diff --git a/cmd/gh-actions-lock/run.go b/cmd/gh-actions-lock/run.go
index 547d588..6fd5626 100644
--- a/cmd/gh-actions-lock/run.go
+++ b/cmd/gh-actions-lock/run.go
@@ -399,7 +399,7 @@ func runCheck(cmd *cobra.Command, opts *checkOptions, newResolver resolverFunc)
 	// Commit: write all changes to disk atomically (fast local I/O, no
 	// spinner label — it finishes before the user could read one).
 	endCommit := prof.Phase("pin.Commit (disk writes)")
-	if err := pin.Commit(ctx, record, store, nil); err != nil {
+	if err := pin.Commit(ctx, record, store, &pin.CommitOptions{SkipNewWorkflowEntries: noOnboardFlag(cmd)}); err != nil {
 		console.StopProgress()
 		return fmt.Errorf("committing pins: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/pin/commit.go b/internal/pin/commit.go
index bd3e900..53fe79e 100644
--- a/internal/pin/commit.go
+++ b/internal/pin/commit.go
@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ import (
 type CommitOptions struct {
 	// OnProgress is called at each phase boundary. Nil means no progress.
 	OnProgress func(phase string)
+	// SkipNewWorkflowEntries forces the Commit phase to skip workflows with no existing lockfile entry.
+	SkipNewWorkflowEntries bool
 }
 
 // Commit writes a planned Record to disk: rewrites workflow files and
@@ -29,6 +31,15 @@ func Commit(ctx context.Context, rec *Record, store *lockfile.State, copts *Comm
 	if copts != nil && copts.OnProgress != nil {
 		progress = copts.OnProgress
 	}
+	if copts != nil && copts.SkipNewWorkflowEntries {
+		workflows := rec.Workflows[:0]
+		for _, wp := range rec.Workflows {
+			if store.HasWorkflow(workflowfile.KeyFromPath(wp.Path)) {
+				workflows = append(workflows, wp)
+			}
+		}
+		rec.Workflows = workflows
+	}
 
 	// Phase 1: Rewrite workflow files (uses: line changes).
 	if len(rec.Workflows) > 0 {
@@ -67,7 +78,7 @@ func Commit(ctx context.Context, rec *Record, store *lockfile.State, copts *Comm
 		wfPath := wp.Path
 		wfKey := workflowfile.KeyFromPath(wfPath)
 		deps := pinnedByWorkflow[wfPath]
-		if len(deps) == 0 && !store.HasWorkflow(wfKey) {
+		if len(deps) == 0 && !store.HasWorkflow(wfKey) && wp.ResolveErr != nil {
 			continue
 		}
 		parentMap := buildParentMap(rec, wfPath)
diff --git a/internal/pin/commit_test.go b/internal/pin/commit_test.go
index fda34b8..9630b39 100644
--- a/internal/pin/commit_test.go
+++ b/internal/pin/commit_test.go
@@ -109,6 +109,90 @@ func TestBuildDirectKeys(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NotContains(t, keys, "g/h@v4", "investigate should be excluded")
 }
 
