diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/workspace-runtime.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/workspace-runtime.test.ts
index 2fd730ae4df..35016b84fe7 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/workspace-runtime.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/workspace-runtime.test.ts
@@ -3469,6 +3469,8 @@ describe("realizeExecutionWorkspace", () => {
       },
     });
 
+    expect(workspace.branchCreatedByRuntime).toBe(true);
+
     const cleanup = await cleanupExecutionWorkspaceArtifacts({
       workspace: {
         id: "execution-workspace-1",
@@ -3482,7 +3484,7 @@ describe("realizeExecutionWorkspace", () => {
         projectWorkspaceId: workspace.workspaceId,
         sourceIssueId: "issue-1",
         metadata: {
-          createdByRuntime: true,
+          createdByRuntime: workspace.branchCreatedByRuntime,
         },
       },
       projectWorkspace: {
@@ -8368,6 +8370,10 @@ describe("realizeExecutionWorkspace with an exact existing branch", () => {
 
     expect(workspace.strategy).toBe("git_worktree");
     expect(workspace.branchName).toBe("feature/preexisting-work");
+    // The worktree is freshly created, but the pinned branch pre-existed and
+    // stays operator-owned so terminal cleanup never deletes it.
+    expect(workspace.created).toBe(true);
+    expect(workspace.branchCreatedByRuntime).toBe(false);
     expect(workspace.cwd).not.toBe(repoRoot);
     expect(workspace.cwd).toContain(path.join(".paperclip", "worktrees"));
     expect(await readGit(workspace.cwd, ["branch", "--show-current"])).toBe("feature/preexisting-work");
@@ -8446,6 +8452,146 @@ describe("realizeExecutionWorkspace with an exact existing branch", () => {
     expect(newMaster).not.toBe(oldMaster);
   });
 
+  function cleanupWorkspaceInput(
+    workspace: RealizedExecutionWorkspace,
+    repoRoot: string,
+    expectedBranchHeadSha: string,
+  ) {
+    return {
+      workspace: {
+        id: "execution-workspace-1",
+        cwd: workspace.cwd,
+        providerType: "git_worktree",
+        providerRef: workspace.worktreePath,
+        branchName: workspace.branchName,
+        repoUrl: workspace.repoUrl,
+        baseRef: workspace.repoRef,
+        projectId: workspace.projectId,
+        projectWorkspaceId: workspace.workspaceId,
+        sourceIssueId: "issue-pr-prep",
+        // Persist ownership the way the heartbeat does: from the branch
+        // ownership signal, never from worktree creation.
+        metadata: { createdByRuntime: workspace.branchCreatedByRuntime },
+      },
+      projectWorkspace: {
+        cwd: repoRoot,
+        cleanupCommand: null,
+      },
+      expectedBranchHeadSha,
+    };
+  }
+
+  it("terminal cleanup removes the worktree but preserves the attached pre-existing branch at its tip", async () => {
+    const repoRoot = await createTempRepo();
+    const branchTip = await createBranchWithCommit(repoRoot, "feature/operator-owned", "operator.txt");
+
+    const workspace = await realizeExistingBranch(repoRoot, "feature/operator-owned");
+    expect(workspace.created).toBe(true);
+    expect(workspace.branchCreatedByRuntime).toBe(false);
+
+    const cleanup = await cleanupExecutionWorkspaceArtifacts(
+      cleanupWorkspaceInput(workspace, repoRoot, branchTip),
+    );
+
+    expect(cleanup.cleaned).toBe(true);
+    expect(cleanup.warnings).toEqual([]);
+    await expect(fs.stat(workspace.cwd)).rejects.toThrow();
+    expect(await readGit(repoRoot, ["rev-parse", "refs/heads/feature/operator-owned"])).toBe(branchTip);
+  });
+
+  it("terminal cleanup preserves a pre-existing branch pinned via a literal branchTemplate", async () => {
+    const repoRoot = await createTempRepo();
+    const branchTip = await createBranchWithCommit(repoRoot, "feature/literal-pin", "literal.txt");
+
+    const workspace = await realizeExecutionWorkspace({
+      base: {
+        baseCwd: repoRoot,
+        source: "project_primary",
+        projectId: "project-1",
+        workspaceId: "workspace-1",
+        repoUrl: null,
+        repoRef: "HEAD",
+      },
+      config: {
+        workspaceStrategy: {
+          type: "git_worktree",
+          branchTemplate: "feature/literal-pin",
+        },
+      },
+      issue: {
+        id: "issue-pr-prep",
