diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index f9cb3b7..e273418 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -132,6 +132,7 @@ gx report scorecard --repo github.com/recodeecom/multiagent-safety
 - Interactive self-update prompt defaults to **No** (`[y/N]`).
 - In initialized repos, `setup`/`install`/`fix` block protected-base writes unless explicitly overridden.
 - On protected `main`, `gx doctor` auto-runs in a sandbox agent branch/worktree.
+- `scripts/agent-branch-start.sh` hydrates `scripts/codex-agent.sh` into new sandbox worktrees when missing, so auto-finish launcher flow stays available.
 
 ## Configure protected branches
 
diff --git a/scripts/agent-branch-start.sh b/scripts/agent-branch-start.sh
index 56e80fd..40367b2 100755
--- a/scripts/agent-branch-start.sh
+++ b/scripts/agent-branch-start.sh
@@ -152,6 +152,36 @@ is_protected_branch_name() {
   return 1
 }
 
+hydrate_local_helper_in_worktree() {
+  local repo="$1"
+  local worktree="$2"
+  local relative_path="$3"
+  local worktree_target="${worktree}/${relative_path}"
+  local source_path=""
+
+  if [[ -e "$worktree_target" ]]; then
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  if [[ -f "${repo}/${relative_path}" ]]; then
+    source_path="${repo}/${relative_path}"
+  elif [[ -f "${repo}/templates/${relative_path}" ]]; then
+    source_path="${repo}/templates/${relative_path}"
+  fi
+
+  if [[ -z "$source_path" ]]; then
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  mkdir -p "$(dirname "$worktree_target")"
+  cp "$source_path" "$worktree_target"
+  if [[ -x "$source_path" ]]; then
+    chmod +x "$worktree_target"
+  fi
+
+  echo "[agent-branch-start] Hydrated local helper in worktree: ${relative_path}"
+}
+
 if ! git rev-parse --is-inside-work-tree >/dev/null 2>&1; then
   echo "[agent-branch-start] Not inside a git repository." >&2
   exit 1
@@ -282,6 +312,8 @@ if [[ -n "$auto_transfer_stash_ref" ]]; then
   fi
 fi
 
+hydrate_local_helper_in_worktree "$repo_root" "$worktree_path" "scripts/codex-agent.sh"
+
 echo "[agent-branch-start] Created branch: ${branch_name}"
 echo "[agent-branch-start] Worktree: ${worktree_path}"
 echo "[agent-branch-start] Next steps:"
diff --git a/templates/scripts/agent-branch-start.sh b/templates/scripts/agent-branch-start.sh
index 56e80fd..40367b2 100755
--- a/templates/scripts/agent-branch-start.sh
+++ b/templates/scripts/agent-branch-start.sh
@@ -152,6 +152,36 @@ is_protected_branch_name() {
   return 1
 }
 
+hydrate_local_helper_in_worktree() {
+  local repo="$1"
+  local worktree="$2"
+  local relative_path="$3"
+  local worktree_target="${worktree}/${relative_path}"
+  local source_path=""
+
+  if [[ -e "$worktree_target" ]]; then
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  if [[ -f "${repo}/${relative_path}" ]]; then
+    source_path="${repo}/${relative_path}"
+  elif [[ -f "${repo}/templates/${relative_path}" ]]; then
+    source_path="${repo}/templates/${relative_path}"
+  fi
+
+  if [[ -z "$source_path" ]]; then
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  mkdir -p "$(dirname "$worktree_target")"
+  cp "$source_path" "$worktree_target"
+  if [[ -x "$source_path" ]]; then
+    chmod +x "$worktree_target"
+  fi
+
+  echo "[agent-branch-start] Hydrated local helper in worktree: ${relative_path}"
+}
+
 if ! git rev-parse --is-inside-work-tree >/dev/null 2>&1; then
   echo "[agent-branch-start] Not inside a git repository." >&2
   exit 1
@@ -282,6 +312,8 @@ if [[ -n "$auto_transfer_stash_ref" ]]; then
   fi
 fi
 
+hydrate_local_helper_in_worktree "$repo_root" "$worktree_path" "scripts/codex-agent.sh"
+
 echo "[agent-branch-start] Created branch: ${branch_name}"
 echo "[agent-branch-start] Worktree: ${worktree_path}"
 echo "[agent-branch-start] Next steps:"
diff --git a/test/install.test.js b/test/install.test.js
index 32f83b8..7ae8a1a 100644
--- a/test/install.test.js
+++ b/test/install.test.js
@@ -671,6 +671,34 @@ test('agent-branch-start moves protected-branch local changes into the new agent
   assert.doesNotMatch(stashList.stdout, /musafety-auto-transfer-/);
 });
 
+test('agent-branch-start hydrates codex-agent helper into new worktrees when missing locally', () => {
+  const repoDir = initRepo();
+  seedCommit(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.stdout);
+  result = runCmd('git', ['commit', '-m', 'apply gx setup'], repoDir, {
+    ALLOW_COMMIT_ON_PROTECTED_BRANCH: '1',
+  });
+  assert.equal(result.status, 0, result.stderr || result.stdout);
+
+  const localCodexAgent = path.join(repoDir, 'scripts', 'codex-agent.sh');
+  assert.equal(fs.existsSync(localCodexAgent), true, 'setup should provision local codex-agent helper');
+
+  result = runCmd('bash', ['scripts/agent-branch-start.sh', 'hydrate-codex', 'bot'], repoDir);
+  assert.equal(result.status, 0, result.stderr || result.stdout);
+  assert.match(result.stdout, /Hydrated local helper in worktree: scripts\/codex-agent\.sh/);
+
+  const createdWorktree = extractCreatedWorktree(result.stdout);
+  const worktreeCodexAgent = path.join(createdWorktree, 'scripts', 'codex-agent.sh');
+  assert.equal(fs.existsSync(worktreeCodexAgent), true, 'worktree should receive codex-agent helper');
+  const mode = fs.statSync(worktreeCodexAgent).mode;
+  assert.equal((mode & 0o111) !== 0, true, 'hydrated codex-agent helper should be executable');
+});
+
 test('agent-branch-finish infers base from source branch metadata and updates main worktree', () => {
   const repoDir = initRepoOnBranch('main');
   seedCommit(repoDir);