diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceSidebar/WorkspaceListItem/WorkspaceListItem.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceSidebar/WorkspaceListItem/WorkspaceListItem.tsx
index fd3650a2779..ee0e04438de 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceSidebar/WorkspaceListItem/WorkspaceListItem.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceSidebar/WorkspaceListItem/WorkspaceListItem.tsx
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import { navigateToWorkspace } from "renderer/routes/_authenticated/_dashboard/u
 import { AsciiSpinner } from "renderer/screens/main/components/AsciiSpinner";
 import { StatusIndicator } from "renderer/screens/main/components/StatusIndicator";
 import { useBranchSyncInvalidation } from "renderer/screens/main/hooks/useBranchSyncInvalidation";
+import { useGitChangesStatus } from "renderer/screens/main/hooks/useGitChangesStatus";
 import { useWorkspaceRename } from "renderer/screens/main/hooks/useWorkspaceRename";
 import { useTabsStore } from "renderer/stores/tabs/store";
 import { extractPaneIdsFromLayout } from "renderer/stores/tabs/utils";
@@ -93,7 +94,6 @@ export function WorkspaceListItem({
 	);
 	const utils = electronTrpc.useUtils();
 
-	// Derive isActive from route
 	const isActive = !!matchRoute({
 		to: "/workspace/$workspaceId",
 		params: { workspaceId: id },
@@ -118,11 +118,10 @@ export function WorkspaceListItem({
 			toast.error(`Failed to update unread status: ${error.message}`),
 	});
 
-	// Shared delete logic
 	const { showDeleteDialog, setShowDeleteDialog, handleDeleteClick } =
 		useWorkspaceDeleteHandler();
 
-	// Lazy-load GitHub status on hover to avoid N+1 queries
+	// Lazy-load on hover to avoid N+1 queries for every sidebar item
 	const { data: githubStatus } =
 		electronTrpc.workspaces.getGitHubStatus.useQuery(
 			{ workspaceId: id },
@@ -132,14 +131,11 @@ export function WorkspaceListItem({
 			},
 		);
 
-	// Lazy-load local git changes on hover
-	const { data: localChanges } = electronTrpc.changes.getStatus.useQuery(
-		{ worktreePath },
-		{
-			enabled: hasHovered && type === "worktree" && !!worktreePath,
-			staleTime: GITHUB_STATUS_STALE_TIME,
-		},
-	);
+	const { status: localChanges } = useGitChangesStatus({
+		worktreePath,
+		enabled: hasHovered && type === "worktree",
+		staleTime: GITHUB_STATUS_STALE_TIME,
+	});
 
 	useBranchSyncInvalidation({
 		gitBranch: localChanges?.branch,
@@ -147,21 +143,23 @@ export function WorkspaceListItem({
 		workspaceId: id,
 	});
 
-	// Calculate total local changes (staged + unstaged + untracked)
+	// Prefer againstBase (committed diff vs base branch) over uncommitted changes only
 	const localDiffStats = useMemo(() => {
 		if (!localChanges) return null;
-		const allFiles = [
-			...localChanges.staged,
-			...localChanges.unstaged,
-			...localChanges.untracked,
-		];
+		const allFiles =
+			localChanges.againstBase.length > 0
+				? localChanges.againstBase
+				: [
+						...localChanges.staged,
+						...localChanges.unstaged,
+						...localChanges.untracked,
+					];
 		const additions = allFiles.reduce((sum, f) => sum + (f.additions || 0), 0);
 		const deletions = allFiles.reduce((sum, f) => sum + (f.deletions || 0), 0);
 		if (additions === 0 && deletions === 0) return null;
 		return { additions, deletions };
 	}, [localChanges]);
 
-	// Memoize workspace pane IDs to avoid recalculating on every render
 	const workspacePaneIds = useMemo(() => {
 		const workspaceTabs = tabs.filter((t) => t.workspaceId === id);
 		return new Set(
@@ -169,9 +167,7 @@ export function WorkspaceListItem({
 		);
 	}, [tabs, id]);
 
-	// Compute aggregate status for workspace using shared priority logic
 	const workspaceStatus = useMemo(() => {
-		// Generator avoids array allocation
 		function* paneStatuses() {
 			for (const paneId of workspacePaneIds) {
 				yield panes[paneId]?.status;
@@ -214,7 +210,6 @@ export function WorkspaceListItem({
 		}
 	};
 
-	// Drag and drop
 	const [{ isDragging }, drag] = useDrag(
 		() => ({
 			type: WORKSPACE_TYPE,
@@ -291,7 +286,6 @@ export function WorkspaceListItem({
 	});
 
 	const pr = githubStatus?.pr;
-	// Show diff stats from PR if available, otherwise from local changes
 	const diffStats =
 		localDiffStats ||
 		(pr && (pr.additions > 0 || pr.deletions > 0)
@@ -299,10 +293,8 @@ export function WorkspaceListItem({
 			: null);
 	const showDiffStats = !!diffStats;
 
-	// Determine if we should show the branch subtitle
 	const showBranchSubtitle = isBranchWorkspace || (!!name && name !== branch);
 
