diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 713bd8e..c9086fb 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,37 @@ All notable changes to FastSync are documented here. Versions match
 `PROTOCOL_VERSION` (printed by `fastsync --version`); the client and server must
 run the same version because the handshake is strict.
 
+## [Unreleased]
+
+### Changed
+
+- **`--delete` now defaults to delete-during (rsync `--del`) timing.** With no
+  explicit timing flag, a plain `--delete` removes each directory's extras as
+  that directory is processed instead of committing one whole-tree deletion only
+  after the entire transfer succeeds. This matches rsync, frees destination
+  space progressively, and avoids the whole-old+new-tree peak that could
+  `ENOSPC` a tight destination. The client maps the default onto the existing
+  `delete_during` wire boolean, so `PROTOCOL_VERSION` stays `2.28.0`.
+- Added the FastSync-only long option **`--delete-commit`** (implies
+  `--delete`): it selects the old late whole-tree commit and is timing-identical
+  to `--delete-after` (the same `delete_after` wire boolean). Explicit timing
+  flags always win over the default, at most one timing flag may be given, and a
+  timing flag combined with `--no-delete` is still rejected.
+- The per-directory `STATUS_DELETE_PLAN` frame gained a one-int `apply` flag:
+  the one-shot per-run config block (protected prefixes, size-pruned mirrors,
+  `--delete-missing-args` exact paths) is now always transmitted first on a
+  config-only carrier (`apply=false`), fixing a latent bug where a
+  `--delete-missing-args` run whose `--files-from` list synchronized no directory
+  never sent its exact deletions.
+
+### Migration
+
+- Scripts that relied on plain `--delete` deleting nothing until the transfer
+  fully succeeded must pass **`--delete-commit`** (or `--delete-after`) to keep
+  that behavior. Plain `--delete` now removes reached directories' extras during
+  the transfer, exactly like rsync's default; on a completed run the final tree
+  is unchanged.
+
 ## [2.26.0] - 2026-09-17
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/HANDOFF.md b/HANDOFF.md
index 34f2057..68d0291 100644
--- a/HANDOFF.md
+++ b/HANDOFF.md
@@ -174,6 +174,24 @@
     FastSync while rsync uses them, both trees byte-identical). Matrix now
     **116 ✅ / 14 ⚠️ / 27 ❌ = 157**.
 
+16. **Lockstep delete-default track 6** on `feat/parity-2.28` (`PROTOCOL_VERSION`
+    stays `2.28.0`): plain `--delete` now defaults to rsync's delete-during
+    (`--del`) timing, normalized on the client onto the existing `delete_during`
+    wire bool. The old late whole-tree commit is opt-in via `--delete-after` or
+    the FastSync-only long `--delete-commit` (identical `delete_after` timing).
+    `-d/--dirs` still falls back to the end commit, `--delay-updates` still
+    deletes before publication, and `--files-from`/`-R` scope is unchanged. The
+    `STATUS_DELETE_PLAN` frame gained a one-int `apply` flag so the per-run
+    config block (including `--delete-missing-args` exact paths) is always
+    transmitted, on a config-only carrier when the scope allows no directory
+    plan — fixing a latent bug with a file-only `--files-from` list. Differential
+    cases `delete`/`delete_commit`/`filter_protect_after` plus the extended
+    `test_delete_timing_parity.py` (plain `--delete` mid-abort removes reached
+    extras, `--delete-commit` defers) pass; full `-m "not setpriv"` suite,
+    clang-format and cppcheck clean. Matrix unchanged at
+    **116 ✅ / 14 ⚠️ / 27 ❌ = 157** (the `--delete`/`--delete-during` rows stay
+    ⚠️ for the abort boundary; `--delete-after` stays ✅).
+
 ## Next steps
 1. **Merge PR #284** (`dev` -> `main`) once reviewed (protected branch).
 2. **Deferred security items** (documented, not implemented):
diff --git a/RSYNC_COMPAT.md b/RSYNC_COMPAT.md
index 20fd46e..e8f1f96 100644
--- a/RSYNC_COMPAT.md
+++ b/RSYNC_COMPAT.md
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ matrix is **111 ✅ / 13 ⚠️ / 33 ❌ = 157**.
 
 **Parity track 5b (no-wire, on `feat/parity-2.28`; `PROTOCOL_VERSION` stays 2.28.0 by project decision).** `-y`/`--fuzzy` is reclassified ❌ → ⚠️: the receiver-side similar-file basis is an internal bandwidth optimization (the config `fuzzy` bool over the existing receiver-driven delta handshake, unchanged since 2.9.0), and the transferred tree is byte-exact by design regardless of which basis — or no basis — is chosen. A probe against real rsync 3.4.1 showed the remaining difference is not the name rule (FastSync already ports `util1.c fuzzy_distance`/`find_filename_suffix` plus the exact size+mtime pass) but candidate ELIGIBILITY: rsync will pick a fuzzy basis whose size ratio to the source is unrestricted (empirically from 0.25× to 10000×, and for files as small as 300 B), while FastSync's `delta_should_attempt` gate caps the ratio at 10× and requires both files ≥ 16 KiB, so an out-of-window sibling is declined and the file is sent whole. The choice is observable only as bandwidth (`Matched data`/`Literal data`/`Total transferred file size` in `--stats`); the destination tree and exit code are identical either way. A new differential case (`fuzzy_basis`: same-suffix sibling one name-edit away, content identical, block size pinned to 8192) asserts tree **and** normalized `--stats` parity where the two tools' choices coincide; `TestFuzzy` pins the window boundary on both sides (a >10× and a <16 KiB sibling are declined by FastSync while rsync uses them, both trees byte-identical). No wire field changed. The matrix is now **116 ✅ / 14 ⚠️ / 27 ❌ = 157**.
 
