diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/publish.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/publish.ts
index 5e9225a..2148450 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/publish.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/publish.ts
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ import {
 	resolvePostPath,
 } from "../lib/markdown";
 import type { BlogPost, BlobObject, StrongRef } from "../lib/types";
+import { syncStateFromPDS } from "../lib/sync";
 import { exitOnCancel } from "../lib/prompts";
 
 export const publishCommand = command({
@@ -145,10 +146,57 @@ export const publishCommand = command({
 			: undefined;
 
 		// Load state
-		const state = await loadState(configDir);
+		let state = await loadState(configDir);
 
-		// Scan for posts
+		// Auto-sync from PDS if state is empty (prevents duplicates on fresh clones)
 		const s = spinner();
+		let agent: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof createAgent>> | undefined;
+
+		if (
+			config.autoSync !== false &&
+			Object.keys(state.posts).length === 0 &&
+			!dryRun
+		) {
+			// Create agent early for sync (will be reused for publishing)
+			const connectingTo =
+				credentials.type === "oauth"
+					? credentials.handle
+					: credentials.pdsUrl;
+			s.start(`Connecting as ${connectingTo}...`);
+			try {
+				agent = await createAgent(credentials);
+				s.stop(`Logged in as ${agent.did}`);
+			} catch (error) {
+				s.stop("Failed to login");
+				log.error(`Failed to login: ${error}`);
+				process.exit(1);
+			}
+
+			try {
+				s.start("Auto-syncing state from PDS...");
+				const syncResult = await syncStateFromPDS(
+					agent,
+					config,
+					configDir,
+					{
+						updateFrontmatter: true,
+						quiet: true,
+					},
+				);
+				s.stop(
+					`Auto-synced ${syncResult.matchedCount} posts from PDS`,
+				);
+				state = syncResult.state;
+			} catch (error) {
+				s.stop("Auto-sync failed");
+				log.warn(
+					`Auto-sync failed: ${error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error)}`,
+				);
+				log.warn("Continuing with empty state. Run 'sequoia sync' manually to fix.");
+			}
+		}
+
+		// Scan for posts
 		s.start("Scanning for posts...");
 		const posts = await scanContentDirectory(contentDir, {
 			frontmatterMapping: config.frontmatter,
@@ -261,18 +309,21 @@ export const publishCommand = command({
 			return;
 		}
 
-		// Create agent
-		const connectingTo =
-			credentials.type === "oauth" ? credentials.handle : credentials.pdsUrl;
-		s.start(`Connecting as ${connectingTo}...`);
-		let agent: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof createAgent>> | undefined;
-		try {
-			agent = await createAgent(credentials);
-			s.stop(`Logged in as ${agent.did}`);
-		} catch (error) {
-			s.stop("Failed to login");
-			log.error(`Failed to login: ${error}`);
-			process.exit(1);
+		// Create agent (skip if already created during auto-sync)
+		if (!agent) {
+			const connectingTo =
+				credentials.type === "oauth"
+					? credentials.handle
+					: credentials.pdsUrl;
+			s.start(`Connecting as ${connectingTo}...`);
+			try {
+				agent = await createAgent(credentials);
+				s.stop(`Logged in as ${agent.did}`);
+			} catch (error) {
+				s.stop("Failed to login");
+				log.error(`Failed to login: ${error}`);
+				process.exit(1);
+			}
 		}
 
 		// Publish posts
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/sync.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/sync.ts
index 55489bd..afcb811 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/sync.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/sync.ts
@@ -1,21 +1,15 @@
-import * as fs from "node:fs/promises";
 import { command, flag } from "cmd-ts";
 import { select, spinner, log } from "@clack/prompts";
 import * as path from "node:path";
-import { loadConfig, loadState, saveState, findConfig } from "../lib/config";
+import { loadConfig, findConfig } from "../lib/config";
 import {
 	loadCredentials,
 	listAllCredentials,
 	getCredentials,
 } from "../lib/credentials";
 import { getOAuthHandle, getOAuthSession } from "../lib/oauth-store";
-import { createAgent, listDocuments } from "../lib/atproto";
-import {
-	scanContentDirectory,
-	getContentHash,
-	updateFrontmatterWithAtUri,
-	resolvePostPath,
-} from "../lib/markdown";
+import { createAgent } from "../lib/atproto";
+import { syncStateFromPDS } from "../lib/sync";
 import { exitOnCancel } from "../lib/prompts";
 
 export const syncCommand = command({
@@ -121,123 +115,26 @@ export const syncCommand = command({
 			process.exit(1);
 		}
 
