diff --git a/docs/user/commands.md b/docs/user/commands.md
index 0be3a85..5ba6169 100644
--- a/docs/user/commands.md
+++ b/docs/user/commands.md
@@ -69,11 +69,13 @@ Candidate-set scanning is opt-in:
 Example text output shape:
 
 ```text
+reminder: deploy applies source -> target; import applies target -> source
 sync[0] target=~/.config/nvim source=./source/nvim
-deploy[2]
+deploy[2] (source -> target)
   can create   lua/init.lua (file->missing)
-import[1]
-  can update   lua/plugins.lua (file->file)
+import[1] (target -> source)
+  can update   lua/init.lua (file->file)
+hint: same path in deploy/import: lua/init.lua
 remove-missing[1]
   can remove   lua/legacy.lua (file)
 summary deploy=2 import=1 remove-missing=1
@@ -144,12 +146,17 @@ If `[path]` matches no syncs, command fails.
 - `version`/`--version` output one line: `dotfiles-manager version <value>`.
 - `version`/`--version` exit `0` and do not require config.
 - text mode prints per-sync sections with exact file operations.
+- status text includes one concise direction reminder line once per run.
 - every sync header uses:
   - `sync[idx] target=~/<target> source=./<source>`
 - sync headers show configured path text (placeholders stay visible if present in config)
 - when `[path]` scopes into a subpath, header appends:
   - `scope=<sync-relative-prefix>`
 - text mode only prints non-empty phase blocks.
+- status phase headers include direction:
+  - `deploy[n] (source -> target)`
+  - `import[n] (target -> source)`
+- status prints `hint: same path in deploy/import: ...` when a path appears in both direction blocks.
 - text summary line only includes non-zero categories.
 - status actions are potential, human-readable phrases (`can create`, `can update`, `can replace type`, `can add`, `can remove`).
 - deploy/import actions remain actual execution verbs (`create`, `update`, `replace_type`, `add`, `remove`).
diff --git a/internal/app/text_output.go b/internal/app/text_output.go
index 9b3fedd..a156f7a 100644
--- a/internal/app/text_output.go
+++ b/internal/app/text_output.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package app
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"sort"
 	"strings"
 )
 
@@ -13,6 +14,10 @@ func buildTextOutput(command string, dryRun bool, result map[string]any) string
 	lines := make([]string, 0)
 	syncs := syncPayloadMaps(result["syncs"])
 
+	if command == "status" && len(syncs) > 0 {
+		lines = append(lines, "reminder: deploy applies source -> target; import applies target -> source")
+	}
+
 	for idx, sync := range syncs {
 		if idx > 0 {
 			lines = append(lines, "")
@@ -21,8 +26,11 @@ func buildTextOutput(command string, dryRun bool, result map[string]any) string
 
 		switch command {
 		case "status":
-			lines = appendPhaseBlock(lines, "deploy", operationPayloadMapsByPhase(sync, "deploy"))
-			lines = appendPhaseBlock(lines, "import", operationPayloadMapsByPhase(sync, "import"))
+			deployOps := operationPayloadMapsByPhase(sync, "deploy")
+			importOps := operationPayloadMapsByPhase(sync, "import")
+			lines = appendPhaseBlockWithContext(lines, "deploy", "(source -> target)", deployOps)
+			lines = appendPhaseBlockWithContext(lines, "import", "(target -> source)", importOps)
+			lines = appendStatusDirectionHint(lines, deployOps, importOps)
 			lines = appendPhaseBlock(lines, "incoming-unmanaged", operationPayloadMapsByPhase(sync, "incoming_unmanaged"))
 			lines = appendPhaseBlock(lines, "remove-unmanaged", operationPayloadMapsByPhase(sync, "remove_unmanaged"))
 			lines = appendPhaseBlock(lines, "remove-missing", operationPayloadMapsByPhase(sync, "remove_missing"))
@@ -54,11 +62,19 @@ func buildSyncHeader(sync map[string]any) string {
 }
 
 func appendPhaseBlock(lines []string, label string, operations []map[string]any) []string {
+	return appendPhaseBlockWithContext(lines, label, "", operations)
+}
+
+func appendPhaseBlockWithContext(lines []string, label string, context string, operations []map[string]any) []string {
 	if len(operations) == 0 {
 		return lines
 	}
 
-	lines = append(lines, fmt.Sprintf("%s[%d]", label, len(operations)))
+	header := fmt.Sprintf("%s[%d]", label, len(operations))
