diff --git a/bin/claude-loop.sh b/bin/claude-loop.sh
index 2e7ca9e..a2c882e 100755
--- a/bin/claude-loop.sh
+++ b/bin/claude-loop.sh
@@ -91,19 +91,9 @@ with open('$ACTIVE_FILE', 'r+') as f:
 " 2>/dev/null
 }
 
-cleanup_worktree() {
+cleanup_workdir() {
   local wt="$1"
-  local branch="$2"
-  if [ -d "$wt" ]; then
-    local parent
-    parent=$(git -C "$wt" rev-parse --git-common-dir 2>/dev/null | sed 's|/.git$||' || true)
-    if [ -n "$parent" ] && [ -d "$parent" ]; then
-      cd "$parent"
-    fi
-    git worktree remove --force "$wt" 2>/dev/null || rm -rf "$wt"
-    git worktree prune 2>/dev/null
-    git branch -D "$branch" 2>/dev/null || true
-  fi
+  rm -rf "$wt" 2>/dev/null || true
 }
 
 get_next_issue() {
@@ -303,41 +293,19 @@ run_worker() {
     log "WORKER-${worker_id}: === ISSUE #${issue_num}: ${issue_title} (${repo_owner}/${repo_name}) ==="
     update_active "$worker_id" "$issue_num" "${repo_owner}/${repo_name}" "working"
 
-    # Ensure local clone
-    local_repo="${WORKTREE_BASE}/claude-base-${repo_owner}-${repo_name}"
-    if [ ! -d "$local_repo" ]; then
-      log "WORKER-${worker_id}: Cloning ${repo_owner}/${repo_name}..."
-      git clone --depth=1 "http://claude:${GITEA_TOKEN}@143.198.27.163:3000/${repo_owner}/${repo_name}.git" "$local_repo" 2>&1 || {
-        log "WORKER-${worker_id}: ERROR cloning"
-        unlock_issue "$issue_key"
-        consecutive_failures=$((consecutive_failures + 1))
-        sleep "$COOLDOWN"
-        continue
-      }
-      cd "$local_repo"
-      git fetch --unshallow origin main 2>/dev/null || true
-    fi
-
-    # Fetch latest
-    cd "$local_repo"
-    timeout 60 git fetch origin main 2>/dev/null || true
-    git checkout main 2>/dev/null || true
-    git reset --hard origin/main 2>/dev/null || true
-
-    # Create worktree
-    [ -d "$worktree" ] && cleanup_worktree "$worktree" "$branch"
-    cd "$local_repo"
-
-    if ! git worktree add "$worktree" -b "$branch" origin/main 2>&1; then
-      log "WORKER-${worker_id}: ERROR creating worktree"
+    # Fresh clone per issue — no shared state, no contention
+    rm -rf "$worktree" 2>/dev/null
+    if ! git clone --depth=1 -b main \
+      "http://claude:${GITEA_TOKEN}@143.198.27.163:3000/${repo_owner}/${repo_name}.git" \
+      "$worktree" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+      log "WORKER-${worker_id}: ERROR cloning for #${issue_num}"
       unlock_issue "$issue_key"
       consecutive_failures=$((consecutive_failures + 1))
       sleep "$COOLDOWN"
       continue
     fi
-
     cd "$worktree"
-    git remote set-url origin "http://claude:${GITEA_TOKEN}@143.198.27.163:3000/${repo_owner}/${repo_name}.git"
+    git checkout -b "$branch" >/dev/null 2>&1
 
     # Build prompt and run
     prompt=$(build_prompt "$issue_num" "$issue_title" "$worktree" "$repo_owner" "$repo_name")
@@ -399,7 +367,7 @@ else: print('')
     fi
 
