diff --git a/get-shit-done/workflows/execute-phase.md b/get-shit-done/workflows/execute-phase.md
index f7e88cbc4..86d243c6a 100644
--- a/get-shit-done/workflows/execute-phase.md
+++ b/get-shit-done/workflows/execute-phase.md
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ DEFAULT_BRANCH=$(git symbolic-ref --quiet --short refs/remotes/origin/HEAD 2>/de
 DEFAULT_BRANCH=${DEFAULT_BRANCH:-main}
 
 if git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/heads/$BRANCH_NAME"; then
-  git switch "$BRANCH_NAME"
+  git switch "$BRANCH_NAME" || { echo "ERROR: Could not switch to existing branch '$BRANCH_NAME'." >&2; exit 1; }
 else
   if ! git fetch --quiet origin "$DEFAULT_BRANCH"; then  # #2916
     git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/remotes/origin/$DEFAULT_BRANCH" \
@@ -238,12 +238,13 @@ else
   else
     git switch --quiet "$DEFAULT_BRANCH" 2>/dev/null && git merge --ff-only --quiet "origin/$DEFAULT_BRANCH" 2>/dev/null || true
   fi
-  git checkout -b "$BRANCH_NAME" "origin/$DEFAULT_BRANCH"  # pinned base (#2916)
-fi
-
-# Warn only when HEAD did NOT fork from origin/$DEFAULT_BRANCH (merge-base ≠ tip) — #2916.
-if MB=$(git merge-base HEAD "origin/${DEFAULT_BRANCH}" 2>/dev/null) && DT=$(git rev-parse --verify --quiet "refs/remotes/origin/${DEFAULT_BRANCH}" 2>/dev/null) && [ "$MB" != "$DT" ]; then
-  echo "WARNING: Phase branch '$BRANCH_NAME' does not fork from origin/${DEFAULT_BRANCH}; verify the base is intentional."
+  git checkout -b "$BRANCH_NAME" "origin/$DEFAULT_BRANCH" \
+    || { echo "ERROR: Could not create '$BRANCH_NAME' from origin/$DEFAULT_BRANCH (#2916)." >&2; exit 1; }
+  # Warn only on fresh creation when HEAD did NOT fork from origin/$DEFAULT_BRANCH — #2916.
+  # Skipped on resume because origin may have advanced legitimately since first creation.
+  if MB=$(git merge-base HEAD "origin/${DEFAULT_BRANCH}" 2>/dev/null) && DT=$(git rev-parse --verify --quiet "refs/remotes/origin/${DEFAULT_BRANCH}" 2>/dev/null) && [ "$MB" != "$DT" ]; then
+    echo "WARNING: Phase branch '$BRANCH_NAME' does not fork from origin/${DEFAULT_BRANCH}; verify the base is intentional."
+  fi
 fi
 ```
 
diff --git a/get-shit-done/workflows/quick.md b/get-shit-done/workflows/quick.md
index d3d110c31..c7cf6f265 100644
--- a/get-shit-done/workflows/quick.md
+++ b/get-shit-done/workflows/quick.md
@@ -192,7 +192,8 @@ DEFAULT_BRANCH=$(git symbolic-ref --quiet --short refs/remotes/origin/HEAD 2>/de
 DEFAULT_BRANCH=${DEFAULT_BRANCH:-main}
 
 if git show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/heads/$branch_name"; then
-  git switch "$branch_name"
+  git switch "$branch_name" \
+    || { echo "ERROR: Could not switch to existing quick-task branch '$branch_name'." >&2; exit 1; }
 else
   # Fetch the default branch so origin/$DEFAULT_BRANCH is current. If the fetch
   # fails (offline, no remote, auth failure) AND we have no local copy of
@@ -219,12 +220,14 @@ else
 
   # Always pin the new branch to origin/$DEFAULT_BRANCH so the start point is
   # deterministic regardless of which branch we are currently on (#2916).
-  git checkout -b "$branch_name" "origin/$DEFAULT_BRANCH"
-fi
+  git checkout -b "$branch_name" "origin/$DEFAULT_BRANCH" \
+    || { echo "ERROR: Could not create '$branch_name' from origin/$DEFAULT_BRANCH (#2916)." >&2; exit 1; }
 
-# Warn only when HEAD did NOT fork from origin/$DEFAULT_BRANCH (merge-base ≠ tip) — #2916.
-if MB=$(git merge-base HEAD "origin/${DEFAULT_BRANCH}" 2>/dev/null) && DT=$(git rev-parse --verify --quiet "refs/remotes/origin/${DEFAULT_BRANCH}" 2>/dev/null) && [ "$MB" != "$DT" ]; then
-  echo "WARNING: Quick-task branch '$branch_name' does not fork from origin/${DEFAULT_BRANCH}; verify the base is intentional before continuing."
+  # Warn only on fresh creation when HEAD did NOT fork from origin/$DEFAULT_BRANCH — #2916.
+  # Skipped on resume because origin may have advanced legitimately since first creation.
+  if MB=$(git merge-base HEAD "origin/${DEFAULT_BRANCH}" 2>/dev/null) && DT=$(git rev-parse --verify --quiet "refs/remotes/origin/${DEFAULT_BRANCH}" 2>/dev/null) && [ "$MB" != "$DT" ]; then
+    echo "WARNING: Quick-task branch '$branch_name' does not fork from origin/${DEFAULT_BRANCH}; verify the base is intentional before continuing."
+  fi
 fi
 ```