diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/hooks/useV2UserPreferences/useV2UserPreferences.ts b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/hooks/useV2UserPreferences/useV2UserPreferences.ts
index 05876c34e3a..9d7b20bd21b 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/hooks/useV2UserPreferences/useV2UserPreferences.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/hooks/useV2UserPreferences/useV2UserPreferences.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export interface V2UserPreferencesApi {
 	setUrlLinks: (next: LinkTierMap) => void;
 	setRightSidebarOpen: (next: boolean | ((prev: boolean) => boolean)) => void;
 	setRightSidebarTab: (next: RightSidebarTab) => void;
+	setDeleteLocalBranch: (next: boolean) => void;
 }
 
 export function useV2UserPreferences(): V2UserPreferencesApi {
@@ -103,11 +104,31 @@ export function useV2UserPreferences(): V2UserPreferencesApi {
 		[collections],
 	);
 
+	const setDeleteLocalBranch = useCallback(
+		(next: boolean) => {
+			const existing = collections.v2UserPreferences.get(
+				V2_USER_PREFERENCES_ID,
+			);
+			if (!existing) {
+				collections.v2UserPreferences.insert({
+					...DEFAULT_V2_USER_PREFERENCES,
+					deleteLocalBranch: next,
+				});
+				return;
+			}
+			collections.v2UserPreferences.update(V2_USER_PREFERENCES_ID, (draft) => {
+				draft.deleteLocalBranch = next;
+			});
+		},
+		[collections],
+	);
+
 	return {
 		preferences,
 		setFileLinks,
 		setUrlLinks,
 		setRightSidebarOpen,
 		setRightSidebarTab,
+		setDeleteLocalBranch,
 	};
 }
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/routes/_authenticated/_dashboard/components/DashboardSidebar/components/DashboardSidebarDeleteDialog/hooks/useDestroyDialogState/useDestroyDialogState.ts b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/routes/_authenticated/_dashboard/components/DashboardSidebar/components/DashboardSidebarDeleteDialog/hooks/useDestroyDialogState/useDestroyDialogState.ts
index 10f39af2279..1480d5cdc0e 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/routes/_authenticated/_dashboard/components/DashboardSidebar/components/DashboardSidebarDeleteDialog/hooks/useDestroyDialogState/useDestroyDialogState.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/routes/_authenticated/_dashboard/components/DashboardSidebar/components/DashboardSidebarDeleteDialog/hooks/useDestroyDialogState/useDestroyDialogState.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import {
 	type DestroyWorkspaceError,
 	useDestroyWorkspace,
 } from "renderer/hooks/host-service/useDestroyWorkspace";
+import { useV2UserPreferences } from "renderer/hooks/useV2UserPreferences/useV2UserPreferences";
 import { useNavigateAwayFromWorkspace } from "renderer/routes/_authenticated/_dashboard/components/DashboardSidebar/hooks/useNavigateAwayFromWorkspace";
 import { useDeletingWorkspaces } from "renderer/routes/_authenticated/providers/DeletingWorkspacesProvider";
 
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ interface UseDestroyDialogStateOptions {
  *   - On error, `clearDeleting` runs in the `finally` block so the row
  *     reappears. For decision-required errors (CONFLICT, TEARDOWN_FAILED)
  *     we reopen the dialog in the matching error pane so the user can
- *     force-retry with full context. The branch opt-in is preserved.
+ *     force-retry with full context.
  *   - For unknown errors we just toast.error — no reopen.
  */
 export function useDestroyDialogState({
@@ -40,16 +41,15 @@ export function useDestroyDialogState({
 	const { markDeleting, clearDeleting } = useDeletingWorkspaces();
 	const navigateAway = useNavigateAwayFromWorkspace();
 
