diff --git a/cmd/ninja/cmd/plugin.go b/cmd/ninja/cmd/plugin.go
index cb39b7c..c3437b3 100644
--- a/cmd/ninja/cmd/plugin.go
+++ b/cmd/ninja/cmd/plugin.go
@@ -76,29 +76,25 @@ func newPluginInitCmd() *cobra.Command {
 				}
 			}
 
-			resp, err := cli.Reg.CreatePlugin(ctx, connect.NewRequest(&v1.CreatePluginRequest{
+			if _, err := cli.Reg.CreatePlugin(ctx, connect.NewRequest(&v1.CreatePluginRequest{
 				ScopeSlug: scopeAPISlug(scope), Name: name, Description: "",
-			}))
-			if err != nil {
+			})); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 			fmt.Printf("\nCreated %s/%s\n", scope, name)
-			fmt.Printf("  Git remote: %s\n", resp.Msg.GitRemoteUrl)
-
-			if _, err := os.Stat(".git"); err == nil {
-				_ = runCmd("git", "remote", "remove", "ninja")
-				if err := runCmd("git", "remote", "add", "ninja", resp.Msg.GitRemoteUrl); err != nil {
-					return fmt.Errorf("git remote add: %w", err)
-				}
-				fmt.Println("Added git remote 'ninja'")
-			} else {
-				fmt.Println("Not in a git repo - skipped adding remote")
-			}
 
 			if err := upsertPluginMod(scope, name); err != nil {
 				return err
 			}
 			fmt.Println("plugin.mod updated")
+
+			if _, err := os.Stat(".git"); err == nil {
+				if err := autoCommitPluginMod(); err != nil {
+					fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "warning: could not commit plugin.mod: %v\n", err)
+				}
+			} else {
+				fmt.Println("Not in a git repo - run `git init` before `ninja plugin publish`")
+			}
 			return nil
 		},
 	}
@@ -509,3 +505,23 @@ func writeMod(path string, m *core.ModFile) error {
 	}
 	return os.WriteFile(path, []byte(b.String()), 0o644)
 }
+
+// autoCommitPluginMod stages and commits plugin.mod if it differs from
+// what's already at HEAD. No-op when there's nothing to commit.
+func autoCommitPluginMod() error {
+	out, err := exec.Command("git", "status", "--porcelain", "plugin.mod").Output()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("git status: %w", err)
+	}
+	if strings.TrimSpace(string(out)) == "" {
+		return nil
+	}
+	if err := runCmd("git", "add", "plugin.mod"); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := runCmd("git", "commit", "-m", "Add plugin.mod"); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	fmt.Println("Committed plugin.mod")
+	return nil
+}