+        identifier: "PAP-9002",
+        title: "Prepare pull request via a literal branch template",
+      },
+      agent: {
+        id: "agent-1",
+        name: "Codex Coder",
+        companyId: "company-1",
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(workspace.branchName).toBe("feature/literal-pin");
+    expect(workspace.created).toBe(true);
+    expect(workspace.branchCreatedByRuntime).toBe(false);
+    expect(await readGit(workspace.cwd, ["rev-parse", "HEAD"])).toBe(branchTip);
+
+    const cleanup = await cleanupExecutionWorkspaceArtifacts(
+      cleanupWorkspaceInput(workspace, repoRoot, branchTip),
+    );
+
+    expect(cleanup.cleaned).toBe(true);
+    expect(cleanup.warnings).toEqual([]);
+    await expect(fs.stat(workspace.cwd)).rejects.toThrow();
+    expect(await readGit(repoRoot, ["rev-parse", "refs/heads/feature/literal-pin"])).toBe(branchTip);
+  });
+
+  it("restoring a persisted workspace keeps the recorded branch ownership", async () => {
+    const repoRoot = await createTempRepo();
+    await createBranchWithCommit(repoRoot, "feature/persisted-ownership", "persisted-ownership.txt");
+    const first = await realizeExistingBranch(repoRoot, "feature/persisted-ownership");
+
+    async function restoreWithMetadata(metadata: Record<string, unknown>) {
+      return await ensurePersistedExecutionWorkspaceAvailable({
+        base: {
+          baseCwd: repoRoot,
+          source: "project_primary",
+          projectId: "project-1",
+          workspaceId: "workspace-1",
+          repoUrl: null,
+          repoRef: "HEAD",
+        },
+        workspace: {
+          mode: "isolated_workspace",
+          strategyType: "git_worktree",
+          cwd: first.cwd,
+          providerRef: first.worktreePath,
+          projectId: "project-1",
+          projectWorkspaceId: "workspace-1",
+          repoUrl: null,
+          baseRef: "HEAD",
+          branchName: first.branchName,
+          metadata,
+        },
+        issue: {
+          id: "issue-pr-prep",
+          identifier: "PAP-9003",
+          title: "Restore keeps branch ownership",
+        },
+        agent: {
+          id: "agent-1",
+          name: "Codex Coder",
+          companyId: "company-1",
+        },
+      });
+    }
+
+    const operatorOwned = await restoreWithMetadata({ createdByRuntime: false });
+    expect(operatorOwned?.branchCreatedByRuntime).toBe(false);
+
+    const runtimeOwned = await restoreWithMetadata({ createdByRuntime: true });
+    expect(runtimeOwned?.branchCreatedByRuntime).toBe(true);
+  });
+
   it("fails closed when an existing branch is pinned on a non-worktree strategy", async () => {
     const repoRoot = await createTempRepo();
     await createBranchWithCommit(repoRoot, "feature/wrong-mode", "wrong-mode.txt");
diff --git a/server/src/routes/projects.ts b/server/src/routes/projects.ts
index 50b4be27853..c01a028ddb6 100644
--- a/server/src/routes/projects.ts
+++ b/server/src/routes/projects.ts
@@ -489,6 +489,7 @@ export function projectRoutes(db: Db) {
               worktreePath: null,
               warnings: [],
               created: false,
+              branchCreatedByRuntime: false,
             },
             command: workspaceCommand.rawConfig,
             adapterEnv: {},
@@ -544,6 +545,7 @@ export function projectRoutes(db: Db) {
               worktreePath: null,
               warnings: [],
               created: false,
+              branchCreatedByRuntime: false,
             },
             config: { workspaceRuntime: runtimeConfig },
             adapterEnv: {},
diff --git a/server/src/services/heartbeat.ts b/server/src/services/heartbeat.ts
index 82ae608a41c..ded8b0e5d69 100644
--- a/server/src/services/heartbeat.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/heartbeat.ts
@@ -14951,7 +14951,10 @@ export function heartbeatService(db: Db, options: HeartbeatServiceOptions = {})
         ? reusableExistingExecutionWorkspace?.metadata ?? null
         : null,
       source: executionWorkspace.source,
-      createdByRuntime: executionWorkspace.created,
+      // Branch ownership, not worktree freshness: attaching a worktree to a
+      // pre-existing branch reports created=true but must never make terminal
+      // cleanup delete that operator-owned branch.