-		// Fetch documents from PDS
+		// Sync state from PDS
 		s.start("Fetching documents from PDS...");
-		const documents = await listDocuments(agent, config.publicationUri);
-		s.stop(`Found ${documents.length} documents on PDS`);
-
-		if (documents.length === 0) {
-			log.info("No documents found for this publication.");
-			return;
-		}
-
-		// Resolve content directory
-		const contentDir = path.isAbsolute(config.contentDir)
-			? config.contentDir
-			: path.join(configDir, config.contentDir);
-
-		// Scan local posts
-		s.start("Scanning local content...");
-		const localPosts = await scanContentDirectory(contentDir, {
-			frontmatterMapping: config.frontmatter,
-			ignorePatterns: config.ignore,
-			slugField: config.frontmatter?.slugField,
-			removeIndexFromSlug: config.removeIndexFromSlug,
-			stripDatePrefix: config.stripDatePrefix,
+		const result = await syncStateFromPDS(agent, config, configDir, {
+			updateFrontmatter,
+			dryRun,
+			quiet: false,
 		});
-		s.stop(`Found ${localPosts.length} local posts`);
-
-		// Build a map of path -> local post for matching
-		// Document path is like /posts/my-post-slug (or custom pathPrefix/pathTemplate)
-		const postsByPath = new Map<string, (typeof localPosts)[0]>();
-		for (const post of localPosts) {
-			const postPath = resolvePostPath(
-				post,
-				config.pathPrefix,
-				config.pathTemplate,
-			);
-			postsByPath.set(postPath, post);
-		}
-
-		// Load existing state
-		const state = await loadState(configDir);
-		const originalPostCount = Object.keys(state.posts).length;
-
-		// Track changes
-		let matchedCount = 0;
-		let unmatchedCount = 0;
-		const frontmatterUpdates: Array<{ filePath: string; atUri: string }> = [];
-
-		log.message("\nMatching documents to local files:\n");
-
-		for (const doc of documents) {
-			const docPath = doc.value.path;
-			const localPost = postsByPath.get(docPath);
+		s.stop(`Found documents on PDS`);
 
-			if (localPost) {
-				matchedCount++;
-				log.message(`  ✓ ${doc.value.title}`);
-				log.message(`    Path: ${docPath}`);
-				log.message(`    URI: ${doc.uri}`);
-				log.message(`    File: ${path.basename(localPost.filePath)}`);
-
-				// Update state (use relative path from config directory)
-				const contentHash = await getContentHash(localPost.rawContent);
-				const relativeFilePath = path.relative(configDir, localPost.filePath);
-				state.posts[relativeFilePath] = {
-					contentHash,
-					atUri: doc.uri,
-					lastPublished: doc.value.publishedAt,
-				};
-
-				// Check if frontmatter needs updating
-				if (updateFrontmatter && localPost.frontmatter.atUri !== doc.uri) {
-					frontmatterUpdates.push({
-						filePath: localPost.filePath,
-						atUri: doc.uri,
-					});
-					log.message(`    → Will update frontmatter`);
-				}
-			} else {
-				unmatchedCount++;
-				log.message(`  ✗ ${doc.value.title} (no matching local file)`);
-				log.message(`    Path: ${docPath}`);
-				log.message(`    URI: ${doc.uri}`);
-			}
-			log.message("");
-		}
-
-		// Summary
-		log.message("---");
-		log.info(`Matched: ${matchedCount} documents`);
-		if (unmatchedCount > 0) {
-			log.warn(
-				`Unmatched: ${unmatchedCount} documents (exist on PDS but not locally)`,
+		if (!dryRun) {
+			const stateCount = Object.keys(result.state.posts).length;
+			log.success(
+				`\nSaved .sequoia-state.json (${stateCount} entries)`,
 			);
-		}
-
-		if (dryRun) {
-			log.info("\nDry run complete. No changes made.");
-			return;
-		}
-
-		// Save updated state
-		await saveState(configDir, state);
-		const newPostCount = Object.keys(state.posts).length;
-		log.success(
-			`\nSaved .sequoia-state.json (${originalPostCount} → ${newPostCount} entries)`,
-		);
 