+**Lockstep track 6 (delete default; `PROTOCOL_VERSION` stays 2.28.0).** Plain `--delete` with no explicit timing flag now defaults to rsync's delete-during (`--del`) timing: the client normalizes it onto the existing `delete_during` wire bool in `cli_finalize_config`, so no config-frame field was added, and a tight destination no longer has to hold the whole old+new tree at once (the old atomic commit could hit `ENOSPC`). The old late whole-tree commit is opt-in via `--delete-after` or the FastSync-only long spelling `--delete-commit`, which selects the identical `delete_after` timing (documented equivalence). Precedence is unchanged and order-independent: each timing flag implies `--delete`, at most one timing flag may be given, and a timing flag with `--no-delete` is rejected. `-d/--dirs` still falls back to the end commit; `--delay-updates` still deletes genuine extras before publication (the per-directory skip list protects the staging dir); `--files-from`/`-R` scope is unchanged. The per-directory `STATUS_DELETE_PLAN` frame gained a one-int `apply` flag (still 2.28.0): the one-shot per-run config block (protected prefixes, size-pruned mirrors, `--delete-missing-args` exact paths) is now always sent first on a config-only carrier with `apply=false`, fixing a latent bug where a `--delete-missing-args` run whose `--files-from` list synchronized no directory never transmitted its exact deletions. Differential evidence: `delete` (plain, vs rsync's default), `delete_commit` (FastSync `--delete-commit` vs rsync `--delete-after`), and `filter_protect_after` (whole-tree protect) cases; `TestDeleteTimingFinalStateParity` compares plain `--delete`/`--delete-commit` against rsync on completed runs, and `TestDeleteTimingFailure` proves plain `--delete` removes reached extras on a mid-transfer abort while `--delete-commit` removes nothing. The matrix is unchanged at **116 ✅ / 14 ⚠️ / 27 ❌ = 157** (the `--delete`/`--delete-during` rows stay ⚠️ for the abort boundary; `--delete-after` stays ✅).
+
 **Parity completion wave (protocol 2.23.0 → 2.26.0).** This wave closed the
 remaining gaps the rsync-parity wave left open (delete timing, wire counters and
 output, codec breadth, general `-R`/`-d`, the full filter grammar, receiver-side
@@ -167,11 +169,11 @@ Every one of those has an entry below with its remaining caveats.
 
