diff --git a/AGENTS.md b/AGENTS.md
index 1f4ffe72..349e5b99 100644
--- a/AGENTS.md
+++ b/AGENTS.md
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ itself driving one of them.
 - Use the [pruning procedure](docs/worktree-hygiene.md). `remove` and the daily installed
   job require fresh merge proof and a verified recovery bundle before deleting local work.
   Do not bypass this with force removal, branch force-deletion, or manual directory deletion.
+  Unmerged work you are giving up goes through `scripts/worktree.sh retire <branch> --expect-head <SHA> --apply`,
+  which snapshots and archives it first. It is the only sanctioned way to drop unmerged work.
   `scripts/worktree.sh audit` reports eligibility; `schedule status` reports the local job.
   These tools never delete remote branches or recovery archives. GitHub deletes a PR's
   branch itself when the PR merges (`delete_branch_on_merge`, on since 2026-10-15) and moves
diff --git a/docs/worktree-hygiene.md b/docs/worktree-hygiene.md
index 012b6557..2a87d49e 100644
--- a/docs/worktree-hygiene.md
+++ b/docs/worktree-hygiene.md
@@ -93,6 +93,35 @@ The generated-data allowlist covers root `node_modules/` and `node_modules/`, `d
 Ignored `.env`, `.codex`, `.probes`, logs, release artifacts, and other unknown files
 preserve the checkout. Move evidence you want to keep to durable storage yourself.
 
+## Retire unmerged work
+
+Work that will never merge (a closed PR, an abandoned experiment, a superseded stack) has no
+merge proof, so `prune` keeps it forever. Its owner retires it explicitly instead:
+
+```sh
+scripts/worktree.sh retire lm2-land --expect-head "$(git rev-parse lm2-land)"          # report only
+scripts/worktree.sh retire lm2-land --expect-head "$(git rev-parse lm2-land)" --apply --by val
+```
+
+Retirement swaps merge proof for a verified snapshot. It does not relax anything else:
+
+- Dirty tracked and untracked files go into a snapshot commit on top of the tip. The commit is
+  built in a temporary index, so the worktree's own index is untouched. Unknown ignored data
+  (`.env`, `.probes`, logs) goes into `ignored.tar` (mode 0600) next to the bundle. Secrets in that
+  tar stay local, inside `modex-maintenance/archives/`.
+- The snapshot goes through the same bundle, empty-repository restore and `git fsck --full` as
+  pruning. The manifest records the original `tip`, the `snapshot`, who retired it, and a
+  `restoreIgnored` command when a tar exists.
+- Retirement still refuses: the primary checkout and default branch, an open PR, an active process,
+  a Git operation in progress or a stale operation marker, Git locks, hidden index entries,
+  a locked or unmanaged worktree, and a tip that differs from `--expect-head`.
+- Only after the archive is verified and every observation is repeated does it reset the checkout,
+  remove the archived ignored paths, and run Git's non-forced `worktree remove`. It then deletes the
+  branch by expected SHA and leaves a `retired` ownership record.
+
+Retire only work you own, or work whose owner has handed it to you. It never touches remote
+branches. Delete those separately, once their tips are in an archive.
+
 ## Daily automation
 
 On macOS, install the user LaunchAgent from reviewed code:
diff --git a/scripts/lib/worktree-maintenance.mjs b/scripts/lib/worktree-maintenance.mjs
index 49a95793..25f7cb37 100644
--- a/scripts/lib/worktree-maintenance.mjs
+++ b/scripts/lib/worktree-maintenance.mjs
@@ -463,4 +463,111 @@ export class WorktreeMaintenance {
       return report;
     });
   }
+
+  // Reasons retire accepts: it snapshots dirty files and tars unknown ignored data first.
