diff --git a/lib/async_prompt.zsh b/lib/async_prompt.zsh
index 151e24b8c..868088614 100644
--- a/lib/async_prompt.zsh
+++ b/lib/async_prompt.zsh
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ function _omz_register_handler {
 function _omz_async_request {
   setopt localoptions noksharrays unset
   local -i ret=$?
-  typeset -gA _OMZ_ASYNC_FDS _OMZ_ASYNC_PIDS _OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT
+  typeset -gA _OMZ_ASYNC_FDS _OMZ_ASYNC_PIDS _OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT _OMZ_ASYNC_PENDING
 
   # executor runs a subshell for all async requests based on key
   local handler
@@ -79,6 +79,7 @@ function _omz_async_request {
     # Define global variables to store the file descriptor, PID and output
     _OMZ_ASYNC_FDS[$handler]=-1
     _OMZ_ASYNC_PIDS[$handler]=-1
+    _OMZ_ASYNC_PENDING[$handler]=1
 
     # Fork a process to fetch the git status and open a pipe to read from it
     exec {fd}< <(
@@ -117,14 +118,23 @@ function _omz_async_callback() {
     # Get handler name from fd
     local handler="${(k)_OMZ_ASYNC_FDS[(r)$fd]}"
 
-    # Store old output which is supposed to be already printed
+    # Store old output and pending state before updating
     local old_output="${_OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT[$handler]}"
+    local was_pending="${_OMZ_ASYNC_PENDING[$handler]}"
+
+    # Mark handler as no longer pending
+    _OMZ_ASYNC_PENDING[$handler]=0
 
     # Read output from fd
     IFS= read -r -u $fd -d '' "_OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT[$handler]"
 
-    # Repaint prompt if output has changed
-    if [[ "$old_output" != "${_OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT[$handler]}" ]]; then
+    # Repaint prompt if output has changed, or if the git prompt handler was
+    # pending — even when the output is identical, the prompt needs redrawing
+    # to clear stale/unbolded styling applied while the handler was in-flight.
+    # Only the git handler uses pending-state styling, so other handlers skip
+    # the extra repaint to avoid unnecessary redraws.
+    if [[ "$old_output" != "${_OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT[$handler]}" ]] \
+      || { (( was_pending )) && [[ "$handler" == _omz_git_prompt_info ]]; }; then
       zle .reset-prompt
       zle -R
     fi
diff --git a/lib/git.zsh b/lib/git.zsh
index 8d38f3268..94fa27754 100644
--- a/lib/git.zsh
+++ b/lib/git.zsh
@@ -36,7 +36,19 @@ function _omz_git_prompt_info() {
     && upstream=" -> ${upstream}"
   fi
 
-  echo "${ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_PREFIX}${ref:gs/%/%%}${upstream:gs/%/%%}$(parse_git_dirty)${ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_SUFFIX}"
+  local escaped_ref="${ref:gs/%/%%}${upstream:gs/%/%%}"
+  local dirty="$(parse_git_dirty)"
+
+  # In async context, output ref and dirty indicator separated by Unit Separator
+  # (U+001F) so the renderer can assemble the prompt and apply pending-state
+  # styling without needing to decompose a pre-formatted string.
+  # Check for the specific handler key to avoid false positives when the
+  # associative array exists but this handler hasn't been registered.
+  if (( ${+_OMZ_ASYNC_PENDING[_omz_git_prompt_info]} )); then
+    printf '%s\x1f%s' "$escaped_ref" "$dirty"
+  else
+    echo "${ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_PREFIX}${escaped_ref}${dirty}${ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_SUFFIX}"
+  fi
 }
 
