diff --git a/server/__tests__/rescue-worktree.test.ts b/server/__tests__/rescue-worktree.test.ts
index a31b63df..c713f43e 100644
--- a/server/__tests__/rescue-worktree.test.ts
+++ b/server/__tests__/rescue-worktree.test.ts
@@ -107,6 +107,8 @@ describe('rescueDirtyWorktree', () => {
     mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('git@github.com:dimakis/mgmt.git\n' as never);
     // Step 1: git add -u
     mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('' as never);
+    // Step 1b: git diff --cached --name-only → meaningful file
+    mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('src/feature.ts\n' as never);
     // Step 2: git commit
     mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('' as never);
     // Step 3: git push
@@ -186,6 +188,8 @@ describe('rescueDirtyWorktree', () => {
     mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('git@github.com:dimakis/mgmt.git\n' as never);
     // Step 1: git add -u succeeds
     mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('' as never);
+    // Step 1b: git diff --cached --name-only → meaningful file
+    mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('src/feature.ts\n' as never);
     // Step 2: git commit fails
     mockExecFileSync.mockImplementationOnce(() => {
       throw new Error('nothing to commit');
@@ -202,6 +206,8 @@ describe('rescueDirtyWorktree', () => {
     mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('git@github.com:dimakis/mgmt.git\n' as never);
     // Step 1: git add -u
     mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('' as never);
+    // Step 1b: git diff --cached --name-only → meaningful file
+    mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('src/feature.ts\n' as never);
     // Step 2: git commit
     mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('' as never);
     // Step 3: git push fails
@@ -220,6 +226,8 @@ describe('rescueDirtyWorktree', () => {
     mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('git@github.com:dimakis/mgmt.git\n' as never);
     // Step 1: git add
     mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('' as never);
+    // Step 1b: git diff --cached --name-only → meaningful file
+    mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('src/feature.ts\n' as never);
     // Step 2: git commit
     mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('' as never);
     // Step 3: git push
@@ -252,14 +260,68 @@ describe('rescueDirtyWorktree', () => {
     mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('git@github.com:dimakis/mgmt.git\n' as never);
     // Step 1: git add -u succeeds (but stages nothing — only untracked files)
     mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('' as never);
-    // Step 2: git commit fails — nothing staged
-    mockExecFileSync.mockImplementationOnce(() => {
-      throw new Error('nothing to commit, working tree clean');
-    });
+    // Step 1b: git diff --cached --name-only → empty (nothing staged)
+    mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('' as never);
+    // Step 1b: git reset HEAD (unstage)
+    mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('' as never);
 
     const result = rescueDirtyWorktree('/tmp/worktree', 'session/test-123', 'test-123');
 
     expect(result.success).toBe(false);
-    expect(result.error).toContain('nothing to commit');
+    expect(result.error).toContain('no meaningful changes');
+  });
+
+  it('skips rescue when only noise files (.mitzo-session) are staged', () => {
+    // Step 0: getRepoRemote
+    mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('git@github.com:dimakis/mgmt.git\n' as never);
+    // Step 1: git add -A
+    mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('' as never);
+    // Step 1b: git diff --cached --name-only → only .mitzo-session
+    mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('.mitzo-session\n' as never);
+    // Step 1b: git reset HEAD (unstage)
+    mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('' as never);
+
+    const result = rescueDirtyWorktree('/tmp/worktree', 'session/test-123', 'test-123');
+
+    expect(result.success).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.error).toContain('no meaningful changes');
+    // Should NOT have called commit, push, or pr create
+    expect(mockExecFileSync).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(4); // remote + add + diff + reset
+  });
+
+  it('proceeds with rescue when meaningful files are staged alongside noise files', () => {
+    // Step 0: getRepoRemote
+    mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('git@github.com:dimakis/mgmt.git\n' as never);
+    // Step 1: git add -A
+    mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('' as never);
+    // Step 1b: git diff --cached --name-only → noise + real file
+    mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('.mitzo-session\nsrc/feature.ts\n' as never);
+    // Step 2: git commit
+    mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('' as never);
+    // Step 3: git push
+    mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('' as never);
+    // Step 4: gh pr create
+    mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('https://github.com/dimakis/mgmt/pull/99\n' as never);
+
+    const result = rescueDirtyWorktree('/tmp/worktree', 'session/test-123', 'test-123');
+
+    expect(result.success).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.prUrl).toBe('https://github.com/dimakis/mgmt/pull/99');
+  });
+
+  it('skips rescue when no files are staged', () => {
+    // Step 0: getRepoRemote
+    mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('git@github.com:dimakis/mgmt.git\n' as never);
+    // Step 1: git add -A
+    mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('' as never);
+    // Step 1b: git diff --cached --name-only → empty
+    mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('' as never);
+    // Step 1b: git reset HEAD (unstage)
+    mockExecFileSync.mockReturnValueOnce('' as never);
+
+    const result = rescueDirtyWorktree('/tmp/worktree', 'session/test-123', 'test-123');
+
+    expect(result.success).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.error).toContain('no meaningful changes');
   });
 });
diff --git a/server/worktree.ts b/server/worktree.ts
index d95798e9..2c1c0701 100644
--- a/server/worktree.ts
+++ b/server/worktree.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,13 @@ import { createLogger } from './logger.js';
 
 const log = createLogger('worktree');
 
+/**
+ * Files that are not meaningful work — rescue should skip if these are the only changes.
+ * Matched via exact path from `git diff --cached --name-only` (root-relative).
+ * Only root-level files are supported; subdirectory paths would need `subdir/file` entries.
+ */
+const RESCUE_NOISE_FILES = new Set(['.mitzo-session']);
+
 /**
  * Detect the default branch of a repo (e.g. 'main' or 'master').
  * Prefers origin/HEAD (remote truth) since session worktrees should branch
@@ -463,6 +470,28 @@ export function rescueDirtyWorktree(
     return { success: false, error: err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err) };
   }
 
+  // 1b. Check if staged changes contain meaningful work (not just noise markers)
+  try {
+    const staged = execFileSync('git', ['-C', worktreePath, 'diff', '--cached', '--name-only'], {
+      encoding: 'utf-8',
+      stdio: ['pipe', 'pipe', 'pipe'],
+      timeout: WORKTREE_GIT_TIMEOUT_MS,
+    }).trim();
+    const files = staged ? staged.split('\n') : [];
+    if (files.length === 0 || files.every((f) => RESCUE_NOISE_FILES.has(f))) {
+      log.info('rescue skipped — only noise files changed', { wtId, files });
+      // Unstage so the worktree can be cleaned up without leaving staged changes
+      try {
+        execFileSync('git', ['-C', worktreePath, 'reset', 'HEAD'], gitOpts);
+      } catch {
+        // Non-fatal — worktree is about to be removed anyway
+      }
+      return { success: false, error: 'no meaningful changes to rescue' };
+    }
+  } catch {
+    // If we can't inspect staged files, proceed with the rescue anyway — safer than skipping
+  }
+
   try {
     // 2. Commit
     execFileSync(