Adding

gnommo/cli.py

@@ -6221,12 +6221,16 @@ def cmd_auto(
         name = proj.name
         print(f"\n--- {name} ---")
 
-        # 1. Sync from the relay (brings the newest commits.log + inputs). Skipped
-        #    in dry-run so it stays side-effect-free — we just report intent.
-        if not dry_run and cmd_down(proj, verbose, dry_run=False) != 0:
-            print(f"  {name}: down failed")
-            failed.append((name, "down"))
-            continue
+        # 1. Sync from the relay first — this is what brings the newest commits.log
+        #    and inputs. Runs in both modes so it's always visible; in dry-run it's
+        #    cmd_down's own --dry-run (shows what it would pull, changes nothing).
+        if cmd_down(proj, verbose, dry_run=dry_run) != 0:
+            if dry_run:
+                print(f"  {name}: (dry-run) down preview unavailable — continuing")
+            else:
+                print(f"  {name}: down failed — skipping")
+                failed.append((name, "down"))
+                continue
 
         # 2. Commit trigger: is commits.log newer than what we last handled here?
         latest = _last_timestamp(_read_log_lines(proj / _COMMITS_LOG))