diff --git a/lua/git/cmd.lua b/lua/git/cmd.lua
index f19836d..b934325 100644
--- a/lua/git/cmd.lua
+++ b/lua/git/cmd.lua
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 local git = require("git")
-local log = require("log")
 local repo = require("git.repo")
-local util = require("util")
+local util = require("git.util")
 
 local M = {}
 
@@ -23,7 +22,7 @@ local cached_cmds
 ---@param result vim.SystemCompleted
 local function populate_cached_cmds(result)
     if result.code ~= 0 then
-        log.error("git --list-cmds failed: %s", vim.trim(result.stderr or ""))
+        util.error("git --list-cmds failed: %s", vim.trim(result.stderr or ""))
         return
     end
     cached_cmds = {}
@@ -140,7 +139,7 @@ local function run_in_split(worktree, args, conf)
             vim.bo[buf].modifiable = false
             vim.bo[buf].modified = false
             if obj.code ~= 0 then
-                log.error(
+                util.error(
                     "git %s failed: %s",
                     args[1] or "",
                     vim.trim(obj.stderr or "")
@@ -216,7 +215,7 @@ end
 function M.run(args)
     local _, worktree = repo.resolve_cwd()
     if not worktree then
-        log.warning("not in a git repository")
+        util.warning("not in a git repository")
         return
     end
 
diff --git a/lua/git/commit.lua b/lua/git/commit.lua
index bec3bc3..67c0d91 100644
--- a/lua/git/commit.lua
+++ b/lua/git/commit.lua
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 local editor = require("git.editor")
 local git = require("git")
-local log = require("log")
 local repo = require("git.repo")
 
 local M = {}
@@ -10,7 +9,7 @@ function M.commit(opts)
     local amend = opts and opts.amend or false
     local _, worktree = repo.resolve_cwd()
     if not worktree then
-        log.warning("not in a git repository")
+        util.warning("not in a git repository")
         return
     end
 
@@ -46,7 +45,7 @@ function M.commit(opts)
                 local out = vim.api.nvim_buf_get_lines(buf, 0, -1, false)
                 local fw, werr = io.open(file_path, "w")
                 if not fw then
-                    log.error("failed to write %s: %s", file_path, werr or "")
+                    util.error("failed to write %s: %s", file_path, werr or "")
                     return
                 end
                 fw:write(table.concat(out, "\n"))
@@ -68,12 +67,12 @@ function M.commit(opts)
             vim.api.nvim_buf_delete(proxy_buf, { force = true })
         end
         if result.code ~= 0 then
-            log.error("git commit failed: %s", vim.trim(result.stderr or ""))
+            util.error("git commit failed: %s", vim.trim(result.stderr or ""))
             return
         end
         local out = vim.trim(result.stdout or "")
         if out ~= "" then
-            log.info("%s", out)
+            util.info("%s", out)
         end
     end)
 end
diff --git a/lua/git/diff.lua b/lua/git/diff.lua
index eedebbe..10a8245 100644
--- a/lua/git/diff.lua
+++ b/lua/git/diff.lua
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
-local log = require("log")
 local repo = require("git.repo")
-local util = require("util")
+local util = require("git.util")
 
 local M = {}
 
@@ -15,7 +14,7 @@ local function attach_index_writer(buf, worktree, path)
                 vim.api.nvim_buf_get_lines(buf, 0, -1, false),
                 "\n"
             ) .. "\n"
-            local hash_stdout = util.system_sync(
+            local hash_stdout = util.exec(
                 { "git", "hash-object", "-w", "--stdin" },
                 { cwd = worktree, stdin = body }
             )
@@ -26,7 +25,7 @@ local function attach_index_writer(buf, worktree, path)
             local mode = vim.b[buf].git_index_mode
             if not mode then
                 mode = "100644"
-                local ls = util.system_sync(
+                local ls = util.exec(
                     { "git", "ls-files", "-s", "--", path },
                     { cwd = worktree, silent = true }
                 )
@@ -42,7 +41,7 @@ local function attach_index_writer(buf, worktree, path)
             -- (mode,sha,path), which doesn't survive paths containing a
             -- comma.
             if
-                not util.system_sync({
+                not util.exec({
                     "git",
                     "update-index",
                     "--cacheinfo",
@@ -87,7 +86,7 @@ function M.read_uri(buf)
 
     local worktree = vim.b[buf].git_worktree or select(2, repo.resolve_cwd())
     if not worktree then
-        log.error("git BufReadCmd %s: cannot resolve worktree", name)
+        util.error("git BufReadCmd %s: cannot resolve worktree", name)
         return
     end
     vim.b[buf].git_worktree = worktree
@@ -104,10 +103,7 @@ function M.read_uri(buf)
     end
 
