diff --git a/extensions/git/README.md b/extensions/git/README.md
index a6986dee3..16ab478e9 100644
--- a/extensions/git/README.md
+++ b/extensions/git/README.md
@@ -37,8 +37,8 @@ branch_numbering: sequential
 ## Installation
 
 ```bash
-# Install from the bundled extension
-specify extension add git --from extensions/git/
+# Install from the bundled extension directory
+specify extension add extensions/git --dev
 
 # Or it auto-installs during specify init (migration period)
 ```
diff --git a/extensions/git/scripts/bash/create-new-feature.sh b/extensions/git/scripts/bash/create-new-feature.sh
index 584b33e61..32e98d109 100644
--- a/extensions/git/scripts/bash/create-new-feature.sh
+++ b/extensions/git/scripts/bash/create-new-feature.sh
@@ -209,6 +209,15 @@ if [ "$_common_loaded" != "true" ]; then
     exit 1
 fi
 
+# If only git-common.sh was loaded, verify that the required helpers
+# (resolve_template, json_escape) are available.  These are provided by the
+# core common.sh; git-common.sh only supplies has_git / check_feature_branch.
+if ! type resolve_template >/dev/null 2>&1 || ! type json_escape >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    echo "Error: resolve_template/json_escape not defined.  The core common.sh is required but could not be located." >&2
+    echo "Tried: \$SCRIPT_DIR/common.sh, .specify/scripts/bash/common.sh, scripts/bash/common.sh" >&2
+    exit 1
+fi
+
 if git rev-parse --show-toplevel >/dev/null 2>&1; then
     REPO_ROOT=$(git rev-parse --show-toplevel)
     HAS_GIT=true
diff --git a/extensions/git/scripts/powershell/create-new-feature.ps1 b/extensions/git/scripts/powershell/create-new-feature.ps1
index a2cd6ee02..7fe5ef5e5 100644
--- a/extensions/git/scripts/powershell/create-new-feature.ps1
+++ b/extensions/git/scripts/powershell/create-new-feature.ps1
@@ -179,6 +179,14 @@ if (-not $commonLoaded) {
     throw "Unable to locate common script file. Please ensure the Specify core scripts are installed."
 }
 
+# If only git-common.ps1 was loaded, verify that Resolve-Template is available.
+# Resolve-Template is provided by the core common.ps1; git-common.ps1 only
+# supplies Test-HasGit / Test-FeatureBranch.
+if (-not (Get-Command Resolve-Template -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
+    throw ("Resolve-Template not defined. The core common.ps1 is required but could not be located. " +
+           "Tried: $PSScriptRoot/common.ps1, .specify/scripts/powershell/common.ps1, scripts/powershell/common.ps1")
+}
+
 try {
     $repoRoot = git rev-parse --show-toplevel 2>$null
     if ($LASTEXITCODE -eq 0) {
diff --git a/src/specify_cli/__init__.py b/src/specify_cli/__init__.py
index d8e408297..cb1a4495c 100644
--- a/src/specify_cli/__init__.py
+++ b/src/specify_cli/__init__.py
@@ -1188,7 +1188,8 @@ def _install_bundled_git_extension(project_path: Path) -> bool:
     Before 1.0.0, this auto-install will be removed and the extension will
     become opt-in.
 
-    Returns True if the extension was installed, False otherwise.
+    Returns True if the extension was installed or already present,
+    False otherwise.
     """
     ext_source = _locate_bundled_git_extension()
     if ext_source is None:
@@ -1205,8 +1206,14 @@ def _install_bundled_git_extension(project_path: Path) -> bool:
         speckit_ver = get_speckit_version()
         manager.install_from_directory(ext_source, speckit_ver)
         return True
-    except Exception:
-        # Non-fatal: branching still works via core scripts during migration
+    except Exception as exc:
+        # Non-fatal: branching still works via core scripts during migration,
+        # but log a warning so users can tell the auto-install did not happen.
+        console.print(
+            "[dim yellow]Warning: failed to auto-install bundled git extension; "
+            "branching via the git extension may be unavailable. "
+            f"Details: {exc}[/dim yellow]"
+        )
         return False
 
 
diff --git a/templates/commands/specify.md b/templates/commands/specify.md
index 36e0c1a2e..ec52c00e5 100644
--- a/templates/commands/specify.md
+++ b/templates/commands/specify.md
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ Given that feature description, do this:
          - `mkdir -p "$FEATURE_DIR"`
          - `touch "$SPEC_FILE"`
        - PowerShell:
-         - `New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $env:FEATURE_DIR -Force | Out-Null`
-         - `New-Item -ItemType File -Path $env:SPEC_FILE -Force | Out-Null`
+         - `New-Item -ItemType Directory -Path $FEATURE_DIR -Force | Out-Null`
+         - `New-Item -ItemType File -Path $SPEC_FILE -Force | Out-Null`
      - Then proceed directly to step 3 using `FEATURE_DIR` and `SPEC_FILE`
    - If the registry file does not exist, proceed with branch creation using the default behavior (backward compatibility)