 function _omz_git_prompt_status() {
@@ -143,21 +155,95 @@ function _omz_git_prompt_status() {
 # - https://github.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/issues/12331
 # - https://github.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/issues/12360
 # TODO(2024-06-12): @mcornella remove workaround when CentOS 7 reaches EOL
+
+# Helper functions for async pending-state rendering (used by _omz_render_git_prompt_info).
+
+# Detect whether bold is the active terminal state at the end of a prompt string.
+# Expands zsh prompt escapes (%B, %b) then parses ANSI SGR sequences in order.
+# NOTE: Only standard SGR sequences (\e[...m) are parsed. Non-SGR CSI sequences
+# (e.g. cursor movement) in the prefix may cause incorrect results.
+function _omz_is_bold_at_end() {
+  local expanded=$(print -Pn -- "$1")
+  local is_bold=0 remaining="$expanded"
+  local params p
+  while [[ "$remaining" == *$'\e['*'m'* ]]; do
+    remaining="${remaining#*$'\e['}"
+    params="${remaining%%m*}"
+    remaining="${remaining#*m}"
+    # Bare \e[m (empty params) is equivalent to \e[0m (full reset)
+    if [[ -z "$params" ]]; then
+      is_bold=0
+    else
+      for p in ${(s/;/)params}; do
+        case "$p" in
+          0) is_bold=0 ;;
+          1|01) is_bold=1 ;;
+          22) is_bold=0 ;;
+        esac
+      done
+    fi
+  done
+  return $(( ! is_bold ))
+}
+
+function _omz_render_git_prompt_info() {
+  local raw="${_OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT[_omz_git_prompt_info]}"
+  [[ -z "$raw" ]] && return
+
+  # Backward compat: if output has no Unit Separator, it's the old single-line format
+  if [[ "$raw" != *$'\x1f'* ]]; then
+    echo -n "$raw"
+    return
+  fi
+
+  # Async output is two fields separated by Unit Separator (U+001F): ref and dirty indicator.
+  # Assemble the prompt from these parts and the current theme variables.
+  local ref="${raw%%$'\x1f'*}"
+  local dirty="${raw#*$'\x1f'}"
+
+  if (( _OMZ_ASYNC_PENDING[_omz_git_prompt_info] )); then
+    local stale_prefix="${ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_STALE_PREFIX-}"
+    local stale_suffix="${ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_STALE_SUFFIX-}"
+
+    # If user hasn't set custom stale vars, auto-detect from the theme prefix:
+    # only apply unbold/rebold if the ref text would actually be rendered bold.
+    # Cache the result keyed on the prefix value to avoid re-parsing SGR on every render.
+    if (( ! ${+ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_STALE_PREFIX} && ! ${+ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_STALE_SUFFIX} )); then
+      if [[ "$ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_PREFIX" != "$_OMZ_CACHED_BOLD_PREFIX" ]]; then
+        typeset -g _OMZ_CACHED_BOLD_PREFIX="$ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_PREFIX"
+        if _omz_is_bold_at_end "$ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_PREFIX"; then
+          typeset -g _OMZ_CACHED_BOLD_RESULT=1
+        else
+          typeset -g _OMZ_CACHED_BOLD_RESULT=0
+        fi
+      fi
+      if (( _OMZ_CACHED_BOLD_RESULT )); then
+        stale_prefix=$'%{\e[22m%}'
+        stale_suffix=$'%{\e[1m%}'
+      fi
+    fi
+
+    echo -n "${ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_PREFIX}${stale_prefix}${ref}${dirty}${stale_suffix}${ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_SUFFIX}"
+  else
+    echo -n "${ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_PREFIX}${ref}${dirty}${ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_SUFFIX}"
+  fi
+}
+
+# Async prompt functions — used by both the auto-detect and "force" branches below.
+# Overridden with synchronous versions if async is disabled.
+function git_prompt_info() {
+  _omz_render_git_prompt_info
+}
+
+function git_prompt_status() {
+  if [[ -n "${_OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT[_omz_git_prompt_status]}" ]]; then
