diff --git a/lib/controllers/likes.js b/lib/controllers/likes.js
index f7048be..7ff2fa5 100644
--- a/lib/controllers/likes.js
+++ b/lib/controllers/likes.js
@@ -236,8 +236,36 @@ export const likesController = {
 
       const postsCollection = request.app.locals.application.collections?.get("posts");
 
+      const publication = request.app.locals.publication;
+
       let deletedPosts = 0;
       if (postsCollection) {
+        // Delete files from the store (GitHub) before removing from MongoDB
+        if (publication?.store) {
+          const likePosts = await postsCollection
+            .find({
+              "properties.post-type": "like",
+              "properties.youtube-video-id": { $exists: true },
+            })
+            .toArray();
+
+          for (const post of likePosts) {
+            try {
+              const message = publication.storeMessageTemplate
+                ? publication.storeMessageTemplate({
+                    action: "delete",
+                    result: "deleted",
+                    fileType: "post",
+                    postType: "like",
+                  })
+                : `Delete like post ${post.path}`;
+              await publication.store.deleteFile(post.path, { message });
+            } catch (err) {
+              console.error(`[YouTube] Failed to delete ${post.path} from store:`, err.message);
+            }
+          }
+        }
+
         const result = await postsCollection.deleteMany({
           "properties.post-type": "like",
           "properties.youtube-video-id": { $exists: true },
diff --git a/lib/likes-sync.js b/lib/likes-sync.js
index 31cb7b7..bb47184 100644
--- a/lib/likes-sync.js
+++ b/lib/likes-sync.js
@@ -61,6 +61,28 @@ async function snapshotExistingLikes(db, client, accessToken, maxPages) {
   return count;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Prepare template properties by stripping internal mp-* and post-type keys,
+ * matching what Indiekit's micropub endpoint does before calling postTemplate.
+ * @param {object} properties
+ * @returns {object}
+ */
+function getTemplateProperties(properties) {
+  const templateProperties = structuredClone(properties);
+  const preserveMpProperties = ["mp-syndicate-to"];
+
+  for (const key in templateProperties) {
+    if (key.startsWith("mp-") && !preserveMpProperties.includes(key)) {
+      delete templateProperties[key];
+    }
+    if (key === "post-type") {
+      delete templateProperties[key];
+    }
+  }
+
+  return templateProperties;
+}
+
 /**
  * Sync liked videos into the Indiekit posts collection.
  *
@@ -71,7 +93,7 @@ async function snapshotExistingLikes(db, client, accessToken, maxPages) {
  * @param {object} opts
  * @param {import("mongodb").Db} opts.db
  * @param {object} opts.youtubeConfig - endpoint options
- * @param {object} opts.publication - Indiekit publication config
+ * @param {object} opts.publication - Indiekit publication (with store, postTemplate, storeMessageTemplate)
  * @param {import("mongodb").Collection} [opts.postsCollection]
  * @param {number} [opts.maxPages=3] - max pages to fetch (50 likes/page)
  * @returns {Promise<{synced: number, skipped: number, total: number, baselined?: number, error?: string}>}
@@ -163,27 +185,47 @@ export async function syncLikes({ db, youtubeConfig, publication, postsCollectio
         ? likePostType.post.url.replace("{slug}", slug)
         : `${publicationUrl}/likes/${slug}/`;
 
-      const postDoc = {
-        path: postPath,
-        properties: {
-          "post-type": "like",
-          "mp-slug": slug,
-          "like-of": videoUrl,
-          name: `${video.title} - ${video.channelTitle}`,
-          content: {
-            text: `${video.title} - ${video.channelTitle}`,
-            html: `<a href="${videoUrl}">${escapeHtml(video.title)}</a> - ${escapeHtml(video.channelTitle)}`,
-          },
-          published: new Date().toISOString(),
-          url: postUrl,
-          visibility: "public",
-          "post-status": "draft",
-          "youtube-video-id": videoId,
-          "youtube-channel": video.channelTitle,
-          "youtube-thumbnail": video.thumbnail || "",
+      const postProperties = {
+        "post-type": "like",
+        "mp-slug": slug,
+        "like-of": videoUrl,
+        name: `${video.title} - ${video.channelTitle}`,
+        content: {
+          text: `${video.title} - ${video.channelTitle}`,
+          html: `<a href="${videoUrl}">${escapeHtml(video.title)}</a> - ${escapeHtml(video.channelTitle)}`,
         },
+        published: new Date().toISOString(),
+        url: postUrl,
+        visibility: "public",
+        "post-status": "draft",
+        "youtube-video-id": videoId,
+        "youtube-channel": video.channelTitle,
+        "youtube-thumbnail": video.thumbnail || "",
       };
 
+      // Write markdown file to the store (e.g. GitHub)
+      if (publication?.postTemplate && publication?.store) {
+        try {
+          const templateProperties = getTemplateProperties(postProperties);
+          const content = await publication.postTemplate(templateProperties);
+          const message = publication.storeMessageTemplate
+            ? publication.storeMessageTemplate({
+                action: "create",
+                result: "created",
+                fileType: "post",
+                postType: "like",
+              })
+            : `Create like post for ${videoId}`;
+
+          await publication.store.createFile(postPath, content, { message });
+        } catch (storeError) {
+          console.error(`[YouTube] Failed to write ${postPath} to store:`, storeError.message);
+          // Continue — still insert into MongoDB so it isn't retried
+        }
+      }
+
+      // Insert into MongoDB posts collection
+      const postDoc = { path: postPath, properties: postProperties };
       if (postsCollection) {
         await postsCollection.insertOne(postDoc);
       }
@@ -233,7 +275,7 @@ export function startLikesSync(Indiekit, options) {
     if (!db) return;
 
     const postsCollection = Indiekit.config?.application?.collections?.get("posts");
-    const publication = Indiekit.config?.publication;
+    const publication = Indiekit.publication || Indiekit.config?.publication;
 
     try {
       const result = await syncLikes({