+func TestCommitDependencyFreeWorkflow(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name                   string
+		resolveErr             error
+		skipNewWorkflowEntries bool
+		wantEntry              bool
+	}{
+		{"records empty entry", nil, false, true},
+		{"skips unresolved workflow", assert.AnError, false, false},
+		{"skips onboarding", nil, true, false},
+	}
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			dir := t.TempDir()
+			workflowPath := filepath.Join(".github", "workflows", "ci.yml")
+			require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(dir, filepath.Dir(workflowPath)), 0o755))
+			require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(dir, workflowPath), []byte("on: push\n"), 0o644))
+			t.Chdir(dir)
+
+			store, err := lockfile.LoadState(dir, fakeMeta{})
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			rec := &Record{Workflows: []WorkflowPlan{{Path: workflowPath, ResolveErr: tt.resolveErr}}}
+
+			require.NoError(t, Commit(context.Background(), rec, store, &CommitOptions{SkipNewWorkflowEntries: tt.skipNewWorkflowEntries}))
+			assert.Equal(t, tt.wantEntry, store.HasWorkflow(workflowPath))
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCommitPartialResolution(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	workflowPath := filepath.Join(".github", "workflows", "ci.yml")
+	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(dir, filepath.Dir(workflowPath)), 0o755))
+	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(dir, workflowPath), []byte("on: push\n"), 0o644))
+	t.Chdir(dir)
+
+	store, err := lockfile.LoadState(dir, fakeMeta{})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	rec := &Record{
+		Entries: []Entry{{
+			NWO: "actions/checkout", Ref: "v4", SHA: strings.Repeat("a", 40),
+			Resolution: Pinned, Workflows: []string{workflowPath}, Direct: true,
+		}},
+		Workflows: []WorkflowPlan{{Path: workflowPath, ResolveErr: assert.AnError}},
+	}
+
+	require.NoError(t, Commit(context.Background(), rec, store, nil))
+	deps, err := store.Get(workflowPath)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Len(t, deps, 1)
+}
+
+func TestCommitSkipNewWorkflowEntriesPreventsRewrites(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	workflowPath := filepath.Join(".github", "workflows", "ci.yml")
+	actionPath := filepath.Join(".github", "actions", "local", "action.yml")
+	oldUses := "actions/checkout@" + strings.Repeat("a", 40)
+	newUses := "actions/checkout@v4.2.0"
+	workflowContent := []byte("on: push\njobs:\n  test:\n    runs-on: ubuntu-latest\n    steps:\n      - uses: " + oldUses + "\n")
+	actionContent := []byte("name: local\nruns:\n  using: composite\n  steps:\n    - uses: " + oldUses + "\n")
+	for path, content := range map[string][]byte{workflowPath: workflowContent, actionPath: actionContent} {
+		require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(dir, filepath.Dir(path)), 0o755))
+		require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(dir, path), content, 0o644))
+	}
+	t.Chdir(dir)
+
+	store, err := lockfile.LoadState(dir, fakeMeta{})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	rec := &Record{Workflows: []WorkflowPlan{{
+		Path:            workflowPath,
+		Rewrites:        map[string]string{oldUses: newUses},
+		SelfActionFiles: []string{actionPath},
+	}}}
+
+	require.NoError(t, Commit(context.Background(), rec, store, &CommitOptions{SkipNewWorkflowEntries: true}))
+	workflowAfter, err := os.ReadFile(workflowPath)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	actionAfter, err := os.ReadFile(actionPath)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Equal(t, workflowContent, workflowAfter)
+	assert.Equal(t, actionContent, actionAfter)
+	assert.False(t, store.HasWorkflow(workflowPath))
+}
+
 func TestCommitRemovesDependenciesDroppedFromWorkflow(t *testing.T) {
 	dir := t.TempDir()
 	workflowPath := filepath.Join(".github", "workflows", "ci.yml")
diff --git a/internal/pin/plan.go b/internal/pin/plan.go
index f9c2460..8dee610 100644
--- a/internal/pin/plan.go
+++ b/internal/pin/plan.go
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ type planResult struct {
 func planWorkflow(ctx context.Context, wr checks.WorkflowReport, opts PlanOptions, status func(string)) (planResult, error) {
 	var entries []Entry
 	var wplans []WorkflowPlan
-	if wr.SkipCommit {
+	if wr.SkipCommit || wr.BlockingResolverError {
 		return planResult{entries: verifiedEntries(wr.Inventory, wr.Path)}, nil
 	}
 	for _, finding := range wr.Findings {
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ func planWorkflow(ctx context.Context, wr checks.WorkflowReport, opts PlanOption
 	if resolveErr != nil {
 		entries = append(entries, unresolvedEntries(wr, unrecordedRefs, deps, resolveErr)...)
 		if len(deps) == 0 {
-			wplans = append(wplans, WorkflowPlan{Path: wr.Path, SelfActionFiles: wr.SelfActionFiles})
+			wplans = append(wplans, WorkflowPlan{Path: wr.Path, SelfActionFiles: wr.SelfActionFiles, ResolveErr: resolveErr})
 			return planResult{entries: entries, wplans: wplans}, nil
 		}
 		// Fall through with partial deps to pin what we can.
@@ -295,10 +295,11 @@ func planWorkflow(ctx context.Context, wr checks.WorkflowReport, opts PlanOption
 			Path:            wr.Path,
 			Rewrites:        rewrites,
 			SelfActionFiles: wr.SelfActionFiles,
+			ResolveErr:      resolveErr,
 		})
 	} else if len(wplans) == 0 {
 		// Keep the workflow in the plan so its lockfile entry is updated.
-		wplans = append(wplans, WorkflowPlan{Path: wr.Path, SelfActionFiles: wr.SelfActionFiles})
+		wplans = append(wplans, WorkflowPlan{Path: wr.Path, SelfActionFiles: wr.SelfActionFiles, ResolveErr: resolveErr})
 	}
 
