diff --git a/docs/security.md b/docs/security.md
index 58655c0..40542b6 100644
--- a/docs/security.md
+++ b/docs/security.md
@@ -69,6 +69,13 @@ already took arbitrary text, so a renderer that wanted to write something
 neither side said could always do it. Editing widens what the READER can
 express, not what the surface accepts.
 
+The index also decides which marker blocks are REAL. A document about merge
+conflicts carries marker-shaped lines of its own, and the parser cannot tell
+them from git's — offering one as a decision dropped half the document. git
+never writes markers into the index, so a block that appears verbatim in a
+pristine side is prose and stays put. With no index there is nothing to check
+against and nothing is demoted: guessing would drop a real conflict.
+
 The three inputs are read out of git's index (`:1:`/`:2:`/`:3:`) through the
 same argv fence as any other git call — fixed vectors, `--end-of-options`, the
 path checked as `readBlobArgs` checks it, and the stage one of three integers
diff --git a/e2e/merge-resolve.spec.mjs b/e2e/merge-resolve.spec.mjs
index 3348a54..c95b526 100644
--- a/e2e/merge-resolve.spec.mjs
+++ b/e2e/merge-resolve.spec.mjs
@@ -650,3 +650,69 @@ test('answers a region again after undoing a Neither', async () => {
     rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true })
   }
 })
+
+// A document ABOUT merge conflicts carries marker-shaped lines of its own. The
+// parser cannot tell them from git's, so the view offered them as a decision and
+// answering it dropped half the document — silently, because the result pane
+// shows no markers to notice by. git never writes markers into the index, so the
+// pristine sides settle which blocks it actually wrote.
+test('leaves marker-shaped prose alone and offers only the real conflict', async () => {
+  const dir = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'diffbro-merge-prose-'))
+  const env = {
+    ...process.env,
+    GIT_AUTHOR_NAME: 'T',
+    GIT_AUTHOR_EMAIL: 't@e',
+    GIT_COMMITTER_NAME: 'T',
+    GIT_COMMITTER_EMAIL: 't@e'
+  }
+  const git = (...args) => execFileSync('git', args, { cwd: dir, env })
+  const file = join(dir, 'doc.md')
+  // The markers are BUILT here rather than written literally, so this spec is
+  // not itself a file full of conflict markers.
+  const example = [
+    '<'.repeat(7) + ' HEAD',
+    'the left side',
+    '='.repeat(7),
+    'the right side',
+    '>'.repeat(7) + ' other'
+  ]
+  const doc = (setting) =>
+    ['# how a conflict looks', '', ...example, '', `setting = ${setting}`, 'trailer', ''].join('\n')
+
+  git('init', '-q', '-b', 'main')
+  writeFileSync(file, doc('base'))
+  git('add', '.')
+  git('commit', '-qm', 'base')
+  git('checkout', '-qb', 'feature')
+  writeFileSync(file, doc('theirs'))
+  git('commit', '-qam', 'theirs')
+  git('checkout', '-q', 'main')
+  writeFileSync(file, doc('ours'))
+  git('commit', '-qam', 'ours')
+  try {
+    git('merge', 'feature')
+  } catch {
+    // Expected.
+  }
+
+  const userDataDir = freshUserDataDir()
+  const app = await launchApp(userDataDir)
+  const page = await firstReadyPage(app)
+  try {
+    await runMergetool(userDataDir, dir, file)
+    await expect(page.locator('.merge-view')).toBeVisible({ timeout: 20000 })
+
+    // One decision, not two: the document's own example is not one.
+    await expect(page.locator('.merge-count')).toHaveText('1 conflict left')
+
+    await page.getByTestId('merge-take-theirs').click()
+    await page.getByTestId('merge-save').click()
+    await expect(page.locator('.merge-view')).toHaveCount(0, { timeout: 10000 })
+
+    // The document survives intact, markers and both of its sides.
+    expect(readFileSync(file, 'utf8')).toBe(doc('theirs'))
+  } finally {
+    await app.close().catch(() => {})
+    rmSync(dir, { recursive: true, force: true })
+  }
+})
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/features/merge/mergePaneOps.js b/src/renderer/src/features/merge/mergePaneOps.js
index d64cde8..51ada22 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/features/merge/mergePaneOps.js
+++ b/src/renderer/src/features/merge/mergePaneOps.js
@@ -6,8 +6,6 @@ import * as monaco from 'monaco-editor'
 import { gutterAnchors } from './mergeGutter'
 import { applyChoice, touchedIndexes, wholeLines } from './mergeEdits'
 import { regionOptions, rulerColors, sideDecorations } from './mergeDecorations'
-import { initialRanges } from './threeWay'
-import { parseConflicts } from '../../utils/mergeConflicts'
 
 export const SIDES = ['ours', 'result', 'theirs']
 