-		// Update frontmatter if requested
-		if (frontmatterUpdates.length > 0) {
-			s.start(`Updating frontmatter in ${frontmatterUpdates.length} files...`);
-			for (const { filePath, atUri } of frontmatterUpdates) {
-				const content = await fs.readFile(filePath, "utf-8");
-				const updated = updateFrontmatterWithAtUri(content, atUri);
-				await fs.writeFile(filePath, updated);
-				log.message(`  Updated: ${path.basename(filePath)}`);
+			if (result.frontmatterUpdatesApplied > 0) {
+				log.success(
+					`Updated frontmatter in ${result.frontmatterUpdatesApplied} files`,
+				);
 			}
-			s.stop("Frontmatter updated");
 		}
 
 		log.success("\nSync complete!");
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/sync.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/sync.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..960425d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/sync.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,193 @@
+import * as fs from "node:fs/promises";
+import * as path from "node:path";
+import { log } from "@clack/prompts";
+import { listDocuments, type createAgent } from "./atproto";
+import { loadState, saveState } from "./config";
+import {
+	scanContentDirectory,
+	getContentHash,
+	updateFrontmatterWithAtUri,
+	resolvePostPath,
+} from "./markdown";
+import type { PublisherConfig, PublisherState } from "./types";
+
+export interface SyncOptions {
+	updateFrontmatter?: boolean;
+	dryRun?: boolean;
+	quiet?: boolean;
+}
+
+export interface SyncResult {
+	state: PublisherState;
+	matchedCount: number;
+	unmatchedCount: number;
+	frontmatterUpdatesApplied: number;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Core sync logic: fetches documents from PDS and matches them to local files,
+ * updating state and optionally frontmatter.
+ *
+ * Used by both the `sync` command and auto-sync before `publish`.
+ */
+export async function syncStateFromPDS(
+	agent: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof createAgent>>,
+	config: PublisherConfig,
+	configDir: string,
+	options: SyncOptions = {},
+): Promise<SyncResult> {
+	const { updateFrontmatter = false, dryRun = false, quiet = false } = options;
+
+	// Fetch documents from PDS (filtered by publicationUri for multi-publication safety)
+	const documents = await listDocuments(agent, config.publicationUri);
+
+	if (documents.length === 0) {
+		if (!quiet) {
+			log.info("No documents found for this publication.");
+		}
+		return {
+			state: await loadState(configDir),
+			matchedCount: 0,
+			unmatchedCount: 0,
+			frontmatterUpdatesApplied: 0,
+		};
+	}
+
+	// Resolve content directory
+	const contentDir = path.isAbsolute(config.contentDir)
+		? config.contentDir
+		: path.join(configDir, config.contentDir);
+
+	// Scan local posts
+	const localPosts = await scanContentDirectory(contentDir, {
+		frontmatterMapping: config.frontmatter,
+		ignorePatterns: config.ignore,
+		slugField: config.frontmatter?.slugField,
+		removeIndexFromSlug: config.removeIndexFromSlug,
+		stripDatePrefix: config.stripDatePrefix,
+	});
+
+	// Build a map of path -> local post for matching
+	const postsByPath = new Map<string, (typeof localPosts)[0]>();
+	for (const post of localPosts) {
+		const postPath = resolvePostPath(
+			post,
+			config.pathPrefix,
+			config.pathTemplate,
+		);
+		postsByPath.set(postPath, post);
+	}
+
+	// Load existing state
+	const state = await loadState(configDir);
+
+	// Track changes
+	let matchedCount = 0;
+	let unmatchedCount = 0;
+	let frontmatterUpdatesApplied = 0;
+	const frontmatterUpdates: Array<{ filePath: string; atUri: string; relativeFilePath: string }> = [];
+
+	if (!quiet) {
+		log.message("\nMatching documents to local files:\n");
+	}
+
+	for (const doc of documents) {
+		const docPath = doc.value.path;
+		const localPost = postsByPath.get(docPath);
+
+		if (localPost) {