 | Flag | Rsync Description | FastSync Status | Notes |
 |------|-------------------|-----------------|-------|
-| `--delete` | Delete extraneous files from dest | ⚠️ Caveat | `use_delete` config field. Deletion is always derived from the transmitted keep-set manifest of the paths the sender sent/keeps (never from unchecked input), runs through the symlink-safe walker bounded by `MAX_SERVER_DELETE_COUNT`, and skips the `.fastsync-stage` staging dir under `--delay-updates`. FastSync's default timing when no timing flag is given is **delete-after** (extras are removed only once the whole transfer succeeded) — intentionally NOT rsync's `--del`/delete-during default, to preserve FastSync's commit-style safety. By default the destination mirror of a path the source scan pruned (filter/exclude/size rules) is **protected** from deletion — matching rsync, which does not delete excluded files under `--delete`; `--delete-excluded` opts back into deleting them (see below). Deletion is scoped to the **synchronized directories** sent in the manifest (protocol 2.23.0), so a `--files-from` subset no longer deletes untransmitted paths outside the listed directory subtrees. The walk is bounded: a client `--max-delete=NUM` (or the 100000-entry server bound) makes it **partial** — entries up to the bound are removed, the rest are skipped, and the client exits **25** (`RERR_PARTIAL`), matching rsync, rather than failing the transfer. Extraneous destination symlinks are unlinked by name (never followed); a directory still holding a kept/protected entry is left behind rather than failing |
-| `--delete-before` | Delete before transfer | ⚠️ Caveat | Implies `--delete`. The sender runs a full source pre-scan (paths only) and transmits the keep-set manifest BEFORE any file data; the receiver validates it, removes every destination entry not listed (bounded walk, staging-dir skip, protected prefixes honored), then acks `STATUS_OK`. The sender only starts streaming after the deletion committed, or aborts if the receiver reported a deletion error. By definition the deletions already happened when a later transfer phase fails — rsync's delete-before is destructive the same way; a subsequent failure does not restore the removed files. Divergence: the keep-set is the pre-scan snapshot, so a file that appears on the source between the pre-scan and the data pass is still transferred but was not protected from deletion |
-| `--del`, `--delete-during` | Delete during transfer | ⚠️ Caveat | Both spellings accepted; imply `--delete`. **Protocol 2.24.0 implements per-directory delete plans:** as the sender finishes each source directory it streams a `STATUS_DELETE_PLAN` for that directory and the receiver removes that directory's extras before applying the next directory's data, so a mid-transfer failure has already removed the extras of the directories reached (verified with a byte-slicing proxy). **Remaining divergence:** the exact abort boundary and the progressive ordering of removals versus rsync's generator can differ, and `-d`/`--dirs` (no descent) falls back to the end-of-transfer commit. `-R` plans are scoped to the transferred prefix subtree |
+| `--delete` | Delete extraneous files from dest | ⚠️ Caveat | `use_delete` config field. Deletion is always derived from the keep-set the sender actually transmitted (the per-directory `STATUS_DELETE_PLAN` set by default, or the whole-tree manifest for the late timings — never from unchecked input), runs through the symlink-safe walker bounded by `MAX_SERVER_DELETE_COUNT`, and skips the `.fastsync-stage` staging dir under `--delay-updates`. **Lockstep track 6 (protocol 2.28.0): plain `--delete` with no explicit timing flag now defaults to `--delete-during`**, exactly like rsync's `--del` (the client normalizes it to the existing `delete_during` wire bool; no new wire field). This frees destination space progressively during the transfer and avoids the whole-old+new-tree peak that could `ENOSPC` a tight destination. The old late whole-tree commit is opt-in via `--delete-after` or the FastSync-only long spelling `--delete-commit`. **Caveat (shared with `--delete-during`):** the exact mid-transfer abort boundary can differ from rsync's generator (rsync removes all extras ahead of its throttled sender; FastSync removes only the directories it has reached), `-d/--dirs` falls back to the end-of-transfer commit, and the surviving-set ordering under a partial `--max-delete` can differ — on a completed run the trees agree. By default the destination mirror of a path the source scan pruned (filter/exclude/size rules) is **protected** from deletion — matching rsync, which does not delete excluded files under `--delete`; `--delete-excluded` opts back into deleting them (see below). Deletion is scoped to the **synchronized directories** sent on the wire (protocol 2.23.0), so a `--files-from` subset no longer deletes untransmitted paths outside the listed directory subtrees. The walk is bounded: a client `--max-delete=NUM` (or the 100000-entry server bound) makes it **partial** — entries up to the bound are removed, the rest are skipped, and the client exits **25** (`RERR_PARTIAL`), matching rsync, rather than failing the transfer. Extraneous destination symlinks are unlinked by name (never followed); a directory still holding a kept/protected entry is left behind rather than failing |
+| `--delete-before` | Delete before transfer | ⚠️ Caveat | Implies `--delete`. The sender runs a full source pre-scan (paths only) and transmits the keep-set manifest BEFORE any file data; the receiver validates it, removes every destination entry not listed (bounded walk, staging-dir skip, protected prefixes honored), then acks `STATUS_OK`. The sender only starts streaming after the deletion committed, or aborts if the receiver reported a deletion error. By definition the deletions already happened when a later transfer phase fails — rsync's delete-before is destructive the same way; a subsequent failure does not restore the removed files. **Phase-0 divergence (sharpened):** rsync builds the full file list first, so a source file created after that scan is NOT transferred and its destination extra is deleted; FastSync's single-threaded data pass re-scans the source, so the late file IS transferred (a safe superset), while FastSync `--threads` pipelines the scan and matches rsync |
+| `--del`, `--delete-during` | Delete during transfer | ⚠️ Caveat | Both spellings accepted; imply `--delete`, and since lockstep track 6 this is also the default timing of a plain `--delete`. **Protocol 2.24.0 implements per-directory delete plans:** as the sender reaches each source directory it streams a `STATUS_DELETE_PLAN` for that directory and the receiver removes that directory's extras (verified with a byte-slicing proxy). The one-shot per-run config block (protected prefixes, size-pruned mirrors, `--delete-missing-args` exact paths) rides a dedicated config-only carrier frame with an `apply=false` flag, so it reaches the receiver even when the scope allows no directory plan at all (a `--files-from` list of bare files synchronizes no directory). **Phase-0 divergence (sharpened):** on a mid-transfer abort rsync's generator (which runs ahead of its throttled sender) has already removed ALL the extras it planned, whereas FastSync has removed only the directories it actually reached; on a completed run both agree. Also `-d`/`--dirs` (no descent) falls back to the end-of-transfer whole-tree commit, and the surviving-set ordering under a partial `--max-delete` can differ. `-R` plans are scoped to the transferred prefix subtree |
 | `--delete-delay` | Find deletions during, delete after | ⚠️ Caveat | Implies `--delete`. **Protocol 2.24.0 implements rsync's delete-delay timing:** the sender records each directory's delete plan while scanning and the receiver commits those removals only after the whole transfer succeeds (per plan), so an extra created in the destination after its directory's plan survives while `--delete-after` re-scans and removes it, and a failed transfer removes nothing. The **reported** deleted count advances only on an actual removal. **Fixed (no-wire):** the `--max-delete` budget is now charged on ACTUAL removals (an unlink/rmdir that succeeded), not at plan/snapshot time, and a queued directory is re-scanned at commit and removed recursively (content created after the plan included), matching rsync: a snapshotted entry that fails or is skipped consumes no budget, so a later extra rsync would delete is still deleted. The deferred snapshot list keeps an independent hard cap (`DELETE_PLAN_SERVER_LIMIT`) so it cannot grow without bound now that the budget is no longer charged while scanning. A `--max-delete=2` partial delete reports exactly 2 and exits 25 in both tools, and the refilled-directory differential (late content removed, directory removed, budget shared) now matches rsync 3.4.1 on both sides (`test_delete_delay_budget_parity.py`, `test_delete_timing_parity.py`). Unit tests cover recursive removal, actual-removal charging, and the bounded deferred list. **Caveat:** the exact ordering of which extras are removed first under a partial `--max-delete` can still differ from rsync's generator (the survivor set is compared by count, not identity) |
-| `--delete-after` | Delete after transfer | ✅ Parity | Implies `--delete`. The delete-after timing is also what plain `--delete` does: the keep-set manifest closes the data stream and the receiver commits the bounded deletion only after the terminal `STATUS_FINISHED` proves the whole transfer (every data frame received and stored) succeeded. A failed or aborted transfer removes nothing |
+| `--delete-after` | Delete after transfer | ✅ Parity | Implies `--delete`. Selects the late whole-tree commit: the keep-set manifest closes the data stream and the receiver commits the bounded deletion only after the terminal `STATUS_FINISHED` proves the whole transfer (every data frame received and stored) succeeded. A failed or aborted transfer removes nothing. Since lockstep track 6 a plain `--delete` defaults to delete-during (rsync's `--del`); `--delete-after` — or the FastSync-only `--delete-commit` spelling, which selects the identical timing — is the explicit way to keep the old commit-style behavior |
 | `--delete-excluded` | Also delete excluded files | ✅ Parity | `delete_excluded` config field. Under `--delete` FastSync protects (rsync's default) the destination mirror of paths the sender's source scan pruned by the user-selection rules — the `--filter`/`-F`/`-C` layer and the legacy `--exclude`/`--include` layer. The sender transmits those concrete pruned paths as **protected prefixes** in the delete-manifest frame (see the Phase-3 notes below); the walker never descends into or removes them. `--delete-excluded` opts back in: the sender sends an empty protected list, so the excluded destination mirrors become ordinary extras and are removed. **`--max-size`/`--min-size` pruned mirrors are a separate, always-on protection** (protocol 2.23.0, rsync parity): size-pruned source mirrors survive `--delete` even with `--delete-excluded`. Track 4a (protocol 2.28.0) additionally re-applies the received `protect`/`risk` rules on the receiver, so a destination-only entry matching an exclude rule is protected (or left at risk) exactly like rsync; the remaining sender-derived `--delete-excluded` behavior (an unqualified rule becomes sender-only, so its source mirror and matching destination-only extras are deleted) is unchanged |
 | `--max-delete=NUM` | Max files to delete | ✅ Parity | `max_delete` config field (default -1 = no client limit; 0 = delete nothing). **Protocol 2.23.0 matches rsync's partial semantics:** the receiver deletes up to NUM entries (regular files, symlinks and empty directories; each directory removal counts as one) and then **stops deleting, skips the rest, and reports the run as partial**. The client prints a "deletions stopped due to `--max-delete` limit" message and exits **25** (rsync's `RERR_PARTIAL`), not a hard failure — the transfer itself succeeded. NUM only applies together with `--delete` (it is inert otherwise, matching rsync). A client NUM below the server hard bound `MAX_SERVER_DELETE_COUNT` (100000) replaces it; a NUM above it never raises that cap. Deleting an entire destination with no limit is still bounded by the server's 100000-entry ceiling. `--delete-missing-args` exact-path deletions and the ordinary extras walk draw from the same budget, matching rsync |
 | `--ignore-errors` | Delete even with I/O errors | ✅ Parity | Sender-side, client-only config field. Matches rsync's semantics exactly: an unreadable source subdirectory is always skipped so the readable tree transfers (the transfer root itself stays fatal), and the run reports rsync's partial-transfer exit **23**. Deletion policy follows rsync: by default an I/O error suppresses deletion (`IO error encountered -- skipping file deletion`), while `--ignore-errors` lets the deletion commit. The decision applies to every timing (`--delete`, `--delete-before`, `--delete-during`, `--delete-delay`, `--delete-after`) in both the sequential and `--threads` send paths. Differential-tested against rsync 3.4.1 with both tools run as an unprivileged user (mode-000 source directory); the reference build's root-only gate still excludes the EACCES differential, but the setpriv differential test exercises it. The piece that stays FastSync-specific is documented under the recursive-empty-directory residual: FastSync never emits an unreadable (or empty) directory entry, so that mirror is an extra that a run with `--ignore-errors` removes, where rsync emits the directory and keeps its mirror |
@@ -186,8 +188,8 @@ The `STATUS_MANIFEST` frame is count-delimited and position-independent: the
 receiver commits the deletion either when the manifest arrives (early modes:
 `--delete-before`/`--delete-during`, which additionally acknowledge with
 `STATUS_OK` before data flows) or after the terminal `STATUS_FINISHED` proves
-the whole transfer succeeded (commit modes: plain `--delete`/`--delete-after`/
-`--delete-delay`). Timing is chosen purely from the config, so server policy
+the whole transfer succeeded (commit modes: `--delete-after`/`--delete-delay`;
+plain `--delete` joined the per-directory plans in track 6). Timing is chosen purely from the config, so server policy
 (`--allow-delete` off) still disables deletion without deadlocking the early
 manifest ack. `--delete-delay` and `--delete-during` are each implemented as
 the closest safe approximation their engine mode allows; the divergences are
@@ -269,7 +271,10 @@ Flag-conflict policy: unlike rsync's last-one-wins behaviour, every deletion
 timing flag implies `--delete`, and combining a timing flag with `--no-delete`
 (in either argument order) — or more than one timing flag — is rejected as a
 configuration error rather than silently resolved. Note the check is
-order-independent because it runs over the fully parsed config. The deletion
+order-independent because it runs over the fully parsed config. The
+FastSync-only `--delete-commit` is a late-timing spelling (it maps onto
+`--delete-after`), so it conflicts with any different timing flag exactly like
+`--delete-after` does. The deletion
 POLICY flags (`--delete-excluded`, `--max-delete`, `--ignore-errors`, `--force`)
 do NOT imply `--delete`; without `--delete` they are inert (matching rsync).
 
