diff --git a/system/src/Grav/Common/Upgrade/SafeUpgradeService.php b/system/src/Grav/Common/Upgrade/SafeUpgradeService.php
index a7913b4b9..ca4c7b811 100644
--- a/system/src/Grav/Common/Upgrade/SafeUpgradeService.php
+++ b/system/src/Grav/Common/Upgrade/SafeUpgradeService.php
@@ -171,7 +171,8 @@ class SafeUpgradeService
         Folder::create(dirname($packagePath));
 
         $this->reportProgress('installing', 'Preparing staged package...', null);
-        $this->stageExtractedPackage($extractedPath, $packagePath);
+        $stagingMode = $this->stageExtractedPackage($extractedPath, $packagePath);
+        $this->reportProgress('installing', 'Preparing staged package...', null, ['mode' => $stagingMode]);
 
         $this->carryOverRootDotfiles($packagePath);
 
@@ -186,7 +187,6 @@ class SafeUpgradeService
 
         $this->reportProgress('snapshot', 'Creating backup snapshot...', null);
         $this->createBackupSnapshot($entries, $backupPath);
-        $this->syncGitDirectory($this->rootPath, $backupPath);
 
         $manifest = $this->buildManifest($stageId, $targetVersion, $packagePath, $backupPath, $entries);
         $manifestPath = $stagePath . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . 'manifest.json';
@@ -199,12 +199,10 @@ class SafeUpgradeService
             $this->copyEntries($entries, $packagePath, $this->rootPath, 'installing', 'Deploying');
         } catch (Throwable $e) {
             $this->copyEntries($entries, $backupPath, $this->rootPath, 'installing', 'Restoring');
-            $this->syncGitDirectory($backupPath, $this->rootPath);
             throw new RuntimeException('Failed to promote staged Grav release.', 0, $e);
         }
 
         $this->reportProgress('finalizing', 'Finalizing upgrade...', null);
-        $this->syncGitDirectory($backupPath, $this->rootPath);
         $this->persistManifest($manifest);
         $this->pruneOldSnapshots();
         Folder::delete($stagePath);
@@ -234,20 +232,22 @@ class SafeUpgradeService
         return $entries;
     }
 
-    private function stageExtractedPackage(string $sourcePath, string $packagePath): void
+    private function stageExtractedPackage(string $sourcePath, string $packagePath): string
     {
         if (is_dir($packagePath)) {
             Folder::delete($packagePath);
         }
 
         if (@rename($sourcePath, $packagePath)) {
-            return;
+            return 'move';
         }
 
         Folder::create($packagePath);
         $entries = $this->collectPackageEntries($sourcePath);
         $this->copyEntries($entries, $sourcePath, $packagePath, 'installing', 'Staging');
         Folder::delete($sourcePath);
+
+        return 'copy';
     }
 
     private function createBackupSnapshot(array $entries, string $backupPath): void
@@ -360,7 +360,6 @@ class SafeUpgradeService
 
         $this->reportProgress('rollback', 'Restoring snapshot...', null);
         $this->copyEntries($entries, $backupPath, $this->rootPath, 'rollback', 'Restoring');
-        $this->syncGitDirectory($backupPath, $this->rootPath);
         $this->markRollback($manifest['id']);
 
         return $manifest;
@@ -552,14 +551,8 @@ class SafeUpgradeService
                 continue;
             }
 
-            // Skip caches to avoid stale data.
-            if (in_array($relative, ['cache', 'tmp'], true)) {
-                Folder::create($stage);
-                continue;
-            }
-
-            Folder::create(dirname($stage));
-            Folder::rcopy($live, $stage, true);
+            // Use empty placeholders to preserve directory structure without duplicating data.
+            Folder::create($stage);
         }
     }
 
@@ -713,25 +706,6 @@ class SafeUpgradeService
      * @param string $destination
      * @return void
      */
-    private function syncGitDirectory(string $source, string $destination): void
-    {
-        if (!$source || !$destination) {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        $sourceGit = rtrim($source, DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR) . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . '.git';
-        if (!is_dir($sourceGit)) {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        $destinationGit = rtrim($destination, DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR) . DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR . '.git';
-        if (is_dir($destinationGit)) {
-            Folder::delete($destinationGit);
-        }
-
-        Folder::rcopy($sourceGit, $destinationGit, true);
-    }
-
     /**
      * Persist manifest into Grav data directory.
      *
diff --git a/system/src/Grav/Console/Gpm/SelfupgradeCommand.php b/system/src/Grav/Console/Gpm/SelfupgradeCommand.php
index f34c1870e..f6fb1a7dd 100644
--- a/system/src/Grav/Console/Gpm/SelfupgradeCommand.php
+++ b/system/src/Grav/Console/Gpm/SelfupgradeCommand.php
@@ -46,6 +46,14 @@ class SelfupgradeCommand extends GpmCommand
     private $upgrader;
     /** @var string|null */
     private $lastProgressMessage = null;
+    /** @var float|null */
+    private $operationTimerStart = null;
+    /** @var string|null */
+    private $currentProgressStage = null;
+    /** @var float|null */
+    private $currentStageStartedAt = null;
+    /** @var array */
+    private $currentStageExtras = [];
 
