diff --git a/src/fable5/execution-pipeline.test.ts b/src/fable5/execution-pipeline.test.ts
index c4dae0e..9b84abb 100644
--- a/src/fable5/execution-pipeline.test.ts
+++ b/src/fable5/execution-pipeline.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { describe, it, expect, vi } from "vitest";
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeAll, afterAll } from "vitest";
 import * as path from "node:path";
 import * as os from "node:os";
 import * as fs from "node:fs";
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ describe("execution pipeline", () => {
       agentPrompt: "do the thing",
       repoRoot: testRoot,
       buildCmd: [process.execPath, "-e", "process.exit(0)"],
-      testCmd: [process.execPath, "-e", "process.exit(0)"],
+      testCmd: [process.execPath, "-e", "console.log('1 passed'); process.exit(0)"],
       runAgent: makeMockAgent("done"),
       interruptOpts: { defaultValue: "allow" },
     };
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ describe("execution pipeline", () => {
       agentPrompt: "do the thing",
       repoRoot: testRoot,
       buildCmd: [process.execPath, "-e", "process.exit(0)"],
-      testCmd: [process.execPath, "-e", "process.exit(0)"],
+      testCmd: [process.execPath, "-e", "console.log('1 passed'); process.exit(0)"],
       runAgent: makeMockAgent("done"),
       interruptOpts: { defaultValue: "deny" },
     };
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ describe("execution pipeline", () => {
       agentPrompt: "original prompt",
       repoRoot: testRoot,
       buildCmd: [process.execPath, "-e", "process.exit(0)"],
-      testCmd: [process.execPath, "-e", "process.exit(0)"],
+      testCmd: [process.execPath, "-e", "console.log('1 passed'); process.exit(0)"],
       runAgent: capturingAgent,
       interruptOpts: { defaultValue: "allow" },
     };
diff --git a/src/fable5/execution-pipeline.ts b/src/fable5/execution-pipeline.ts
index 127a52b..9fa355b 100644
--- a/src/fable5/execution-pipeline.ts
+++ b/src/fable5/execution-pipeline.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { WorktreeSpec, WorktreeManager } from "./worktree-isolation.js";
+import { WorktreeManager } from "./worktree-isolation.js";
 import { VerifyGateSpec, VerifyGateResult, runVerifyGate } from "./verify-gate.js";
 import { humanInterruptGate, InterruptGateOptions } from "./interrupt-gate.js";
 import { FlatLedger, LedgerEntry } from "./flat-ledger.js";
@@ -26,16 +26,6 @@ export interface PipelineResult {
   durationMs: number;
 }
 
-function worktreeExists(wm: WorktreeManager, name: string): boolean {
-  try {
-    const path = (wm as any).baseDir;
-    if (!path) return false;
-    return require("node:fs").existsSync(require("node:path").join(path, name));
-  } catch {
-    return false;
-  }
-}
-
 export async function runPipeline(spec: PipelineSpec): Promise<PipelineResult> {
   const start = Date.now();
   const session = FlatLedger.sessionNameFromTask(spec.taskName);
@@ -45,11 +35,22 @@ export async function runPipeline(spec: PipelineSpec): Promise<PipelineResult> {
 
   // 1. Create worktree
   wm.initDir();
-  const worktreePath = wm.create({
-    name: worktreeName,
-    branch: spec.worktreeBranch ?? `pipeline/${session}`,
-    targetDir: spec.repoRoot,
-  });
+  let worktreePath: string;
+  try {
+    worktreePath = wm.create({
+      name: worktreeName,
+      branch: spec.worktreeBranch ?? `pipeline/${session}`,
+      targetDir: spec.repoRoot,
+    });
+  } catch (e: any) {
+    // Worktree or branch already exists from a prior run — prune and retry once
+    wm.prune();
+    worktreePath = wm.create({
+      name: worktreeName,
+      branch: `${spec.worktreeBranch ?? `pipeline/${session}`}-${Date.now()}`,
+      targetDir: spec.repoRoot,
+    });
+  }
 
   // 2. Inject repo map into prompt
   const repoMap = buildRepoMap(spec.repoRoot, 3);
diff --git a/src/fable5/verify-gate.ts b/src/fable5/verify-gate.ts
index c53cdbe..e06a916 100644
--- a/src/fable5/verify-gate.ts
+++ b/src/fable5/verify-gate.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ function parseTestOutput(output: string): { passed: number; failed: number; tota
 
 export function runVerifyGate(spec: VerifyGateSpec): VerifyGateResult {
   const start = Date.now();
+  // ponytail: worktrees have a .git *file* (pointer), not a dir — fs.existsSync covers both
   if (!fs.existsSync(path.join(spec.cwd, ".git"))) {
     return {
       build: { pass: false, exitCode: -1, output: "" },
@@ -69,7 +70,7 @@ export function runVerifyGate(spec: VerifyGateSpec): VerifyGateResult {
   }
   const testResult = run(spec.testCmd, spec.cwd);
   const counts = parseTestOutput(testResult.output);
-  const testPass = testResult.exitCode === 0 && counts.failed === 0;
+  const testPass = testResult.exitCode === 0 && counts.failed === 0 && counts.total > 0;
   const test = { pass: testPass, exitCode: testResult.exitCode, output: testResult.output, ...counts };
   return {
     build,
diff --git a/src/fable5/worktree-isolation.ts b/src/fable5/worktree-isolation.ts
index 10a1b51..5140a99 100644
--- a/src/fable5/worktree-isolation.ts
+++ b/src/fable5/worktree-isolation.ts
@@ -165,6 +165,6 @@ export class WorktreeManager {
   }
 
   private safeBranch(value: string): string {
-    return this.safeName(value).replace(/\/+/, "-");
+    return this.safeName(value).replace(/\/+/g, "-");
   }
 }