@@ -1169,9 +1174,11 @@ These remain after the wave; the individual rows carry the precise wording.
   but `%b`/`%c` count FastSync wire bytes (protocol-specific, hence ❌).
 - **`-n --delete`** ordering can differ from rsync's delete-during walk (the
   differential compares the sorted would-delete set).
-- **Delete timing:** the default `--delete` remains delete-after rather than
-  rsync's delete-during; per-directory plans have generator-order/abort-boundary
-  differences; `--delete-before` keeps its pre-scan snapshot race; and while
+- **Delete timing:** plain `--delete` now defaults to rsync's delete-during
+  (lockstep track 6); the residual is the mid-transfer abort boundary, where
+  rsync's generator removes all extras ahead of its throttled sender while
+  FastSync removes only the reached directories (completed runs agree).
+  `--delete-before` keeps its pre-scan snapshot race; and while
   base-rule `protect`/`risk` rules are now re-applied on the receiver (track 4a),
   per-directory merge (`.rsync-filter`) protection is still sender-derived, so a
   destination-only entry matching only a per-directory rule is not re-derived.
@@ -1265,5 +1272,6 @@ Ranked by user demand, implementation complexity, and interoperability impact (_
 | `--fastsync-server-path` | Path to fastsync-server binary |
 | `--server-host` / `--server-port` | Direct TCP connection |
 | `--verify-basis` | FastSync-only (long form, not in rsync): require a `--compare-dest`/`--copy-dest`/`--link-dest` basis hit to match the source by whole-file digest instead of trusting rsync's size+mtime (or `--size-only`) quick-check. Off by default (the default matches rsync). Crosses the wire (protocol 2.28.0) |
+| `--delete-commit` | FastSync-only (long form, not in rsync): restore the late whole-tree delete commit — the keep-set manifest is committed only after the entire transfer succeeded. Identical timing to `--delete-after`, and implemented as the same `delete_after` wire bool (no new field); it exists because plain `--delete` now defaults to `--delete-during` (lockstep track 6). Implies `--delete` and conflicts with any different timing flag |
 | Incremental sync | Skip unchanged files (size+mtime) |
 | Delta transfer | Block-level delta for changed files |
diff --git a/src/client/client_cli.c b/src/client/client_cli.c
index a37acad..c830ca9 100644
--- a/src/client/client_cli.c
+++ b/src/client/client_cli.c
@@ -997,6 +997,12 @@ static const OptionEntry OPTION_TABLE[] = {
     {"--delete-during", "--del", OPT_FLAG, offsetof(Config, delete_during)},
     {"--delete-delay", NULL, OPT_FLAG, offsetof(Config, delete_delay)},
     {"--delete-after", NULL, OPT_FLAG, offsetof(Config, delete_after)},
+    /* FastSync-only long spelling of the late whole-tree commit, which selects
+       the same timing as rsync's --delete-after in FastSync (the whole-tree
+       keep-set manifest is committed only after the entire transfer succeeded).
+       Plain --delete now defaults to delete-during, so this restores the old
+       FastSync behavior; it maps onto the same delete_after wire field. */
+    {"--delete-commit", NULL, OPT_FLAG, offsetof(Config, delete_after)},
     {"--delete-excluded", NULL, OPT_FLAG, offsetof(Config, delete_excluded)},
     {"--max-delete", NULL, OPT_SIGNED_INT, offsetof(Config, max_delete)},
     {"--ignore-errors", NULL, OPT_FLAG, offsetof(Config, ignore_errors)},
@@ -1513,7 +1519,9 @@ static bool cli_handle_table_option(CliParseCtx* ctx) {
   if (entry->offset == offsetof(Config, per_dir_filter) && config->per_dir_filter_count < INT_MAX)
     config->per_dir_filter_count++;
   /* A delete-timing flag selects when --delete removes extras, so it
-     implies --delete exactly like the rsync options do. */
+     implies --delete exactly like the rsync options do.  --delete-commit (the
+     FastSync-only late-commit spelling) is mapped onto delete_after and so is
+     covered here too. */
   if (entry->offset == offsetof(Config, delete_before) ||
       entry->offset == offsetof(Config, delete_during) ||
       entry->offset == offsetof(Config, delete_delay) ||
@@ -2567,6 +2575,18 @@ static bool cli_handle_outbuf_option(CliParseCtx* ctx) {
  * -1 on error. */
 static int cli_finalize_config(Config* config, bool verbose, bool no_delta, bool no_incremental) {
   set_log_level(config->quiet ? LOG_LEVEL_ERROR : (verbose ? LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG : LOG_LEVEL_WARNING));
+  /* rsync's plain --delete defaults to delete-during (--del): each directory's
+     extras are removed as that directory is processed, so space is freed
+     progressively and a tight destination never has to hold the whole old+new
+     tree at once.  The late whole-tree commit FastSync historically used is
+     still selected explicitly by --delete-after or by the FastSync-only long
+     spelling --delete-commit (an exact alias for --delete-after).  Resolve the
+     default on the client, before validation and before the config crosses the
+     wire, so exactly one timing flag is ever set; an explicit timing (including
+     --delete-commit) always wins. */
+  if (config->use_delete && !config->delete_before && !config->delete_during &&
+      !config->delete_delay && !config->delete_after)
+    config->delete_during = true;
   if (config->compress_choice) {
     int algo = compression_algo_from_name(config->compress_choice);
     if (algo >= 0) {
diff --git a/src/client/client_send.c b/src/client/client_send.c
index 811883d..767ee21 100644
--- a/src/client/client_send.c
+++ b/src/client/client_send.c
@@ -3287,7 +3287,8 @@ int send_files(Config* config) {
       prepared.options.synced_dirs = synced_dirs;
     }
   }
-  /* The late-timing modes (plain --delete / --delete-after) build the manifest
+  /* The late-timing modes (--delete-after/--delete-commit and a plain --delete
+     that fell back from per-dir mode because of -d/--dirs) build the manifest
      while streaming and send it after the last data frame.  --delete-before
      sends a whole-tree keep-set up front; --delete-during/--delete-delay build a
      per-directory plan set up front (paths only) and stream the plans alongside
diff --git a/src/client/usage.c b/src/client/usage.c
index 5461dbb..c6f6e96 100644
--- a/src/client/usage.c
+++ b/src/client/usage.c
@@ -62,8 +62,7 @@ void print_usage(void) {
   printf("  NOTE: the FastSync batch format is NOT interoperable with rsync's batch\n");
   printf("  files (different container format); do not mix the two tools.\n");
   printf("  --delete            Delete files on receiver not in source\n");
-  printf("                      (default timing: delete only after the whole\n");
-  printf("                      transfer has succeeded)\n");
+  printf("                      (default timing: delete-during, like rsync --del)\n");
   printf("  --delete-before     Delete extras before the transfer starts\n");
   printf("                      (implies --delete)\n");
   printf("  --delete-during     Delete a directory's extras as that directory is\n");
@@ -72,7 +71,9 @@ void print_usage(void) {
   printf("  --delete-delay      Record the extras during the scan but remove them\n");
   printf("                      only after a successful transfer (implies --delete)\n");
   printf("  --delete-after      Delete only after the whole transfer succeeded\n");
-  printf("                      (the default --delete timing; implies --delete)\n");
+  printf("                      (implies --delete)\n");
+  printf("  --delete-commit     FastSync-only: restore the late whole-tree commit\n");
+  printf("                      (identical to --delete-after; implies --delete)\n");
   printf("  --delete-excluded   Also delete destination files that were excluded on\n");
   printf("                      the source (default protects them, matching rsync)\n");
   printf("  --max-delete=NUM    Delete at most NUM destination entries per run; if the\n");
@@ -93,7 +94,8 @@ void print_usage(void) {
   printf("  -m, --prune-empty-dirs  Do not create empty directories (a recursive transfer\n");
   printf("                      otherwise recreates them, like rsync)\n");
   printf("  Note: each timing flag implies --delete.  Combining a timing flag with\n");
-  printf("  --no-delete (in either order) is rejected as a config error.\n");
+  printf("  --no-delete (in either order) is rejected as a config error, as is more\n");
+  printf("  than one timing flag.\n");
   printf("  --ignore-existing  Skip files that already exist on receiver\n");
   printf("  --delay-updates    Put updated files into place only at the end of transfer\n");
   printf("  --dirs, -d, --old-dirs, --old-d  Transfer the named directory entries without\n");
diff --git a/src/server/receiver.c b/src/server/receiver.c
index 41678f0..178ca34 100644
--- a/src/server/receiver.c
+++ b/src/server/receiver.c
@@ -305,14 +305,16 @@ int receiver_process(Config* config, int file_descriptor, const ReceiverSink* si
 
