diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.project_name}}/.editorconfig b/{{cookiecutter.project_name}}/.editorconfig
index 4e00f8f..66678e3 100644
--- a/{{cookiecutter.project_name}}/.editorconfig
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.project_name}}/.editorconfig
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ charset = utf-8
 trim_trailing_whitespace = true
 insert_final_newline = true
 
-[*.{yml,yaml,toml}]
+[{*.{yml,yaml,toml},.cruft.json}]
 indent_size = 2
 
 [Makefile]
diff --git a/{{cookiecutter.project_name}}/.pre-commit-config.yaml b/{{cookiecutter.project_name}}/.pre-commit-config.yaml
index 2e25aec..acdcb61 100644
--- a/{{cookiecutter.project_name}}/.pre-commit-config.yaml
+++ b/{{cookiecutter.project_name}}/.pre-commit-config.yaml
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ repos:
       - id: trailing-whitespace
       - id: check-case-conflict
       - id: check-merge-conflict
+        args: [--assume-in-merge]  # cruft update leaves conflict markers outside any git merge
   - repo: local
     hooks:
       - id: forbid-rej