diff --git a/src/cli.rs b/src/cli.rs
index 0f93c6d..e222046 100644
--- a/src/cli.rs
+++ b/src/cli.rs
@@ -606,4 +606,18 @@ pub enum ForkSubcommand {
     /// Project identifiers to promote
     projects: Vec<String>,
   },
+
+  /// Exclude parent projects from the merged export
+  Exclude {
+    /// Project slugs to exclude from the parent
+    #[clap(required = true)]
+    projects: Vec<String>,
+  },
+
+  /// Re-include previously excluded parent projects
+  Include {
+    /// Project slugs to stop excluding from the parent
+    #[clap(required = true)]
+    projects: Vec<String>,
+  },
 }
diff --git a/src/cli/commands/export.rs b/src/cli/commands/export.rs
index 6c27cf5..b629a51 100644
--- a/src/cli/commands/export.rs
+++ b/src/cli/commands/export.rs
@@ -233,14 +233,17 @@ fn merge_lockfiles(
   // Collect local project slugs for override detection
   let mut local_slugs = std::collections::HashSet::new();
   for project in &local.projects {
-    // Add all slugs from all platforms
     for slug in project.slug.values() {
       local_slugs.insert(slug.clone());
     }
   }
 
-  // Add parent projects that are NOT overridden by local
-  let parent_projects_count = parent.projects.len();
+  // Collect excluded slugs from local config
+  let excluded: std::collections::HashSet<_> =
+    local_config.excludes.iter().collect();
+
+  // Add parent projects that are NOT overridden by local and NOT excluded
+  let mut parent_kept = 0usize;
 
   for parent_project in &parent.projects {
     let is_overridden = parent_project
@@ -248,53 +251,63 @@ fn merge_lockfiles(
       .values()
       .any(|slug| local_slugs.contains(slug));
 
-    if !is_overridden {
-      // Check if project has local config overrides
-      let mut project = parent_project.clone();
+    let is_excluded = parent_project
+      .slug
+      .values()
+      .any(|slug| excluded.contains(slug))
+      || parent_project
+        .name
+        .values()
+        .any(|name| excluded.contains(name));
 
-      // Apply local config overrides if they exist
-      for (key, local_proj_cfg) in &local_config.projects {
-        // Match by slug, name, or pakku_id
-        let matches = project.slug.values().any(|s| s == key)
-          || project.name.values().any(|n| n == key)
-          || project.pakku_id.as_ref() == Some(key);
-
-        if matches {
-          if let Some(t) = local_proj_cfg.r#type {
-            project.r#type = t;
-          }
-          if let Some(s) = local_proj_cfg.side {
-            project.side = s;
-          }
-          if let Some(us) = local_proj_cfg.update_strategy {
-            project.update_strategy = us;
-          }
-          if let Some(r) = local_proj_cfg.redistributable {
-            project.redistributable = r;
-          }
-          if let Some(ref sp) = local_proj_cfg.subpath {
-            project.subpath = Some(sp.clone());
-          }
-          if let Some(ref aliases) = local_proj_cfg.aliases {
-            project.aliases = aliases.iter().cloned().collect();
-          }
-          if let Some(e) = local_proj_cfg.export {
-            project.export = e;
-          }
-          break;
-        }
-      }
-
-      merged.projects.push(project);
+    if is_overridden || is_excluded {
+      continue;
     }
+
+    let mut project = parent_project.clone();
+
+    // Apply local config attribute overrides (side, type, etc.)
+    for (key, local_proj_cfg) in &local_config.projects {
+      let matches = project.slug.values().any(|s| s == key)
+        || project.name.values().any(|n| n == key)
+        || project.pakku_id.as_ref() == Some(key);
+
+      if matches {
+        if let Some(t) = local_proj_cfg.r#type {
+          project.r#type = t;
+        }
+        if let Some(s) = local_proj_cfg.side {
+          project.side = s;
+        }
+        if let Some(us) = local_proj_cfg.update_strategy {
+          project.update_strategy = us;
+        }
+        if let Some(r) = local_proj_cfg.redistributable {
+          project.redistributable = r;
+        }
+        if let Some(ref sp) = local_proj_cfg.subpath {
+          project.subpath = Some(sp.clone());
+        }
+        if let Some(ref aliases) = local_proj_cfg.aliases {
+          project.aliases = aliases.iter().cloned().collect();
+        }
+        if let Some(e) = local_proj_cfg.export {
+          project.export = e;
+        }
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+
+    merged.projects.push(project);
+    parent_kept += 1;
   }
 