-	// Collapsed sidebar: show just the icon with hover card (worktree) or tooltip (branch)
 	if (isCollapsed) {
 		const collapsedButton = (
 			<button
@@ -337,13 +329,13 @@ export function WorkspaceListItem({
 						strokeWidth={STROKE_WIDTH}
 					/>
 				)}
-				{/* Status indicator - only show for non-working statuses */}
+				{/* Status indicator */}
 				{workspaceStatus && workspaceStatus !== "working" && (
 					<span className="absolute top-1 right-1">
 						<StatusIndicator status={workspaceStatus} />
 					</span>
 				)}
-				{/* Unread dot (only when no status) */}
+				{/* Unread dot */}
 				{isUnread && !workspaceStatus && (
 					<span className="absolute top-1 right-1 flex size-2">
 						<span className="relative inline-flex size-2 rounded-full bg-blue-500" />
@@ -433,7 +425,7 @@ export function WorkspaceListItem({
 			)}
 			style={{ cursor: isDragging ? "grabbing" : "pointer" }}
 		>
-			{/* Active indicator - left border */}
+			{/* Active indicator */}
 			{isActive && (
 				<div className="absolute left-0 top-0 bottom-0 w-0.5 bg-primary rounded-r" />
 			)}
@@ -537,7 +529,7 @@ export function WorkspaceListItem({
 									</span>
 								)}
 
-							{/* Diff stats (transforms to X on hover) or close button for worktree workspaces */}
+							{/* Diff stats / close button */}
 							{!isBranchWorkspace &&
 								(showDiffStats && diffStats ? (
 									<WorkspaceDiffStats
@@ -571,7 +563,7 @@ export function WorkspaceListItem({
 								))}
 						</div>
 
-						{/* Row 2: Git info (branch + PR badge) */}
+						{/* Branch + PR badge */}
 						{(showBranchSubtitle || pr) && (
 							<div className="flex items-center gap-2 text-[11px] w-full">
 								{showBranchSubtitle && (
@@ -611,7 +603,6 @@ export function WorkspaceListItem({
 		</ContextMenuItem>
 	);
 
-	// Wrap with context menu and hover card
 	if (isBranchWorkspace) {
 		return (
 			<>
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceView/ChangesContent/ChangesContent.tsx b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceView/ChangesContent/ChangesContent.tsx
index a412d45d296..ad11d5d024e 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceView/ChangesContent/ChangesContent.tsx
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/components/WorkspaceView/ChangesContent/ChangesContent.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { useParams } from "@tanstack/react-router";
 import { electronTrpc } from "renderer/lib/electron-trpc";
-import { useChangesStore } from "renderer/stores/changes";
+import { useGitChangesStatus } from "renderer/screens/main/hooks/useGitChangesStatus";
 import { InfiniteScrollView } from "./components/InfiniteScrollView";
 
 export function ChangesContent() {
@@ -11,23 +11,11 @@ export function ChangesContent() {
 	);
 	const worktreePath = workspace?.worktreePath;
 
-	const { getBaseBranch } = useChangesStore();
-	const baseBranch = getBaseBranch(worktreePath || "");
-	const { data: branchData } = electronTrpc.changes.getBranches.useQuery(
-		{ worktreePath: worktreePath || "" },
-		{ enabled: !!worktreePath },
-	);
-
-	const effectiveBaseBranch = baseBranch ?? branchData?.defaultBranch ?? "main";
-
-	const { data: status, isLoading } = electronTrpc.changes.getStatus.useQuery(
-		{ worktreePath: worktreePath || "", defaultBranch: effectiveBaseBranch },
-		{
-			enabled: !!worktreePath,
-			refetchInterval: 2500,
-			refetchOnWindowFocus: true,
-		},
-	);
+	const { status, isLoading, effectiveBaseBranch } = useGitChangesStatus({
+		worktreePath,
+		refetchInterval: 2500,
+		refetchOnWindowFocus: true,
+	});
 
 	if (!worktreePath) {
 		return (
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/hooks/index.ts b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/hooks/index.ts
index b6ab6ddd54e..ec36673d68e 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/hooks/index.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/hooks/index.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 export { useBranchSyncInvalidation } from "./useBranchSyncInvalidation";
+export { useGitChangesStatus } from "./useGitChangesStatus";
 export { usePRStatus } from "./usePRStatus";
 export { useWorkspaceRename } from "./useWorkspaceRename";
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/hooks/useGitChangesStatus/index.ts b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/hooks/useGitChangesStatus/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..6512ff9a62c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/hooks/useGitChangesStatus/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+export { useGitChangesStatus } from "./useGitChangesStatus";
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/hooks/useGitChangesStatus/useGitChangesStatus.ts b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/hooks/useGitChangesStatus/useGitChangesStatus.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..8bf45ddd5ad
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/screens/main/hooks/useGitChangesStatus/useGitChangesStatus.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import { electronTrpc } from "renderer/lib/electron-trpc";
+import { useChangesStore } from "renderer/stores/changes";
+
+interface UseGitChangesStatusOptions {
+	worktreePath: string | undefined;
+	enabled?: boolean;
+	refetchInterval?: number;
+	refetchOnWindowFocus?: boolean;
+	staleTime?: number;
+}
+
+export function useGitChangesStatus({
+	worktreePath,
+	enabled = true,
+	refetchInterval,
+	refetchOnWindowFocus,
+	staleTime,
+}: UseGitChangesStatusOptions) {
+	const { getBaseBranch } = useChangesStore();
+	const baseBranch = getBaseBranch(worktreePath || "");
+
+	const { data: branchData } = electronTrpc.changes.getBranches.useQuery(
+		{ worktreePath: worktreePath || "" },
+		{ enabled: enabled && !!worktreePath },
+	);
+
+	const effectiveBaseBranch = baseBranch ?? branchData?.defaultBranch ?? "main";
+
+	const { data: status, isLoading } = electronTrpc.changes.getStatus.useQuery(
+		{
+			worktreePath: worktreePath || "",
+			defaultBranch: effectiveBaseBranch,
+		},
+		{
+			enabled: enabled && !!worktreePath,
+			refetchInterval,
+			refetchOnWindowFocus,
+			staleTime,
+		},
+	);
+
+	return { status, isLoading, effectiveBaseBranch };
+}