diff --git a/.bumpy/fix-add-command.md b/.bumpy/fix-add-command.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..13fe5ec
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.bumpy/fix-add-command.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@varlock/bumpy': patch
+---
+
+Fix `bumpy add` interactive prompt: distinguish skip vs none, respect existing bump files, fix prompt rendering, remove cascade prompt
diff --git a/packages/bumpy/src/commands/add.ts b/packages/bumpy/src/commands/add.ts
index 356c23c..af22433 100644
--- a/packages/bumpy/src/commands/add.ts
+++ b/packages/bumpy/src/commands/add.ts
@@ -4,16 +4,15 @@ import { log } from '../utils/logger.ts';
 import { p, unwrap } from '../utils/clack.ts';
 import { ensureDir, exists } from '../utils/fs.ts';
 import { randomName, slugify } from '../utils/names.ts';
-import { writeBumpFile } from '../core/bump-file.ts';
+import { writeBumpFile, readBumpFiles, filterBranchBumpFiles } from '../core/bump-file.ts';
 import picomatch from 'picomatch';
-import { getBumpyDir, loadConfig, loadPackageConfig, matchGlob } from '../core/config.ts';
+import { getBumpyDir, loadConfig, loadPackageConfig } from '../core/config.ts';
 import { discoverPackages, discoverWorkspace } from '../core/workspace.ts';
 import { findChangedPackages } from './check.ts';
-import { DependencyGraph } from '../core/dep-graph.ts';
 import { getChangedFiles } from '../core/git.ts';
 import { bumpSelectPrompt } from '../prompts/bump-select.ts';
-import type { BumpSelectItem } from '../prompts/bump-select.ts';
-import type { BumpType, BumpTypeWithNone, BumpFileRelease, BumpFileReleaseCascade } from '../types.ts';
+import type { BumpSelectItem, BumpLevel } from '../prompts/bump-select.ts';
+import type { BumpTypeWithNone, BumpFileRelease } from '../types.ts';
 
 interface AddOptions {
   packages?: string; // "pkg-a:minor,pkg-b:patch"
@@ -23,12 +22,6 @@ interface AddOptions {
   none?: boolean;
 }
 
-const CASCADE_CHOICES: { label: string; value: BumpType }[] = [
-  { label: 'patch', value: 'patch' },
-  { label: 'minor', value: 'minor' },
-  { label: 'major', value: 'major' },
-];
-
 export async function addCommand(rootDir: string, opts: AddOptions): Promise<void> {
   const config = await loadConfig(rootDir);
   const bumpyDir = getBumpyDir(rootDir);
@@ -86,8 +79,6 @@ export async function addCommand(rootDir: string, opts: AddOptions): Promise<voi
     p.intro(pc.bgCyan(pc.black(' bumpy add ')));
 
     const pkgs = await discoverPackages(rootDir, config);
-    const depGraph = new DependencyGraph(pkgs);
-
     if (pkgs.size === 0) {
       p.cancel('No managed packages found in this workspace.');
       process.exit(1);
@@ -117,12 +108,29 @@ export async function addCommand(rootDir: string, opts: AddOptions): Promise<voi
       }
     }
 
+    // Load existing bump files on this branch to avoid re-defaulting already-covered packages
+    const { bumpFiles: allBumpFiles } = await readBumpFiles(rootDir);
+    const { branchBumpFiles } = filterBranchBumpFiles(allBumpFiles, changedFiles, rootDir);
+    const alreadyCoveredPackages = new Map<string, BumpLevel>();
+    for (const bf of branchBumpFiles) {
+      for (const release of bf.releases) {
+        alreadyCoveredPackages.set(release.name, release.type === 'none' ? 'none' : release.type);
+      }
+    }
+
     // Build items for the bump select prompt
-    const bumpSelectItems: BumpSelectItem[] = [...pkgs.values()].map((pkg) => ({
-      name: pkg.name,
-      version: pkg.version,
-      changed: changedPackageNames.has(pkg.name),
-    }));
+    const bumpSelectItems: BumpSelectItem[] = [...pkgs.values()].map((pkg) => {
+      const item: BumpSelectItem = {
+        name: pkg.name,
+        version: pkg.version,
+        changed: changedPackageNames.has(pkg.name),
+      };
+      // If already covered by an existing bump file, default to skip
+      if (alreadyCoveredPackages.has(pkg.name)) {
+        item.initialLevel = 'skip';
+      }
+      return item;
+    });
 
     const bumpSelectResult = await bumpSelectPrompt(bumpSelectItems);
     if (typeof bumpSelectResult === 'symbol') {
@@ -136,62 +144,7 @@ export async function addCommand(rootDir: string, opts: AddOptions): Promise<voi
       process.exit(0);
     }
 
