diff --git a/get-shit-done/workflows/execute-phase.md b/get-shit-done/workflows/execute-phase.md
index d763325e9..2db0e2f29 100644
--- a/get-shit-done/workflows/execute-phase.md
+++ b/get-shit-done/workflows/execute-phase.md
@@ -336,6 +336,39 @@ Execute each selected wave in sequence. Within a wave: parallel if `PARALLELIZAT
    ```
    If hooks fail: report the failure and ask "Fix hook issues now?" or "Continue to next wave?"
 
+4.5. **Worktree cleanup (when `isolation="worktree"` was used):**
+
+   When executor agents ran in worktree isolation, their commits land on temporary branches in separate working trees. After the wave completes, merge these changes back and clean up:
+
+   ```bash
+   # List worktrees created by this wave's agents
+   WORKTREES=$(git worktree list --porcelain | grep "^worktree " | grep -v "$(pwd)$" | sed 's/^worktree //')
+
+   for WT in $WORKTREES; do
+     # Get the branch name for this worktree
+     WT_BRANCH=$(git -C "$WT" rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD 2>/dev/null)
+     if [ -n "$WT_BRANCH" ] && [ "$WT_BRANCH" != "HEAD" ]; then
+       CURRENT_BRANCH=$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD)
+
+       # Merge the worktree branch into the current branch
+       git merge "$WT_BRANCH" --no-edit -m "chore: merge executor worktree ($WT_BRANCH)" 2>&1 || {
+         echo "⚠ Merge conflict from worktree $WT_BRANCH — resolve manually"
+         continue
+       }
+
+       # Remove the worktree
+       git worktree remove "$WT" --force 2>/dev/null || true
+
+       # Delete the temporary branch
+       git branch -D "$WT_BRANCH" 2>/dev/null || true
+     fi
+   done
+   ```
+
+   **If `workflow.use_worktrees` is `false`:** Agents ran on the main working tree — skip this step entirely.
+
+   **If no worktrees found:** Skip silently — agents may have been spawned without worktree isolation.
+
 5. **Report completion — spot-check claims first:**
 
    For each SUMMARY.md:
diff --git a/get-shit-done/workflows/quick.md b/get-shit-done/workflows/quick.md
index 0c0bbf0cf..475fd6194 100644
--- a/get-shit-done/workflows/quick.md
+++ b/get-shit-done/workflows/quick.md
@@ -581,9 +581,23 @@ ${AGENT_SKILLS_EXECUTOR}
 ```
 
 After executor returns:
-1. Verify summary exists at `${QUICK_DIR}/${quick_id}-SUMMARY.md`
-2. Extract commit hash from executor output
-3. Report completion status
+1. **Worktree cleanup:** If the executor ran with `isolation="worktree"`, merge the worktree branch back and clean up:
+   ```bash
+   # Find worktrees created by the executor
+   WORKTREES=$(git worktree list --porcelain | grep "^worktree " | grep -v "$(pwd)$" | sed 's/^worktree //')
+   for WT in $WORKTREES; do
+     WT_BRANCH=$(git -C "$WT" rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD 2>/dev/null)
+     if [ -n "$WT_BRANCH" ] && [ "$WT_BRANCH" != "HEAD" ]; then
+       git merge "$WT_BRANCH" --no-edit -m "chore: merge quick task worktree ($WT_BRANCH)" 2>&1 || echo "⚠ Merge conflict — resolve manually"
+       git worktree remove "$WT" --force 2>/dev/null || true
+       git branch -D "$WT_BRANCH" 2>/dev/null || true
+     fi
+   done
+   ```
+   If `workflow.use_worktrees` is `false`, skip this step.
+2. Verify summary exists at `${QUICK_DIR}/${quick_id}-SUMMARY.md`
+3. Extract commit hash from executor output
+4. Report completion status
 
 **Known Claude Code bug (classifyHandoffIfNeeded):** If executor reports "failed" with error `classifyHandoffIfNeeded is not defined`, this is a Claude Code runtime bug — not a real failure. Check if summary file exists and git log shows commits. If so, treat as successful.
 
diff --git a/tests/worktree-cleanup.test.cjs b/tests/worktree-cleanup.test.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0fe56153e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/worktree-cleanup.test.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+/**
+ * GSD Tools Tests - worktree cleanup after executor completes
+ *
+ * Validates that execute-phase.md and quick.md include post-execution
+ * worktree cleanup logic (merge branch, remove worktree, delete branch).
+ *
+ * Closes: #1496
+ */
+
+const { test, describe } = require('node:test');
+const assert = require('node:assert');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
+
+describe('worktree cleanup after executor completes (#1496)', () => {
+  const executePhasePath = path.join(__dirname, '..', 'get-shit-done', 'workflows', 'execute-phase.md');
+  const quickPath = path.join(__dirname, '..', 'get-shit-done', 'workflows', 'quick.md');
+
+  test('execute-phase.md includes worktree cleanup step', () => {
+    const content = fs.readFileSync(executePhasePath, 'utf8');
+    assert.ok(content.includes('Worktree cleanup'),
+      'execute-phase should have a worktree cleanup step');
+    assert.ok(content.includes('git worktree remove'),
+      'cleanup should remove worktrees');
+    assert.ok(content.includes('git branch -D'),
+      'cleanup should delete temporary branches');
+  });
+
+  test('execute-phase.md merges worktree branch before removing', () => {
+    const content = fs.readFileSync(executePhasePath, 'utf8');
+    assert.ok(content.includes('git merge'),
+      'cleanup should merge worktree branch into current branch');
+  });
+
+  test('execute-phase.md handles merge conflicts gracefully', () => {
+    const content = fs.readFileSync(executePhasePath, 'utf8');
+    assert.ok(
+      content.includes('Merge conflict') || content.includes('merge conflict'),
+      'cleanup should handle merge conflicts gracefully'
+    );
+  });
+
+  test('execute-phase.md skips cleanup when use_worktrees is false', () => {
+    const content = fs.readFileSync(executePhasePath, 'utf8');
+    assert.ok(content.includes('use_worktrees'),
+      'cleanup should respect workflow.use_worktrees config');
+  });
+
+  test('quick.md includes worktree cleanup after executor returns', () => {
+    const content = fs.readFileSync(quickPath, 'utf8');
+    assert.ok(content.includes('Worktree cleanup') || content.includes('worktree cleanup'),
+      'quick should have worktree cleanup');
+    assert.ok(content.includes('git worktree remove'),
+      'quick cleanup should remove worktrees');
+    assert.ok(content.includes('git branch -D'),
+      'quick cleanup should delete temporary branches');
+  });
+
+  test('quick.md merges worktree branch before removing', () => {
+    const content = fs.readFileSync(quickPath, 'utf8');
+    assert.ok(content.includes('git merge'),
+      'quick cleanup should merge worktree branch');
+  });
+
+  test('cleanup uses git worktree list to discover orphans', () => {
+    const content = fs.readFileSync(executePhasePath, 'utf8');
+    assert.ok(content.includes('git worktree list'),
+      'cleanup should discover worktrees via git worktree list');
+  });
+});