     local revspec = ref == "index" and (":" .. path) or (ref .. ":" .. path)
-    local stdout = util.system_sync(
-        { "git", "show", revspec },
-        { cwd = worktree }
-    )
+    local stdout = util.exec({ "git", "show", revspec }, { cwd = worktree })
     if stdout then
         vim.api.nvim_buf_set_lines(buf, 0, -1, false, util.split_lines(stdout))
     end
@@ -207,21 +203,21 @@ function M.split(opts)
     local cur_buf = vim.api.nvim_get_current_buf()
     local cur_path = vim.api.nvim_buf_get_name(cur_buf)
     if cur_path == "" then
-        log.warning("no file in current buffer")
+        util.warning("no file in current buffer")
         return
     end
     if vim.bo[cur_buf].buftype ~= "" then
-        log.warning("cannot diff this buffer (not a worktree file)")
+        util.warning("cannot diff this buffer (not a worktree file)")
         return
     end
     local _, worktree = repo.resolve(cur_path)
     if not worktree then
-        log.warning("not in a git repository")
+        util.warning("not in a git repository")
         return
     end
     local rel = vim.fs.relpath(worktree, cur_path)
     if not rel then
-        log.warning("file is outside the worktree")
+        util.warning("file is outside the worktree")
         return
     end
 
diff --git a/lua/git/editor.lua b/lua/git/editor.lua
index 4073372..3569f19 100644
--- a/lua/git/editor.lua
+++ b/lua/git/editor.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-local log = require("log")
-
 local M = {}
 
 local SENTINEL = "__NVIM_GIT_EDIT__"
@@ -59,7 +57,7 @@ local function build_stderr_handler(on_open)
             end
             local ok, err = pcall(on_open, abs_path, done)
             if not ok then
-                log.error("git.editor on_open failed: %s", tostring(err))
+                util.error("git.editor on_open failed: %s", tostring(err))
                 done()
             end
         end)
diff --git a/lua/git/log.lua b/lua/git/log.lua
index 9b680b5..25f1af2 100644
--- a/lua/git/log.lua
+++ b/lua/git/log.lua
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 local git = require("git")
-local log = require("log")
 local repo = require("git.repo")
-local util = require("util")
+local util = require("git.util")
 
 local M = {}
 
@@ -21,7 +20,7 @@ function M.show(opts)
 
     local _, worktree = repo.resolve_cwd()
     if not worktree then
-        log.warning("not in a git repository")
+        util.warning("not in a git repository")
         return
     end
 
@@ -38,7 +37,7 @@ function M.show(opts)
         table.insert(cmd, "--max-count=" .. max_count)
     end
 
-    local stdout = util.system_sync(cmd, { cwd = worktree })
+    local stdout = util.exec(cmd, { cwd = worktree })
     if not stdout then
         return
     end
diff --git a/lua/git/repo.lua b/lua/git/repo.lua
index f62dc22..e975b50 100644
--- a/lua/git/repo.lua
+++ b/lua/git/repo.lua
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
-local log = require("log")
-local util = require("util")
+local util = require("git.util")
 
 local M = {}
 
@@ -76,7 +75,7 @@ function M.resolve(path)
     f:close()
     local gitdir = content:match("gitdir:%s*(%S+)")
     if not gitdir then
-        log.warning(".git file at %s has no `gitdir:` line", found)
+        util.warning(".git file at %s has no `gitdir:` line", found)
         return nil
     end
     if not gitdir:match("^/") then
@@ -104,7 +103,7 @@ end
 ---@field buffers table<integer, true>  set of registered buffer numbers
 ---@field watcher? uv.uv_fs_event_t
 ---@field refresh fun(self: ow.Git.Repo)
----@field refresh_handle ow.Util.DebounceHandle
+---@field refresh_handle ow.Git.Util.DebounceHandle
 local Repo = {}
 Repo.__index = Repo
 
@@ -188,7 +187,10 @@ local function do_refresh(repo)
                     end
                 end
             else
-                log.warning("git status failed: %s", vim.trim(obj.stderr or ""))
+                util.warning(
+                    "git status failed: %s",
+                    vim.trim(obj.stderr or "")
+                )
             end
             local dirty = false
             for buf in pairs(repo.buffers) do
@@ -336,7 +338,7 @@ function M.rev_parse(worktree, ref, short)
         table.insert(cmd, "--short")
     end
     table.insert(cmd, ref)
-    local stdout = util.system_sync(cmd, { cwd = worktree, silent = true })
+    local stdout = util.exec(cmd, { cwd = worktree, silent = true })
     local trimmed = stdout and vim.trim(stdout) or ""
     return trimmed ~= "" and trimmed or nil
 end
diff --git a/lua/git/show.lua b/lua/git/show.lua
index d3254b7..87cc1b0 100644
--- a/lua/git/show.lua
+++ b/lua/git/show.lua
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 local diff = require("git.diff")
 local git = require("git")
-local log = require("log")
 local repo = require("git.repo")
-local util = require("util")
+local util = require("git.util")
 
 local M = {}
 
@@ -109,7 +108,7 @@ end
 ---@param section ow.Git.DiffSection
 local function show_diff(ctx, section)
     if not section.pre_blob or not section.post_blob then
-        log.warning("no index line; cannot determine blob SHAs")
+        util.warning("no index line; cannot determine blob SHAs")
         return
     end
     local parent = ctx.parent_ref or "0"
@@ -152,7 +151,7 @@ function M.open_commit(worktree, ref, opts)
         return
     end
 
