diff --git a/cmd/av/commit_common.go b/cmd/av/commit_common.go
index 0057de7c..2a367065 100644
--- a/cmd/av/commit_common.go
+++ b/cmd/av/commit_common.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package main
 
 import (
+	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 
 	"charm.land/bubbles/v2/spinner"
@@ -19,7 +20,17 @@ import (
 var nothingToRestackError = errors.Sentinel("nothing to restack")
 
 func runPostCommitRestack(repo *git.Repo, db meta.DB) error {
-	return uiutils.RunBubbleTea(&postCommitRestackViewModel{repo: repo, db: db})
+	vm := &postCommitRestackViewModel{repo: repo, db: db}
+	state, err := vm.createState()
+	if errors.Is(err, nothingToRestackError) {
+		fmt.Println(nothingToRestackError)
+		return nil
+	}
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	vm.state = state
+	return uiutils.RunBubbleTea(vm)
 }
 
 type postCommitRestackViewModel struct {
@@ -34,11 +45,6 @@ type postCommitRestackViewModel struct {
 }
 
 func (vm *postCommitRestackViewModel) Init() tea.Cmd {
-	var err error
-	vm.state, err = vm.createState()
-	if err != nil {
-		return uiutils.ErrCmd(err)
-	}
 	vm.restackModel = sequencerui.NewRestackModel(vm.repo, vm.db, vm.state, sequencerui.RestackStateOptions{
 		OnConflict: func() tea.Cmd {
 			if err := vm.writeState(vm.state); err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/av/reparent.go b/cmd/av/reparent.go
index 6368a8f3..7c92e1da 100644
--- a/cmd/av/reparent.go
+++ b/cmd/av/reparent.go
@@ -54,7 +54,13 @@ var reparentCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			reparentFlags.Parent = repo.DefaultBranch()
 		}
 
-		return uiutils.RunBubbleTea(&reparentViewModel{repo: repo, db: db})
+		vm := &reparentViewModel{repo: repo, db: db}
+		state, err := vm.createState()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		vm.state = state
+		return uiutils.RunBubbleTea(vm)
 	},
 }
 
@@ -70,11 +76,6 @@ type reparentViewModel struct {
 }
 
 func (vm *reparentViewModel) Init() tea.Cmd {
-	var err error
-	vm.state, err = vm.createState()
-	if err != nil {
-		return uiutils.ErrCmd(err)
-	}
 	vm.restackModel = sequencerui.NewRestackModel(vm.repo, vm.db, vm.state, sequencerui.RestackStateOptions{
 		OnConflict: func() tea.Cmd {
 			if err := vm.writeState(vm.state); err != nil {
diff --git a/cmd/av/restack.go b/cmd/av/restack.go
index 4ee8bb14..74d93d3d 100644
--- a/cmd/av/restack.go
+++ b/cmd/av/restack.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package main
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"fmt"
 	"os"
 
 	"charm.land/bubbles/v2/spinner"
@@ -42,7 +43,26 @@ var restackCmd = &cobra.Command{
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
-		return uiutils.RunBubbleTea(&restackViewModel{repo: repo, db: db})
+		vm := &restackViewModel{repo: repo, db: db}
+		state, err := vm.readState()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if state == nil {
+			if restackFlags.Abort || restackFlags.Continue || restackFlags.Skip {
+				return errors.New("no restack in progress")
+			}
+			state, err = vm.createState()
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+		if state == nil {
+			fmt.Println(nothingToRestackError)
+			return nil
+		}
+		vm.state = state
+		return uiutils.RunBubbleTea(vm)
 	},
 }
 
@@ -58,23 +78,6 @@ type restackViewModel struct {
 }
 
 func (vm *restackViewModel) Init() tea.Cmd {
-	var err error
-	vm.state, err = vm.readState()
-	if err != nil {
-		return uiutils.ErrCmd(err)
-	}
-	if vm.state == nil {
-		if restackFlags.Abort || restackFlags.Continue || restackFlags.Skip {
-			return uiutils.ErrCmd(errors.New("no restack in progress"))
-		}
-		vm.state, err = vm.createState()
-		if err != nil {
-			return uiutils.ErrCmd(err)
-		}
-	}
-	if vm.state == nil {
-		return uiutils.ErrCmd(nothingToRestackError)
-	}
 	vm.restackModel = sequencerui.NewRestackModel(vm.repo, vm.db, vm.state, sequencerui.RestackStateOptions{
 		Abort:    restackFlags.Abort,
 		Continue: restackFlags.Continue,
diff --git a/cmd/av/sync.go b/cmd/av/sync.go
index 4a4b3db9..b0becdc8 100644
--- a/cmd/av/sync.go
+++ b/cmd/av/sync.go
@@ -103,11 +103,20 @@ but can still be synced explicitly.
 			return err
 		}
 
-		return uiutils.RunBubbleTea(&syncViewModel{
+		vm := &syncViewModel{
 			repo:   repo,
 			db:     db,
 			client: client,
-		})
+		}
+		savedState, err := vm.readState()
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		if savedState == nil && (syncFlags.Abort || syncFlags.Continue || syncFlags.Skip) {
+			return errors.New("no restack in progress")
+		}
+		vm.savedState = savedState
+		return uiutils.RunBubbleTea(vm)
 	},
 }
 
@@ -128,6 +137,7 @@ type syncViewModel struct {
 	db     meta.DB
 	client *gh.Client
 
+	savedState   *savedSyncState
 	state        *syncState
 	restackState *sequencerui.RestackState
 
@@ -145,15 +155,8 @@ func (vm *syncViewModel) Init() tea.Cmd {
 }
 
 func (vm *syncViewModel) initSync() tea.Cmd {
-	state, err := vm.readState()
-	if err != nil {
-		return uiutils.ErrCmd(err)
-	}
-	if state != nil {
-		return vm.continueWithState(state)
-	}
-	if syncFlags.Abort || syncFlags.Continue || syncFlags.Skip {
-		return uiutils.ErrCmd(errors.New("no restack in progress"))
+	if vm.savedState != nil {
+		return vm.continueWithState(vm.savedState)
 	}
 
 	isTrunkBranch, err := vm.repo.IsCurrentBranchTrunk()