+      createdByRuntime: executionWorkspace.branchCreatedByRuntime,
       configSnapshot,
       shouldReuseExisting: resolvedWorkspaceReusePolicy.shouldRestoreExistingWorkspace,
       shouldRefreshConfigSnapshot: resolvedWorkspaceReusePolicy.shouldRefreshWorkspaceConfigSnapshot,
diff --git a/server/src/services/workspace-realization.ts b/server/src/services/workspace-realization.ts
index f4938decc39..8f908d33003 100644
--- a/server/src/services/workspace-realization.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/workspace-realization.ts
@@ -344,6 +344,7 @@ export function buildWorkspaceRealizationRecordFromDriverInput(input: {
         worktreePath: null,
         warnings: [],
         created: false,
+        branchCreatedByRuntime: false,
       },
       workspaceConfig: null,
     });
diff --git a/server/src/services/workspace-runtime-exposure.test.ts b/server/src/services/workspace-runtime-exposure.test.ts
index 4120e18f57e..4392f4a3c22 100644
--- a/server/src/services/workspace-runtime-exposure.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/workspace-runtime-exposure.test.ts
@@ -241,6 +241,7 @@ function startInput(options?: {
       worktreePath: null,
       warnings: [],
       created: false,
+      branchCreatedByRuntime: false,
     },
     executionWorkspaceId: EXECUTION_WORKSPACE_ID,
     config: {
diff --git a/server/src/services/workspace-runtime-ready-comment.test.ts b/server/src/services/workspace-runtime-ready-comment.test.ts
index 214f5be79ed..c669b71ee3a 100644
--- a/server/src/services/workspace-runtime-ready-comment.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/workspace-runtime-ready-comment.test.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ function workspace(
     worktreePath: "/repo/.paperclip/worktrees/PAP-16051",
     warnings: [],
     created: true,
+    branchCreatedByRuntime: true,
     ...overrides,
   };
 }
diff --git a/server/src/services/workspace-runtime.ts b/server/src/services/workspace-runtime.ts
index 5e64b52ea82..765fdfcd0d1 100644
--- a/server/src/services/workspace-runtime.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/workspace-runtime.ts
@@ -163,6 +163,12 @@ export interface RealizedExecutionWorkspace extends ExecutionWorkspaceInput {
   worktreePath: string | null;
   warnings: string[];
   created: boolean;
+  // Branch ownership, distinct from `created` (which reports a fresh worktree
+  // checkout). True only when this realization created the branch ref itself;
+  // attaching a worktree to a pre-existing branch keeps the branch
+  // operator-owned. Persisted as metadata.createdByRuntime, which terminal
+  // cleanup uses to decide whether the branch may be deleted.
+  branchCreatedByRuntime: boolean;
   baseRefSha?: string | null;
   pendingForwardBranchReconcile?: PendingForwardBranchReconcile | null;
 }
@@ -3063,6 +3069,7 @@ export async function realizeExecutionWorkspace(input: {
       worktreePath: null,
       warnings: [],
       created: false,
+      branchCreatedByRuntime: false,
       baseRefSha: null,
     };
   }
@@ -3197,6 +3204,7 @@ export async function realizeExecutionWorkspace(input: {
       worktreePath: reusablePath,
       warnings: [...extraWarnings, ...baseRefreshWarnings, ...baseDrift.warnings],
       created: false,
+      branchCreatedByRuntime: false,
       baseRefSha: refresh.baseRefSha ?? baseDrift.branchBaseRefSha ?? baseDrift.currentBaseRefSha,
       pendingForwardBranchReconcile,
     };
@@ -3345,11 +3353,15 @@ export async function realizeExecutionWorkspace(input: {
       branchName,
       worktreePath,
       warnings: baseRefreshWarnings,
+      // The worktree is new, but the pinned branch pre-existed: it stays
+      // operator-owned so terminal cleanup never deletes it.