-    local stdout = util.system_sync({ "git", "show", ref }, { cwd = worktree })
+    local stdout = util.exec({ "git", "show", ref }, { cwd = worktree })
     if not stdout then
         return
     end
diff --git a/lua/git/sidebar.lua b/lua/git/sidebar.lua
index 37003f8..227beb8 100644
--- a/lua/git/sidebar.lua
+++ b/lua/git/sidebar.lua
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 local diff = require("git.diff")
 local git = require("git")
-local log = require("log")
 local repo = require("git.repo")
 
 local M = {}
@@ -263,7 +262,7 @@ local function enrich_with_log(worktree, branch, groups)
                 end
             end
         else
-            log.error(
+            util.error(
                 "git log %s failed: %s",
                 p.f.range,
                 vim.trim(result.stderr or "")
@@ -298,7 +297,7 @@ local function fetch_status(worktree, prefetched_stdout, callback)
         { cwd = worktree, text = true },
         vim.schedule_wrap(function(obj)
             if obj.code ~= 0 then
-                log.error("git status failed: %s", vim.trim(obj.stderr or ""))
+                util.error("git status failed: %s", vim.trim(obj.stderr or ""))
                 local branch = { ahead = 0, behind = 0 }
                 local groups = {
                     Untracked = {},
@@ -761,7 +760,7 @@ local function action_stage()
         { cwd = s.worktree },
         vim.schedule_wrap(function(obj)
             if obj.code ~= 0 then
-                log.error("git add failed: %s", vim.trim(obj.stderr or ""))
+                util.error("git add failed: %s", vim.trim(obj.stderr or ""))
             end
         end)
     )
@@ -786,7 +785,7 @@ local function action_unstage()
         { cwd = s.worktree },
         vim.schedule_wrap(function(obj)
             if obj.code ~= 0 then
-                log.error(
+                util.error(
                     "git restore --staged failed: %s",
                     vim.trim(obj.stderr or "")
                 )
@@ -802,7 +801,7 @@ local function action_discard()
     end
     ---@cast entry ow.Git.FileEntry
     if entry.section == "Staged" then
-        log.warning("file has staged changes; unstage first with 'u'")
+        util.warning("file has staged changes; unstage first with 'u'")
         return
     end
 