 /* Runs the whole receive loop.  The delete manifest may legitimately arrive
    either FIRST (--delete-before / --delete-during: the sender transmits the
-   validated keep-set before any file data) or LAST (plain --delete /
-   --delete-after / --delete-delay: the manifest closes the data stream).  In
+   validated keep-set before any file data) or LAST (--delete-after /
+   --delete-commit / --delete-delay: the manifest closes the data stream).  In
    the early modes the receiver deletes as soon as the manifest has been read
    and acknowledges with STATUS_OK so the sender only starts streaming once the
    deletion has committed (or failed); in the late modes the manifest is held
    and the deletion is committed only after the terminal STATUS_FINISHED proves
-   the whole transfer succeeded.  See receiver_process_pending() for how the -m
-   receiver defers that commit until its disk writer has drained. */
+   the whole transfer succeeded.  A plain --delete defaults to the per-directory
+   delete-during plan mode (no manifest at all).  See
+   receiver_process_pending() for how the -m receiver defers that commit until
+   its disk writer has drained. */
 int receiver_process_pending(Config* config, int file_descriptor, const ReceiverSink* sink,
                              DeleteManifest** pending_manifest, DeletePlanSession** pending_plans) {
   Status status;
diff --git a/src/shared/config.h b/src/shared/config.h
index deb5160..d0904bd 100644
--- a/src/shared/config.h
+++ b/src/shared/config.h
@@ -642,10 +642,14 @@ typedef struct Config {
      source directory is streamed in directory order, and the receiver removes
      each directory's extras when its plan arrives (during) or snapshots them
      and removes them only after a successful transfer (delay).  delete_after
-     (and plain --delete) keep the whole-tree commit mode: extras are removed
-     from a fresh end-of-transfer destination scan only after the whole transfer
-     succeeded.  See config_delete_timing_early()/config_delete_timing_per_dir()
-     below. */
+     keeps the whole-tree commit mode: extras are removed from a fresh
+     end-of-transfer destination scan only after the whole transfer succeeded.
+     A plain --delete with no explicit timing flag defaults to delete_during on
+     the client (cli_finalize_config), matching rsync's --del default; the old
+     late-commit behavior is selected explicitly by --delete-after or the
+     FastSync-only long spelling --delete-commit (an exact alias for
+     --delete-after, mapped onto the same wire field).  See
+     config_delete_timing_early()/config_delete_timing_per_dir() below. */
   /* partial_dir */
   // PR #174: Partial transfer resumption
   /* suffix */
@@ -1168,8 +1172,11 @@ bool config_delete_timing_early(const Config* config);
  * commits them only after a fully-successful transfer (delay). */
 bool config_delete_timing_per_dir(const Config* config);
 /* Delete-timing sanity: with deletion enabled at most one timing flag may be
- * set (none = the default delete-after commit timing); without deletion no
- * timing flag may be set (each timing flag implies --delete). */
+ * set; without deletion no timing flag may be set (each timing flag implies
+ * --delete).  A plain --delete is normalized to delete_during by
+ * cli_finalize_config on the client, so a transmitted use_delete config always
+ * carries exactly one timing; the zero-timing case remains valid only for a
+ * config that has not been through the CLI. */
 bool config_has_valid_delete_timing(const Config* config);
 
 /* Single source of truth for the cross-field ("combination") invariants a
diff --git a/src/shared/delete_plan.c b/src/shared/delete_plan.c
index dab5ff7..8aa96f7 100644
--- a/src/shared/delete_plan.c
+++ b/src/shared/delete_plan.c
@@ -331,6 +331,8 @@ static int send_plan_node(int fd, DeletePlanSender* sender, PlanNode* node) {
       return -1;
     sender->config_sent = true;
   }
+  if (!send_int(fd, 1)) /* apply = true */
+    return -1;
   if (!send_wire_str(fd, node->dir))
     return -1;
   if (send_str_section(fd, node->dirs) != 0 || send_str_section(fd, node->files) != 0)
@@ -339,6 +341,29 @@ static int send_plan_node(int fd, DeletePlanSender* sender, PlanNode* node) {
   return 0;
 }
 
