diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorkspaceKanbanCard.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorkspaceKanbanCard.tsx
index c7fb2ee5926..f36b0999c26 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorkspaceKanbanCard.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorkspaceKanbanCard.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import React, { useCallback, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react'
-import { Pin } from 'lucide-react'
+import { Pin, Trash2 } from 'lucide-react'
 import { useAppStore } from '@/store'
 import { Badge } from '@/components/ui/badge'
 import { HoverCard, HoverCardContent, HoverCardTrigger } from '@/components/ui/hover-card'
@@ -14,6 +14,11 @@ import WorktreeContextMenu from './WorktreeContextMenu'
 import { getWorkspaceKanbanDetailsHoverOpenState } from './workspace-kanban-details-hover'
 import { writeWorkspaceDragData } from './workspace-status'
 import { WorktreeTitleInlineRename } from './WorktreeTitleInlineRename'
+import { runWorktreeDelete } from './delete-worktree-flow'
+import {
+  canShowWorkspaceDeleteQuickAction,
+  useWorkspaceDeleteModifierPressed
+} from './workspace-delete-quick-action'
 
 type WorkspaceKanbanCardProps = {
   worktree: Worktree
@@ -111,6 +116,7 @@ function WorkspaceKanbanCompactCard({
   const updateWorktreeMeta = useAppStore((s) => s.updateWorktreeMeta)
   const openModal = useAppStore((s) => s.openModal)
   const isDeleting = deleteState?.isDeleting ?? false
+  const deleteModifierPressed = useWorkspaceDeleteModifierPressed()
   const [detailsOpen, setDetailsOpen] = useState(false)
   const [titleRenaming, setTitleRenaming] = useState(false)
   const contextMenuOpenRef = useRef(false)
@@ -216,6 +222,27 @@ function WorkspaceKanbanCompactCard({
     },
     [onContextMenuSelect, worktree]
   )
+  const showDeleteQuickAction = canShowWorkspaceDeleteQuickAction({
+    deleteModifierPressed,
+    isDeleting,
+    isMainWorktree: worktree.isMainWorktree
+  })
+  const stopQuickActionPropagation = useCallback(
+    (event: React.SyntheticEvent<HTMLButtonElement>) => {
+      event.stopPropagation()
+    },
+    []
+  )
+  const handleDeleteQuickAction = useCallback(
+    (event: React.MouseEvent<HTMLButtonElement>) => {
+      event.preventDefault()
+      event.stopPropagation()
+      if (showDeleteQuickAction) {
+        runWorktreeDelete(worktree.id)
+      }
+    },
+    [showDeleteQuickAction, worktree.id]
+  )
 
