diff --git a/internal/pin/commit.go b/internal/pin/commit.go
index 6d946b4..6dcc3ee 100644
--- a/internal/pin/commit.go
+++ b/internal/pin/commit.go
@@ -58,18 +58,18 @@ func Commit(ctx context.Context, rec *Record, store *lockfile.State, copts *Comm
 		return err
 	}
 
-	// Phase 2: Update lockfile entries for each pinned workflow.
-	// Only write workflows that have at least one genuinely new pin.
+	// Phase 2: Update lockfile entries for each scanned workflow.
 	pinnedByWorkflow := groupPinnedByWorkflow(rec)
-	hasNewPin := workflowsWithNewPins(rec)
-	if len(pinnedByWorkflow) > 0 {
+	if len(rec.Workflows) > 0 {
 		progress("Updating lockfile")
 	}
-	for wfPath, deps := range pinnedByWorkflow {
-		if !hasNewPin[wfPath] {
-			continue // all entries verified — no write needed
-		}
+	for _, wp := range rec.Workflows {
+		wfPath := wp.Path
 		wfKey := workflowfile.KeyFromPath(wfPath)
+		deps := pinnedByWorkflow[wfPath]
+		if len(deps) == 0 && !store.HasWorkflow(wfKey) {
+			continue
+		}
 		parentMap := buildParentMap(rec, wfPath)
 		directKeys := buildDirectKeys(rec, wfPath)
 		deps = retainUnresolvablePins(rec, store, wfPath, deps, directKeys)
@@ -238,19 +238,3 @@ func buildDirectKeys(rec *Record, wfPath string) map[string]bool {
 	}
 	return keys
 }
-
-// workflowsWithNewPins returns the set of workflow paths that contain at
-// least one entry with Resolution == Pinned (i.e. genuinely new or changed)
-// or a narrowed ref (Verified with AutoFixedRef set, meaning the dep key changed).
-func workflowsWithNewPins(rec *Record) map[string]bool {
-	m := make(map[string]bool)
-	for _, e := range rec.Entries {
-		if e.Resolution != Pinned && !(e.Resolution == Verified && e.AutoFixedRef != "") {
-			continue
-		}
-		for _, wf := range e.Workflows {
-			m[wf] = true
-		}
-	}
-	return m
-}
diff --git a/internal/pin/commit_test.go b/internal/pin/commit_test.go
index 29ad0e8..9abe31b 100644
--- a/internal/pin/commit_test.go
+++ b/internal/pin/commit_test.go
@@ -1,8 +1,14 @@
 package pin
 
 import (
+	"context"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/github/gh-actions-lock/internal/dep"
+	"github.com/github/gh-actions-lock/internal/lockfile"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
@@ -103,27 +109,44 @@ func TestBuildDirectKeys(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.NotContains(t, keys, "g/h@v4", "investigate should be excluded")
 }
 
-func TestWorkflowsWithNewPins(t *testing.T) {
-	rec := &Record{
-		Entries: []Entry{
-			{NWO: "a/b", Ref: "v1", Resolution: Pinned, Workflows: []string{"ci.yml", "release.yml"}},
-			{NWO: "c/d", Ref: "v2", Resolution: Verified, Workflows: []string{"ci.yml"}},
-			{NWO: "e/f", Ref: "v3", Resolution: Investigate, Workflows: []string{"test.yml"}},
-		},
-	}
+func TestCommitRemovesDependenciesDroppedFromWorkflow(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	workflowPath := filepath.Join(".github", "workflows", "ci.yml")
+	require.NoError(t, os.MkdirAll(filepath.Join(dir, filepath.Dir(workflowPath)), 0o755))
+	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(dir, workflowPath), []byte(`on: push
+jobs:
+  lint:
+    uses: owner/reusable/.github/workflows/lint.yml@main
+`), 0o644))
+	t.Chdir(dir)
+
+	store, err := lockfile.LoadState(dir, fakeMeta{})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	oldParent := dep.Dependency{NWO: "owner/action", Ref: "main", SHA: strings.Repeat("1", 40), HashAlgo: "sha1"}
+	oldChild := dep.Dependency{NWO: "actions/setup-go", Ref: "v5", SHA: strings.Repeat("2", 40), HashAlgo: "sha1"}
+	keep := dep.Dependency{NWO: "actions/checkout", Ref: "v7", SHA: strings.Repeat("3", 40), HashAlgo: "sha1"}
+	require.NoError(t, store.Set(context.Background(), workflowPath,
+		[]dep.Dependency{oldParent, oldChild, keep},
+		map[string][]string{oldChild.Key(): {oldParent.Key()}},
+		map[string]bool{oldParent.Key(): true, keep.Key(): true}))
+	require.NoError(t, store.Save())
 
-	got := workflowsWithNewPins(rec)
-	assert.True(t, got["ci.yml"])
-	assert.True(t, got["release.yml"])
-	assert.NotContains(t, got, "test.yml", "non-pinned entries should not contribute")
-}
-
-func TestWorkflowsWithNewPins_empty(t *testing.T) {
 	rec := &Record{
-		Entries: []Entry{
-			{Resolution: Verified, Workflows: []string{"ci.yml"}},
-		},
+		Entries: []Entry{{
+			NWO:        keep.NWO,
+			Ref:        keep.Ref,
+			SHA:        keep.SHA,
+			Resolution: Verified,
+			Direct:     true,
+			Workflows:  []string{workflowPath},
+		}},
+		Workflows: []WorkflowPlan{{Path: workflowPath}},
 	}
-	got := workflowsWithNewPins(rec)
-	assert.Empty(t, got)
+	require.NoError(t, Commit(context.Background(), rec, store, nil))
+
+	got, err := os.ReadFile(filepath.Join(dir, ".github", "workflows", "actions.lock"))
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	assert.Contains(t, string(got), "actions/checkout@v7")
+	assert.NotContains(t, string(got), "owner/action@main")
+	assert.NotContains(t, string(got), "actions/setup-go@v5")
 }