+  static RETIRABLE = new Set(['dirty', 'unknown-ignored-data']);
+
+  /** Inspect a branch for retirement. Never mutates anything. */
+  async retireCheck(info, branch, expectedHead) {
+    this.git(['check-ref-format', `refs/heads/${branch}`]);
+    const reasons = [];
+    if (!this.directBranch(branch)) reasons.push('symbolic-branch');
+    if (branch === 'main' || branch === info.defaultBranch) reasons.push('default-branch');
+    const head = this.git(['rev-parse', '--verify', '-q', `refs/heads/${branch}^{commit}`], this.cwd, true).stdout.trim();
+    if (!head) return { branch, reasons: [...reasons, 'missing-branch'] };
+    if (!fullSha(expectedHead) || head !== expectedHead) reasons.push('head-mismatch');
+    const trees = this.worktrees().filter((tree) => tree.branch === `refs/heads/${branch}`);
+    if (trees.length > 1) reasons.push('multiple-worktrees');
+    const tree = trees[0];
+    const accepted = [];
+    if (tree) {
+      if (tree.path === info.primary) reasons.push('primary');
+      for (const reason of this.treeReasons(info, tree)) (WorktreeMaintenance.RETIRABLE.has(reason) ? accepted : reasons).push(reason);
+    }
+    if (!reasons.length) {
+      try {
+        await this.pullEvidence(info, { branch, head });
+        if (tree) {
+          const active = await this.activity(tree.path);
+          if (typeof active !== 'boolean') throw new Error('unknown process activity');
+          if (active) reasons.push('active-process');
+        }
+      } catch (error) { reasons.push(error.message === 'open-pr' ? 'open-pr' : `observation-failed: ${error.message}`); }
+    }
+    const ignored = tree && accepted.includes('unknown-ignored-data')
+      ? this.git(['ls-files', '--others', '--ignored', '--exclude-standard', '--directory', '-z'], tree.path).stdout.split('\0').filter((file) => file && !regenerable(file))
+      : [];
+    return { branch, head, path: tree?.path ?? null, dirty: accepted.includes('dirty'), ignored, reasons, eligible: reasons.length === 0 };
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Archive and remove unmerged work the owner explicitly gives up. Replaces merge proof with a
+   * verified snapshot: dirty tracked and untracked files become a commit on top of the tip, and
+   * unknown ignored data becomes ignored.tar beside the bundle. Open PRs, active processes, Git
+   * operations in progress, locks and hidden index entries still preserve the work.
+   */
+  async retire(branch, { expectedHead, apply = false, by = null } = {}) {
+    return this.withLock(async () => {
+      const info = await this.discover();
+      const check = await this.retireCheck(info, branch, expectedHead);
+      if (!apply || !check.eligible) return { ...check, status: check.eligible ? 'eligible' : 'preserved' };
+      let snapshot = check.head;
+      if (check.dirty) {
+        const index = assertStatePath(info, path.join(info.stateDir, `retire-index-${randomUUID()}`));
+        fs.mkdirSync(info.stateDir, { recursive: true, mode: 0o700 });
+        const env = { ...gitEnvironment(), GIT_INDEX_FILE: index };
+        const git = (args) => command(this.executables.git ?? 'git', ['--no-replace-objects', '-C', check.path, ...args], undefined, false, env).stdout.trim();
+        try {
+          git(['read-tree', check.head]);
+          git(['add', '-A', '--', '.']);
+          const tree = git(['write-tree']);
+          snapshot = git(['-c', 'user.name=Modex worktree retire', '-c', 'user.email=retire@modex.invalid', 'commit-tree', tree, '-p', check.head, '-m', `Retire snapshot of ${branch} at ${check.head}`]);
+        } finally { fs.rmSync(index, { force: true }); }
+      }
+      const proof = { kind: 'retired', by, tip: check.head, snapshot, dirty: check.dirty, ignored: check.ignored };
+      const run = this.archive(info, [{ branch, head: snapshot, path: check.path, proof }]);
+      const entry = run.entries[0];
+      entry.tip = check.head;
+      if (check.ignored.length) {
+        const tar = path.join(path.dirname(run.manifest), 'ignored.tar');
+        command('tar', ['-cf', tar, '-C', check.path, '--', ...check.ignored]);
+        fs.chmodSync(tar, 0o600);
+        const listed = command('tar', ['-tf', tar]).stdout.split('\n').filter(Boolean);
+        for (const file of check.ignored) if (!listed.some((name) => name === file || name === file.replace(/\/$/, '') || name.startsWith(file))) throw new Error(`ignored archive is missing ${file}`);
+        entry.ignoredTar = tar;
+        entry.ignoredTarSha256 = sha256(fs.readFileSync(tar));
+        entry.restoreIgnored = `tar -xf ${quote(tar)} -C <restored checkout>`;
+      }
+      const result = { branch, head: check.head, snapshot, status: 'preserved', reasons: [] };
+      try {
+        // Everything is archived. Re-observe before the first destructive step.
