diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ffe9720..a931d15 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -22,6 +22,12 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
   (#26): the recipe prefers the **handle** (`.login`) for `user.name`, the `{{author}}`
   interview default is the handle instead of a personal name, and the licence template's
   copyright line is stamped from `{{year}}`/`{{author}}` rather than hardcoded.
+- The session-end checklist's branch item no longer strands rebase/squash-merged branches
+  (#28): `git branch -a --no-merged` is named as an ancestry test that over-reports on those
+  merge methods, the item prescribes content-based confirmation before force-deleting
+  (`gh pr list --state merged --head`, or `git log --cherry` for no-PR rebases) with an
+  explicit "never `-D` a branch that fails both checks", and the remote half is closed by the
+  `gh repo edit --delete-branch-on-merge` + `git fetch --prune` recipe.
 
 ## [0.5.0] - 2026-07-20
 
diff --git a/plugins/repokit/skills/repo-standard/standard/session-end-checklist.md b/plugins/repokit/skills/repo-standard/standard/session-end-checklist.md
index 03f4dc6..cf6caff 100644
--- a/plugins/repokit/skills/repo-standard/standard/session-end-checklist.md
+++ b/plugins/repokit/skills/repo-standard/standard/session-end-checklist.md
@@ -5,6 +5,19 @@ a minute; a session doesn't end "clean" with any box undecided.
 
 - [ ] **No undecided branches** — `git branch -a --no-merged`: for each hit, merge it, delete
   it, or open an issue that owns it. No silent survivors.
+  **`--no-merged` over-reports on rebase- and squash-merging repos** (both on by default on
+  GitHub): it tests ancestry ("is this tip reachable from HEAD"), not content ("did this change
+  land"), and both merge methods rewrite the commit — so a landed branch is reported unmerged
+  forever, and `git branch -d` refuses it by the same test. That is the one case where `-D` is
+  the correct tool, *after* confirming the change landed:
+  - the branch had a PR: `gh pr list --state merged --head <branch>` lists it → landed;
+  - no PR: `git log --oneline --cherry main...<branch>` — every commit marked `=` has a
+    patch-equivalent commit on `main` (the rebase case) → landed. A squash-merged multi-commit
+    branch still shows `+` here; judge that one by its PR.
+  Then `git branch -D <branch>`. Never `-D` a branch that fails both checks.
+  Kill the remote half of the noise once per repo: `gh repo edit --delete-branch-on-merge`
+  auto-deletes merged PR branches, and `git fetch --prune` then clears the local `[gone]`
+  tracking stubs.
 - [ ] **Straight-to-main commits are one concern each** — if a commit subject needs an "and",
   split before pushing (the no-PR formulation of "one concern per PR").
 - [ ] **Resume-state updated** — `docs/CHECKPOINT.md` (or the declared substitute) carries