     # Cleanup
-    cleanup_worktree "$worktree" "$branch"
+    cleanup_workdir "$worktree"
     unlock_issue "$issue_key"
     update_active "$worker_id" "" "" "done"
 
diff --git a/bin/gemini-loop.sh b/bin/gemini-loop.sh
index a07ff69..2954942 100755
--- a/bin/gemini-loop.sh
+++ b/bin/gemini-loop.sh
@@ -85,16 +85,9 @@ with open('$ACTIVE_FILE', 'r+') as f:
 " 2>/dev/null
 }
 
-cleanup_worktree() {
-  local wt="$1" branch="$2"
-  if [ -d "$wt" ]; then
-    local parent
-    parent=$(git -C "$wt" rev-parse --git-common-dir 2>/dev/null | sed 's|/.git$||' || true)
-    [ -n "$parent" ] && [ -d "$parent" ] && cd "$parent"
-    git worktree remove --force "$wt" 2>/dev/null || rm -rf "$wt"
-    git worktree prune 2>/dev/null
-    git branch -D "$branch" 2>/dev/null || true
-  fi
+cleanup_workdir() {
+  local wt="$1"
+  rm -rf "$wt" 2>/dev/null || true
 }
 
 get_next_issue() {
@@ -283,39 +276,19 @@ run_worker() {
     log "WORKER-${worker_id}: === ISSUE #${issue_num}: ${issue_title} (${repo_owner}/${repo_name}) ==="
     update_active "$worker_id" "$issue_num" "${repo_owner}/${repo_name}" "working"
 
-    # Ensure local clone
-    local_repo="${WORKTREE_BASE}/gemini-base-${repo_owner}-${repo_name}"
-    if [ ! -d "$local_repo" ]; then
-      log "WORKER-${worker_id}: Cloning ${repo_owner}/${repo_name}..."
-      git clone --depth=1 "http://gemini:${GITEA_TOKEN}@143.198.27.163:3000/${repo_owner}/${repo_name}.git" "$local_repo" 2>&1 || {
-        log "WORKER-${worker_id}: ERROR cloning"
-        unlock_issue "$issue_key"
-        consecutive_failures=$((consecutive_failures + 1))
-        sleep "$COOLDOWN"
-        continue
-      }
-      cd "$local_repo"
-      git fetch --unshallow origin main 2>/dev/null || true
-    fi
-
-    cd "$local_repo"
-    timeout 60 git fetch origin main 2>/dev/null || true
-    git checkout main 2>/dev/null || true
-    git reset --hard origin/main 2>/dev/null || true
-
-    [ -d "$worktree" ] && cleanup_worktree "$worktree" "$branch"
-    cd "$local_repo"
-
-    if ! git worktree add "$worktree" -b "$branch" origin/main 2>&1; then
-      log "WORKER-${worker_id}: ERROR creating worktree"
+    # Fresh clone per issue — no shared state, no contention
+    rm -rf "$worktree" 2>/dev/null
+    if ! git clone --depth=1 -b main \
+      "http://gemini:${GITEA_TOKEN}@143.198.27.163:3000/${repo_owner}/${repo_name}.git" \
+      "$worktree" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+      log "WORKER-${worker_id}: ERROR cloning for #${issue_num}"
       unlock_issue "$issue_key"
       consecutive_failures=$((consecutive_failures + 1))
       sleep "$COOLDOWN"
       continue
     fi
-
     cd "$worktree"
-    git remote set-url origin "http://gemini:${GITEA_TOKEN}@143.198.27.163:3000/${repo_owner}/${repo_name}.git"
+    git checkout -b "$branch" >/dev/null 2>&1
 
     prompt=$(build_prompt "$issue_num" "$issue_title" "$worktree" "$repo_owner" "$repo_name")
 
