diff --git a/scripts/carry.py b/scripts/carry.py
index abdaab2a..2fda08e8 100755
--- a/scripts/carry.py
+++ b/scripts/carry.py
@@ -340,8 +340,6 @@ def verify_target(
     branch = git(target, "branch", "--show-current")
     if not branch or branch in {"main", "develop"}:
         raise CarryError("target must be an isolated feature-branch worktree")
-    if not (target / ".git").is_file():
-        raise CarryError("target must be a linked worktree, not the primary checkout")
     git(target, "fetch", "origin", "develop")
     if not git_is_ancestor(target, "origin/develop", "HEAD"):
         raise CarryError("target branch must contain the current origin/develop head")
diff --git a/scripts/tests/test_carry.py b/scripts/tests/test_carry.py
index 97a04b79..d21bcdfd 100755
--- a/scripts/tests/test_carry.py
+++ b/scripts/tests/test_carry.py
@@ -273,6 +273,7 @@ def test_target_identity_and_unrelated_dirty_state(self) -> None:
             root = pathlib.Path(temp)
             remote = root / "remote.git"
             clone = root / "clone"
+            standalone = root / "standalone"
             worktree = root / "worktree"
             subprocess.run(["git", "init", "--bare", remote], check=True, capture_output=True)
             subprocess.run(["git", "clone", remote, clone], check=True, capture_output=True)
@@ -296,6 +297,18 @@ def test_target_identity_and_unrelated_dirty_state(self) -> None:
             )
             owned = worktree / "owned"
 
+            subprocess.run(
+                ["git", "clone", "--branch", "develop", remote, standalone],
+                check=True,
+                capture_output=True,
+            )
+            subprocess.run(
+                ["git", "-C", standalone, "switch", "-c", "feature/standalone"],
+                check=True,
+                capture_output=True,
+            )
+            carry.verify_target(standalone, {"url": str(remote)}, [standalone / "owned"])
+
             with self.assertRaisesRegex(carry.CarryError, "origin does not match"):
                 carry.verify_target(worktree, {"url": str(root / "other.git")}, [owned])