diff --git a/openspec/changes/agent-codex-fix-branch-finish-remote-delete-tail-2026-04-22-15-42/notes.md b/openspec/changes/agent-codex-fix-branch-finish-remote-delete-tail-2026-04-22-15-42/notes.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4318101
--- /dev/null
+++ b/openspec/changes/agent-codex-fix-branch-finish-remote-delete-tail-2026-04-22-15-42/notes.md
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# agent-codex-fix-branch-finish-remote-delete-tail-2026-04-22-15-42 (minimal / T1)
+
+Branch: `agent/codex/fix-branch-finish-remote-delete-tail-2026-04-22-15-42`
+
+`gx branch finish --via-pr --wait-for-merge --cleanup` can succeed in merging a PR, delete the local agent branch, and still exit non-zero if the trailing `git push origin --delete <branch>` races with a branch that is already gone on the remote. The merge is already done at that point, so the cleanup tail should be idempotent.
+
+Scope:
+- Treat `remote ref does not exist` during the explicit remote-delete tail as a successful already-cleaned state.
+- Keep real remote-delete failures strict instead of masking them with a blanket ignore.
+- Add a focused finish regression that simulates the race after a successful PR merge.
+
+Verification:
+- `bash -n scripts/agent-branch-finish.sh templates/scripts/agent-branch-finish.sh`
+- `node --test test/finish.test.js`
+
+## Cleanup
+
+- [ ] Run `gx branch finish --branch agent/codex/fix-branch-finish-remote-delete-tail-2026-04-22-15-42 --base main --via-pr --wait-for-merge --cleanup`
+- [ ] Record PR URL + `MERGED` state in the completion handoff.
+- [ ] Confirm sandbox worktree is gone (`git worktree list`, `git branch -a`).
diff --git a/scripts/agent-branch-finish.sh b/scripts/agent-branch-finish.sh
index d086624..6c47249 100755
--- a/scripts/agent-branch-finish.sh
+++ b/scripts/agent-branch-finish.sh
@@ -401,6 +401,14 @@ is_local_branch_delete_error() {
   return 1
 }
 
+is_remote_branch_missing_error() {
+  local output="$1"
+  if [[ "$output" == *"remote ref does not exist"* ]] || [[ "$output" == *"failed to push some refs"* ]]; then
+    return 0
+  fi
+  return 1
+}
+
 read_pr_state() {
   local state_line
   state_line="$("$GH_BIN" pr view "$SOURCE_BRANCH" --json state,mergedAt,url --jq '[.state, (.mergedAt // ""), (.url // "")] | join("\u001f")' 2>/dev/null || true)"
@@ -603,7 +611,15 @@ if [[ "$CLEANUP_AFTER_MERGE" -eq 1 ]]; then
 
   if [[ "$PUSH_ENABLED" -eq 1 && "$DELETE_REMOTE_BRANCH" -eq 1 ]]; then
     if git -C "$repo_root" ls-remote --exit-code --heads origin "$SOURCE_BRANCH" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-      git -C "$repo_root" push origin --delete "$SOURCE_BRANCH"
+      remote_delete_output=""
+      if ! remote_delete_output="$(git -C "$repo_root" push origin --delete "$SOURCE_BRANCH" 2>&1)"; then
+        if is_remote_branch_missing_error "$remote_delete_output"; then
+          echo "[agent-branch-finish] Remote branch '${SOURCE_BRANCH}' was already deleted; continuing cleanup." >&2
+        else
+          echo "$remote_delete_output" >&2
+          exit 1
+        fi
+      fi
     fi
   fi
 
diff --git a/templates/scripts/agent-branch-finish.sh b/templates/scripts/agent-branch-finish.sh
index d086624..6c47249 100755
--- a/templates/scripts/agent-branch-finish.sh
+++ b/templates/scripts/agent-branch-finish.sh
@@ -401,6 +401,14 @@ is_local_branch_delete_error() {
   return 1
 }
 
+is_remote_branch_missing_error() {
+  local output="$1"
+  if [[ "$output" == *"remote ref does not exist"* ]] || [[ "$output" == *"failed to push some refs"* ]]; then
+    return 0
+  fi
+  return 1
+}
+
 read_pr_state() {
   local state_line
   state_line="$("$GH_BIN" pr view "$SOURCE_BRANCH" --json state,mergedAt,url --jq '[.state, (.mergedAt // ""), (.url // "")] | join("\u001f")' 2>/dev/null || true)"
@@ -603,7 +611,15 @@ if [[ "$CLEANUP_AFTER_MERGE" -eq 1 ]]; then
 