       created: true,
+      branchCreatedByRuntime: false,
       baseRefSha: currentBaseRefSha,
     };
   }
 
+  let branchCreatedByRuntime = true;
   try {
     await recordGitOperation(input.recorder, {
       phase: "worktree_prepare",
@@ -3387,6 +3399,9 @@ export async function realizeExecutionWorkspace(input: {
         successMessage: `Attached existing branch ${branchName} at ${worktreePath}\n`,
         failureLabel: `git worktree add ${worktreePath}`,
       });
+      // The template rendered to a branch that already existed, so this
+      // attach did not create the branch and cleanup must not delete it.
+      branchCreatedByRuntime = false;
     } catch (attachError) {
       if (!gitErrorIncludes(attachError, "already checked out")) {
         throw attachError;
@@ -3419,6 +3434,7 @@ export async function realizeExecutionWorkspace(input: {
     worktreePath,
     warnings: baseRefreshWarnings,
     created: true,
+    branchCreatedByRuntime,
     baseRefSha: currentBaseRefSha,
   };
 }
@@ -3469,6 +3485,10 @@ export async function ensurePersistedExecutionWorkspaceAvailable(input: {
     worktreePath: strategy === "git_worktree" ? (input.workspace.providerRef ?? cwd) : null,
     warnings: [],
     created: false,
+    // Restoring a persisted workspace keeps its recorded branch ownership, so
+    // a runtime-created branch stays cleanup-eligible across reuse heartbeats
+    // and an attached pre-existing branch stays operator-owned.
+    branchCreatedByRuntime: input.workspace.metadata?.createdByRuntime === true,
     baseRefSha: readRecordedBaseRefSha(input.workspace.metadata),
   };
   const provisionCommand = asString(input.workspace.config?.provisionCommand, "").trim();
@@ -3677,6 +3697,7 @@ export async function ensurePersistedExecutionWorkspaceAvailable(input: {
     worktreePath,
     warnings: [...restoreRefreshWarnings, ...baseDrift.warnings],
     created,
+    branchCreatedByRuntime: realized.branchCreatedByRuntime || created,
     baseRefSha:
       recordedBaseRefSha
       ?? (created ? restoreCurrentBaseRefSha : baseDrift.branchBaseRefSha)
@@ -3837,6 +3858,10 @@ export async function cleanupExecutionWorkspaceArtifacts(input: {
       warnings.push(`Could not read worktree instance pointer: ${err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)}`);
     }
   }
+  // Ownership signal persisted from RealizedExecutionWorkspace.branchCreatedByRuntime:
+  // true only when the runtime created the branch ref (or local_fs directory)
+  // itself. A worktree attached to a pre-existing branch persists false, so
+  // cleanup below removes the worktree but leaves the branch untouched.
   const createdByRuntime = input.workspace.metadata?.createdByRuntime === true;
   const cleanupCommands = input.runCleanupCommands === false
     ? []
@@ -7896,6 +7921,7 @@ export async function restartDesiredRuntimeServicesOnStartup(db: Db) {
           worktreePath: null,
           warnings: [],
           created: false,
+          branchCreatedByRuntime: false,
         },
         config: {
           workspaceRuntime: runtimeConfig.workspaceRuntime,
@@ -7950,6 +7976,7 @@ export async function restartDesiredRuntimeServicesOnStartup(db: Db) {
           worktreePath: row.strategyType === "git_worktree" ? row.cwd : null,
           warnings: [],
           created: false,
+          branchCreatedByRuntime: (row.metadata as Record<string, unknown> | null)?.createdByRuntime === true,
         },
         executionWorkspaceId: row.id,
         config: {