-	const [deleteBranch, setDeleteBranch] = useState(false);
+	const { preferences, setDeleteLocalBranch: setDeleteBranch } =
+		useV2UserPreferences();
+	const deleteBranch = preferences.deleteLocalBranch;
 	const [error, setError] = useState<DestroyWorkspaceError | null>(null);
 	const inFlight = useRef(false);
 
 	const handleOpenChange = useCallback(
 		(next: boolean) => {
-			if (!next) {
-				setDeleteBranch(false);
-				setError(null);
-			}
+			if (!next) setError(null);
 			onOpenChange(next);
 		},
 		[onOpenChange],
@@ -69,8 +69,6 @@ export function useDestroyDialogState({
 			// and hiding the row were swallowing the nav otherwise.
 			navigateAway(workspaceId);
 
-			// Optimistic close. `deleteBranch` preserved in case we re-open
-			// on a decision-required error.
 			setError(null);
 			onOpenChange(false);
 			markDeleting(workspaceId);
@@ -79,7 +77,6 @@ export function useDestroyDialogState({
 			try {
 				const result = await destroy({ deleteBranch, force });
 				for (const warning of result.warnings) toast.warning(warning);
-				setDeleteBranch(false);
 				onDeleted?.();
 			} catch (err) {
 				const e = err as DestroyWorkspaceError;
diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/routes/_authenticated/providers/CollectionsProvider/dashboardSidebarLocal/schema.ts b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/routes/_authenticated/providers/CollectionsProvider/dashboardSidebarLocal/schema.ts
index 4c5be6fd66d..dedfac4dd47 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/renderer/routes/_authenticated/providers/CollectionsProvider/dashboardSidebarLocal/schema.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/renderer/routes/_authenticated/providers/CollectionsProvider/dashboardSidebarLocal/schema.ts
@@ -243,6 +243,7 @@ export const v2UserPreferencesSchema = z.object({
 	urlLinks: linkTierMapSchema.default(DEFAULT_LINK_TIER_MAP),
 	rightSidebarOpen: z.boolean().default(true),
 	rightSidebarTab: z.enum(["changes", "files"]).default("changes"),
+	deleteLocalBranch: z.boolean().default(false),
 });
 
 export type V2UserPreferencesRow = z.infer<typeof v2UserPreferencesSchema>;
@@ -255,4 +256,5 @@ export const DEFAULT_V2_USER_PREFERENCES: V2UserPreferencesRow = {
 	urlLinks: DEFAULT_LINK_TIER_MAP,
 	rightSidebarOpen: true,
 	rightSidebarTab: "changes",
+	deleteLocalBranch: false,
 };
diff --git a/packages/host-service/src/trpc/router/workspace-cleanup/workspace-cleanup.ts b/packages/host-service/src/trpc/router/workspace-cleanup/workspace-cleanup.ts
index 350aefb5a15..db72093b3b5 100644
--- a/packages/host-service/src/trpc/router/workspace-cleanup/workspace-cleanup.ts
+++ b/packages/host-service/src/trpc/router/workspace-cleanup/workspace-cleanup.ts
@@ -23,8 +23,10 @@ export const workspaceCleanupRouter = router({
 	 * Force semantics:
 	 *   - skips preflight (step 0)
 	 *   - skips teardown  (step 1)
-	 *   - upgrades `git branch -d` to `-D` in step 3c
 	 *   - step 3b always uses `--force` (we're past the commit point)
+	 *   - step 3c always uses `-D` regardless: the `deleteBranch`
+	 *     checkbox is the user's consent, so refusing unmerged branches
+	 *     would just silently drop the opt-in.
 	 *
 	 * Typed errors for the renderer:
 	 *   - CONFLICT             → dirty worktree; prompt force-retry
@@ -147,7 +149,7 @@ export const workspaceCleanupRouter = router({
 
 				if (input.deleteBranch && local.branch) {
 					try {
-						await git.raw(["branch", input.force ? "-D" : "-d", local.branch]);
+						await git.raw(["branch", "-D", local.branch]);
 						branchDeleted = true;
 					} catch (err) {
 						const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);