   // Add all local projects
   merged.projects.extend(local.projects.clone());
 
   println!(
-    "Merged fork: {} parent projects + {} local projects = {} total projects",
-    parent_projects_count - local_config.projects.len(),
+    "Merged fork: {} parent + {} local = {} total projects",
+    parent_kept,
     local.projects.len(),
     merged.projects.len()
   );
diff --git a/src/cli/commands/fork.rs b/src/cli/commands/fork.rs
index 8b69a42..11cc79b 100644
--- a/src/cli/commands/fork.rs
+++ b/src/cli/commands/fork.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
-use std::{fs, io::Write, path::Path};
+use std::{
+  collections::{HashMap, HashSet},
+  fs,
+  io::Write,
+  path::Path,
+};
 
 use crate::{
   cli::ForkArgs,
   error::PakkerError,
   git::{self, VcsType},
   model::{
-    config::Config,
+    LockFile,
     fork::{ForkIntegrity, LocalConfig, ParentConfig, RefType, hash_content},
   },
 };
@@ -51,6 +56,12 @@ pub fn execute(args: &ForkArgs) -> Result<(), PakkerError> {
     crate::cli::ForkSubcommand::Promote { projects } => {
       execute_promote(projects)
     },
+    crate::cli::ForkSubcommand::Exclude { projects } => {
+      execute_exclude(projects)
+    },
+    crate::cli::ForkSubcommand::Include { projects } => {
+      execute_include(projects)
+    },
   }
 }
 
@@ -491,6 +502,41 @@ fn execute_unset() -> Result<(), PakkerError> {
   Ok(())
 }
 
+/// Snapshot parent lockfile as slug → first file name map
+fn snapshot_parent_projects(
+  parent_path: &Path,
+) -> HashMap<String, Option<String>> {
+  let lockfile_path = if parent_path.join("pakker-lock.json").exists() {
+    parent_path.join("pakker-lock.json")
+  } else {
+    parent_path.join("pakku-lock.json")
+  };
+
+  if !lockfile_path.exists() {
+    return HashMap::new();
+  }
+
+  match LockFile::load_with_validation(parent_path, false) {
+    Ok(lf) => {
+      lf.projects
+        .iter()
+        .map(|p| {
+          let slug = p
+            .slug
+            .values()
+            .next()
+            .cloned()
+            .or_else(|| p.name.values().next().cloned())
+            .unwrap_or_default();
+          let file = p.files.first().map(|f| f.file_name.clone());
+          (slug, file)
+        })
+        .collect()
+    },
+    Err(_) => HashMap::new(),
+  }
+}
+
 fn execute_sync() -> Result<(), PakkerError> {
   let config_dir = Path::new(".");
   let mut local_config = LocalConfig::load(config_dir)?;
@@ -504,6 +550,9 @@ fn execute_sync() -> Result<(), PakkerError> {
   let parent_path_str = parent_dir();
   let parent_path = Path::new(&parent_path_str);
 
+  // Snapshot before update
+  let before = snapshot_parent_projects(parent_path);
+
   if parent_path.exists() {
     println!("Fetching parent updates...");
     git::fetch_updates(parent_path, &parent.remote_name, &parent.ref_, None)?;
@@ -515,6 +564,9 @@ fn execute_sync() -> Result<(), PakkerError> {
 
   let commit_sha = git::get_commit_sha(parent_path, &parent.ref_)?;
 
+  // Snapshot after update
+  let after = snapshot_parent_projects(parent_path);
+
   let mut integrity = None;
 
   // Try pakker files first, fall back to pakku files
@@ -536,15 +588,6 @@ fn execute_sync() -> Result<(), PakkerError> {
     })?;
 
     let lock_hash = hash_content(&lock_content);
-
-    if let Some(prev_hash) = &local_config.parent_lock_hash
-      && prev_hash != &lock_hash
-    {
-      log::warn!("Parent lock file has changed since last sync");
-      log::warn!("  Previous hash: {prev_hash}");
-      log::warn!("  Current hash:  {lock_hash}");
-    }
-
     local_config.parent_lock_hash = Some(lock_hash);
 
     let config_content = if parent_config_path.exists() {
@@ -556,15 +599,6 @@ fn execute_sync() -> Result<(), PakkerError> {
     };
 
     let config_hash = hash_content(&config_content);
-
-    if let Some(prev_hash) = &local_config.parent_config_hash
-      && prev_hash != &config_hash
-    {
-      log::warn!("Parent config file has changed since last sync");
-      log::warn!("  Previous hash: {prev_hash}");
-      log::warn!("  Current hash:  {config_hash}");
-    }
-
     local_config.parent_config_hash = Some(config_hash);
 