@@ -372,7 +345,7 @@ else: print('')
       fi
     fi
 
-    cleanup_worktree "$worktree" "$branch"
+    cleanup_workdir "$worktree"
     unlock_issue "$issue_key"
     update_active "$worker_id" "" "" "done"
 
diff --git a/bin/loop-watchdog.sh b/bin/loop-watchdog.sh
index c56274e..d8cf3bf 100644
--- a/bin/loop-watchdog.sh
+++ b/bin/loop-watchdog.sh
@@ -51,19 +51,27 @@ else:
   fi
 
   log "FILING ISSUE: $title"
-  curl -sf -X POST "${GITEA_URL}/api/v1/repos/${ISSUE_REPO}/issues" \
-    -H "Authorization: token ${ADMIN_TOKEN}" \
-    -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-    -d "$(python3 -c "
-import json
-print(json.dumps({
-    'title': '[watchdog] $title',
-    'body': '''$body
+  local tmpfile="/tmp/watchdog-issue-$$.json"
+  python3 -c "
+import json, sys
+title = sys.argv[1]
+body = sys.argv[2]
+assignee = sys.argv[3]
+with open('$tmpfile', 'w') as f:
+    json.dump({
+        'title': '[watchdog] ' + title,
+        'body': body + '\n\n---\n*Auto-filed by loop-watchdog*',
+        'assignees': [assignee],
+    }, f)
+" "$title" "$body" "$assignee" 2>/dev/null
 
----
-*Auto-filed by loop-watchdog at $(date '+%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S')*''',
-    'assignees': ['$assignee'],
-}))" 2>/dev/null)" >/dev/null 2>&1 || log "WARN: Failed to file issue: $title"
+  if [ -f "$tmpfile" ]; then
+    curl -sf -X POST "${GITEA_URL}/api/v1/repos/${ISSUE_REPO}/issues" \
+      -H "Authorization: token ${ADMIN_TOKEN}" \
+      -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+      -d @"$tmpfile" >/dev/null 2>&1 || log "WARN: Failed to file issue: $title"
+    rm -f "$tmpfile"
+  fi
 }
 
 # === HEALTH CHECKS ===
@@ -164,20 +172,31 @@ check_gitea() {
 }
 
 check_zombies() {
-  local stuck_git
-  stuck_git=$(ps aux | grep "git.*push\|git-remote-http" | grep -v grep | wc -l | tr -d ' ')
-  local orphan_py
-  orphan_py=$(ps aux | grep "pytest tests/" | grep -v grep | wc -l | tr -d ' ')
+  # Only kill git/pytest processes older than 5 minutes (300 seconds)
+  # Normal pushes from workers should complete in under a minute
+  local killed=0
+  for pid in $(ps -eo pid,etime,command | grep -E "git.*push|git-remote-http" | grep -v grep | awk '{
+    split($2, t, /[:-]/);
+    if (length(t)==3) secs=t[1]*3600+t[2]*60+t[3];
+    else if (length(t)==2) secs=t[1]*60+t[2];
+    else secs=t[1];
+    if (secs > 300) print $1
+  }'); do
+    kill "$pid" 2>/dev/null && killed=$((killed + 1))
+  done
+  [ "$killed" -gt 0 ] && log "Killed $killed stuck git processes (>5min old)"
 
-  if [ "$stuck_git" -gt 3 ]; then
-    log "Killing $stuck_git stuck git processes"
-    pkill -f "git.*push\|git-remote-http" 2>/dev/null || true
-  fi
-
-  if [ "$orphan_py" -gt 3 ]; then
-    log "Killing $orphan_py orphaned pytest processes"
-    pkill -f "pytest tests/" 2>/dev/null || true
-  fi
+  local killed_py=0
+  for pid in $(ps -eo pid,etime,command | grep "pytest tests/" | grep -v grep | awk '{
+    split($2, t, /[:-]/);
+    if (length(t)==3) secs=t[1]*3600+t[2]*60+t[3];
+    else if (length(t)==2) secs=t[1]*60+t[2];
+    else secs=t[1];
+    if (secs > 300) print $1
+  }'); do
+    kill "$pid" 2>/dev/null && killed_py=$((killed_py + 1))
+  done
+  [ "$killed_py" -gt 0 ] && log "Killed $killed_py orphaned pytest processes (>5min old)"
 }
 
 check_disk() {