+    echo -n "${_OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT[_omz_git_prompt_status]}"
+  fi
+}
+
 local _style
 if zstyle -t ':omz:alpha:lib:git' async-prompt \
   || { is-at-least 5.0.6 && zstyle -T ':omz:alpha:lib:git' async-prompt }; then
-  function git_prompt_info() {
-    if [[ -n "${_OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT[_omz_git_prompt_info]}" ]]; then
-      echo -n "${_OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT[_omz_git_prompt_info]}"
-    fi
-  }
-
-  function git_prompt_status() {
-    if [[ -n "${_OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT[_omz_git_prompt_status]}" ]]; then
-      echo -n "${_OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT[_omz_git_prompt_status]}"
-    fi
-  }
-
   # Conditionally register the async handler, only if it's needed in $PROMPT
   # or any of the other prompt variables
   function _defer_async_git_register() {
@@ -182,18 +268,6 @@ if zstyle -t ':omz:alpha:lib:git' async-prompt \
   # the async request prompt is run
   precmd_functions=(_defer_async_git_register $precmd_functions)
 elif zstyle -s ':omz:alpha:lib:git' async-prompt _style && [[ $_style == "force" ]]; then
-  function git_prompt_info() {
-    if [[ -n "${_OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT[_omz_git_prompt_info]}" ]]; then
-      echo -n "${_OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT[_omz_git_prompt_info]}"
-    fi
-  }
-
-  function git_prompt_status() {
-    if [[ -n "${_OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT[_omz_git_prompt_status]}" ]]; then
-      echo -n "${_OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT[_omz_git_prompt_status]}"
-    fi
-  }
-
   _omz_register_handler _omz_git_prompt_info
   _omz_register_handler _omz_git_prompt_status
 else
diff --git a/lib/tests/git_pending.test.zsh b/lib/tests/git_pending.test.zsh
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..139e8cb6a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/tests/git_pending.test.zsh
@@ -0,0 +1,167 @@
+#!/usr/bin/zsh -df
+
+# Tests for the git pending branch name (stale/unbolded) feature
+
+local -i failures=0
+local ZSH=${0:A:h:h:h}
+
+run_test() {
+  local description="$1"
+  local actual="$2"
+  local expected="$3"
+
+  print -u2 "Test: $description"
+
+  if [[ "$actual" == "$expected" ]]; then
+    print -u2 "\e[32mSuccess\e[0m"
+  else
+    print -u2 "\e[31mError\e[0m: output does not match expected"
+    print -u2 "  expected: ${(q+)expected}"
+    print -u2 "  actual:   ${(q+)actual}"
+    (( failures++ ))
+  fi
+  print -u2 ""
+}
+
+# Reset theme variables to a known state between tests
+reset_theme_vars() {
+  unset ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_PREFIX ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_SUFFIX
+  unset ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_DIRTY ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_CLEAN
+  unset ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_STALE_PREFIX ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_STALE_SUFFIX
+  unset ZSH_THEME_GIT_SHOW_UPSTREAM
+  unset _OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT _OMZ_ASYNC_PENDING
+  # Force async-prompt mode so we test the _omz_render_git_prompt_info path
+  zstyle ':omz:alpha:lib:git' async-prompt yes
+}
+
+() {
+  local description="git_prompt_info - when pending=1 with bold prefix - then ref is wrapped with stale styling"
+  reset_theme_vars
+  autoload -Uz is-at-least
+
+  ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_PREFIX="%B("
+  ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_SUFFIX=")%b"
+  unset ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_STALE_PREFIX
+  unset ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_STALE_SUFFIX
+
+  source "$ZSH/lib/git.zsh"
+
+  typeset -gA _OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT _OMZ_ASYNC_PENDING
+
+  # Async output format: ref + Unit Separator (U+001F) + dirty