     integrity = Some(ForkIntegrity::new(
@@ -590,6 +624,46 @@ fn execute_sync() -> Result<(), PakkerError> {
   println!();
   println!("✓ Parent sync complete");
   println!("  Commit: {}", &commit_sha[..8]);
+
+  // Print diff of parent changes
+  let before_keys: HashSet<_> = before.keys().collect();
+  let after_keys: HashSet<_> = after.keys().collect();
+  let added: Vec<_> = after_keys.difference(&before_keys).collect();
+  let removed: Vec<_> = before_keys.difference(&after_keys).collect();
+  let mut updated: Vec<(&String, &Option<String>, &Option<String>)> =
+    Vec::new();
+
+  for slug in before_keys.intersection(&after_keys) {
+    if before[*slug] != after[*slug] {
+      updated.push((slug, &before[*slug], &after[*slug]));
+    }
+  }
+
+  if added.is_empty() && removed.is_empty() && updated.is_empty() {
+    println!("  No changes in parent projects.");
+  } else {
+    println!();
+    println!("  Parent project changes:");
+    let mut added: Vec<_> = added;
+    added.sort();
+    for slug in added {
+      let file = after[*slug].as_deref().unwrap_or("?");
+      println!("    + {slug} ({file})");
+    }
+    let mut removed: Vec<_> = removed;
+    removed.sort();
+    for slug in removed {
+      let file = before[*slug].as_deref().unwrap_or("?");
+      println!("    - {slug} ({file})");
+    }
+    updated.sort_by_key(|(slug, ..)| *slug);
+    for (slug, old_file, new_file) in updated {
+      let old = old_file.as_deref().unwrap_or("?");
+      let new = new_file.as_deref().unwrap_or("?");
+      println!("    ~ {slug}: {old} → {new}");
+    }
+  }
+
   println!();
   println!("Run 'pakku export' to merge changes from parent.");
 
@@ -613,33 +687,160 @@ fn execute_promote(projects: &[String]) -> Result<(), PakkerError> {
     ));
   }
 
-  // Load current config
-  let config = Config::load(config_dir)?;
+  // Load parent lockfile
+  let parent_path_str = parent_dir();
+  let parent_path = Path::new(&parent_path_str);
+  if !parent_path.exists() {
+    return Err(PakkerError::Fork(
+      "Parent directory not found. Run 'pakku fork sync' first.".to_string(),
+    ));
+  }
+
+  let parent_lockfile = LockFile::load_with_validation(parent_path, false)
+    .map_err(|e| {
+      PakkerError::Fork(format!("Failed to load parent lockfile: {e}"))
+    })?;
+
+  // Load or create local lockfile
+  let lockfile_path = config_dir.join("pakku-lock.json");
+  let mut local_lockfile = if lockfile_path.exists() {
+    LockFile::load_with_validation(config_dir, false).map_err(|e| {
+      PakkerError::Fork(format!("Failed to load local lockfile: {e}"))
+    })?
+  } else {
+    // Bootstrap from parent metadata
+    LockFile {
+      target:           parent_lockfile.target,
+      mc_versions:      parent_lockfile.mc_versions.clone(),
+      loaders:          parent_lockfile.loaders.clone(),
+      projects:         Vec::new(),
+      lockfile_version: parent_lockfile.lockfile_version,
+    }
+  };
+
+  // Track which requested projects we found
+  let mut promoted = Vec::new();
+  let mut not_found = Vec::new();
 
-  // Verify all projects exist
   for project_arg in projects {
-    let found = config
-      .projects
-      .as_ref()
-      .and_then(|projs| projs.get(project_arg))
-      .is_some();
+    let found = parent_lockfile.projects.iter().find(|p| {
+      p.slug.values().any(|s| s == project_arg)
+        || p.name.values().any(|n| n == project_arg)
+        || p.pakku_id.as_deref() == Some(project_arg)
+    });
 
-    if !found {
-      return Err(PakkerError::Fork(format!(
-        "Project not found: {project_arg}"
-      )));
+    if let Some(project) = found {
+      // Skip if already in local lockfile
+      let already_local = local_lockfile.projects.iter().any(|lp| {
+        lp.slug
+          .values()
+          .any(|s| project.slug.values().any(|ps| s == ps))
+      });
+
+      if already_local {
+        println!("  ~ {project_arg}: already in local lockfile, skipping");
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      local_lockfile.add_project(project.clone());
+      promoted.push(project_arg);
+    } else {
+      not_found.push(project_arg);
     }
   }
 
