diff --git a/nanobot/cli/commands.py b/nanobot/cli/commands.py
index 25a230d6..e23e0422 100644
--- a/nanobot/cli/commands.py
+++ b/nanobot/cli/commands.py
@@ -181,6 +181,20 @@ def _advance_dream_cursor_if_behind(memory: Any) -> None:
         memory.set_last_dream_cursor(latest)
 
 
+def _commit_dream_changes(memory: Any) -> str | None:
+    """Commit durable Dream edits, without entering the commit path for a no-op run."""
+    if not memory.git.is_initialized():
+        return None
+    diff_body = memory.dream_content_diff()
+    if not diff_body:
+        return None
+    message = memory.build_dream_commit_message(
+        "dream: periodic memory consolidation",
+        diff_body,
+    )
+    return memory.git.auto_commit(message)
+
+
 class SafeFileHistory(FileHistory):
     """FileHistory subclass that sanitizes surrogate characters on write.
 
@@ -1508,7 +1522,6 @@ def _run_gateway(
             from nanobot.agent.memory import MemoryStore
 
             dream_session_key = MemoryStore.dream_session_key
-            build_dream_commit_message = MemoryStore.build_dream_commit_message
             prune_dream_sessions = MemoryStore.prune_dream_sessions
 
             store = agent.context.memory
@@ -1537,13 +1550,6 @@ def _run_gateway(
                 if productive:
                     store.set_last_dream_cursor(last_cursor)
                     logger.info("Dream cron job completed, cursor advanced to {}", last_cursor)
-                    if store.git.is_initialized():
-                        msg = build_dream_commit_message(
-                            "dream: periodic memory consolidation", diff_body,
-                        )
-                        sha = store.git.auto_commit(msg)
-                        if sha:
-                            logger.info("Dream commit: {}", sha)
                 elif MemoryStore.dream_run_completed(resp):
                     logger.info(
                         "Dream cron job completed with no memory changes; "
@@ -1564,6 +1570,9 @@ def _run_gateway(
                     source="dream",
                     timezone_name=config.agents.defaults.timezone,
                 )
+                sha = _commit_dream_changes(store)
+                if sha:
+                    logger.info("Dream commit: {}", sha)
                 store.compact_history()
                 prune_dream_sessions(agent.sessions.sessions_dir)
             return None
diff --git a/tests/agent/test_dream.py b/tests/agent/test_dream.py
index 04d355b7..7b3f41e5 100644
--- a/tests/agent/test_dream.py
+++ b/tests/agent/test_dream.py
@@ -654,53 +654,6 @@ class TestDreamCommitMessage:
             == "dream: x\n\nSOUL.md: +1 -0"
         )
 
-    def test_productive_gate_skips_commit_when_no_content_change(self, tmp_path):
-        """When no content files changed, there should be no auto_commit. 
-        In the old code, auto_commit ran unconditionally
-        in the finally block; now it only runs when productive is True."""
-        from unittest.mock import MagicMock
-
-        store = MemoryStore(tmp_path)
-        store.write_soul("# Soul")
-        store.write_memory("# Memory")
-        store.git.init()
-        store.git.auto_commit("initial")
-
-        assert store.dream_content_diff() == ""
-
-        original = store.git.auto_commit
-        store.git.auto_commit = MagicMock(wraps=original)
-
-        # Exact productive gate pattern from the cron handler (commands.py):
-        diff_body = store.dream_content_diff()
-        productive = bool(diff_body)  # git is initialized
-        if productive and store.git.is_initialized():
-            store.git.auto_commit("dream: periodic memory consolidation")
-
-        store.git.auto_commit.assert_not_called()
-
-    def test_productive_gate_allows_commit_on_content_change(self, tmp_path):
-        """The productive gate must perform auto_commit when content files changed."""
-        from unittest.mock import MagicMock
-
-        store = MemoryStore(tmp_path)
-        store.write_soul("# Soul")
-        store.write_memory("# Memory")
-        store.git.init()
-        store.git.auto_commit("initial")
-
-        store.write_memory("# Memory\n- Research notes")
-
-        original = store.git.auto_commit
-        store.git.auto_commit = MagicMock(wraps=original)
-
-        diff_body = store.dream_content_diff()
-        productive = bool(diff_body)
-        if productive and store.git.is_initialized():
-            store.git.auto_commit("dream: periodic memory consolidation")
-
-        store.git.auto_commit.assert_called_once()
-
 
 class TestDreamContentDiff:
     """The ground-truth signal that gates cursor advance and commit messages."""
diff --git a/tests/cli/test_commands.py b/tests/cli/test_commands.py
index 7d6232ef..3d6fbbe5 100644
--- a/tests/cli/test_commands.py
+++ b/tests/cli/test_commands.py
@@ -155,6 +155,36 @@ def test_disabled_dream_cursor_only_advances_when_behind(tmp_path) -> None:
     assert store.get_last_dream_cursor() == 10
 
 
+def test_commit_dream_changes_skips_noop_run(tmp_path) -> None:
+    store = MemoryStore(tmp_path)
+    store.write_soul("# Soul")
+    store.write_memory("# Memory")
+    store.git.init()
+    store.git.auto_commit("initial")
+    store.git.auto_commit = MagicMock(wraps=store.git.auto_commit)
+
+    assert cli_commands._commit_dream_changes(store) is None
+    store.git.auto_commit.assert_not_called()
+
+
+def test_commit_dream_changes_commits_real_edits(tmp_path) -> None:
+    store = MemoryStore(tmp_path)
+    store.write_soul("# Soul")
+    store.write_memory("# Memory")
+    store.git.init()
+    store.git.auto_commit("initial")
+    store.write_memory("# Memory\n- Research notes")
+    store.git.auto_commit = MagicMock(wraps=store.git.auto_commit)
+
+    sha = cli_commands._commit_dream_changes(store)
+
+    assert sha is not None
+    store.git.auto_commit.assert_called_once()
+    message = store.git.auto_commit.call_args.args[0]
+    assert message.startswith("dream: periodic memory consolidation\n\n")
+    assert "Research notes" in message
+
+
 @pytest.fixture
 def mock_paths():
     """Mock config/workspace paths for test isolation."""