+        const again = await this.retireCheck(await this.discover(), branch, expectedHead);
+        if (!again.eligible || again.path !== check.path) throw new Error(`revalidation: ${again.reasons.join(', ') || 'path changed'}`);
+        this.verifyArchive(run, entry);
+        if (check.path) {
+          if (check.dirty) {
+            this.git(['reset', '-q', '--hard', check.head], check.path);
+            this.git(['clean', '-q', '-f', '-d'], check.path);
+          }
+          for (const file of check.ignored) fs.rmSync(path.join(check.path, file), { recursive: true, force: true });
+          const reasons = this.treeReasons(info, this.worktrees().find((tree) => tree.path === check.path) ?? { path: check.path });
+          if (reasons.length) throw new Error(`not clean after archive: ${reasons.join(', ')}`);
+          this.git(['worktree', 'remove', check.path], info.primary);
+          result.worktreeRemoved = true;
+          if (fs.existsSync(check.path)) throw new Error('worktree removal not confirmed');
+        }
+        if (this.worktrees().some((tree) => tree.branch === `refs/heads/${branch}`)) throw new Error('branch still checked out');
+        if (!this.directBranch(branch) || branch === 'main' || branch === info.defaultBranch) throw new Error('default or symbolic branch protected');
+        this.verifyArchive(run, entry);
+        this.git(['update-ref', '--no-deref', '-d', `refs/heads/${branch}`, check.head]);
+        if (this.git(['show-ref', '--verify', '--quiet', `refs/heads/${branch}`], this.cwd, true).status !== 1) throw new Error('branch removal not confirmed');
+        const old = await this.getRecord(branch).catch(() => null);
+        this.writeRecord(info, { version: 1, status: 'retired', branch, head: check.head, snapshot, path: check.path, owner: old?.owner ?? null, by, archive: run.manifest, updatedAt: new Date().toISOString() });
+        result.status = 'retired';
+      } catch (error) { result.reasons.push(error.message); }
+      run.results.push(result);
+      this.persistManifest(run);
+      return { ...result, run };
+    });
+  }
 }
diff --git a/scripts/test/worktree-maintenance.test.mjs b/scripts/test/worktree-maintenance.test.mjs
index b8f8cfc2..59775226 100644
--- a/scripts/test/worktree-maintenance.test.mjs
+++ b/scripts/test/worktree-maintenance.test.mjs
@@ -533,3 +533,66 @@ for (const seam of ['state', 'archives', 'owners']) {
     assert.equal(f.exists(w), true);
   });
 }
+
+test('retire dry run reports and changes nothing', async (t) => {
+  const f = fixture(t); const w = f.create('abandoned');
+  fs.appendFileSync(path.join(w.location, 'code.txt'), 'unfinished\n');
+  const value = await f.core.retire(w.name, { expectedHead: w.head });
+  assert.equal(value.status, 'eligible');
+  assert.equal(value.dirty, true);
+  assert.equal(f.exists(w), true);
+  assert.match(fs.readFileSync(path.join(w.location, 'code.txt'), 'utf8'), /unfinished/);
+});
+
+test('retire snapshots dirty, untracked and ignored data, then removes the unmerged worktree', async (t) => {
+  const f = fixture(t); const w = f.create('abandoned');
+  fs.appendFileSync(path.join(w.location, 'code.txt'), 'unfinished\n');
+  git(w.location, 'add', 'code.txt');
+  fs.writeFileSync(path.join(w.location, 'notes.txt'), 'untracked note\n');
+  fs.writeFileSync(path.join(w.location, '.env'), 'SECRET=1\n');
+  fs.mkdirSync(path.join(w.location, '.probes')); fs.writeFileSync(path.join(w.location, '.probes', 'probe.mjs'), 'probe\n');
+  const value = await f.core.retire(w.name, { expectedHead: w.head, apply: true, by: 'val' });
+  assert.equal(value.status, 'retired', value.reasons.join(', '));
+  assert.equal(fs.existsSync(w.location), false);
+  assert.equal(spawnSync('git', ['-C', f.primary, 'show-ref', '--verify', '--quiet', `refs/heads/${w.name}`]).status, 1);
+  const entry = value.run.entries[0];
+  assert.equal(entry.tip, w.head);
+  assert.equal(entry.proof.kind, 'retired');
+  const restored = path.join(f.dir, 'restored');
+  git(f.dir, 'init', '-q', restored);
+  git(restored, 'fetch', '-q', value.run.bundle, `${entry.archiveRef}:refs/heads/restored`);
