounded commands from running indefinitely. Fixes #67600; supersedes #67603. Thanks @dlmpx and @kagura-agent.
diff --git a/git-hooks/pre-commit b/git-hooks/pre-commit
index b7a1f25ba9a..88c73412bac 100755
--- a/git-hooks/pre-commit
+++ b/git-hooks/pre-commit
@@ -28,13 +28,22 @@ if [ "${#files[@]}" -eq 0 ]; then
   exit 0
 fi
 
+restage_files=()
+for file in "${files[@]}"; do
+  if ! git check-ignore --no-index -q -- "$file"; then
+    restage_files+=("$file")
+  fi
+done
+
 format_files=()
 while IFS= read -r -d '' file; do
   format_files+=("$file")
-done < <(node "$FILTER_FILES" format -- "${files[@]}")
+done < <(node "$FILTER_FILES" format -- "${restage_files[@]}")
 
 if [ "${#format_files[@]}" -gt 0 ]; then
   "$RUN_NODE_TOOL" oxfmt --write --no-error-on-unmatched-pattern "${format_files[@]}"
 fi
 
-git add -- "${files[@]}"
+if [ "${#restage_files[@]}" -gt 0 ]; then
+  git add -- "${restage_files[@]}"
+fi
diff --git a/test/git-hooks-pre-commit.test.ts b/test/git-hooks-pre-commit.test.ts
index 4d9bc743b51..2a9ec9fe53f 100644
--- a/test/git-hooks-pre-commit.test.ts
+++ b/test/git-hooks-pre-commit.test.ts
@@ -103,6 +103,30 @@ describe("git-hooks/pre-commit (integration)", () => {
     expect(run(dir, "git", ["diff", "--cached", "--name-only"])).toBe("tracked.txt");
   });
 
+  it("does not re-add staged paths that are ignored by the current .gitignore", () => {
+    const dir = makeTempRepoRoot(tempDirs, "openclaw-pre-commit-ignored-staged-");
+    run(dir, "git", ["init", "-q", "--initial-branch=main"]);
+
+    const fakeBinDir = installPreCommitFixture(dir);
+    mkdirSync(path.join(dir, ".agents", "skills", "discord-clawd"), { recursive: true });
+    writeFileSync(path.join(dir, ".gitignore"), ".agents/skills/discord-clawd/\n", "utf8");
+    writeFileSync(
+      path.join(dir, ".agents", "skills", "discord-clawd", "SKILL.md"),
+      "# Discord Clawd\n",
+      "utf8",
+    );
+
+    run(dir, "git", ["add", "--", ".gitignore"]);
+    run(dir, "git", ["add", "-f", "--", ".agents/skills/discord-clawd/SKILL.md"]);
+
+    run(dir, "bash", ["git-hooks/pre-commit"], {
+      PATH: `${fakeBinDir}:${process.env.PATH ?? ""}`,
+    });
+
+    const staged = run(dir, "git", ["diff", "--cached", "--name-only"]).split("\n").filter(Boolean);
+    expect(staged).toEqual([".agents/skills/discord-clawd/SKILL.md", ".gitignore"]);
+  });
+
   it("ignores FAST_COMMIT because the hook is already formatting-only", () => {
     const dir = makeTempRepoRoot(tempDirs, "openclaw-pre-commit-fast-");
     run(dir, "git", ["init", "-q", "--initial-branch=main"]);