diff --git a/get-shit-done/workflows/pause-work.md b/get-shit-done/workflows/pause-work.md
index 5e60ad998..7857e49d0 100644
--- a/get-shit-done/workflows/pause-work.md
+++ b/get-shit-done/workflows/pause-work.md
@@ -9,14 +9,28 @@ Read all files referenced by the invoking prompt's execution_context before star
 <process>
 
 <step name="detect">
-Find current phase directory from most recently modified files:
+## Context Detection
+
+Determine what kind of work is being paused and set the handoff destination accordingly:
 
 ```bash
-# Find most recent phase directory with work
-(ls -lt .planning/phases/*/PLAN.md 2>/dev/null || true) | head -1 | grep -oP 'phases/\K[^/]+' || true
+# Check for active phase
+phase=$(( ls -lt .planning/phases/*/PLAN.md 2>/dev/null || true ) | head -1 | grep -oP 'phases/\K[^/]+' || true)
+
+# Check for active spike
+spike=$(( ls -lt .planning/spikes/*/SPIKE.md .planning/spikes/*/DESIGN.md 2>/dev/null || true ) | head -1 | grep -oP 'spikes/\K[^/]+' || true)
+
+# Check for active deliberation
+deliberation=$(ls .planning/deliberations/*.md 2>/dev/null | head -1 || true)
 ```
 
-If no active phase detected, ask user which phase they're pausing work on.
+- **Phase work**: active phase directory → handoff to `.planning/phases/XX-name/.continue-here.md`
+- **Spike work**: active spike directory or spike-related files (no active phase) → handoff to `.planning/spikes/SPIKE-NNN/.continue-here.md` (create directory if needed)
+- **Deliberation work**: active deliberation file (no phase/spike) → handoff to `.planning/deliberations/.continue-here.md`
+- **Research work**: research notes exist but no phase/spike/deliberation → handoff to `.planning/.continue-here.md`
+- **Default**: no detectable context → handoff to `.planning/.continue-here.md`, note the ambiguity in `<current_state>`
+
+If phase is detected, proceed with phase handoff path. Otherwise use the first matching non-phase path above.
 </step>
 
 <step name="gather">
@@ -85,10 +99,11 @@ timestamp=$(node "$HOME/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs" current-timesta
 </step>
 
 <step name="write">
-**Write handoff to `.planning/phases/XX-name/.continue-here.md`:**
+**Write handoff to the path determined in the detect step** (e.g. `.planning/phases/XX-name/.continue-here.md`, `.planning/spikes/SPIKE-NNN/.continue-here.md`, or `.planning/.continue-here.md`):
 
 ```markdown
 ---
+context: [phase|spike|deliberation|research|default]
 phase: XX-name
 task: 3
 total_tasks: 7
@@ -124,6 +139,24 @@ last_updated: [timestamp from current-timestamp]
 - [Blocker 1]: [status/workaround]
 </blockers>
 
+## Required Reading (in order)
+<!-- List documents the resuming agent must read before acting -->
+1. [document] — [why it matters]
+
+## Critical Anti-Patterns (do NOT repeat these)
+<!-- Mistakes discovered this session that must be structurally avoided -->
+- [ANTI-PATTERN]: [what it is] → [structural mitigation]
+
+## Infrastructure State
+<!-- Running services, external state, environment specifics -->
+- [service/env]: [current state]
+
+## Pre-Execution Critique Required
+<!-- Fill in ONLY if pausing between design and execution (e.g. spike design done, not yet run) -->
+- Design artifact: [path]
+- Critique focus: [key questions the critic should probe]
+- Gate: Do NOT begin execution until critique is complete and design is revised
+
 <context>
 [Mental state, what were you thinking, the plan]
 </context>
@@ -143,7 +176,7 @@ timestamp=$(node "$HOME/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs" current-timesta
 
 <step name="commit">
 ```bash
-node "$HOME/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs" commit "wip: [phase-name] paused at task [X]/[Y]" --files .planning/phases/*/.continue-here.md .planning/HANDOFF.json
+node "$HOME/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs" commit "wip: [context-name] paused at [X]/[Y]" --files [handoff-path] .planning/HANDOFF.json
 ```
 </step>
 
@@ -151,11 +184,12 @@ node "$HOME/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.cjs" commit "wip: [phase-name] p
 ```
 ✓ Handoff created:
   - .planning/HANDOFF.json (structured, machine-readable)
-  - .planning/phases/[XX-name]/.continue-here.md (human-readable)
+  - [handoff-path] (human-readable)
 
