fix(finishing): check in with human partner when worktree removal hits untracked files#2024
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obra wants to merge 1 commit into
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fix(finishing): check in with human partner when worktree removal hits untracked files#2024obra wants to merge 1 commit into
obra wants to merge 1 commit into
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…s untracked files git worktree remove refuses when the tree holds modified or untracked files, and the skill gave no guidance for that refusal — the natural agent response was --force, permanently destroying files that exist nowhere else (uncommitted plans, notes, scratch work). Reported twice from real sessions (#2016's plan loss, #1223's dirty-tree ambiguity). Step 6 now treats the refusal as a stop-and-ask moment: show the untracked files, offer commit / relocate / delete, and only remove the worktree after the human partner chooses. Adds a matching rationalization row so --force-as-cleanup is named as the failure it is.
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Who is submitting this PR? (required)
claude-fable-5)What problem are you trying to solve?
git worktree removerefuses when the worktree contains modified or untracked files, and Step 6 offinishing-a-development-branchgave no guidance for that refusal. The error message itself suggests--force, so the natural agent response destroys files that exist nowhere else. Reported from two independent real sessions:docs/superpowers/plans/— untracked for the whole branch lifetime — was permanently deleted at cleanup. Reproduced deterministically during triage:git worktree removerefuses,--forcesucceeds, the plan is unrecoverable while committed work survives.Both prior fix attempts baked in a policy: #2016 force-committed plan documents into every user's history (declined — not everyone wants superpowers plans committed), #1223 hard-refused with "commit or stash first, then re-run" (a wall that invites workarounds). Maintainer decision: the destruction point should check in with the human partner instead.
What does this PR change?
Step 6 now treats a refused
git worktree removeas a stop-and-ask moment: never--forceon the skill's own initiative; showgit -C "$WORKTREE_PATH" status --porcelainoutput to the human partner and offer commit-to-branch / move-to-main-root / delete, then remove the worktree after the choice. One matching row is added to Common Rationalizations.Is this change appropriate for the core library?
Yes — it modifies an existing core skill's cleanup step only. Applies to any project on any harness that uses worktrees; no dependencies, no domain-specific content.
What alternatives did you consider?
Does this PR contain multiple unrelated changes?
No. One file; the rationalization row exists solely to reinforce the new Step 6 behavior.
Existing PRs
Environment tested
New harness support (required if this PR adds a new harness)
N/A — no new harness.
Evaluation
--force→ untracked file unrecoverable, committed file survives).writing-skillsmethodology have not been executed for this wording. They can be run before or after merge at the maintainer's discretion.Rigor
superpowers:writing-skillsand completed adversarial pressure testing (paste results below)The first two boxes are honestly unchecked: adversarial pressure testing is pending, as stated in Evaluation. The maintainer directed this change and owns the merge decision with that gap visible.
Human review