diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index a96f64f..d720c8a 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -78,8 +78,11 @@ pnpm run test-demo                # demo App against OT&E — needs credentials
   `build` (build tooling), `chore`, `docs`, `test`, `refactor`.
 - **Breaking changes:** add `BREAKING CHANGE: <summary>` to the commit body after a blank
   line, and document the consumer upgrade path in the same change.
-- **Branch creation:** `git checkout master && git pull --ff-only` before `git checkout -b`
-  — never branch from a stale local default branch or another feature branch.
+- **Branch creation:** before creating a branch, and again after any PR merges,
+  run `git checkout master && git pull --ff-only` first — it brings in the
+  merged commits and their release tags. Never branch from a stale local
+  `master`, from `origin/master` (it becomes the new branch's upstream) or from
+  another feature branch.
 - **Branch naming:** prefix with the Jira issue ID — `RSRMID-1234-short-description`.
 - **Pull requests:** include the Jira issue link in the description; after opening, add the
   PR URL as a comment on the Jira issue.