diff --git a/lib/common.sh b/lib/common.sh
index e510362..8be3057 100644
--- a/lib/common.sh
+++ b/lib/common.sh
@@ -158,7 +158,10 @@ gitops_commit_push() {
     dry "git -C $GITOPS_DIR add -A $* && git commit -m '$msg' && git push origin main"
     return 0
   fi
-  git -C "$GITOPS_DIR" add -A -- "$@"
+  local p
+  for p in "$@"; do # paths removed with `git rm` are already staged; add errors on them
+    if [[ -e $GITOPS_DIR/$p ]]; then git -C "$GITOPS_DIR" add -A -- "$p"; fi
+  done
   if git -C "$GITOPS_DIR" diff --cached --quiet; then
     ok "gitops: nothing to commit for: $msg"
     return 0