diff --git a/gitplusplus.cpp b/gitplusplus.cpp
index 3073f51..cf65f6a 100644
--- a/gitplusplus.cpp
+++ b/gitplusplus.cpp
@@ -483,11 +483,28 @@ GitPlusPlusView::GitPlusPlusView(GitPlusPlusPlugin *plugin, KTextEditor::MainWin
         }
     });
 
-    // Debounce timer for filesystem changes (avoid spamming refreshes)
+    // Debounce timer for filesystem/document changes (avoid spamming refreshes)
     m_fsDebounce.setSingleShot(true);
     m_fsDebounce.setInterval(500);
     connect(&m_fsDebounce, &QTimer::timeout, this, &GitPlusPlusView::updateStatus);
 
+    // Refresh status when any document is saved — this is a concrete event
+    // that likely changes the working tree state.
+    auto connectDocSave = [this](KTextEditor::Document *doc) {
+        connect(doc, &KTextEditor::Document::documentSavedOrUploaded, this, [this]() {
+            m_fsDebounce.start();
+        });
+    };
+    connect(KTextEditor::Editor::instance(), &KTextEditor::Editor::documentCreated,
+            this, [this, connectDocSave](KTextEditor::Editor *, KTextEditor::Document *doc) {
+        connectDocSave(doc);
+    });
+    // Connect already-open documents
+    const auto docs = KTextEditor::Editor::instance()->documents();
+    for (auto *doc : docs) {
+        connectDocSave(doc);
+    }
+
     // Initial refresh
     QMetaObject::invokeMethod(this, &GitPlusPlusView::updateStatus, Qt::QueuedConnection);
     QMetaObject::invokeMethod(this, &GitPlusPlusView::refreshBranches, Qt::QueuedConnection);
@@ -686,28 +703,22 @@ void GitPlusPlusView::setupFileWatcher()
 
     if (gitDir.isEmpty()) return;
 
-    // Watch the git directory itself — picks up renames of index, HEAD, refs, etc.
-    // This is more robust than watching individual files which get replaced atomically.
-    QStringList watchPaths;
-    watchPaths << gitDir;
-
-    // Also watch refs/heads for branch changes
+    // Only watch refs/heads for branch creation/deletion — a concrete event.
+    // Do NOT watch the .git directory itself or the index file:
+    // those fire on every git operation (index.lock create/delete) and cause
+    // cascading git-status calls that leave index.lock files behind.
     QString refsHeads = gitDir + QStringLiteral("/refs/heads");
     if (QFileInfo::exists(refsHeads))
-        watchPaths << refsHeads;
+        m_watcher->addPath(refsHeads);
 
-    m_watcher->addPaths(watchPaths);
     connect(m_watcher, &QFileSystemWatcher::directoryChanged, this, [this](const QString &) {
         m_fsDebounce.start();
     });
-    // Watch HEAD file specifically — changes indicate branch switch
-    QString indexFile = gitDir + QStringLiteral("/index");
+
+    // Watch HEAD file only — changes indicate a branch switch (concrete event).
     QString headFile = gitDir + QStringLiteral("/HEAD");
-    QStringList filePaths;
-    if (QFileInfo::exists(indexFile)) filePaths << indexFile;
-    if (QFileInfo::exists(headFile)) filePaths << headFile;
-    if (!filePaths.isEmpty()) {
-        m_watcher->addPaths(filePaths);
+    if (QFileInfo::exists(headFile)) {
+        m_watcher->addPath(headFile);
         connect(m_watcher, &QFileSystemWatcher::fileChanged, this, [this, headFile](const QString &path) {
             // Re-add: atomic renames remove the watch
             if (!m_watcher->files().contains(path)) {
@@ -716,9 +727,9 @@ void GitPlusPlusView::setupFileWatcher()
                         m_watcher->addPath(path);
                 });
             }
-            m_fsDebounce.start();
-            // HEAD change means branch switch — refresh branches
             if (path == headFile) {
+                // Branch switch — refresh branches and status after a short delay
+                m_fsDebounce.start();
                 QTimer::singleShot(600, this, [this]() { refreshBranches(); });
             }
         });