-    releases = [];
-    for (const { name, type: bumpType } of bumpSelections) {
-      const release: BumpFileRelease = { name, type: bumpType };
-
-      // Offer cascade options if the package has dependents
-      {
-        const dependents = depGraph.getDependents(name);
-        const pkg = pkgs.get(name)!;
-        const cascadeTargets = pkg.bumpy?.cascadeTo;
-
-        if (dependents.length > 0 || cascadeTargets) {
-          const wantCascade = unwrap(
-            await p.confirm({
-              message: `${pc.cyan(name)} has ${pc.bold(String(dependents.length))} dependents. Specify explicit cascades?`,
-              initialValue: false,
-            }),
-          );
-
-          if (wantCascade) {
-            const allTargets = new Set<string>();
-            for (const d of dependents) allTargets.add(d.name);
-            if (cascadeTargets) {
-              for (const pattern of Object.keys(cascadeTargets)) {
-                for (const [pName] of pkgs) {
-                  if (matchGlob(pName, pattern)) allTargets.add(pName);
-                }
-              }
-            }
-
-            const cascadeSelected = unwrap(
-              await p.multiselect<string>({
-                message: 'Which packages should cascade?',
-                options: [...allTargets].map((n) => ({ label: n, value: n })),
-                required: false,
-              }),
-            );
-
-            if (cascadeSelected.length > 0) {
-              const cascadeBump = unwrap(
-                await p.select<BumpType>({
-                  message: 'Cascade bump type',
-                  options: CASCADE_CHOICES,
-                }),
-              );
-              const cascade: Record<string, BumpType> = {};
-              for (const target of cascadeSelected) {
-                cascade[target] = cascadeBump;
-              }
-              (release as BumpFileReleaseCascade).cascade = cascade;
-            }
-          }
-        }
-      }
-
-      releases.push(release);
-    }
+    releases = bumpSelections.map(({ name, type }) => ({ name, type }) as BumpFileRelease);
 
     summary = unwrap(
       await p.text({
diff --git a/packages/bumpy/src/prompts/bump-select.ts b/packages/bumpy/src/prompts/bump-select.ts
index 2a7e590..7e9a371 100644
--- a/packages/bumpy/src/prompts/bump-select.ts
+++ b/packages/bumpy/src/prompts/bump-select.ts
@@ -2,14 +2,17 @@ import * as readline from 'node:readline';
 import pc from 'picocolors';
 import type { BumpTypeWithNone } from '../types.ts';
 
-export type BumpLevel = BumpTypeWithNone | 'none';
+/** 'skip' = not included in bump file at all, 'none' = explicitly included with type none */
+export type BumpLevel = 'skip' | BumpTypeWithNone;
 
-const LEVELS: BumpLevel[] = ['none', 'patch', 'minor', 'major'];
+const LEVELS: BumpLevel[] = ['skip', 'none', 'patch', 'minor', 'major'];
 
 export interface BumpSelectItem {
   name: string;
   version: string;
   changed: boolean;
+  /** Pre-set level (e.g. from an existing bump file on the branch) */
+  initialLevel?: BumpLevel;
 }
 
 export interface BumpSelectResult {
@@ -33,7 +36,9 @@ export async function bumpSelectPrompt(items: BumpSelectItem[]): Promise<BumpSel
 
   // State
   let cursor = 0;
-  const levels: BumpLevel[] = items.map((item) => (item.changed ? 'patch' : 'none'));
+  const levels: BumpLevel[] = items.map((item) =>
+    item.initialLevel !== undefined ? item.initialLevel : item.changed ? 'patch' : 'skip',
+  );
 
   return new Promise<BumpSelectResult[] | symbol>((resolve) => {
     const { stdin, stdout } = process;
@@ -55,9 +60,9 @@ export async function bumpSelectPrompt(items: BumpSelectItem[]): Promise<BumpSel
 
       if (final) {
         lines.push(`${pc.green('◇')}  Bump levels selected`);
-        const selected = displayOrder.filter(({ idx }) => levels[idx] !== 'none');
+        const selected = displayOrder.filter(({ idx }) => levels[idx] !== 'skip');
         if (selected.length === 0) {
-          lines.push(`${pc.dim('│')}  ${pc.dim('(none)')}`);
+          lines.push(`${pc.dim('│')}  ${pc.dim('(none selected)')}`);
         } else {
           for (const { item, idx } of selected) {
             lines.push(`${pc.dim('│')}  ${pc.cyan(item.name)} ${pc.dim('→')} ${pc.bold(levels[idx])}`);
@@ -67,7 +72,7 @@ export async function bumpSelectPrompt(items: BumpSelectItem[]): Promise<BumpSel
       } else {
         lines.push(`${pc.cyan('◆')}  Select bump levels`);
         lines.push(`${pc.dim('│')}  ${pc.dim('↑/↓ navigate · ←/→ change level · enter to confirm')}`);
-        lines.push(`${pc.dim('│')}  ${pc.dim('0 clear current · x clear all · r reset all to defaults')}`);
+        lines.push(`${pc.dim('│')}  ${pc.dim('0 skip current · x skip all · r reset all to defaults')}`);
         lines.push(pc.dim('│'));
 
