diff --git a/get-shit-done/bin/lib/commands.cjs b/get-shit-done/bin/lib/commands.cjs
index 27baba554..3e83d8b1b 100644
--- a/get-shit-done/bin/lib/commands.cjs
+++ b/get-shit-done/bin/lib/commands.cjs
@@ -247,6 +247,43 @@ function cmdCommit(cwd, message, files, raw, amend, noVerify) {
     return;
   }
 
+  // Ensure branching strategy branch exists before first commit (#1278).
+  // Pre-execution workflows (discuss, plan, research) commit artifacts but the branch
+  // was previously only created during execute-phase — too late.
+  if (config.branching_strategy && config.branching_strategy !== 'none') {
+    let branchName = null;
+    if (config.branching_strategy === 'phase') {
+      // Determine which phase we're committing for from the file paths
+      const phaseMatch = (files || []).join(' ').match(/(\d+)-/);
+      if (phaseMatch) {
+        const phaseNum = phaseMatch[1];
+        const phaseInfo = findPhaseInternal(cwd, phaseNum);
+        if (phaseInfo) {
+          branchName = config.phase_branch_template
+            .replace('{phase}', phaseInfo.phase_number)
+            .replace('{slug}', phaseInfo.phase_slug || 'phase');
+        }
+      }
+    } else if (config.branching_strategy === 'milestone') {
+      const milestone = getMilestoneInfo(cwd);
+      if (milestone && milestone.version) {
+        branchName = config.milestone_branch_template
+          .replace('{milestone}', milestone.version)
+          .replace('{slug}', generateSlugInternal(milestone.name) || 'milestone');
+      }
+    }
+    if (branchName) {
+      const currentBranch = execGit(cwd, ['rev-parse', '--abbrev-ref', 'HEAD']);
+      if (currentBranch.exitCode === 0 && currentBranch.stdout.trim() !== branchName) {
+        // Create branch if it doesn't exist, or switch to it if it does
+        const create = execGit(cwd, ['checkout', '-b', branchName]);
+        if (create.exitCode !== 0) {
+          execGit(cwd, ['checkout', branchName]);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
   // Stage files
   const filesToStage = files && files.length > 0 ? files : ['.planning/'];
   for (const file of filesToStage) {
diff --git a/tests/commands.test.cjs b/tests/commands.test.cjs
index 43fd08eb5..d465b52e3 100644
--- a/tests/commands.test.cjs
+++ b/tests/commands.test.cjs
@@ -1185,6 +1185,71 @@ describe('commit command', () => {
     const logCount = execSync('git log --oneline', { cwd: tmpDir, encoding: 'utf-8' }).trim().split('\n').length;
     assert.strictEqual(logCount, 2, 'should have 2 commits (initial + amended)');
   });
+  test('creates strategy branch before first commit when branching_strategy is milestone', () => {
+    // Configure milestone branching strategy
+    fs.writeFileSync(
+      path.join(tmpDir, '.planning', 'config.json'),
+      JSON.stringify({
+        commit_docs: true,
+        branching_strategy: 'milestone',
+        milestone_branch_template: 'gsd/{milestone}-{slug}',
+      })
+    );
+    // getMilestoneInfo reads ROADMAP.md for milestone version/name
+    fs.writeFileSync(
+      path.join(tmpDir, '.planning', 'ROADMAP.md'),
+      '## v1.0: Initial Release\n\n### Phase 1: Setup\n'
+    );
+
+    // Create a file to commit
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, '.planning', 'test-context.md'), '# Context\n');
+
+    const result = runGsdTools('commit "docs: add context" --files .planning/test-context.md', tmpDir);
+    assert.ok(result.success, `Command failed: ${result.error}`);
+
+    const output = JSON.parse(result.output);
+    assert.strictEqual(output.committed, true, 'should have committed');
+
+    // Verify we're on the strategy branch
+    const { execFileSync } = require('child_process');
+    const branch = execFileSync('git', ['rev-parse', '--abbrev-ref', 'HEAD'], { cwd: tmpDir, encoding: 'utf-8' }).trim();
+    assert.strictEqual(branch, 'gsd/v1.0-initial-release', 'should be on milestone branch');
+  });
+
+  test('creates strategy branch before first commit when branching_strategy is phase', () => {
+    // Configure phase branching strategy
+    fs.writeFileSync(
+      path.join(tmpDir, '.planning', 'config.json'),
+      JSON.stringify({
+        commit_docs: true,
+        branching_strategy: 'phase',
+        phase_branch_template: 'gsd/phase-{phase}-{slug}',
+      })
+    );
+    // Create ROADMAP.md with a phase
+    fs.mkdirSync(path.join(tmpDir, '.planning', 'phases', '01-setup'), { recursive: true });
+    fs.writeFileSync(
+      path.join(tmpDir, '.planning', 'ROADMAP.md'),
+      '# Roadmap\n\n## Phase 1: Setup\nGoal: Initial setup\n'
+    );
+
+    // Create a context file for phase 1
+    fs.writeFileSync(path.join(tmpDir, '.planning', 'phases', '01-setup', '01-CONTEXT.md'), '# Context\n');
+
+    const result = runGsdTools(
+      'commit "docs(01): add context" --files .planning/phases/01-setup/01-CONTEXT.md',
+      tmpDir
+    );
+    assert.ok(result.success, `Command failed: ${result.error}`);
+
+    const output = JSON.parse(result.output);
+    assert.strictEqual(output.committed, true, 'should have committed');
+
+    // Verify we're on the strategy branch
+    const { execFileSync } = require('child_process');
+    const branch = execFileSync('git', ['rev-parse', '--abbrev-ref', 'HEAD'], { cwd: tmpDir, encoding: 'utf-8' }).trim();
+    assert.strictEqual(branch, 'gsd/phase-01-setup', 'should be on phase branch');
+  });
 });
 
 // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────