-  println!("Note: In the current architecture, projects in pakku.json are");
-  println!("automatically merged with parent projects during export.");
-  println!();
-  println!("The following projects are already in pakku.json:");
-  for project in projects {
-    println!("  - {project}");
+  if !not_found.is_empty() {
+    for name in &not_found {
+      eprintln!("  ! {name}: not found in parent lockfile");
+    }
+    return Err(PakkerError::Fork(format!(
+      "{} project(s) not found in parent lockfile",
+      not_found.len()
+    )));
+  }
+
+  if promoted.is_empty() {
+    println!("No projects promoted (all already in local lockfile).");
+    return Ok(());
+  }
+
+  local_lockfile.save(config_dir)?;
+
+  println!("Promoted {} project(s) to local lockfile:", promoted.len());
+  for name in &promoted {
+    println!("  + {name}");
   }
   println!();
-  println!("These will be included in exports automatically.");
+  println!(
+    "These projects are now locally managed and will override the parent."
+  );
+
+  Ok(())
+}
+
+fn execute_exclude(projects: &[String]) -> Result<(), PakkerError> {
+  let config_dir = Path::new(".");
+  let mut local_config = LocalConfig::load(config_dir)?;
+
+  if local_config.parent.is_none() {
+    return Err(PakkerError::Fork(
+      "No parent configured. Run 'pakku fork init' first.".to_string(),
+    ));
+  }
+
+  let mut added = Vec::new();
+  for slug in projects {
+    if local_config.excludes.contains(slug) {
+      println!("  ~ {slug}: already excluded");
+    } else {
+      local_config.excludes.push(slug.clone());
+      added.push(slug);
+    }
+  }
+  local_config.excludes.sort();
+  local_config.save(config_dir)?;
+
+  if !added.is_empty() {
+    println!("Excluded {} project(s) from parent:", added.len());
+    for slug in &added {
+      println!("  - {slug}");
+    }
+    println!();
+    println!("These parent projects will be omitted from exports.");
+  }
+
+  Ok(())
+}
+
+fn execute_include(projects: &[String]) -> Result<(), PakkerError> {
+  let config_dir = Path::new(".");
+  let mut local_config = LocalConfig::load(config_dir)?;
+
+  if local_config.parent.is_none() {
+    return Err(PakkerError::Fork(
+      "No parent configured. Run 'pakku fork init' first.".to_string(),
+    ));
+  }
+
+  let mut removed = Vec::new();
+  for slug in projects {
+    if let Some(pos) = local_config.excludes.iter().position(|s| s == slug) {
+      local_config.excludes.remove(pos);
+      removed.push(slug);
+    } else {
+      println!("  ~ {slug}: not in excludes list");
+    }
+  }
+  local_config.save(config_dir)?;
+
+  if !removed.is_empty() {
+    println!("Re-included {} project(s) from parent:", removed.len());
+    for slug in &removed {
+      println!("  + {slug}");
+    }
+    println!();
+    println!("These parent projects will be included in exports again.");
+  }
 
   Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/src/model/fork.rs b/src/model/fork.rs
index 0bf4f44..d81392b 100644
--- a/src/model/fork.rs
+++ b/src/model/fork.rs
@@ -135,6 +135,9 @@ pub struct LocalConfig {
   pub parent_config_hash: Option<String>,
   #[serde(default)]
   pub patches:            Vec<String>,
+  /// Slugs of parent projects to exclude from the merged export
+  #[serde(default, skip_serializing_if = "Vec::is_empty")]
+  pub excludes:           Vec<String>,
 }
 
 impl LocalConfig {
@@ -347,6 +350,7 @@ mod tests {
       parent_lock_hash:   None,
       parent_config_hash: None,
       patches:            vec![],
+      excludes:           vec![],
     };
     assert!(config.parent.is_none());
     assert!(config.projects.is_empty());
@@ -361,6 +365,7 @@ mod tests {
       parent_lock_hash:   None,
       parent_config_hash: None,
       patches:            vec![],
+      excludes:           vec![],
     };
     assert!(!config.has_parent());
   }
@@ -373,6 +378,7 @@ mod tests {
       parent_lock_hash:   None,
       parent_config_hash: None,
       patches:            vec![],
+      excludes:           vec![],
     };
     config.parent = Some(ParentConfig {
       type_:       "git".to_string(),
@@ -393,6 +399,7 @@ mod tests {
       parent_lock_hash:   None,
       parent_config_hash: None,
       patches:            vec![],
+      excludes:           vec![],
     };
     config
       .projects
@@ -421,6 +428,7 @@ mod tests {
       parent_lock_hash:   None,
       parent_config_hash: None,
       patches:            vec![],
+      excludes:           vec![],
     };
     config.patches.push("custom.patch".to_string());
     config.patches.push("bugfix.patch".to_string());
@@ -437,6 +445,7 @@ mod tests {
       parent_lock_hash:   None,
       parent_config_hash: None,
       patches:            vec![],
+      excludes:           vec![],
     };
     config.parent = Some(ParentConfig {
       type_:       "git".to_string(),