diff --git a/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index 4bd0632..758ca88 100644
--- a/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 ---
 # See https://pre-commit.com for more information
 # Run: uvx pre-commit run --all-files
-# Install: uvx pre-commit install
+# Install: uvx pre-commit install && uvx pre-commit install --hook-type commit-msg
 
 repos:
   # General file hygiene
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ repos:
         language: system
         always_run: true
         pass_filenames: false
+        stages: [commit-msg]
 
   # Documentation validation
   - repo: local
diff --git a/docs/how-to/agent-change-process.md b/docs/how-to/agent-change-process.md
index e531237..fe7219a 100644
--- a/docs/how-to/agent-change-process.md
+++ b/docs/how-to/agent-change-process.md
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ C2(deploy-authentik): close configure-postgres
 C2(deploy-authentik): finalize rewrite cards as historical documentation
 ```
 
-The `mikado-branch-invariant-check` pre-commit hook validates this convention and the invariant ordering.
+The `mikado-branch-invariant-check` commit-msg hook validates this convention and the invariant ordering.
 
 ### Process
 
@@ -260,7 +260,7 @@ tags:
 | `mise run docs-mikado --resume` | Resume a chain: detect branch, show state and next steps |
 | `mise run docs-mikado --resume <chain>` | Resume a specific chain with branch consistency check |
 
-The `mikado-branch-invariant-check` pre-commit hook runs automatically on `mikado/*` branches, validating commit message conventions and invariant ordering.
+The `mikado-branch-invariant-check` commit-msg hook runs automatically on `mikado/*` branches, validating commit message conventions and invariant ordering. Requires `uvx pre-commit install --hook-type commit-msg`.
 
 ## Related
 
diff --git a/mise-tasks/mikado-branch-invariant-check b/mise-tasks/mikado-branch-invariant-check
index 80e3a8d..ee8a370 100755
--- a/mise-tasks/mikado-branch-invariant-check
+++ b/mise-tasks/mikado-branch-invariant-check
@@ -6,11 +6,18 @@
 #MISE description="Validate Mikado Branch Invariant on mikado/* branches"
 """Validate the Mikado Branch Invariant for C2 change branches.
 
-Runs as a pre-commit hook on mikado/* branches. Checks:
+Runs as a commit-msg hook on mikado/* branches. Receives the commit message
+file as its first argument, classifies the incoming commit, appends it to the
+existing branch history, and validates the full sequence.
+
+Checks:
 1. All commits follow the C2(<chain>): <verb> <description> convention
 2. The invariant ordering is maintained: plan commits come before impl/close
 3. No plan commits appear after any impl or close commits
 4. Close commits don't appear before impl commits in the same cycle
+5. The chain stem in commit messages matches the branch name
+
+Can also be run standalone (no arguments) to validate existing branch history.
 
 Exit code 0 if valid (or not on a mikado/* branch), 1 if violations found.
 """
@@ -71,6 +78,29 @@ def get_branch_commits(branch: str) -> list[dict]:
     return commits
 
 
+def parse_commit_message(msg_path: str) -> str:
+    """Read and return the first line of a commit message file."""
+    with open(msg_path) as f:
+        for line in f:
+            line = line.strip()
+            if line and not line.startswith("#"):
+                return line
+    return ""
+
+
+def make_pending_commit(subject: str) -> dict:
+    """Create a pseudo-commit dict for the incoming (not yet created) commit."""
+    match = C2_COMMIT_RE.match(subject)
+    return {
+        "sha": "(pending)",
+        "subject": subject,
+        "chain": match.group(1) if match else None,
+        "verb": match.group(2) if match else None,
+        "description": match.group(3) if match else None,
+        "conventional": match is not None,
+    }
+
+
 def check_invariant(commits: list[dict], chain_stem: str) -> list[str]:
     """Check the Mikado Branch Invariant. Returns list of violation messages."""
     errors: list[str] = []
@@ -136,6 +166,13 @@ def main() -> None:
     chain_stem = branch.removeprefix("mikado/")
     commits = get_branch_commits(branch)
 
+    # If called with a commit message file (commit-msg hook), include the
+    # pending commit in the validation
+    if len(sys.argv) > 1:
+        subject = parse_commit_message(sys.argv[1])
+        if subject:
+            commits.append(make_pending_commit(subject))
+
     if not commits:
         # No commits on branch yet — valid (length-zero case)
         sys.exit(0)