+/* Transmit the one-shot per-run config block (protected prefixes, size-pruned
+ * mirrors, --delete-missing-args exact paths) on its own carrier frame, with
+ * apply=false so the receiver consumes the config but walks nothing.  This is
+ * how the config still reaches the receiver when the scope allows no directory
+ * plan at all (a --files-from list of bare files synchronizes no directory):
+ * without it, the missing-args exact deletions would be lost.  Idempotent. */
+static int send_config_only(int fd, DeletePlanSender* sender) {
+  if (!sender || sender->config_sent)
+    return 0;
+  if (!send_status(fd, STATUS_DELETE_PLAN) || !send_int(fd, 1))
+    return -1;
+  if (send_str_section(fd, sender->protected_prefixes) != 0 ||
+      send_str_section(fd, sender->size_skipped) != 0 ||
+      send_str_section(fd, sender->missing_args) != 0)
+    return -1;
+  sender->config_sent = true;
+  if (!send_int(fd, 0)) /* apply = false */
+    return -1;
+  if (!send_wire_str(fd, ".") || !send_int(fd, 0) || !send_int(fd, 0))
+    return -1;
+  return 0;
+}
+
 static int send_prefix_plan(int fd, DeletePlanSender* sender, const char* dir) {
   PlanNode* node = plan_find(sender, dir);
   if (!node || node->sent)
@@ -354,6 +379,10 @@ int delete_plan_send_root(int fd, DeletePlanSender* sender) {
   const char* root = sender->walk_root ? sender->walk_root : ".";
   if (!plan_ensure(sender, root))
     return -1;
+  /* Put the config block on the wire first, on its own carrier frame, so the
+     receiver always sees it even when the scope permits no directory plan. */
+  if (send_config_only(fd, sender) != 0)
+    return -1;
   return send_prefix_plan(fd, sender, root);
 }
 
@@ -850,6 +879,14 @@ int delete_plan_session_receive(DeletePlanSession* session, const Config* config
     }
     session->config_seen = true;
   }
+  /* apply=false is the config-only carrier frame: the receiver consumes the
+     config (and the missing-args exact deletions) but must not walk any
+     directory.  Every real plan carries apply=true. */
+  int apply;
+  if (!receive_int(fd, &apply) || (apply != 0 && apply != 1)) {
+    send_status(fd, STATUS_ERROR);
+    return -1;
+  }
   char* dir = receive_wire_str(fd);
   ArrayList* dirs = array_list_create(free);
   ArrayList* files = array_list_create(free);
@@ -867,7 +904,7 @@ int delete_plan_session_receive(DeletePlanSession* session, const Config* config
   if (!session->dry_run && enabled) {
     if (!session->defer && !apply_missing(session, config))
       ok = false;
-    if (ok && !apply_plan_dir(session, config, dir, dirs, files))
+    if (ok && apply && !apply_plan_dir(session, config, dir, dirs, files))
       ok = false;
   }
   free(dir);
diff --git a/src/shared/delete_plan.h b/src/shared/delete_plan.h
index 34d8d5c..7e36eb4 100644
--- a/src/shared/delete_plan.h
+++ b/src/shared/delete_plan.h
@@ -48,11 +48,14 @@ void delete_plan_sender_finalize(DeletePlanSender* sender, const ArrayList* sync
    Directory keep entries do not count, so an I/O error that hid every file
    still refuses to delete. */
 bool delete_plan_sender_empty(const DeletePlanSender* sender);
-/* Attach the global config sections advertised on the first plan frame. */
+/* Attach the global config sections advertised on the first plan frame.  The
+ * block is always transmitted by delete_plan_send_root(), on a config-only
+ * carrier frame when the scope allows no directory plan. */
 void delete_plan_sender_set_config(DeletePlanSender* sender, const ArrayList* protected_prefixes,
                                    const ArrayList* size_skipped, const ArrayList* missing_args);
 /* Send the root plan (even before any data, so root extras are handled like
- * rsync's first generator directory).  Returns -1 on I/O error. */
+ * rsync's first generator directory), after transmitting the per-run config
+ * block on its own carrier frame.  Returns -1 on I/O error. */
 int delete_plan_send_root(int fd, DeletePlanSender* sender);
 /* Send the plans for every ancestor of `path` (root-first) and, when is_dir,
  * for `path` itself; already-sent plans are skipped. */
diff --git a/src/shared/protocol.h b/src/shared/protocol.h
index a9f55ee..4348f09 100644
--- a/src/shared/protocol.h
+++ b/src/shared/protocol.h
@@ -191,7 +191,9 @@ enum NET_STATUS {
    * (--delete-delay).  Payload: an int32 has_config flag (1 on the first plan
    * of the run, 0 afterwards); when set, the three global config sections
    * (protected-prefix count+paths, size-skipped count+paths, missing-args
-   * count+paths); then the destination-relative directory path wire string
+   * count+paths); then an int32 apply flag (1 for a real plan, 0 for a
+   * config-only carrier frame that must not walk a directory); then the
+   * destination-relative directory path wire string
    * ("." for the receive root); then the child-directory count + names and the
    * child-file count + names that must be kept.  Appended after
    * STATUS_DEST_INFO so no existing status is renumbered. */
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_delete_timing_parity.py b/tests/integration/test_delete_timing_parity.py
index 5c73256..4f4c78d 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_delete_timing_parity.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_delete_timing_parity.py
@@ -217,7 +217,21 @@ class _SlicingProxy:
 
 
 class TestDeleteTimingFinalStateParity:
-    """On a successful transfer the per-directory timings match rsync's result."""
+    """On a successful transfer the per-directory timings match rsync's result.
+
+    Plain ``--delete`` has no rsync-incompatible spelling: it defaults to
+    delete-during on both tools, so it is compared against rsync's own default.
+    ``--delete-commit`` is FastSync-only and selects the late whole-tree commit,
+    which is rsync's ``--delete-after`` timing.
+    """
+
+    # (fastsync flag, rsync flag)
+    PAIRS = [
+        ("--delete", "--delete"),
+        ("--delete-during", "--delete-during"),
+        ("--delete-delay", "--delete-delay"),
+        ("--delete-commit", "--delete-after"),
+    ]
 
     def _run_fastsync(self, tag, timing):
         source, dest, received = _seed_pair(tag)
@@ -226,12 +240,12 @@ class TestDeleteTimingFinalStateParity:
             result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=[timing], port=server.port)
         return result, received
 