+  assert.equal(git(restored, 'rev-parse', 'restored^'), w.head);
+  assert.match(git(restored, 'show', 'restored:code.txt'), /unfinished/);
+  assert.equal(git(restored, 'show', 'restored:notes.txt'), 'untracked note');
+  const listed = execFileSync('tar', ['-tf', entry.ignoredTar], { encoding: 'utf8' });
+  assert.match(listed, /\.env/); assert.match(listed, /\.probes\//);
+  assert.equal(fs.statSync(entry.ignoredTar).mode & 0o777, 0o600);
+  assert.equal((await f.core.getRecord(w.name)).status, 'retired');
+});
+
+test('retire removes a clean unmerged worktree with only the exact tip archived', async (t) => {
+  const f = fixture(t); const w = f.create('clean-abandoned');
+  const value = await f.core.retire(w.name, { expectedHead: w.head, apply: true });
+  assert.equal(value.status, 'retired', value.reasons.join(', '));
+  assert.equal(value.snapshot, w.head);
+  assert.equal(value.run.entries[0].ignoredTar, undefined);
+});
+
+for (const kind of ['open-pr', 'head-mismatch', 'active', 'operation', 'locked', 'main']) {
+  test(`retire preserves work on ${kind}`, async (t) => {
+    const f = fixture(t); const w = f.create('kept');
+    fs.appendFileSync(path.join(w.location, 'code.txt'), 'unfinished\n');
+    let branch = w.name; let head = w.head;
+    if (kind === 'open-pr') f.pulls = [{ state: 'open', head: { ref: w.name, sha: w.head, repo: { full_name: 'example/modex' } }, base: { ref: 'main' } }];
+    if (kind === 'head-mismatch') head = git(f.primary, 'rev-parse', 'main');
+    if (kind === 'active') f.active = true;
+    if (kind === 'operation') fs.writeFileSync(git(w.location, 'rev-parse', '--path-format=absolute', '--git-path', 'MERGE_HEAD'), `${w.head}\n`);
+    if (kind === 'locked') git(f.primary, 'worktree', 'lock', w.location);
+    if (kind === 'main') { branch = 'main'; head = git(f.primary, 'rev-parse', 'main'); }
+    const value = await f.core.retire(branch, { expectedHead: head, apply: true });
+    assert.equal(value.status, 'preserved');
+    assert.ok(value.reasons.length > 0);
+    assert.equal(f.exists(w), true);
+    assert.match(fs.readFileSync(path.join(w.location, 'code.txt'), 'utf8'), /unfinished/);
+  });
+}
diff --git a/scripts/worktree-maintenance.mjs b/scripts/worktree-maintenance.mjs
index b5bd2ced..2ab2a9c3 100644
--- a/scripts/worktree-maintenance.mjs
+++ b/scripts/worktree-maintenance.mjs
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@ const usage = `Usage: scripts/worktree.sh <command>
   prune [--apply] [--branch <name>] [--json]
                                    archive and prune eligible local work
   remove <name>                    release, archive, and prune one merged worktree
+  retire <branch> --expect-head <full-SHA> [--apply] [--by <who>] [--json]
+                                   snapshot, archive, and remove unmerged work you give up
   schedule install|status|uninstall install a daily macOS user job or inspect it
 See docs/worktree-hygiene.md for preservation rules and recovery.`;
 
@@ -111,6 +113,17 @@ export async function run(args = process.argv.slice(2), cwd = process.cwd()) {
     });
     console.log(`removed worktree and archived local branch ${name}`); return 0;
   }
+  if (action === 'retire') {
+    const { positional, options } = parse(rest, { '--expect-head': true, '--apply': false, '--by': true, '--json': false }); count(positional, 1);
+    const value = await core.retire(positional[0], { expectedHead: options['--expect-head'], apply: !!options['--apply'], by: options['--by'] ?? process.env.CODEX_THREAD_ID ?? null });
+    const { run: retireRun, ...row } = value;
+    if (options['--json']) console.log(JSON.stringify(value, null, 2));
+    else {
+      console.log(`${row.status} ${row.branch}: ${row.reasons.length ? row.reasons.join(', ') : `dirty=${row.dirty ?? false} ignored=${(row.ignored ?? []).length}`}`);
+      if (retireRun) console.log(`Recovery manifest: ${retireRun.manifest}`);
+    }
+    return ['eligible', 'retired'].includes(row.status) ? 0 : 1;
+  }
   if (action === 'schedule') {
     count(rest, 1);
     if (rest[0] === 'install') {