diff --git a/src/webhooks/plane.py b/src/webhooks/plane.py
index e888b6b..8daa9a8 100644
--- a/src/webhooks/plane.py
+++ b/src/webhooks/plane.py
@@ -246,7 +246,12 @@ async def handle_status_start(data: dict, project_id: str = ""):
 async def handle_verdict(data: dict, project_id: str, approved: bool):
     """Status-only verdict: a Plane status change drives advance / rollback.
 
-    Approved status -> _try_advance_stage.
+    Approved status -> _try_advance_stage. We do NOT touch the issue status here:
+    _try_advance_stage -> advance_stage -> plane_notify_stage already PATCHes the
+    issue to the NEXT stage's status. The old set_issue_in_progress call reset
+    the status to In Progress first, which made the board flicker In Progress
+    before the next stage (part of bug 3); it is removed.
+
     Rejected status -> rollback to the previous stage.
     """
     plane_id = str(data.get("id") or "")
@@ -262,8 +267,8 @@ async def handle_verdict(data: dict, project_id: str, approved: bool):
     branch = task.get("branch", "")
 
     if approved:
-        from ..plane_sync import set_issue_in_progress
-        set_issue_in_progress(work_item_id)
+        # NOTE: no set_issue_in_progress here — _try_advance_stage sets the next
+        # stage's status itself (advance_stage -> plane_notify_stage).
         logger.info(f"Task {task_id}: Approved status -> advance from {current_stage}")
         await _try_advance_stage(task_id, current_stage, repo, work_item_id, branch)
         return