 	// Build entries for all pinned deps (skip any already emitted from inventory).
diff --git a/internal/pin/plan_test.go b/internal/pin/plan_test.go
index 3e6d6e6..60a812d 100644
--- a/internal/pin/plan_test.go
+++ b/internal/pin/plan_test.go
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ import (
 
 	parserlock "github.com/github/actions-lockfile/go/pkg/lockfile"
 	"github.com/github/gh-actions-lock/internal/ghapi/httpmock"
-	"github.com/github/gh-actions-lock/internal/lockfile"
 	"github.com/github/gh-actions-lock/internal/pinpool"
 	"github.com/github/gh-actions-lock/internal/resolve"
 	"github.com/github/gh-actions-lock/internal/tag"
@@ -196,6 +195,8 @@ func TestPlanWorkflow_PartialResolutionFailure(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Len(t, pinned, 1, "expected exactly one pinned entry")
 	assert.Equal(t, "good/action", pinned[0].NWO)
 	assert.Equal(t, goodSHA, pinned[0].SHA)
+	require.Len(t, result.wplans, 1)
+	assert.Error(t, result.wplans[0].ResolveErr)
 }
 
 // TestPlanWorkflow_AllResolutionsFail verifies that when ALL refs in a
@@ -249,6 +250,8 @@ func TestPlanWorkflow_AllResolutionsFail(t *testing.T) {
 		assert.Equal(t, Unresolved, e.Resolution, "expected %s to be Unresolved", e.NWO)
 		assert.Contains(t, e.Reason, "not found")
 	}
+	require.Len(t, result.wplans, 1)
+	assert.Error(t, result.wplans[0].ResolveErr)
 }
 
 func newTransitivePlanFixture(t *testing.T, compSHA, transSHA string) (*resolve.Resolver, *pinpool.Pool, *tag.Lister) {
@@ -615,6 +618,18 @@ func TestPlanExcludesLoadFailuresFromCommit(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Equal(t, blocked.Path, record.Entries[0].Workflows[0])
 }
 
+func TestPlanExcludesBlockingResolverErrorsFromCommit(t *testing.T) {
+	record, err := Plan(context.Background(), &checks.Report{
+		Workflows: []checks.WorkflowReport{{
+			Path:                  ".github/workflows/ci.yml",
+			BlockingResolverError: true,
+		}},
+	}, PlanOptions{Pool: pinpool.New(2, nil)})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	assert.Empty(t, record.Workflows)
+}
+
 func TestPlanWorkflow_SelfRepositoryDependencyIsNotRewrittenOnFastPath(t *testing.T) {
 	const sha = "abc1230000000000000000000000000000000000"
 
@@ -798,7 +813,7 @@ func TestNoNarrow_BareSHA(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 
 	t.Run("partial scan rejects unrecorded shared action rewrite", func(t *testing.T) {
-		resolver, tagger, wr, _ := newSlowPathFixtures(t, false)
+		resolver, tagger, wr, _ := newSlowPathFixtures(t)
 		wr.SelfActionRefs = append([]parserlock.ActionRef(nil), wr.ActionRefs...)
 
 		_, err := planWorkflow(context.Background(), wr, PlanOptions{
diff --git a/internal/pin/record.go b/internal/pin/record.go
index ad32246..2669039 100644
--- a/internal/pin/record.go
+++ b/internal/pin/record.go
@@ -50,6 +50,8 @@ type Entry struct {
 type WorkflowPlan struct {
 	Path     string
 	Rewrites map[string]string
+	// ResolveErr preserves the error returned by ResolveAllRecursive.
+	ResolveErr error
 	// SelfActionFiles are in-repo action definition files reached from this
 	// workflow through `$/…`. The same rewrites apply to their `uses:` lines.
 	SelfActionFiles []string
diff --git a/internal/pipeline/checks/finding.go b/internal/pipeline/checks/finding.go
index 0d82da9..9c88425 100644
--- a/internal/pipeline/checks/finding.go
+++ b/internal/pipeline/checks/finding.go
@@ -65,6 +65,8 @@ type WorkflowReport struct {
 	Findings []Finding
 	// SkipCommit prevents terminal parse failures from entering the write phase.
 	SkipCommit bool
+	// BlockingResolverError indicates that diagnosis classified a resolver error as blocking.
+	BlockingResolverError bool
 	// ActionRefs are all remote dependency roots attributed to the workflow,
 	// including refs found inside in-repo `$/…` actions.
 	ActionRefs []parserlock.ActionRef
diff --git a/internal/pipeline/diagnose.go b/internal/pipeline/diagnose.go
index ac715eb..e1eab49 100644
--- a/internal/pipeline/diagnose.go
+++ b/internal/pipeline/diagnose.go
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ func diagnoseOneParsed(ctx context.Context, pw checks.ParsedWorkflow, r *resolve
 				blockingResolverError = true
 			}
 			if blockingResolverError {
+				wr.BlockingResolverError = true
 				return wr
 			}
 			// Low: we're surfacing the resolver failure itself, not a