         let displayIdx = 0;
@@ -92,7 +97,7 @@ export async function bumpSelectPrompt(items: BumpSelectItem[]): Promise<BumpSel
         }
 
         lines.push(pc.dim('│'));
-        const selectedCount = levels.filter((l) => l !== 'none').length;
+        const selectedCount = levels.filter((l) => l !== 'skip').length;
         lines.push(`${pc.dim('│')}  ${pc.dim(`${selectedCount} package${selectedCount !== 1 ? 's' : ''} selected`)}`);
         lines.push(`${pc.dim('└')}`);
       }
@@ -103,6 +108,7 @@ export async function bumpSelectPrompt(items: BumpSelectItem[]): Promise<BumpSel
     }
 
     function cleanup() {
+      stdin.removeListener('keypress', onKeypress);
       rl.close();
       stdout.write('\x1B[?25h'); // Show cursor
       if (stdin.isTTY) stdin.setRawMode(false);
@@ -114,12 +120,15 @@ export async function bumpSelectPrompt(items: BumpSelectItem[]): Promise<BumpSel
       resolve(result);
     }
 
+    // Enable keypress events before setting up listeners
+    readline.emitKeypressEvents(stdin, rl);
+
     if (stdin.isTTY) stdin.setRawMode(true);
     stdin.resume();
 
     render();
 
-    stdin.on('keypress', (_str: string | undefined, key: readline.Key) => {
+    function onKeypress(_str: string | undefined, key: readline.Key) {
       if (!key) return;
 
       if (key.name === 'escape' || (key.ctrl && key.name === 'c')) {
@@ -138,7 +147,7 @@ export async function bumpSelectPrompt(items: BumpSelectItem[]): Promise<BumpSel
       if (key.name === 'return') {
         const results: BumpSelectResult[] = [];
         for (let i = 0; i < items.length; i++) {
-          if (levels[i] !== 'none') {
+          if (levels[i] !== 'skip') {
             results.push({ name: items[i]!.name, type: levels[i] as BumpTypeWithNone });
           }
         }
@@ -163,26 +172,26 @@ export async function bumpSelectPrompt(items: BumpSelectItem[]): Promise<BumpSel
           levels[entry.idx] = LEVELS[currentLevel - 1]!;
         }
       } else if (_str === '0' || key.name === 'backspace') {
-        // Set current item to none
+        // Set current item to skip (not included)
         const entry = displayOrder[cursor]!;
-        levels[entry.idx] = 'none';
+        levels[entry.idx] = 'skip';
       } else if (_str === 'r') {
-        // Reset all to defaults (changed=patch, unchanged=none)
+        // Reset all to defaults
         for (let i = 0; i < items.length; i++) {
-          levels[i] = items[i]!.changed ? 'patch' : 'none';
+          levels[i] =
+            items[i]!.initialLevel !== undefined ? items[i]!.initialLevel! : items[i]!.changed ? 'patch' : 'skip';
         }
       } else if (_str === 'x') {
-        // Clear all — set everything to none
+        // Clear all — set everything to skip
         for (let i = 0; i < items.length; i++) {
-          levels[i] = 'none';
+          levels[i] = 'skip';
         }
       }
 
       render();
-    });
+    }
 
-    // Enable keypress events
-    readline.emitKeypressEvents(stdin, rl);
+    stdin.on('keypress', onKeypress);
   });
 }
 
@@ -198,7 +207,8 @@ function formatRow(item: BumpSelectItem, level: BumpLevel, focused: boolean): st
 
 function formatLevel(level: BumpLevel, focused: boolean): string {
   if (!focused) {
-    if (level === 'none') return pc.dim('·');
+    if (level === 'skip') return pc.dim('·');
+    if (level === 'none') return pc.dim('none');
     if (level === 'major') return pc.red(level);
     if (level === 'minor') return pc.yellow(level);
     return pc.green(level);
@@ -207,6 +217,7 @@ function formatLevel(level: BumpLevel, focused: boolean): string {
   // Show the level selector when focused
   const parts = LEVELS.map((l) => {
     if (l === level) {
+      if (l === 'skip') return pc.bold(pc.dim('[skip]'));
       if (l === 'none') return pc.bold(pc.dim('[none]'));
       if (l === 'major') return pc.bold(pc.red(`[${l}]`));
       if (l === 'minor') return pc.bold(pc.yellow(`[${l}]`));