diff --git a/skills/implement/SKILL.md b/skills/implement/SKILL.md
index 8aefbc6..a936950 100644
--- a/skills/implement/SKILL.md
+++ b/skills/implement/SKILL.md
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ is shed.
 ## The Iron Law
 
 ```
-ONE BRANCH PER ITER — `iter/<iter_id>`, created from origin/main.
+ONE BRANCH PER ITER — `iter/<iter_id>`, created from local main.
 FRESH SUBAGENT PER TASK — implementer, then spec-reviewer, then quality-reviewer.
 TWO-STAGE REVIEW: SPEC COMPLIANCE FIRST, CODE QUALITY SECOND.
 NEVER START QUALITY REVIEW BEFORE SPEC COMPLIANCE IS GREEN.
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ orchestrator-agent.
    `- YYYY-MM-DD — iter <iter_id>: <one-line title> → <YYYY-MM-DD>-iter-<iter_id>.md`
 4. Fast-forward main to the iter branch:
    `git switch main && git merge --ff-only iter/<iter_id>`. Since the
-   iter branch was created from `origin/main` (Phase 0 of the
+   iter branch was created from local `main` (Phase 0 of the
    orchestrator-agent) and no commits have landed on main since, the
    fast-forward is always linear.
 5. Optionally delete the branch: `git branch -D iter/<iter_id>`.
diff --git a/skills/implement/agents/ailang-implement-orchestrator.md b/skills/implement/agents/ailang-implement-orchestrator.md
index eee5f21..4d9052a 100644
--- a/skills/implement/agents/ailang-implement-orchestrator.md
+++ b/skills/implement/agents/ailang-implement-orchestrator.md
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ branch — both are Boss-side.
 ## The Iron Law
 
 ```
-ONE BRANCH PER ITER — `iter/<iter_id>`, created from origin/main.
+ONE BRANCH PER ITER — `iter/<iter_id>`, created from local main.
 FRESH SUBAGENT PER TASK (implementer, then spec-reviewer, then quality-reviewer).
 TWO-STAGE REVIEW PER TASK: SPEC COMPLIANCE FIRST, CODE QUALITY SECOND.
 NEVER START QUALITY REVIEW BEFORE SPEC COMPLIANCE IS GREEN.
@@ -71,12 +71,14 @@ WRITE THE PER-ITER JOURNAL FILE BEFORE RETURNING — EVEN ON BLOCKED.
 
 ### Phase 0 — Branch setup (always first)
 
-1. `git fetch origin main`
-2. If a branch named `iter/<iter_id>` already exists locally
+1. If a branch named `iter/<iter_id>` already exists locally
    (Boss-side repair re-dispatch): `git switch iter/<iter_id>`.
-   Otherwise: `git switch -c iter/<iter_id> origin/main`.
-3. Record `pre_iter_sha = $(git rev-parse HEAD)` for the end-report.
-4. Create scratch dir: `mkdir -p /tmp/ail-iter/<iter_id>`.
+   Otherwise: `git switch -c iter/<iter_id> main`. Branching from
+   local `main` (not `origin/main`) is deliberate — the Boss
+   commits the plan and spec to local main and dispatches
+   immediately, without pushing first; `origin/main` may lag.
+2. Record `pre_iter_sha = $(git rev-parse HEAD)` for the end-report.
+3. Create scratch dir: `mkdir -p /tmp/ail-iter/<iter_id>`.
 
 ### Phase 1 — Load context (mode-dependent)