diff --git a/svn_mirror/gitea.py b/svn_mirror/gitea.py
index 19c27db..cf13f25 100644
--- a/svn_mirror/gitea.py
+++ b/svn_mirror/gitea.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import logging
 import os
 import subprocess
 from pathlib import Path
-from typing import Dict, Optional
+from typing import Optional
 
 from .mirror import Mirror
 
@@ -52,10 +52,11 @@ def _git(*args: str, timeout: int = 300, check: bool = True) -> str:
 
 
 def push_to_gitea(mirror: Mirror) -> bool:
-    """Sync canonical refs to Gitea's bare repo via direct ref updates.
+    """Sync canonical → Gitea via ``git fetch`` from Gitea's side.
 
-    Uses ``git update-ref`` to bypass Gitea's pre-receive hook, then
-    fires Gitea's ``post-receive`` hook manually so the UI refreshes.
+    ``git fetch`` transfers objects + updates refs without triggering
+    Gitea's ``pre-receive`` hook, then fires ``post-receive`` manually
+    for the UI to refresh.
 
     Returns True if anything changed.
     """
@@ -66,49 +67,50 @@ def push_to_gitea(mirror: Mirror) -> bool:
 
     canonical = str(mirror.canonical_dir)
 
-    # Collect canonical refs
-    out = _git("--git-dir", canonical, "for-each-ref",
+    # Grab old refs so we can detect what changed
+    old_refs: Dict[str, str] = {}
+    out = _git("--git-dir", str(gitea_path), "for-each-ref",
                "--format=%(objectname) %(refname)",
                "refs/heads/", "refs/tags/",
                timeout=30, check=False)
-    canonical_refs: Dict[str, str] = {}
     for line in (out or "").splitlines():
         line = line.strip()
         if not line:
             continue
-        obj_hash, ref = line.split(None, 1)
-        canonical_refs[ref] = obj_hash
+        h, r = line.split(None, 1)
+        old_refs[r] = h
 
+    # Gitea fetches from canonical — this transfers objects + refs,
+    # and DOES NOT trigger Gitea's pre-receive hook.
+    _git(
+        "--git-dir", str(gitea_path), "fetch", "--prune",
+        canonical,
+        "+refs/heads/*:refs/heads/*",
+        "+refs/tags/*:refs/tags/*",
+        timeout=300,
+    )
+
+    # Build the changelist for post-receive
     changed: list = []
-    for ref, obj_hash in canonical_refs.items():
-        gitea_hash = _git("--git-dir", str(gitea_path), "rev-parse",
-                          "--verify", "--quiet", ref,
-                          timeout=15, check=False)
-        if obj_hash != gitea_hash:
-            if gitea_hash:
-                _git("--git-dir", str(gitea_path), "update-ref", ref,
-                     obj_hash, gitea_hash, timeout=15)
-            else:
-                _git("--git-dir", str(gitea_path), "update-ref", ref,
-                     obj_hash, timeout=15)
-            changed.append((gitea_hash or "0" * 40, obj_hash, ref))
-            logger.debug("Updated %s in Gitea", ref)
-
-    # Prune refs in Gitea not in canonical
-    gitea_out = _git("--git-dir", str(gitea_path), "for-each-ref",
-                     "--format=%(objectname) %(refname)",
-                     "refs/heads/", "refs/tags/",
-                     timeout=30, check=False)
-    for line in (gitea_out or "").splitlines():
+    cur_refs: dict = {}
+    out = _git("--git-dir", str(gitea_path), "for-each-ref",
+               "--format=%(objectname) %(refname)",
+               "refs/heads/", "refs/tags/",
+               timeout=30, check=False)
+    for line in (out or "").splitlines():
         line = line.strip()
         if not line:
             continue
-        obj_hash, ref = line.split(None, 1)
-        if ref not in canonical_refs:
-            _git("--git-dir", str(gitea_path), "update-ref", "-d", ref,
-                 obj_hash, timeout=15)
-            changed.append((obj_hash, "0" * 40, ref))
-            logger.debug("Pruned %s from Gitea", ref)
+        h, r = line.split(None, 1)
+        cur_refs[r] = h
+        old = old_refs.get(r, "0" * 40)
+        if h != old:
+            changed.append((old, h, r))
+
+    # Detect deletions (refs present before fetch but gone now)
+    for r, old_h in old_refs.items():
+        if r not in cur_refs:
+            changed.append((old_h, "0" * 40, r))
 
     if not changed:
         logger.debug("No new commits to push to Gitea")