+			matchedCount++;
+			const relativeFilePath = path.relative(configDir, localPost.filePath);
+
+			if (!quiet) {
+				log.message(`  ✓ ${doc.value.title}`);
+				log.message(`    Path: ${docPath}`);
+				log.message(`    URI: ${doc.uri}`);
+				log.message(`    File: ${path.basename(localPost.filePath)}`);
+			}
+
+			// Check if frontmatter needs updating
+			const needsFrontmatterUpdate =
+				updateFrontmatter && localPost.frontmatter.atUri !== doc.uri;
+
+			if (needsFrontmatterUpdate) {
+				frontmatterUpdates.push({
+					filePath: localPost.filePath,
+					atUri: doc.uri,
+					relativeFilePath,
+				});
+				if (!quiet) {
+					log.message(`    → Will update frontmatter`);
+				}
+			}
+
+			// Compute content hash — if we're updating frontmatter, hash the updated content
+			// so the state matches what will be on disk after the update
+			let contentHash: string;
+			if (needsFrontmatterUpdate) {
+				const updatedContent = updateFrontmatterWithAtUri(
+					localPost.rawContent,
+					doc.uri,
+				);
+				contentHash = await getContentHash(updatedContent);
+			} else {
+				contentHash = await getContentHash(localPost.rawContent);
+			}
+
+			// Update state
+			state.posts[relativeFilePath] = {
+				contentHash,
+				atUri: doc.uri,
+				lastPublished: doc.value.publishedAt,
+			};
+		} else {
+			unmatchedCount++;
+			if (!quiet) {
+				log.message(
+					`  ✗ ${doc.value.title} (no matching local file)`,
+				);
+				log.message(`    Path: ${docPath}`);
+				log.message(`    URI: ${doc.uri}`);
+			}
+		}
+		if (!quiet) {
+			log.message("");
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Summary (always show, even in quiet mode)
+	if (!quiet) {
+		log.message("---");
+		log.info(`Matched: ${matchedCount} documents`);
+		if (unmatchedCount > 0) {
+			log.warn(
+				`Unmatched: ${unmatchedCount} documents (exist on PDS but not locally)`,
+			);
+		}
+	}
+
+	if (dryRun) {
+		if (!quiet) {
+			log.info("\nDry run complete. No changes made.");
+		}
+		return { state, matchedCount, unmatchedCount, frontmatterUpdatesApplied: 0 };
+	}
+
+	// Save updated state
+	await saveState(configDir, state);
+
+	// Update frontmatter files
+	if (frontmatterUpdates.length > 0) {
+		for (const { filePath, atUri } of frontmatterUpdates) {
+			const content = await fs.readFile(filePath, "utf-8");
+			const updated = updateFrontmatterWithAtUri(content, atUri);
+			await fs.writeFile(filePath, updated);
+			if (!quiet) {
+				log.message(`  Updated: ${path.basename(filePath)}`);
+			}
+		}
+		frontmatterUpdatesApplied = frontmatterUpdates.length;
+	}
+
+	return { state, matchedCount, unmatchedCount, frontmatterUpdatesApplied };
+}
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/lib/types.ts b/packages/cli/src/lib/types.ts
index be29e29..2cda25f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/lib/types.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/lib/types.ts
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ export interface PublisherConfig {
 	publishContent?: boolean; // Whether or not to publish the documents content on the standard.site document (default: true)
 	bluesky?: BlueskyConfig; // Optional Bluesky posting configuration
 	ui?: UIConfig; // Optional UI components configuration
+	autoSync?: boolean; // Automatically sync state from PDS before publishing (default: true)
 }
 
 // Legacy credentials format (for backward compatibility during migration)
diff --git a/sequoia.schema.json b/sequoia.schema.json
index 60eaa17..1ec09bc 100644
--- a/sequoia.schema.json
+++ b/sequoia.schema.json
@@ -145,6 +145,11 @@
 				}
 			}
 		},
+		"autoSync": {
+			"type": "boolean",
+			"description": "Automatically sync state from PDS before publishing to prevent duplicate posts on fresh clones",
+			"default": true
+		},
 		"ui": {
 			"type": "object",
 			"additionalProperties": false,