-    @pytest.mark.parametrize("timing", ["--delete-during", "--delete-delay"])
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("fs_timing,rs_timing", PAIRS)
     @requires_rsync
-    def test_success_final_state_matches_rsync(self, timing):
-        # Worker-safe names: xdist may run both parametrizations concurrently, so
-        # the timing is part of every fixture path.
-        label = timing.lstrip("-")
+    def test_success_final_state_matches_rsync(self, fs_timing, rs_timing):
+        # Worker-safe names: xdist may run the parametrizations concurrently, so
+        # the flags are part of every fixture path.
+        label = f"{fs_timing.lstrip('-')}_vs_{rs_timing.lstrip('-')}"
         # Build the rsync fixture from the same seed so both sides start equal.
         source, dest, received = _seed_pair(f"parity_rsync_{label}")
         source2 = source
@@ -240,17 +254,18 @@ class TestDeleteTimingFinalStateParity:
         # rsync mirrors src/ into dst/; seed the same extra.
         _write(os.path.join(rsync_dst, "d", "old_extra"), b"stale extra\n")
 
-        rsync_result = _rsync(["-a", timing, source2 + "/", rsync_dst + "/"])
+        rsync_result = _rsync(["-a", rs_timing, source2 + "/", rsync_dst + "/"])
         assert rsync_result.returncode == 0, rsync_result.stderr
         rsync_tree = _tree(rsync_dst)
 
         with ServerManager() as server:
             server.start(extra_args=["--allow-delete"])
-            result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=[timing], port=server.port)
+            result, _ = run_client(source, dest, flags=[fs_timing], port=server.port)
         assert result.returncode == 0, (result.stderr or result.stdout)[:300]
         fastsync_tree = _tree(received)
         assert fastsync_tree == rsync_tree, (
-            f"{timing}: fastsync tree {fastsync_tree} != rsync tree {rsync_tree}"
+            f"{fs_timing} vs rsync {rs_timing}: fastsync tree {fastsync_tree} != "
+            f"rsync tree {rsync_tree}"
         )
 
 
@@ -292,7 +307,14 @@ class TestDeleteTimingTypeConflictParity:
 
 
 class TestDeleteTimingFailure:
-    """A mid-transfer failure distinguishes during from delay."""
+    """A mid-transfer failure distinguishes the during timings from the late
+    commit timings.
+
+    Plain ``--delete`` must behave like ``--delete-during`` (the rsync default),
+    removing the extras of the directories already reached; ``--delete-commit``
+    must behave like ``--delete-after`` and remove nothing until the transfer
+    has fully succeeded.
+    """
 
     @pytest.mark.parametrize("mt", [False, True])
     def test_during_removes_delay_preserves_on_failure(self, mt):
@@ -301,8 +323,12 @@ class TestDeleteTimingFailure:
         assert os.path.exists(extra)
         with ServerManager() as server:
             server.start(extra_args=["--allow-delete"])
-            for timing, expect_removed in (("--delete-during", True),
-                                           ("--delete-delay", False)):
+            for timing, expect_removed in (
+                    ("--delete-during", True),
+                    ("--delete", True),
+                    ("--delete-delay", False),
+                    ("--delete-commit", False),
+                    ("--delete-after", False)):
                 # Re-seed the extra before each run.
                 _write(extra, b"stale extra\n")
                 proxy = _SlicingProxy(server.port, forward_limit=MID_TRANSFER_BYTES, throttle=PROXY_THROTTLE)
@@ -449,12 +475,13 @@ class TestDeleteDelayVsAfterSnapshot:
 
 
 class TestDeleteAfterThreadsKeepSet:
-    """Regression: -m/--threads with the default delete-after timing (plain
-    --delete) must still transmit the keep-set manifest and remove destination
-    extras.  PipelineContextSender.delete_suppressed was left uninitialized, so a
-    garbage true silently skipped the manifest under --threads."""
+    """Regression: -j/--threads must still transmit the delete keep-set in every
+    timing.  PipelineContextSender.delete_suppressed was left uninitialized, so a
+    garbage true silently skipped the late keep-set manifest under --threads.
+    Plain --delete now uses the per-directory plans, while --delete-commit /
+    --delete-after keep exercising the late whole-tree manifest."""
 
-    @pytest.mark.parametrize("delete_flag", ["--delete", "--delete-after"])
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("delete_flag", ["--delete", "--delete-commit", "--delete-after"])
     def test_threads_delete_after_sends_keep_set(self, delete_flag):
         source, dest, received = _seed_pair("mtkeep")
         extra = os.path.join(received, "d", "old_extra")
@@ -465,7 +492,7 @@ class TestDeleteAfterThreadsKeepSet:
                                    port=server.port)
         assert result.returncode == 0, (result.stderr or result.stdout)[:300]
         assert not os.path.exists(extra), (
-            f"{delete_flag} --threads did not remove an extra: keep-set manifest was suppressed"
+            f"{delete_flag} --threads did not remove an extra: delete keep-set was suppressed"
         )
 
 class TestDeleteDelayMaxDeleteRefilledDir:
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_differential_parity.py b/tests/integration/test_differential_parity.py
index cf44b82..d224ad3 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_differential_parity.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_differential_parity.py
@@ -241,6 +241,9 @@ _CASES = [
            server_args=DELETE, ref="--delete-delay"),
     H.Case("delete_after", "basic", ["-a", "--delete-after"], seed=seed_extras,
            server_args=DELETE, ref="--delete-after"),
+    H.Case("delete_commit", "basic", ["-a", "--delete-after"], seed=seed_extras,
+           fastsync_flags=["-a", "--delete-commit"], server_args=DELETE,
+           ref="FastSync-only --delete-commit == rsync --delete-after"),
     H.Case("delete_excluded", "filters",
            ["-a", "--delete", "--delete-excluded", "--exclude=*.log"],
            seed=seed_delete_excluded, server_args=DELETE, ref="--delete-excluded"),
@@ -255,7 +258,7 @@ _CASES = [
     H.Case("filter_protect", "filters",
            ["-a", "--delete", "--filter=P *.log"],
            seed=seed_filter_protect, server_args=DELETE, ci=True,
-           ref="--filter P/--protect receiver-side delete protection"),
+           ref="--filter P/--protect receiver-side delete protection (default during)"),
     H.Case("filter_protect_during", "filters",
            ["-a", "--delete-during", "--filter=P *.log"],
            seed=seed_filter_protect, server_args=DELETE, ci=True,
@@ -264,6 +267,10 @@ _CASES = [
            ["-a", "--delete-delay", "--filter=P *.log"],
            seed=seed_filter_protect, server_args=DELETE, ci=True,
            ref="--filter P/--protect under --delete-delay"),
+    H.Case("filter_protect_after", "filters",
+           ["-a", "--delete-after", "--filter=P *.log"],
+           seed=seed_filter_protect, server_args=DELETE, ci=True,
+           ref="--filter P/--protect under the whole-tree --delete-after commit"),
 