+  _OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT[_omz_git_prompt_info]="main"$'\x1f'" *"
+  _OMZ_ASYNC_PENDING[_omz_git_prompt_info]=1
+
+  local actual
+  actual=$(git_prompt_info)
+
+  local stale_prefix=$'%{\e[22m%}'
+  local stale_suffix=$'%{\e[1m%}'
+  local expected="%B(${stale_prefix}main *${stale_suffix})%b"
+
+  run_test "$description" "$actual" "$expected"
+}
+
+() {
+  local description="git_prompt_info - when pending=1 with non-bold prefix - then no stale styling is applied"
+  reset_theme_vars
+  autoload -Uz is-at-least
+
+  ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_PREFIX="("
+  ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_SUFFIX=")"
+  unset ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_STALE_PREFIX
+  unset ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_STALE_SUFFIX
+
+  source "$ZSH/lib/git.zsh"
+
+  typeset -gA _OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT _OMZ_ASYNC_PENDING
+
+  # Async output format: ref + Unit Separator (U+001F) + dirty
+  _OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT[_omz_git_prompt_info]="main"$'\x1f'" *"
+  _OMZ_ASYNC_PENDING[_omz_git_prompt_info]=1
+
+  local actual
+  actual=$(git_prompt_info)
+
+  run_test "$description" "$actual" "(main *)"
+}
+
+() {
+  local description="git_prompt_info - when pending=0 - then formatted output is returned as-is"
+  reset_theme_vars
+  autoload -Uz is-at-least
+
+  ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_PREFIX="%B("
+  ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_SUFFIX=")%b"
+  unset ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_STALE_PREFIX
+  unset ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_STALE_SUFFIX
+
+  source "$ZSH/lib/git.zsh"
+
+  typeset -gA _OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT _OMZ_ASYNC_PENDING
+
+  # Async output format: ref + Unit Separator (U+001F) + dirty
+  _OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT[_omz_git_prompt_info]="main"$'\x1f'" *"
+  _OMZ_ASYNC_PENDING[_omz_git_prompt_info]=0
+
+  local actual
+  actual=$(git_prompt_info)
+
+  run_test "$description" "$actual" "%B(main *)%b"
+}
+
+() 
+  local description="git_prompt_info - when pending=1 with custom stale vars - then ref uses custom stale prefix/suffix"{
+  reset_theme_vars
+  autoload -Uz is-at-least
+
+  ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_PREFIX="("
+  ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_SUFFIX=")"
+  ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_STALE_PREFIX="%{dim%}"
+  ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_STALE_SUFFIX="%{/dim%}"
+
+  source "$ZSH/lib/git.zsh"
+
+  typeset -gA _OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT _OMZ_ASYNC_PENDING
+
+  # Async output format: ref + Unit Separator (U+001F) + dirty (empty dirty here)
+  _OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT[_omz_git_prompt_info]="develop"$'\x1f'
+  _OMZ_ASYNC_PENDING[_omz_git_prompt_info]=1
+
+  local actual
+  actual=$(git_prompt_info)
+  local expected="(%{dim%}develop%{/dim%})"
+
+  run_test "$description" "$actual" "$expected"
+}
+
+() {
+  local description="git_prompt_info - when old single-line format (no ref line) - then output is passed through as-is"
+  reset_theme_vars
+  autoload -Uz is-at-least
+
+  ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_PREFIX="%B("
+  ZSH_THEME_GIT_PROMPT_SUFFIX=")%b"
+
+  source "$ZSH/lib/git.zsh"
+
+  typeset -gA _OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT _OMZ_ASYNC_PENDING
+
+  # Simulate old-format output with no newline (single line, no ref header)
+  _OMZ_ASYNC_OUTPUT[_omz_git_prompt_info]="%B(main *)%b"
+  _OMZ_ASYNC_PENDING[_omz_git_prompt_info]=0
+
+  local actual
+  actual=$(git_prompt_info)
+
+  run_test "$description" "$actual" "%B(main *)%b"
+}
+
+# Summary
+if (( failures > 0 )); then
+  print -u2 "\e[31m${failures} test(s) failed\e[0m"
+  return 1
+else
+  print -u2 "\e[32mAll tests passed\e[0m"
+  return 0
+fi