diff --git a/tests/test_e2e.sh b/tests/test_e2e.sh
index b510424..1da4439 100755
--- a/tests/test_e2e.sh
+++ b/tests/test_e2e.sh
@@ -291,7 +291,7 @@ assert_conflict_comment_merges() {
         expected+="git merge $conflict"$'\n'
     done
     expected=${expected%$'\n'}
-    actual=$(echo "$comment" | grep -E '^git merge' || true)
+    actual=$(echo "$comment" | grep -E '^git merge' | sed 's/ *#.*//' || true)
 
     if [[ "$actual" == "$expected" ]]; then
         echo >&2 "✅ Verification Passed: conflict comment lists expected merge command(s)."
diff --git a/update-pr-stack.sh b/update-pr-stack.sh
index 3676a9e..a2d8ca5 100755
--- a/update-pr-stack.sh
+++ b/update-pr-stack.sh
@@ -74,17 +74,6 @@ has_squash_commit() {
         && git merge-base --is-ancestor SQUASH_COMMIT "$BRANCH"
 }
 
-format_branch_list_for_text() {
-    for ((i=1; i<=$#; i++)); do
-        case $i in
-            1) format='`%s`';;
-            $#) format=', and `%s`';;
-            *) format=', `%s`';;
-        esac
-        printf "$format" "${!i}"
-    done
-}
-
 update_direct_target() {
     local BRANCH="$1"
     local BASE_BRANCH="$2"
@@ -113,7 +102,7 @@ update_direct_target() {
     # included in the merged branch — otherwise the first merge covers it.
     if ! git merge-base --is-ancestor SQUASH_COMMIT~ "origin/$MERGED_BRANCH"; then
         if ! log_cmd git merge --no-edit SQUASH_COMMIT~; then
-            CONFLICTS+=( "$(git rev-parse SQUASH_COMMIT~)" )
+            CONFLICTS+=( "$(git rev-parse SQUASH_COMMIT~)  # $TARGET_BRANCH just before $MERGED_BRANCH was merged" )
             log_cmd git merge --abort
         fi
     fi
@@ -135,15 +124,11 @@ update_direct_target() {
         {
             echo "### ⚠️ Automatic update blocked by merge conflicts"
             echo
-            echo -n "I tried to merge "
-            format_branch_list_for_text "${CONFLICTS[@]}"
-            echo " into this branch while updating the pull request stack and hit conflicts."
-            echo
-            echo "#### How to resolve"
+            echo "Resolve them like this:"
             echo '```bash'
             echo "git fetch origin"
             echo "git switch $BRANCH"
-            echo "git pull origin $BRANCH"
+            echo "git merge --ff-only origin/$BRANCH"
 
             for i in "${!CONFLICTS[@]}"; do
                 echo "git merge ${CONFLICTS[$i]}"