@@ -821,7 +820,7 @@ local function action_discard()
             local target = vim.fs.joinpath(s.worktree, entry.path)
             local rc = vim.fn.delete(target, is_dir and "rf" or "")
             if rc ~= 0 then
-                log.error("failed to delete %s", entry.path)
+                util.error("failed to delete %s", entry.path)
             end
             refresh(vim.api.nvim_get_current_buf())
         end
@@ -833,7 +832,7 @@ local function action_discard()
                 { cwd = s.worktree },
                 vim.schedule_wrap(function(obj)
                     if obj.code ~= 0 then
-                        log.error(
+                        util.error(
                             "git checkout failed: %s",
                             vim.trim(obj.stderr or "")
                         )
@@ -950,7 +949,7 @@ function M.toggle()
     end
     local _, worktree = repo.resolve_cwd()
     if not worktree then
-        log.warning("not in a git repository")
+        util.warning("not in a git repository")
         return
     end
     open(worktree)
diff --git a/lua/git/util.lua b/lua/git/util.lua
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..000a83f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lua/git/util.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,154 @@
+local M = {}
+
+---@param fmt string
+---@param ... any
+function M.error(fmt, ...)
+    vim.notify(fmt:format(...), vim.log.levels.ERROR)
+end
+
+---@param fmt string
+---@param ... any
+function M.warning(fmt, ...)
+    vim.notify(fmt:format(...), vim.log.levels.WARN)
+end
+
+---@param fmt string
+---@param ... any
+function M.info(fmt, ...)
+    vim.notify(fmt:format(...), vim.log.levels.INFO)
+end
+
+---@param fmt string
+---@param ... any
+function M.debug(fmt, ...)
+    vim.notify(fmt:format(...), vim.log.levels.DEBUG)
+end
+
+---Split a string on newlines, dropping the trailing empty element that an
+---input ending in `\n` produces. Convenient for slicing subprocess stdout
+---into a list of lines without a phantom blank at the end.
+---@param content string
+---@return string[]
+function M.split_lines(content)
+    local lines = vim.split(content, "\n", { plain = true, trimempty = false })
+    if #lines > 0 and lines[#lines] == "" then
+        table.remove(lines)
+    end
+    return lines
+end
+
+---@class ow.Git.Util.DebounceHandle
+---@field cancel fun()
+---@field flush fun()
+---@field pending fun(): boolean
+---@field close fun()
+
+---@generic F: fun(...)
+---@param fn F
+---@param delay integer
+---@return F, ow.Git.Util.DebounceHandle
+function M.debounce(fn, delay)
+    local timer = assert(vim.uv.new_timer())
+    local args ---@type table?
+    local gen = 0
+    local fired_gen = 0
+
+    local cb_main = vim.schedule_wrap(function()
+        -- Identity check: the libuv fire may have been superseded by a
+        -- re-arm or a cancel between the timer firing and this scheduled
+        -- callback running.
+        if fired_gen ~= gen or args == nil then
+            return
+        end
+        local a = args
+        args = nil
+        fn(vim.F.unpack_len(a))
+    end)
+
+    local cb_uv = function()
+        fired_gen = gen
+        cb_main()
+    end
+
+    local function call(...)
+        args = vim.F.pack_len(...)
+        gen = gen + 1
+        timer:start(delay, 0, cb_uv)
+    end
+
+    return call,
+        {
+            cancel = function()
+                timer:stop()
+                args = nil
+            end,
+            flush = function()
+                if args == nil then
+                    return
+                end
+                timer:stop()
+                local a = args
+                args = nil
+                fn(vim.F.unpack_len(a))
+            end,
+            pending = function()
+                return args ~= nil
+            end,
+            close = function()
+                timer:stop()
+                if not timer:is_closing() then
+                    timer:close()
+                end
+                args = nil
+            end,
+        }
+end
+
+---@class ow.Git.ExecOpts
+---@field cwd string?
+---@field stdin string?
+---@field silent boolean?  suppress the auto-log on non-zero exit
+---@field on_done fun(stdout: string?)?  if set, run async and deliver stdout (or nil on failure) here on the main loop instead of returning sync
+
+---Run a system command. Default is sync: returns stdout on success or
+---nil on failure (logging stderr unless `opts.silent`). When
+---`opts.on_done` is set, runs async via `vim.schedule_wrap` and
+---delivers the same stdout-or-nil value to that callback instead.
+---
+---Async mode returns nil immediately. Callers that need access to the
+---raw stderr / exit code in the failure path should opt out of this
+---helper and use `vim.system` directly.
+---@param cmd string[]
+---@param opts ow.Git.ExecOpts?
+---@return string?
+function M.exec(cmd, opts)
+    opts = opts or {}
+    local sys_opts = { cwd = opts.cwd, stdin = opts.stdin, text = true }
+
+    local function handle(result)
+        if result.code ~= 0 then
+            if not opts.silent then
+                local label = cmd[2] and (cmd[1] .. " " .. cmd[2])
+                    or cmd[1]
+                    or "?"
+                M.error("%s failed: %s", label, vim.trim(result.stderr or ""))
+            end
+            return nil
+        end
+        return result.stdout or ""
+    end
+
+    if opts.on_done then
+        vim.system(
+            cmd,
+            sys_opts,
+            vim.schedule_wrap(function(result)
+                opts.on_done(handle(result))
+            end)
+        )
+        return nil
+    end
+    return handle(vim.system(cmd, sys_opts):wait())
+end
+
+return M
diff --git a/lua/util.lua b/lua/util.lua
index 15e8637..39c3425 100644
--- a/lua/util.lua
+++ b/lua/util.lua
@@ -441,29 +441,4 @@ function M.split_lines(content)
     return lines
 end
 
----Run a system command synchronously and return stdout on success. On
----non-zero exit, logs stderr via `log.error` and returns nil. Pass
----`opts.silent` to suppress the auto-log when failure is expected (e.g.
----probe-style commands like `git rev-parse` against a possibly-missing
----ref).
----@param cmd string[]
----@param opts { cwd: string?, stdin: string?, silent: boolean? }?
----@return string?
-function M.system_sync(cmd, opts)
-    opts = opts or {}
-    local result = vim.system(cmd, {
-        cwd = opts.cwd,
-        stdin = opts.stdin,
-        text = true,
-    }):wait()
-    if result.code ~= 0 then
-        if not opts.silent then
-            local label = cmd[2] and (cmd[1] .. " " .. cmd[2]) or cmd[1] or "?"
-            log.error("%s failed: %s", label, vim.trim(result.stderr or ""))
-        end
-        return nil
-    end
-    return result.stdout or ""
-end
-
 return M