diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 1213d74a5..985edfac1 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -26,3 +26,4 @@ Lint: `golangci-lint run`
 ## Known Gaps
 
 - **Mini App log viewer has no frontend tests**: `renderLogs()` in `pkg/miniapp/static/index.html` is inline vanilla JS with no unit/E2E test coverage. Backend (Go) tests cover `RecentLogs`, `SanitizeFields`, and JSON serialization, but nothing verifies the JS rendering. This allowed the Fields display bug (fields sent but not rendered) to ship undetected.
+- **No human intervention for heartbeat worktrees**: Heartbeat sessions create git worktrees (`.picoclaw/worktrees/heartbeat-YYYYMMDD/`) but there is no CLI or Mini App command to list, inspect, or manually dispose them. Need a `/plan worktrees` command (or similar) that shows active worktrees with branch/commit info and allows manual merge/dispose. `PruneOrphaned` on startup only removes directories without auto-committing first, so uncommitted changes in orphaned worktrees are silently lost.
diff --git a/pkg/agent/loop.go b/pkg/agent/loop.go
index 93919d9de..704f90b37 100644
--- a/pkg/agent/loop.go
+++ b/pkg/agent/loop.go
@@ -708,6 +708,22 @@ func (al *AgentLoop) runAgentLoop(ctx context.Context, agent *AgentInstance, opt
 		interrupt:   make(chan string, 1),
 	}
 
+	// Guarantee heartbeat worktree cleanup on ALL exit paths (error, panic, normal).
+	defer func() {
+		if opts.Background && agent.IsInWorktree(opts.SessionKey) {
+			commitMsg := "heartbeat: auto-save"
+			wtResult, _ := agent.DeactivateWorktree(opts.SessionKey, commitMsg, false)
+			if wtResult != nil && wtResult.CommitsAhead > 0 && !constants.IsInternalChannel(opts.Channel) {
+				al.bus.PublishOutbound(bus.OutboundMessage{
+					Channel: opts.Channel,
+					ChatID:  opts.ChatID,
+					Content: fmt.Sprintf("Heartbeat made code changes on branch `%s` (%d commits).",
+						wtResult.Branch, wtResult.CommitsAhead),
+				})
+			}
+		}
+	}()
+
 	// For background tasks (cron/heartbeat), generate a TaskID and send notification
 	isBackgroundTask := opts.Background && al.state != nil
 	if isBackgroundTask && opts.TaskID == "" {
@@ -1003,20 +1019,6 @@ func (al *AgentLoop) runAgentLoop(ctx context.Context, agent *AgentInstance, opt
 			"final_length": len(finalContent),
 		})
 
-	// 10. Heartbeat worktree cleanup: auto-commit and dispose after background task
-	if opts.Background && agent.IsInWorktree(opts.SessionKey) {
-		commitMsg := "heartbeat: auto-save"
-		wtResult, _ := agent.DeactivateWorktree(opts.SessionKey, commitMsg, false)
-		if wtResult != nil && wtResult.CommitsAhead > 0 && !constants.IsInternalChannel(opts.Channel) {
-			al.bus.PublishOutbound(bus.OutboundMessage{
-				Channel: opts.Channel,
-				ChatID:  opts.ChatID,
-				Content: fmt.Sprintf("Heartbeat made code changes on branch `%s` (%d commits).",
-					wtResult.Branch, wtResult.CommitsAhead),
-			})
-		}
-	}
-
 	return finalContent, nil
 }