     /** @var string */
     protected $all_yes;
@@ -235,6 +243,7 @@ class SelfupgradeCommand extends GpmCommand
         $this->file = $this->download($update);
 
         $io->write('  |- Installing upgrade...  ');
+        $this->operationTimerStart = microtime(true);
         $installation = $this->upgrade();
 
         $error = 0;
@@ -443,6 +452,13 @@ class SelfupgradeCommand extends GpmCommand
         $this->lastProgressMessage = null;
 
         $this->upgradeGrav($this->file);
+        $this->finalizeStageTracking();
+
+        $elapsed = null;
+        if (null !== $this->operationTimerStart) {
+            $elapsed = microtime(true) - $this->operationTimerStart;
+            $this->operationTimerStart = null;
+        }
 
         $errorCode = Installer::lastErrorCode();
         if ($errorCode) {
@@ -454,6 +470,10 @@ class SelfupgradeCommand extends GpmCommand
             return false;
         }
 
+        if (null !== $elapsed) {
+            $io->writeln(sprintf('  |- Safe upgrade staging completed in %s', $this->formatDuration($elapsed)));
+        }
+
         $io->write("\x0D");
         // extra white spaces to clear out the buffer properly
         $io->writeln('  |- Installing upgrade...    <green>ok</green>                             ');
@@ -528,13 +548,19 @@ class SelfupgradeCommand extends GpmCommand
 
     private function handleServiceProgress(string $stage, string $message, ?int $percent = null, array $extra = []): void
     {
+        $this->trackStageProgress($stage, $message, $extra);
+
         if ($this->lastProgressMessage === $message) {
             return;
         }
 
         $this->lastProgressMessage = $message;
         $io = $this->getIO();
-        $io->writeln(sprintf('  |- %s', $message));
+        $suffix = '';
+        if (null !== $percent) {
+            $suffix = sprintf(' (%d%%)', $percent);
+        }
+        $io->writeln(sprintf('  |- %s%s', $message, $suffix));
     }
 
     private function ensureExecutablePermissions(): void
@@ -560,4 +586,69 @@ class SelfupgradeCommand extends GpmCommand
             }
         }
     }
+
+    private function trackStageProgress(string $stage, string $message, array $extra = []): void
+    {
+        $now = microtime(true);
+
+        if (null !== $this->currentProgressStage && $stage !== $this->currentProgressStage && null !== $this->currentStageStartedAt) {
+            $elapsed = $now - $this->currentStageStartedAt;
+            $this->emitStageSummary($this->currentProgressStage, $elapsed, $this->currentStageExtras);
+            $this->currentStageExtras = [];
+        }
+
+        if ($stage !== $this->currentProgressStage) {
+            $this->currentProgressStage = $stage;
+            $this->currentStageStartedAt = $now;
+            $this->currentStageExtras = [];
+        }
+
+        if (!isset($this->currentStageExtras['label'])) {
+            $this->currentStageExtras['label'] = $message;
+        }
+
+        if ($extra) {
+            $this->currentStageExtras = array_merge($this->currentStageExtras, $extra);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private function finalizeStageTracking(): void
+    {
+        if (null !== $this->currentProgressStage && null !== $this->currentStageStartedAt) {
+            $elapsed = microtime(true) - $this->currentStageStartedAt;
+            $this->emitStageSummary($this->currentProgressStage, $elapsed, $this->currentStageExtras);
+        }
+
+        $this->currentProgressStage = null;
+        $this->currentStageStartedAt = null;
+        $this->currentStageExtras = [];
+    }
+
+    private function emitStageSummary(string $stage, float $seconds, array $extra = []): void
+    {
+        $io = $this->getIO();
+        $label = $extra['label'] ?? ucfirst($stage);
+        $modeText = '';
+        if (isset($extra['mode'])) {
+            $modeText = sprintf(' [%s]', $extra['mode']);
+        }
+
+        $io->writeln(sprintf('  |- %s completed in %s%s', $label, $this->formatDuration($seconds), $modeText));
+    }
+
+    private function formatDuration(float $seconds): string
+    {
+        if ($seconds < 1) {
+            return sprintf('%0.3fs', $seconds);
+        }
+
+        $minutes = (int)floor($seconds / 60);
+        $remaining = $seconds - ($minutes * 60);
+
+        if ($minutes === 0) {
+            return sprintf('%0.1fs', $remaining);
+        }
+
+        return sprintf('%dm %0.1fs', $minutes, $remaining);
+    }
 }