diff --git a/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.js b/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.js
index b04e65b93..3a9e5b72e 100755
--- a/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.js
+++ b/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.js
@@ -3652,6 +3652,7 @@ function cmdInitPlanPhase(cwd, phase, includes, raw) {
     research_enabled: config.research,
     plan_checker_enabled: config.plan_checker,
     commit_docs: config.commit_docs,
+    branching_strategy: config.branching_strategy,
 
     // Phase info
     phase_found: !!phaseInfo,
@@ -3661,6 +3662,17 @@ function cmdInitPlanPhase(cwd, phase, includes, raw) {
     phase_slug: phaseInfo?.phase_slug || null,
     padded_phase: phaseInfo?.phase_number?.padStart(2, '0') || null,
 
+    // Branch name (pre-computed) — ensures early branching before first commit
+    branch_name: config.branching_strategy === 'phase' && phaseInfo
+      ? config.phase_branch_template
+          .replace('{phase}', phaseInfo.phase_number)
+          .replace('{slug}', phaseInfo.phase_slug || 'phase')
+      : config.branching_strategy === 'milestone'
+        ? config.milestone_branch_template
+            .replace('{milestone}', getMilestoneInfo(cwd).version)
+            .replace('{slug}', generateSlugInternal(getMilestoneInfo(cwd).name) || 'milestone')
+        : null,
+
     // Existing artifacts
     has_research: phaseInfo?.has_research || false,
     has_context: phaseInfo?.has_context || false,
@@ -3919,11 +3931,13 @@ function cmdInitVerifyWork(cwd, phase, raw) {
 function cmdInitPhaseOp(cwd, phase, raw) {
   const config = loadConfig(cwd);
   const phaseInfo = findPhaseInternal(cwd, phase);
+  const milestone = getMilestoneInfo(cwd);
 
   const result = {
     // Config
     commit_docs: config.commit_docs,
     brave_search: config.brave_search,
+    branching_strategy: config.branching_strategy,
 
     // Phase info
     phase_found: !!phaseInfo,
@@ -3933,6 +3947,17 @@ function cmdInitPhaseOp(cwd, phase, raw) {
     phase_slug: phaseInfo?.phase_slug || null,
     padded_phase: phaseInfo?.phase_number?.padStart(2, '0') || null,
 
+    // Branch name (pre-computed) — ensures early branching before first commit
+    branch_name: config.branching_strategy === 'phase' && phaseInfo
+      ? config.phase_branch_template
+          .replace('{phase}', phaseInfo.phase_number)
+          .replace('{slug}', phaseInfo.phase_slug || 'phase')
+      : config.branching_strategy === 'milestone'
+        ? config.milestone_branch_template
+            .replace('{milestone}', milestone.version)
+            .replace('{slug}', generateSlugInternal(milestone.name) || 'milestone')
+        : null,
+
     // Existing artifacts
     has_research: phaseInfo?.has_research || false,
     has_context: phaseInfo?.has_context || false,
diff --git a/get-shit-done/workflows/discuss-phase.md b/get-shit-done/workflows/discuss-phase.md
index 4f7fb0342..4f8840795 100644
--- a/get-shit-done/workflows/discuss-phase.md
+++ b/get-shit-done/workflows/discuss-phase.md
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ Phase number from argument (required).
 INIT=$(node ~/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.js init phase-op "${PHASE}")
 ```
 
-Parse JSON for: `commit_docs`, `phase_found`, `phase_dir`, `phase_number`, `phase_name`, `phase_slug`, `padded_phase`, `has_research`, `has_context`, `has_plans`, `has_verification`, `plan_count`, `roadmap_exists`, `planning_exists`.
+Parse JSON for: `commit_docs`, `branching_strategy`, `branch_name`, `phase_found`, `phase_dir`, `phase_number`, `phase_name`, `phase_slug`, `padded_phase`, `has_research`, `has_context`, `has_plans`, `has_verification`, `plan_count`, `roadmap_exists`, `planning_exists`.
 
 **If `phase_found` is false:**
 ```
@@ -124,7 +124,22 @@ Use /gsd:progress to see available phases.
 ```
 Exit workflow.
 
-**If `phase_found` is true:** Continue to check_existing.
+**If `phase_found` is true:** Continue to handle_branching.
+</step>
+
+<step name="handle_branching">
+Check `branching_strategy` from init:
+
+**"none":** Skip, continue on current branch.
+
+**"phase" or "milestone":** Use pre-computed `branch_name` from init:
+```bash
+git checkout -b "$BRANCH_NAME" 2>/dev/null || git checkout "$BRANCH_NAME"
+```
+
+This ensures all phase documentation commits (context, research, plans) go to the feature branch, not main.
+
+Continue to check_existing.
 </step>
 
 <step name="check_existing">
diff --git a/get-shit-done/workflows/plan-phase.md b/get-shit-done/workflows/plan-phase.md
index 7aefc43ab..e298b66d0 100644
--- a/get-shit-done/workflows/plan-phase.md
+++ b/get-shit-done/workflows/plan-phase.md
@@ -18,12 +18,25 @@ Load all context in one call (include file contents to avoid redundant reads):
 INIT=$(node ~/.claude/get-shit-done/bin/gsd-tools.js init plan-phase "$PHASE" --include state,roadmap,requirements,context,research,verification,uat)
 ```
 
-Parse JSON for: `researcher_model`, `planner_model`, `checker_model`, `research_enabled`, `plan_checker_enabled`, `commit_docs`, `phase_found`, `phase_dir`, `phase_number`, `phase_name`, `phase_slug`, `padded_phase`, `has_research`, `has_context`, `has_plans`, `plan_count`, `planning_exists`, `roadmap_exists`.
+Parse JSON for: `researcher_model`, `planner_model`, `checker_model`, `research_enabled`, `plan_checker_enabled`, `commit_docs`, `branching_strategy`, `branch_name`, `phase_found`, `phase_dir`, `phase_number`, `phase_name`, `phase_slug`, `padded_phase`, `has_research`, `has_context`, `has_plans`, `plan_count`, `planning_exists`, `roadmap_exists`.
 
 **File contents (from --include):** `state_content`, `roadmap_content`, `requirements_content`, `context_content`, `research_content`, `verification_content`, `uat_content`. These are null if files don't exist.
 
 **If `planning_exists` is false:** Error — run `/gsd:new-project` first.
 
+## 1.5. Handle Branching
+
+Check `branching_strategy` from init:
+
+**"none":** Skip, continue on current branch.
+
+**"phase" or "milestone":** Use pre-computed `branch_name` from init:
+```bash
+git checkout -b "$BRANCH_NAME" 2>/dev/null || git checkout "$BRANCH_NAME"
+```
+
+This ensures research and planning commits go to the feature branch, not main. If `/gsd:discuss-phase` already created the branch, the `git checkout` fallback switches to it.
+
 ## 2. Parse and Normalize Arguments
 
 Extract from $ARGUMENTS: phase number (integer or decimal like `2.1`), flags (`--research`, `--skip-research`, `--gaps`, `--skip-verify`).