 Current state:
 
-- Phase: [XX-name]
+- Context: [phase|spike|deliberation|research]
+- Location: [XX-name or SPIKE-NNN]
 - Task: [X] of [Y]
 - Status: [in_progress/blocked]
 - Blockers: [count] ({human_actions_pending count} need human action)
@@ -169,8 +203,10 @@ To resume: /gsd:resume-work
 </process>
 
 <success_criteria>
-- [ ] .continue-here.md created in correct phase directory
-- [ ] All sections filled with specific content
+- [ ] Context detected (phase/spike/deliberation/research/default)
+- [ ] .continue-here.md created at correct path for detected context
+- [ ] Required Reading, Anti-Patterns, and Infrastructure State sections filled
+- [ ] Pre-Execution Critique section filled if pausing between design and execution
 - [ ] Committed as WIP
 - [ ] User knows location and how to resume
 </success_criteria>
diff --git a/tests/pause-work-improvements.test.cjs b/tests/pause-work-improvements.test.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..847f299fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/pause-work-improvements.test.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+const { test, describe } = require('node:test');
+const assert = require('node:assert');
+const fs = require('fs');
+const path = require('path');
+
+describe('pause-work improvements', () => {
+  let pauseContent;
+
+  test('pause-work.md exists', () => {
+    const p = path.join(__dirname, '..', 'get-shit-done', 'workflows', 'pause-work.md');
+    assert.ok(fs.existsSync(p));
+    pauseContent = fs.readFileSync(p, 'utf-8');
+  });
+
+  test('#1489: pause-work detects non-phase contexts (spike, deliberation, research)', () => {
+    pauseContent = pauseContent || fs.readFileSync(
+      path.join(__dirname, '..', 'get-shit-done', 'workflows', 'pause-work.md'), 'utf-8'
+    );
+    assert.ok(pauseContent.includes('spike') || pauseContent.includes('Spike'),
+      'pause-work should handle spike context');
+    assert.ok(pauseContent.includes('deliberation') || pauseContent.includes('research'),
+      'pause-work should handle deliberation/research context');
+  });
+
+  test('#1489: pause-work writes to non-phase paths when appropriate', () => {
+    pauseContent = pauseContent || fs.readFileSync(
+      path.join(__dirname, '..', 'get-shit-done', 'workflows', 'pause-work.md'), 'utf-8'
+    );
+    assert.ok(pauseContent.includes('.planning/.continue-here') ||
+              pauseContent.includes('.planning/spikes') ||
+              pauseContent.includes('non-phase'),
+      'pause-work should write to root .planning/ when not in a phase');
+  });
+
+  test('#1490: continue-here template includes required-reading section', () => {
+    pauseContent = pauseContent || fs.readFileSync(
+      path.join(__dirname, '..', 'get-shit-done', 'workflows', 'pause-work.md'), 'utf-8'
+    );
+    assert.ok(pauseContent.includes('Required Reading') || pauseContent.includes('required-reading'),
+      'Template should include Required Reading section');
+  });
+
+  test('#1490: continue-here template includes anti-patterns section', () => {
+    pauseContent = pauseContent || fs.readFileSync(
+      path.join(__dirname, '..', 'get-shit-done', 'workflows', 'pause-work.md'), 'utf-8'
+    );
+    assert.ok(pauseContent.includes('Anti-Pattern') || pauseContent.includes('anti-pattern') ||
+              pauseContent.includes('do NOT repeat'),
+      'Template should include Anti-Patterns section');
+  });
+
+  test('#1490: continue-here template includes infrastructure-state section', () => {
+    pauseContent = pauseContent || fs.readFileSync(
+      path.join(__dirname, '..', 'get-shit-done', 'workflows', 'pause-work.md'), 'utf-8'
+    );
+    assert.ok(pauseContent.includes('Infrastructure') || pauseContent.includes('infrastructure'),
+      'Template should include Infrastructure State section');
+  });
+
+  test('#1487: pause-work documents pre-execution critique gate', () => {
+    pauseContent = pauseContent || fs.readFileSync(
+      path.join(__dirname, '..', 'get-shit-done', 'workflows', 'pause-work.md'), 'utf-8'
+    );
+    assert.ok(
+      pauseContent.includes('critique') || pauseContent.includes('design gate') ||
+      pauseContent.includes('Pre-Execution'),
+      'pause-work should document design critique gate for design→execution transitions'
+    );
+  });
+});