+	if context != "" {
+		header = fmt.Sprintf("%s %s", header, context)
+	}
+	lines = append(lines, header)
 	for _, op := range operations {
 		action := stringValue(op["action"])
 		path := stringValue(op["path"])
@@ -77,6 +93,65 @@ func appendPhaseBlock(lines []string, label string, operations []map[string]any)
 	return lines
 }
 
+func appendStatusDirectionHint(lines []string, deployOps []map[string]any, importOps []map[string]any) []string {
+	overlapPaths := overlappingOperationPaths(deployOps, importOps)
+	if len(overlapPaths) == 0 {
+		return lines
+	}
+
+	const maxHintPaths = 3
+	preview := overlapPaths
+	extra := 0
+	if len(preview) > maxHintPaths {
+		extra = len(preview) - maxHintPaths
+		preview = preview[:maxHintPaths]
+	}
+
+	hint := fmt.Sprintf("hint: same path in deploy/import: %s", strings.Join(preview, ", "))
+	if extra > 0 {
+		hint = fmt.Sprintf("%s (+%d more)", hint, extra)
+	}
+	return append(lines, hint)
+}
+
+func overlappingOperationPaths(leftOps []map[string]any, rightOps []map[string]any) []string {
+	if len(leftOps) == 0 || len(rightOps) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	leftPaths := make(map[string]struct{}, len(leftOps))
+	for _, op := range leftOps {
+		path := stringValue(op["path"])
+		if path != "" {
+			leftPaths[path] = struct{}{}
+		}
+	}
+	if len(leftPaths) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	overlapSet := make(map[string]struct{})
+	for _, op := range rightOps {
+		path := stringValue(op["path"])
+		if path == "" {
+			continue
+		}
+		if _, ok := leftPaths[path]; ok {
+			overlapSet[path] = struct{}{}
+		}
+	}
+	if len(overlapSet) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	overlapPaths := make([]string, 0, len(overlapSet))
+	for path := range overlapSet {
+		overlapPaths = append(overlapPaths, path)
+	}
+	sort.Strings(overlapPaths)
+	return overlapPaths
+}
+
 func operationDetails(op map[string]any) string {
 	sourceType := stringValue(op["source_type"])
 	targetType := stringValue(op["target_type"])
diff --git a/internal/app/text_output_test.go b/internal/app/text_output_test.go
index fe41540..c5b5cf6 100644
--- a/internal/app/text_output_test.go
+++ b/internal/app/text_output_test.go
@@ -33,7 +33,10 @@ func TestBuildTextOutputStatusAndDeploy(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 
 	require.Contains(t, statusOutput, "sync[0] target=~/.config/nvim source=./source/nvim scope=lua")
-	require.Contains(t, statusOutput, "deploy[1]")
+	require.Contains(t, statusOutput, "reminder: deploy applies source -> target; import applies target -> source")
+	require.Contains(t, statusOutput, "deploy[1] (source -> target)")
+	require.Contains(t, statusOutput, "import[1] (target -> source)")
+	require.Contains(t, statusOutput, "hint: same path in deploy/import: lua/init.lua")
 	require.Contains(t, statusOutput, "can create   lua/init.lua (file->missing)")
 	require.Contains(t, statusOutput, "incoming-unmanaged[1]")
 	require.Contains(t, statusOutput, "summary deploy=1 import=1 incoming-unmanaged=1")
@@ -82,3 +85,28 @@ func TestBuildTextOutputFallbackAndHelpers(t *testing.T) {
 	require.Equal(t, "~/.config/nvim", display.Target)
 	require.Equal(t, "./source/nvim", display.Source)
 }
+
+func TestBuildTextOutputStatusHintAppearsOnlyForOverlaps(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	noOverlapOutput := buildTextOutput("status", false, map[string]any{
+		"syncs": []any{
+			map[string]any{
+				"sync": "sync[0] target=~/.config/nvim source=./source/nvim",
+				"operations": []any{
+					map[string]any{"phase": "deploy", "action": "can update", "path": "lua/init.lua", "source_type": "file", "target_type": "file"},
+					map[string]any{"phase": "import", "action": "can update", "path": "lua/plugins.lua", "source_type": "file", "target_type": "file"},
+				},
+			},
+		},
+		"summary": map[string]any{
+			"deploy_count":    1,
+			"import_count":    1,
+			"operation_count": 2,
+		},
+	})
+
+	require.Contains(t, noOverlapOutput, "deploy[1] (source -> target)")
+	require.Contains(t, noOverlapOutput, "import[1] (target -> source)")
+	require.NotContains(t, noOverlapOutput, "hint: same path in deploy/import:")
+}