@@ -69,7 +67,7 @@ export function repaint({ editors, merge, ids, anchors }) {
 // The regions start where our side put them; from here the editor keeps the
 // ranges right and nothing re-parses the text.
 export function seedRegions({ editors, merge, ids, settled }) {
-  const ranges = initialRanges(parseConflicts(merge.rawContent))
+  const ranges = merge.regionLines
   const colors = rulerColors()
   const model = editors.result.getModel()
   ids.result = editors.result.deltaDecorations(
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/features/merge/mergeStore.js b/src/renderer/src/features/merge/mergeStore.js
index 9925151..3fa2f5d 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/features/merge/mergeStore.js
+++ b/src/renderer/src/features/merge/mergeStore.js
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { defineStore } from 'pinia'
-import { parseConflicts } from '../../utils/mergeConflicts'
-import { sidesFromConflicts } from './threeWay'
+import { parseConflicts, withoutProseConflicts } from '../../utils/mergeConflicts'
+import { initialRanges, sidesFromConflicts } from './threeWay'
 
 // With no markers left in the result there is nothing for a parser to count, so
 // resolution is state rather than something re-derived from the text.
@@ -30,8 +30,8 @@ export const useMergeStore = defineStore('merge', {
     theirsName: '',
     /** The editable middle pane, marker-free from the moment it opens. */
     result: '',
-    /** What git left, kept only to seed the regions' first positions. */
-    rawContent: '',
+    /** Where each region opens, 1-based: the panes anchor their decorations here. */
+    regionLines: [],
     ours: '',
     theirs: '',
     base: null,
@@ -51,15 +51,18 @@ export const useMergeStore = defineStore('merge', {
   actions: {
     /** @param {object} payload from main: the conflicted text and both sides */
     begin(payload) {
-      const parsed = parseConflicts(payload.content)
-      this.error = parsed ? '' : 'unreadable'
+      const read = parseConflicts(payload.content)
+      this.error = read ? '' : 'unreadable'
+      // The index has the last word on which marker blocks git wrote: a document
+      // ABOUT conflicts carries its own, and they are prose, not a decision.
+      const parsed = withoutProseConflicts(read, payload.content, payload)
       this.regions = (parsed?.segments ?? [])
         .filter((seg) => seg.type === 'conflict')
         .map((seg) => ({ ours: seg.ours, theirs: seg.theirs, resolved: false }))
       // Our side stands in each conflicted place so the file is valid from the
       // start; the region is tinted unresolved until the reader confirms it.
       this.result = parsed ? sidesFromConflicts(parsed).ours : payload.content
-      this.rawContent = payload.content
+      this.regionLines = initialRanges(parsed)
       this.mixedEndings = hasMixedEndings(payload.content)
       const fallback = sidesFromConflicts(parsed)
       this.ours = payload.ours ?? fallback.ours
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/utils/mergeConflicts.js b/src/renderer/src/utils/mergeConflicts.js
index 57ffa69..bd2c8bb 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/utils/mergeConflicts.js
+++ b/src/renderer/src/utils/mergeConflicts.js
@@ -83,6 +83,48 @@ export function parseConflicts(text) {
   return { segments }
 }
 
+/**
+ * The parse with marker-shaped PROSE put back where it belongs.
+ *
+ * A document about merge conflicts contains marker lines, and the parser cannot
+ * tell them from the ones git wrote — so answering that "conflict" dropped half
+ * of it, silently, since the result pane shows no markers to notice by.
+ *
+ * git never writes markers into the index, so a block that appears verbatim in
+ * one of the pristine sides was already in the file. That is the whole test.
+ * With no sides — a mergetool run by hand — nothing is demoted: guessing here
+ * would drop a real conflict.
+ *
+ * @param {object|null} parsed from parseConflicts
+ * @param {string} text the same text it was given
+ * @param {{ours?: string, theirs?: string}} sides stages 2 and 3
+ */
+export function withoutProseConflicts(parsed, text, sides) {
+  const pristine = [sides?.ours, sides?.theirs].filter(Boolean)
+  if (!parsed || !pristine.length) return parsed
+  const raw = String(text ?? '').split(/(?<=\n)/)
+  const blockOf = (seg) => raw.slice(seg.startLine - 1, seg.endLine)
+  const isProse = (seg) =>
+    seg.type === 'conflict' && pristine.some((side) => side.includes(blockOf(seg).join('')))
+  return {
+    segments: parsed.segments.reduce((out, segment) => {
+      appendSegment(out, isProse(segment) ? stable(blockOf(segment)) : segment)
+      return out
+    }, [])
+  }
+}
+
+// Two stable runs either side of demoted prose are one run.
+function appendSegment(segments, next) {
+  const last = segments[segments.length - 1]
+  if (next.type !== 'stable' || last?.type !== 'stable') {
+    segments.push(next)
+    return
+  }
+  last.raw.push(...next.raw)
+  last.lines.push(...next.lines)
+}
+
 const conflicts = (parsed) => (parsed?.segments ?? []).filter((s) => s.type === 'conflict')
 
