diff --git a/ingestion/internal/gitea/gitea.go b/ingestion/internal/gitea/gitea.go
index a37ef16..a3a87e6 100644
--- a/ingestion/internal/gitea/gitea.go
+++ b/ingestion/internal/gitea/gitea.go
@@ -109,15 +109,19 @@ func (c *Client) WriteFile(ctx context.Context, repo, path, content string) erro
 		"message": "capture: " + path,
 		"content": base64.StdEncoding.EncodeToString([]byte(content)),
 	}
+	// Gitea contents API: POST creates a new file, PUT updates an existing
+	// one (PUT requires the current sha). Pick by whether the file exists.
+	method := http.MethodPost
 	if sha != "" {
-		payload["sha"] = sha // update in place
+		method = http.MethodPut
+		payload["sha"] = sha
 	}
-	status, body, err := c.request(ctx, http.MethodPut, cpath, payload)
+	status, body, err := c.request(ctx, method, cpath, payload)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	if status < 200 || status >= 300 {
-		return fmt.Errorf("gitea PUT %s: status %d: %s", cpath, status, strings.TrimSpace(string(body)))
+		return fmt.Errorf("gitea %s %s: status %d: %s", method, cpath, status, strings.TrimSpace(string(body)))
 	}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/ingestion/internal/gitea/gitea_test.go b/ingestion/internal/gitea/gitea_test.go
index 0f193f1..3acca29 100644
--- a/ingestion/internal/gitea/gitea_test.go
+++ b/ingestion/internal/gitea/gitea_test.go
@@ -117,18 +117,20 @@ func TestErrorPathDoesNotLeakToken(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func TestWriteFileCreatesNewFile(t *testing.T) {
-	var getPath, putPath, putBody string
+	var getPath, postPath, postBody string
 	srv := httptest.NewServer(http.HandlerFunc(func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		switch r.Method {
 		case http.MethodGet:
 			getPath = r.URL.Path
 			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusNotFound) // file does not exist yet
-		case http.MethodPut:
-			putPath = r.URL.Path
+		case http.MethodPost: // gitea contents API: POST = create
+			postPath = r.URL.Path
 			b, _ := io.ReadAll(r.Body)
-			putBody = string(b)
+			postBody = string(b)
 			w.WriteHeader(http.StatusCreated)
 			_ = json.NewEncoder(w).Encode(map[string]any{"content": map[string]any{"html_url": "https://git/x"}})
+		default:
+			t.Errorf("create must POST, got %s", r.Method)
 		}
 	}))
 	defer srv.Close()
@@ -137,10 +139,10 @@ func TestWriteFileCreatesNewFile(t *testing.T) {
 		"ai-sessions", "summaries/claude-code/2026-06/2026-06-23-x-abcd1234.md", "# Summary\n\nbody\n")
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	assert.Equal(t, "/api/v1/repos/mathias/ai-sessions/contents/summaries/claude-code/2026-06/2026-06-23-x-abcd1234.md", getPath)
-	assert.Equal(t, getPath, putPath)
+	assert.Equal(t, getPath, postPath)
 	// base64 of the content, no sha on create.
-	assert.Contains(t, putBody, "IyBTdW1tYXJ5") // base64("# Summary")
-	assert.NotContains(t, putBody, `"sha"`)
+	assert.Contains(t, postBody, "IyBTdW1tYXJ5") // base64("# Summary")
+	assert.NotContains(t, postBody, `"sha"`)
 }
 
 func TestWriteFileUpdatesExisting(t *testing.T) {