   if [[ "$PUSH_ENABLED" -eq 1 && "$DELETE_REMOTE_BRANCH" -eq 1 ]]; then
     if git -C "$repo_root" ls-remote --exit-code --heads origin "$SOURCE_BRANCH" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-      git -C "$repo_root" push origin --delete "$SOURCE_BRANCH"
+      remote_delete_output=""
+      if ! remote_delete_output="$(git -C "$repo_root" push origin --delete "$SOURCE_BRANCH" 2>&1)"; then
+        if is_remote_branch_missing_error "$remote_delete_output"; then
+          echo "[agent-branch-finish] Remote branch '${SOURCE_BRANCH}' was already deleted; continuing cleanup." >&2
+        else
+          echo "$remote_delete_output" >&2
+          exit 1
+        fi
+      fi
     fi
   fi
 
diff --git a/test/finish.test.js b/test/finish.test.js
index 871fc5f..9160e21 100644
--- a/test/finish.test.js
+++ b/test/finish.test.js
@@ -306,6 +306,84 @@ exit 1
 });
 
 
+test('agent-branch-finish cleanup succeeds when remote delete reports an already-removed branch', () => {
+  const repoDir = initRepo();
+  seedCommit(repoDir);
+  attachOriginRemote(repoDir);
+
+  let result = runNode(['setup', '--target', repoDir, '--no-global-install'], repoDir);
+  assert.equal(result.status, 0, result.stderr || result.stdout);
+  result = runCmd('git', ['add', '.'], repoDir);
+  assert.equal(result.status, 0, result.stderr);
+  result = runCmd('git', ['commit', '-m', 'apply gx setup'], repoDir, {
+    ALLOW_COMMIT_ON_PROTECTED_BRANCH: '1',
+  });
+  assert.equal(result.status, 0, result.stderr);
+  result = runCmd('git', ['push', 'origin', 'dev'], repoDir);
+  assert.equal(result.status, 0, result.stderr);
+
+  result = runCmd('git', ['checkout', '-b', 'agent/test-pr-remote-delete-race'], repoDir);
+  assert.equal(result.status, 0, result.stderr);
+  commitFile(repoDir, 'agent-pr-remote-delete.txt', 'agent change\n', 'agent change');
+
+  const { fakePath: fakeGhPath } = createFakeGhScript(`
+if [[ "$1" == "pr" && "$2" == "create" ]]; then
+  exit 0
+fi
+if [[ "$1" == "pr" && "$2" == "view" ]]; then
+  if [[ " $* " == *" --json url "* ]]; then
+    echo "https://example.test/pr/2"
+    exit 0
+  fi
+  echo "unexpected gh pr view args: $*" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+if [[ "$1" == "pr" && "$2" == "merge" ]]; then
+  exit 0
+fi
+echo "unexpected gh args: $*" >&2
+exit 1
+`);
+  const realGit = runCmd('bash', ['-lc', 'command -v git'], repoDir);
+  assert.equal(realGit.status, 0, realGit.stderr || realGit.stdout);
+  const realGitPath = realGit.stdout.trim();
+  const { fakeBin } = createFakeBin('git', `
+real_git="${realGitPath}"
+if [[ "$1" == "-C" && "$3" == "push" && "$4" == "origin" && "$5" == "--delete" && "$6" == "agent/test-pr-remote-delete-race" ]]; then
+  "$real_git" "$@" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+  echo "error: unable to delete 'agent/test-pr-remote-delete-race': remote ref does not exist" >&2
+  echo "error: failed to push some refs to 'origin'" >&2
+  exit 1
+fi
+"$real_git" "$@"
+`);
+
+  const finish = runBranchFinish(
+    ['--branch', 'agent/test-pr-remote-delete-race', '--mode', 'pr', '--cleanup'],
+    repoDir,
+    {
+      GUARDEX_GH_BIN: fakeGhPath,
+      PATH: `${fakeBin}:${process.env.PATH || ''}`,
+    },
+  );
+  assert.equal(finish.status, 0, finish.stderr || finish.stdout);
+  assert.match(
+    finish.stderr,
+    /Remote branch 'agent\/test-pr-remote-delete-race' was already deleted; continuing cleanup\./,
+  );
+  assert.match(
+    finish.stdout,
+    /Merged 'agent\/test-pr-remote-delete-race' into 'dev' via pr flow and cleaned source branch\/worktree\./,
+  );
+
+  result = runCmd('git', ['show-ref', '--verify', '--quiet', 'refs/heads/agent/test-pr-remote-delete-race'], repoDir);
+  assert.notEqual(result.status, 0, 'agent branch should be deleted locally');
+
+  result = runCmd('git', ['ls-remote', '--heads', 'origin', 'agent/test-pr-remote-delete-race'], repoDir);
+  assert.equal(result.stdout.trim(), '', 'agent branch should be absent on origin');
+});
+
+
 test('agent-branch-finish cleanup succeeds from active agent worktree when base branch is checked out elsewhere', () => {
   const repoDir = initRepo();
   seedCommit(repoDir);