 /** How many regions the reader has to decide. */
diff --git a/tests/renderer/features/merge/mergePaneOps.test.js b/tests/renderer/features/merge/mergePaneOps.test.js
index 61a80e4..8fbe4d3 100644
--- a/tests/renderer/features/merge/mergePaneOps.test.js
+++ b/tests/renderer/features/merge/mergePaneOps.test.js
@@ -11,14 +11,12 @@ import {
   writeChoice
 } from '../../../../src/renderer/src/features/merge/mergePaneOps'
 
-const RAW = `head\n<<<<<<< HEAD\nreplicas: 5\n=======\nreplicas: 9\n>>>>>>> feature\ntail\n`
-
 function scene() {
   const merge = {
     at: 0,
     ours: 'head\nreplicas: 5\ntail\n',
     theirs: 'head\nreplicas: 9\ntail\n',
-    rawContent: RAW,
+    regionLines: [{ line: 2, count: 1 }],
     result: 'head\nreplicas: 5\ntail\n',
     regions: [{ ours: ['replicas: 5'], theirs: ['replicas: 9'], resolved: false }],
     markResolved(i) {
@@ -160,14 +158,12 @@ describe('reveal', () => {
 // theirs replaced the first stable line after the conflict with it. The line
 // was gone from the file git was then handed.
 describe('a region one side emptied', () => {
-  const RAW_EMPTY = `head\n<<<<<<< HEAD\n=======\nthey added this\n>>>>>>> feature\ntail\n`
-
   function emptyScene() {
     const merge = {
       at: 0,
       ours: 'head\ntail\n',
       theirs: 'head\nthey added this\ntail\n',
-      rawContent: RAW_EMPTY,
+      regionLines: [{ line: 2, count: 0 }],
       result: 'head\ntail\n',
       regions: [{ ours: [], theirs: ['they added this'], resolved: false }],
       markResolved(i) {
diff --git a/tests/renderer/utils/mergeConflicts.test.js b/tests/renderer/utils/mergeConflicts.test.js
index 0f475b2..b3578d6 100644
--- a/tests/renderer/utils/mergeConflicts.test.js
+++ b/tests/renderer/utils/mergeConflicts.test.js
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@ import {
   composeMerge,
   conflictCount,
   parseConflicts,
-  unresolvedCount
+  unresolvedCount,
+  withoutProseConflicts
 } from '../../../src/renderer/src/utils/mergeConflicts'
+import { sidesFromConflicts } from '../../../src/renderer/src/features/merge/threeWay'
 
 const FILE = [
   'top',
@@ -173,3 +175,46 @@ describe('parseConflicts — where each region sits', () => {
     expect(parseConflicts(DIFF3).segments[0].startLine).toBe(1)
   })
 })
+
+// A document ABOUT merge conflicts contains marker-shaped lines, and the parser
+// cannot tell them from the ones git wrote. Answering the prose "conflict" drops
+// half of it — silently, because the result pane shows no markers to notice.
+//
+// git never writes markers into the index, so the pristine sides settle it.
+describe('withoutProseConflicts', () => {
+  const example = ['<<<<<<< HEAD', 'the left side', '=======', 'the right side', '>>>>>>> other']
+  const real = ['<<<<<<< HEAD', 'setting = ours', '=======', 'setting = theirs', '>>>>>>> feature']
+  const merged = ['# how a conflict looks', '', ...example, '', ...real, 'trailer', ''].join('\n')
+  const ours = ['# how a conflict looks', '', ...example, '', 'setting = ours', 'trailer', ''].join(
+    '\n'
+  )
+  const theirs = ours.replace('setting = ours', 'setting = theirs')
+
+  const kept = (sides) => {
+    const parsed = withoutProseConflicts(parseConflicts(merged), merged, sides)
+    return parsed.segments.filter((s) => s.type === 'conflict')
+  }
+
+  it('keeps only the conflict git actually wrote', () => {
+    const conflicts = kept({ ours, theirs })
+    expect(conflicts).toHaveLength(1)
+    expect(conflicts[0].ours).toEqual(['setting = ours'])
+  })
+
+  it('leaves the prose block in the file, markers and all', () => {
+    const parsed = withoutProseConflicts(parseConflicts(merged), merged, { ours, theirs })
+    expect(sidesFromConflicts(parsed).ours).toBe(ours)
+  })
+
+  // No index — a mergetool run by hand — means nothing to check against, and a
+  // guess here would drop a real conflict.
+  it('changes nothing when the sides are not available', () => {
+    expect(kept({ ours: '', theirs: '' })).toHaveLength(2)
+    expect(kept({})).toHaveLength(2)
+  })
+
+  // Only THEIR side has the document; ours never had it. Still prose.
+  it('accepts a block that only one side carries', () => {
+    expect(kept({ ours: 'unrelated\n', theirs })).toHaveLength(1)
+  })
+})