diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index b828cf5..bcc5231 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -25,4 +25,3 @@ gardener/dust.jsonl
 
 # Individual encrypted secrets (managed by disinto secrets add)
 secrets/
-.woodpecker/smoke-init.yml
diff --git a/.woodpecker/smoke-init.yml b/.woodpecker/smoke-init.yml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ecb8105
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.woodpecker/smoke-init.yml
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+# .woodpecker/smoke-init.yml — End-to-end smoke test for disinto init
+#
+# Uses the Forgejo image directly (not as a service) so we have CLI
+# access to set up Forgejo and create the bootstrap admin user.
+# Then runs disinto init --bare --yes against the local Forgejo instance.
+#
+# Forgejo refuses to run as root, so all forgejo commands use su-exec
+# to run as the 'git' user (pre-created in the Forgejo Docker image).
+
+when:
+  - event: pull_request
+    path:
+      - "bin/disinto"
+      - "lib/load-project.sh"
+      - "tests/smoke-init.sh"
+      - ".woodpecker/smoke-init.yml"
+  - event: push
+    branch: main
+    path:
+      - "bin/disinto"
+      - "lib/load-project.sh"
+      - "tests/smoke-init.sh"
+      - ".woodpecker/smoke-init.yml"
+
+steps:
+  - name: smoke-init
+    image: codeberg.org/forgejo/forgejo:11.0
+    environment:
+      SMOKE_FORGE_URL: http://localhost:3000
+    commands:
+      # Install test dependencies (Alpine-based image)
+      - apk add --no-cache bash curl jq python3 git >/dev/null 2>&1
+      # Set up Forgejo data directories and config (owned by git user)
+      - mkdir -p /data/gitea/conf /data/gitea/repositories /data/gitea/lfs /data/gitea/log /data/git/.ssh /data/ssh
+      - printf '[database]\nDB_TYPE = sqlite3\nPATH = /data/gitea/forgejo.db\n\n[server]\nHTTP_PORT = 3000\nROOT_URL = http://localhost:3000/\nLFS_START_SERVER = false\n\n[security]\nINSTALL_LOCK = true\n\n[service]\nDISABLE_REGISTRATION = true\n' > /data/gitea/conf/app.ini
+      - chown -R git:git /data
+      # Start Forgejo as git user in background and wait for API
+      - su-exec git forgejo web --config /data/gitea/conf/app.ini &
+      - for i in $(seq 1 30); do curl -sf http://localhost:3000/api/v1/version >/dev/null 2>&1 && break; sleep 1; done
+      # Create bootstrap admin user via CLI
+      - su-exec git forgejo admin user create --admin --username setup-admin --password "SetupPass-789xyz" --email "setup-admin@smoke.test" --must-change-password=false --config /data/gitea/conf/app.ini
+      # Run the smoke test (as root is fine — only forgejo binary needs git user)
+      - bash tests/smoke-init.sh
diff --git a/dev/dev-poll.sh b/dev/dev-poll.sh
index 53b5995..22ba929 100755
--- a/dev/dev-poll.sh
+++ b/dev/dev-poll.sh
@@ -155,10 +155,9 @@ try_direct_merge() {
     if [ "$issue_num" -gt 0 ]; then
       issue_close "$issue_num"
       # Remove in-progress label (don't re-add backlog — issue is closed)
-      IP_ID=$(_ilc_in_progress_id)
       curl -sf -X DELETE \
         -H "Authorization: token ${FORGE_TOKEN}" \
-        "${API}/issues/${issue_num}/labels/${IP_ID}" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+        "${API}/issues/${issue_num}/labels/in-progress" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
       rm -f "/tmp/dev-session-${PROJECT_NAME}-${issue_num}.sid" \
             "/tmp/dev-impl-summary-${PROJECT_NAME}-${issue_num}.txt"
     fi
@@ -326,9 +325,8 @@ if [ "$ORPHAN_COUNT" -gt 0 ]; then
   SKIP_LABEL=$(echo "$ORPHAN_LABELS" | grep -oE '^(formula|action|prediction/dismissed|prediction/unreviewed)$' | head -1) || true
   if [ -n "$SKIP_LABEL" ]; then
     log "issue #${ISSUE_NUM} has '${SKIP_LABEL}' label — removing in-progress, skipping"
-    IP_ID=$(_ilc_in_progress_id)
     curl -sf -X DELETE -H "Authorization: token ${FORGE_TOKEN}" \
-      "${API}/issues/${ISSUE_NUM}/labels/${IP_ID}" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+      "${API}/issues/${ISSUE_NUM}/labels/in-progress" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
     exit 0
   fi
 
@@ -402,9 +400,8 @@ if [ "$ORPHAN_COUNT" -gt 0 ]; then
     if [ -n "$ASSIGNEE" ] && [ "$ASSIGNEE" != "$BOT_USER" ]; then
       log "issue #${ISSUE_NUM} assigned to ${ASSIGNEE} — skipping (not orphaned)"
       # Remove in-progress label since this agent isn't working on it
-      IP_ID=$(_ilc_in_progress_id)
       curl -sf -X DELETE -H "Authorization: token ${FORGE_TOKEN}" \
-        "${API}/issues/${ISSUE_NUM}/labels/${IP_ID}" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+        "${API}/issues/${ISSUE_NUM}/labels/in-progress" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
       exit 0
     fi