     # --- relative / dirs --------------------------------------------------
     H.Case("relative_general", "basic", ["-a", "-R"], layout=H.MIRROR_ABS,
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_features.py b/tests/integration/test_features.py
index 5e32e03..1a2c05c 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_features.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_features.py
@@ -3982,15 +3982,16 @@ class TestDeleteTiming:
             assert _read_file(os.path.join(received, "sub", "deep.txt")) == b"deeply nested file\n", \
                 f"{flag}: nested file was not written after the early deletion"
 
-    @pytest.mark.parametrize("flag", ["--delete", "--delete-after"])
+    @pytest.mark.parametrize("flag", ["--delete-commit", "--delete-after"])
     @pytest.mark.parametrize("mt", [False, True])
     def test_late_flags_commit_only_after_success(self, flag, mt):
-        """Plain --delete/--delete-after defer deletion until the whole transfer
+        """--delete-commit/--delete-after defer deletion until the whole transfer
         succeeds: a mid-transfer write failure must leave every extra in place
-        (commit-style safety).  The -m receiver must also keep the extras: the
-        deferred keep-set is committed by the server only after the disk-writer
-        thread has finished, and a failing writer means the manifest is freed,
-        never applied."""
+        (commit-style safety).  Plain --delete no longer defers (it defaults to
+        delete-during), so only the explicitly late timings are exercised here.
+        The --threads receiver must also keep the extras: the deferred keep-set is
+        committed by the server only after the disk-writer thread has finished,
+        and a failing writer means the manifest is freed, never applied."""
         source = self._seed("late")
         dest = os.path.join(TEST_DATA_DIR, "deltiming_late_dst")
         clean_dir(dest)
diff --git a/tests/test_client_cli.c b/tests/test_client_cli.c
index 0be850e..468987b 100644
--- a/tests/test_client_cli.c
+++ b/tests/test_client_cli.c
@@ -1150,6 +1150,63 @@ static void test_parse_args_delete_timing_flags() {
   config_delete(cfg);
 }
 
+/* Plain --delete with no explicit timing defaults to delete-during, matching
+ * rsync's --del default (progressive deletion).  --delete-commit is the
+ * FastSync-only long spelling that selects rsync's --delete-after timing (the
+ * late whole-tree commit), and an explicit timing always wins over the default.
+ */
+static void test_parse_args_delete_default_timing_and_commit() {
+  Config* cfg = config_create();
+  char* argv[] = {"fastsync", "--delete", "/src", "/dst"};
+  int positional_args[2];
+  int positional_count = 0;
+  EXPECT_EQ_INT(parse_args(cfg, 4, argv, positional_args, &positional_count), 0);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(cfg->use_delete);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(cfg->delete_during);
+  EXPECT_FALSE(cfg->delete_before);
+  EXPECT_FALSE(cfg->delete_delay);
+  EXPECT_FALSE(cfg->delete_after);
+  cfg->send_directory = str_dup("/src");
+  cfg->receive_root_directory = str_dup("/dst");
+  EXPECT_TRUE(validate_config(cfg));
+  config_delete(cfg);
+
+  /* --delete-commit selects the late whole-tree commit (delete_after) and
+     implies --delete. */
+  cfg = config_create();
+  char* argv_commit[] = {"fastsync", "--delete-commit", "/src", "/dst"};
+  positional_count = 0;
+  EXPECT_EQ_INT(parse_args(cfg, 4, argv_commit, positional_args, &positional_count), 0);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(cfg->use_delete);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(cfg->delete_after);
+  EXPECT_FALSE(cfg->delete_before);
+  EXPECT_FALSE(cfg->delete_during);
+  EXPECT_FALSE(cfg->delete_delay);
+  cfg->send_directory = str_dup("/src");
+  cfg->receive_root_directory = str_dup("/dst");
+  EXPECT_TRUE(validate_config(cfg));
+  config_delete(cfg);
+
+  /* An explicit --delete-after alongside plain --delete keeps the late timing:
+     the default never overwrites an explicit timing. */
+  cfg = config_create();
+  char* argv_after[] = {"fastsync", "--delete", "--delete-after", "/src", "/dst"};
+  positional_count = 0;
+  EXPECT_EQ_INT(parse_args(cfg, 5, argv_after, positional_args, &positional_count), 0);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(cfg->use_delete);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(cfg->delete_after);
+  EXPECT_FALSE(cfg->delete_during);
+  config_delete(cfg);
+
+  /* --delete-commit conflicts with a different timing. */
+  cfg = config_create();
+  char* argv_conflict[] = {"fastsync", "--delete-commit", "--delete-during", "/src", "/dst"};
+  positional_count = 0;
+  EXPECT_EQ_INT(parse_args(cfg, 5, argv_conflict, positional_args, &positional_count), 0);
+  EXPECT_FALSE(validate_config(cfg));
+  config_delete(cfg);
+}
+
 /* Two different delete-timing flags on one command line are a conflict, not a
  * silent last-one-wins choice. */
 static void test_parse_args_delete_timing_conflict_rejected() {
@@ -4758,6 +4815,7 @@ void test_client_cli() {
   test_parse_args_relative_no_implied_mkpath();
   test_parse_args_delete_during_alias();
   test_parse_args_delete_timing_flags();
+  test_parse_args_delete_default_timing_and_commit();
   test_parse_args_delete_timing_conflict_rejected();
   test_parse_args_delete_timing_without_delete_rejected();
   test_parse_args_rejects_unimplemented_options();
diff --git a/tests/test_delete_plan.c b/tests/test_delete_plan.c
index 4f35cb0..0381298 100644
--- a/tests/test_delete_plan.c
+++ b/tests/test_delete_plan.c
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
  * caller/receiver entry point) describing `dir` with no kept children. */
 static void send_plan_frame(int fd, const char* dir) {
   EXPECT_TRUE(send_int(fd, 0)); /* has_config */
+  EXPECT_TRUE(send_int(fd, 1)); /* apply: a real plan */
   EXPECT_TRUE(send_wire_str(fd, dir));
   EXPECT_TRUE(send_int(fd, 0)); /* kept child dirs */
   EXPECT_TRUE(send_int(fd, 0)); /* kept child files */
diff --git a/tests/test_server.c b/tests/test_server.c
index 2f1cf3f..31c7eb5 100644
--- a/tests/test_server.c
+++ b/tests/test_server.c
@@ -1291,6 +1291,7 @@ static void test_dry_run_delete_plan_commit_does_not_delete() {
   EXPECT_TRUE(send_int(p[1], 0)); /* size-skipped prefixes */
   EXPECT_TRUE(send_int(p[1], 1)); /* missing-args exact deletions */
   EXPECT_TRUE(send_str(p[1], "victim.txt"));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(send_int(p[1], 1));   /* apply: a real plan */
   EXPECT_TRUE(send_str(p[1], ".")); /* receive root plan */
   EXPECT_TRUE(send_int(p[1], 0));   /* kept child directories */
   EXPECT_TRUE(send_int(p[1], 0));   /* kept child files */