diff --git a/src-tauri/src/git/connect.rs b/src-tauri/src/git/connect.rs
index 0f9f3a8b..728ebc37 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/git/connect.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/git/connect.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ use std::path::Path;
 use std::process::Output;
 
 use super::credentials::request_remote_credentials;
+use super::remote_config::{configure_origin_remote, list_configured_remotes};
 use super::{ensure_author_config, git_command};
 
 const DEFAULT_REMOTE_NAME: &str = "origin";
@@ -105,7 +106,7 @@ pub fn git_add_remote(vault_path: &str, remote_url: &str) -> Result<GitAddRemote
     let connection = RemoteConnection::new(branch);
 
     let trimmed_url = remote_url.trim();
-    run_git(vault, &["remote", "add", DEFAULT_REMOTE_NAME, trimmed_url])?;
+    configure_origin_remote(vault, trimmed_url)?;
     request_remote_credentials(vault, trimmed_url);
 
     let result = finish_remote_connection(vault, &connection);
@@ -186,13 +187,7 @@ fn current_branch(vault: &Path) -> Result<String, String> {
 }
 
 fn list_remotes(vault: &Path) -> Result<Vec<String>, String> {
-    let output = git_output(vault, &["remote"])?;
-
-    if !output.status.success() {
-        return Err(command_error("git remote", &output));
-    }
-
-    Ok(stdout_lines(&output))
+    list_configured_remotes(vault)
 }
 
 fn unset_upstream(vault: &Path) {
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/git/mod.rs b/src-tauri/src/git/mod.rs
index 4c440b95..3a0562a3 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/git/mod.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/git/mod.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ mod dates;
 mod history;
 mod pulse;
 mod remote;
+mod remote_config;
 mod status;
 
 use std::ffi::{OsStr, OsString};
diff --git a/src-tauri/src/git/remote_config.rs b/src-tauri/src/git/remote_config.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..91321014
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src-tauri/src/git/remote_config.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+use std::path::Path;
+use std::process::Output;
+
+use super::git_command;
+
+const DEFAULT_FETCH_REFSPEC: &str = "+refs/heads/*:refs/remotes/origin/*";
+const REMOTE_URL_CONFIG_PATTERN: &str = r"^remote\..*\.url$";
+const ORIGIN_URL_CONFIG_KEY: &str = "remote.origin.url";
+const ORIGIN_FETCH_CONFIG_KEY: &str = "remote.origin.fetch";
+
+pub(super) fn list_configured_remotes(vault: &Path) -> Result<Vec<String>, String> {
+    let output = git_command()
+        .args(["config", "--get-regexp", REMOTE_URL_CONFIG_PATTERN])
+        .current_dir(vault)
+        .output()
+        .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to inspect git remotes: {e}"))?;
+
+    if output.status.code() == Some(1) {
+        return Ok(Vec::new());
+    }
+    if !output.status.success() {
+        return Err(command_error("git config --get-regexp", &output));
+    }
+
+    Ok(stdout_lines(&output)
+        .into_iter()
+        .filter_map(|line| remote_name_from_url_config(&line))
+        .collect())
+}
+
+fn remote_name_from_url_config(line: &str) -> Option<String> {
+    let (key, value) = line.split_once(' ')?;
+    if value.trim().is_empty() {
+        return None;
+    }
+    key.strip_prefix("remote.")
+        .and_then(|name| name.strip_suffix(".url"))
+        .filter(|name| !name.is_empty())
+        .map(ToString::to_string)
+}
+
+pub(super) fn configure_origin_remote(vault: &Path, remote_url: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
+    run_git_config(vault, ORIGIN_URL_CONFIG_KEY, remote_url)?;
+    run_git_config(vault, ORIGIN_FETCH_CONFIG_KEY, DEFAULT_FETCH_REFSPEC)
+}
+
+fn run_git_config(vault: &Path, key: &str, value: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
+    let output = git_command()
+        .args(["config", "--local", "--replace-all", key, value])
+        .current_dir(vault)
+        .output()
+        .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to run git config: {e}"))?;
+
+    if output.status.success() {
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    Err(command_error("git config", &output))
+}
+
+fn stdout_lines(output: &Output) -> Vec<String> {
+    String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout)
+        .lines()
+        .map(str::trim)
+        .filter(|line| !line.is_empty())
+        .map(ToString::to_string)
+        .collect()
+}
+
+fn command_error(command: &str, output: &Output) -> String {
+    let stderr = String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr).trim().to_string();
+    if stderr.is_empty() {
+        format!("{command} failed")
+    } else {
+        stderr
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src-tauri/tests/git_connect_no_remote.rs b/src-tauri/tests/git_connect_no_remote.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3e81bb69
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src-tauri/tests/git_connect_no_remote.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+use std::fs;
+use std::path::Path;
+use std::process::Command;
+
+use tempfile::TempDir;
+use tolaria_lib::git::{git_add_remote, git_commit, git_remote_status};
+
+fn run_git(path: &Path, args: &[&str]) {
+    let output = Command::new("git")
+        .args(args)
+        .current_dir(path)
+        .output()
+        .unwrap();
+    assert!(
+        output.status.success(),
+        "git {:?} failed: {}",
+        args,
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr)
+    );
+}
+
+fn setup_repo() -> TempDir {
+    let dir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+    run_git(dir.path(), &["init", "-b", "main"]);
+    dir
+}
+
+fn setup_bare_repo() -> TempDir {
+    let dir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+    run_git(dir.path(), &["init", "--bare"]);
+    dir
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn git_add_remote_ignores_name_only_origin_config() {
+    let local = setup_repo();
+    fs::write(local.path().join("note.md"), "# Note\n").unwrap();
+    git_commit(local.path().to_str().unwrap(), "initial").unwrap();
+
+    run_git(local.path(), &["config", "remote.origin.prune", "true"]);
+    let remote_names = Command::new("git")
+        .args(["remote"])
+        .current_dir(local.path())
+        .output()
+        .unwrap();
+    assert!(String::from_utf8_lossy(&remote_names.stdout).contains("origin"));
+
+    let bare = setup_bare_repo();
+    let result = git_add_remote(
+        local.path().to_str().unwrap(),
+        bare.path().to_str().unwrap(),
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(result.status, "connected");
+    assert!(git_remote_status(local.path().to_str().unwrap())
+        .unwrap()
+        .has_remote);
+}