diff --git a/get-shit-done/bin/lib/commands.cjs b/get-shit-done/bin/lib/commands.cjs
index e2f754e06..630b47038 100644
--- a/get-shit-done/bin/lib/commands.cjs
+++ b/get-shit-done/bin/lib/commands.cjs
@@ -313,11 +313,19 @@ function cmdCommit(cwd, message, files, raw, amend, noVerify) {
   }
 
   // Stage files
-  const filesToStage = files && files.length > 0 ? files : ['.planning/'];
+  const explicitFiles = files && files.length > 0;
+  const filesToStage = explicitFiles ? files : ['.planning/'];
   for (const file of filesToStage) {
     const fullPath = path.join(cwd, file);
     if (!fs.existsSync(fullPath)) {
-      // File was deleted/moved — stage the deletion
+      if (explicitFiles) {
+        // Caller passed an explicit --files list: missing files are skipped.
+        // Staging a deletion here would silently remove tracked planning files
+        // (e.g. STATE.md, ROADMAP.md) when they are temporarily absent (#2014).
+        continue;
+      }
+      // Default mode (staging all of .planning/): stage the deletion so
+      // removed planning files are not left dangling in the index.
       execGit(cwd, ['rm', '--cached', '--ignore-unmatch', file]);
     } else {
       execGit(cwd, ['add', file]);
diff --git a/tests/commit-files-deletion.test.cjs b/tests/commit-files-deletion.test.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..86e4c18c6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/commit-files-deletion.test.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+/**
+ * Regression test for #2014: gsd-tools commit --files silently deletes
+ * planning files when a filename passed via --files does not exist on disk.
+ *
+ * Prior to this fix, when --files STATE.md was passed and STATE.md did not
+ * exist on disk, the code called `git rm --cached --ignore-unmatch STATE.md`
+ * which staged and committed a deletion. The caller passed explicit --files
+ * expecting only those specific files to be staged -- missing files should
+ * be skipped, not deleted.
+ */
+
+const { describe, test, beforeEach, afterEach } = require('node:test');
+const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
+const { execSync } = require('child_process');
+
+const { createTempGitProject, cleanup, runGsdTools } = require('./helpers.cjs');
+
+describe('commit --files: missing files must not stage deletions (#2014)', () => {
+  let tmpDir;
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    tmpDir = createTempGitProject();
+    // Commit STATE.md so it exists in git history
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, '.planning', 'STATE.md'), '# State\n\nInitial state.\n');
+    execSync('git add .planning/STATE.md', { cwd: tmpDir, stdio: 'pipe' });
+    execSync('git commit -m "add STATE.md"', { cwd: tmpDir, stdio: 'pipe' });
+    // Delete STATE.md from disk -- now missing but tracked in git
+    fs.unlinkSync(path.join(tmpDir, '.planning', 'STATE.md'));
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    cleanup(tmpDir);
+  });
+
+  test('passing --files for a missing tracked file does not commit a deletion', () => {
+    // STATE.md is tracked in git but deleted from disk.
+    // commit --files .planning/STATE.md should skip it (no deletion committed).
+    runGsdTools(
+      ['commit', 'test commit', '--files', '.planning/STATE.md'],
+      tmpDir
+    );
+
+    // Check git log: the new commit (HEAD) must NOT have deleted STATE.md.
+    // git diff HEAD~1 HEAD --name-status shows what changed between commits.
+    let diffOutput = '';
+    try {
+      diffOutput = execSync('git diff HEAD~1 HEAD --name-status', { cwd: tmpDir, encoding: 'utf-8' });
+    } catch (e) {
+      // If nothing to commit, there is no HEAD~1 -- that's also acceptable
+      return;
+    }
+    assert.ok(
+      !diffOutput.includes('D\t.planning/STATE.md'),
+      'commit --files must not commit a deletion of a missing file, diff was:\n' + diffOutput
+    );
+  });
+
+  test('passing --files for a file that exists stages and commits it normally', () => {
+    // Create ROADMAP.md -- this file exists, should be staged normally
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, '.planning', 'ROADMAP.md'), '# Roadmap\n\nPhase 01.\n');
+
+    const result = runGsdTools(
+      ['commit', 'add roadmap', '--files', '.planning/ROADMAP.md'],
+      tmpDir
+    );
+
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(result.output);
+    assert.strictEqual(parsed.committed, true, 'should have committed when file exists');
+
+    // Verify ROADMAP.md was added in the commit
+    const diffOutput = execSync('git diff HEAD~1 HEAD --name-status', { cwd: tmpDir, encoding: 'utf-8' });
+    assert.ok(
+      diffOutput.includes('A\t.planning/ROADMAP.md'),
+      'ROADMAP.md should appear as added in the commit'
+    );
+  });
+
+  test('--files with mix of existing and missing files only stages the existing ones', () => {
+    // ROADMAP.md exists on disk, STATE.md does not
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, '.planning', 'ROADMAP.md'), '# Roadmap\n');
+
+    runGsdTools(
+      ['commit', 'partial files', '--files', '.planning/ROADMAP.md', '.planning/STATE.md'],
+      tmpDir
+    );
+
+    // The commit must not include a deletion of STATE.md
+    let diffOutput = '';
+    try {
+      diffOutput = execSync('git diff HEAD~1 HEAD --name-status', { cwd: tmpDir, encoding: 'utf-8' });
+    } catch (e) {
+      return; // nothing committed is fine
+    }
+    assert.ok(
+      !diffOutput.includes('D\t.planning/STATE.md'),
+      'missing file in --files list must not be committed as a deletion'
+    );
+  });
+});