   return (
     <WorktreeContextMenu
@@ -240,7 +267,7 @@ function WorkspaceKanbanCompactCard({
             onDoubleClick={handleDoubleClick}
             onKeyDown={handleKeyDown}
             className={cn(
-              'flex h-8 w-full min-w-0 cursor-pointer items-center rounded-md border px-2 text-left text-[12px] outline-none transition-colors',
+              'group relative flex h-8 w-full min-w-0 cursor-pointer items-center rounded-md border px-2 text-left text-[12px] outline-none transition-colors',
               isActive
                 ? 'border-sidebar-ring bg-sidebar-accent text-sidebar-accent-foreground'
                 : isSelected
@@ -249,6 +276,7 @@ function WorkspaceKanbanCompactCard({
               isActive && isSelected && 'ring-1 ring-sidebar-ring/35',
               'data-[workspace-board-card-area-selected=true]:border-sidebar-ring/50 data-[workspace-board-card-area-selected=true]:bg-sidebar-accent/75 data-[workspace-board-card-area-selected=true]:ring-1 data-[workspace-board-card-area-selected=true]:ring-sidebar-ring/30',
               !nativeDragEnabled && !isDeleting && '!cursor-grab',
+              showDeleteQuickAction && 'pr-7',
               titleRenaming && '!border-transparent !bg-transparent !ring-0 cursor-default',
               isDeleting && 'cursor-not-allowed opacity-50 grayscale'
             )}
@@ -288,6 +316,30 @@ function WorkspaceKanbanCompactCard({
                 </TooltipContent>
               </Tooltip>
             ) : null}
+            {showDeleteQuickAction && (
+              <Tooltip>
+                <TooltipTrigger asChild>
+                  <button
+                    type="button"
+                    data-workspace-board-preserve-open=""
+                    onPointerDown={stopQuickActionPropagation}
+                    onKeyDown={stopQuickActionPropagation}
+                    onClick={handleDeleteQuickAction}
+                    className={cn(
+                      'absolute right-1 top-1 z-20 inline-flex size-5 items-center justify-center rounded border border-sidebar-border bg-sidebar/95 text-muted-foreground opacity-0 shadow-xs transition-colors transition-opacity',
+                      'group-hover:opacity-100 group-focus-within:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100',
+                      'hover:bg-destructive/10 hover:text-destructive focus-visible:bg-destructive/10 focus-visible:text-destructive focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-1 focus-visible:ring-sidebar-ring'
+                    )}
+                    aria-label="Delete workspace"
+                  >
+                    <Trash2 className="size-3.5" />
+                  </button>
+                </TooltipTrigger>
+                <TooltipContent side="top" sideOffset={4}>
+                  Delete workspace
+                </TooltipContent>
+              </Tooltip>
+            )}
           </div>
         </HoverCardTrigger>
         <HoverCardContent
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorktreeCard.quick-actions.test.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorktreeCard.quick-actions.test.tsx
index 6fb8baa59c3..285c0594217 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorktreeCard.quick-actions.test.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorktreeCard.quick-actions.test.tsx
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import type { ReactNode } from 'react'
 import { beforeAll, beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest'
 import type { GlobalSettings, Repo, Worktree, WorktreeCardProperty } from '../../../../shared/types'
 import type WorktreeCardComponent from './WorktreeCard'
+import type * as WorkspaceDeleteQuickAction from './workspace-delete-quick-action'
 
 const fetchHostedReviewForBranch = vi.fn()
 const fetchIssue = vi.fn()
@@ -14,6 +15,7 @@ let tabsByWorktree: Record<string, { id: string }[]> = {}
 let ptyIdsByTabId: Record<string, string[]> = {}
 let browserTabsByWorktree: Record<string, { id: string }[]> = {}
 let settings: Partial<GlobalSettings> | null = null
+let workspaceDeleteModifierPressed = false
 let WorktreeCard: typeof WorktreeCardComponent
 
 vi.mock('@/store', () => ({
@@ -72,6 +74,14 @@ vi.mock('./WorktreeContextMenu', () => ({
   WORKTREE_NATIVE_CONTEXT_MENU_ATTR: 'data-worktree-native-context-menu'
 }))
 
+vi.mock('./workspace-delete-quick-action', async (importOriginal) => {
+  const actual = await importOriginal<typeof WorkspaceDeleteQuickAction>()
+  return {
+    ...actual,
+    useWorkspaceDeleteModifierPressed: () => workspaceDeleteModifierPressed
+  }
+})
+
 function makeRepo(): Repo {
   return {
     id: 'repo-1',
@@ -117,6 +127,7 @@ describe('WorktreeCard quick actions', () => {
     ptyIdsByTabId = {}
     browserTabsByWorktree = {}
     settings = null
+    workspaceDeleteModifierPressed = false
   })
 
   it('marks the unread toggle as a workspace-board-preserving action', () => {
@@ -225,7 +236,17 @@ describe('WorktreeCard quick actions', () => {
     expect(markup).not.toContain('data-worktree-card-meta-row=""')
   })
 
-  it('shows delete as the top-right quick action for an inactive workspace', () => {
+  it('hides delete by default for an inactive workspace', () => {
+    const markup = renderToStaticMarkup(
+      <WorktreeCard worktree={makeWorktree()} repo={makeRepo()} isActive={false} />
+    )
+
+    expect(markup).not.toContain('aria-label="Delete workspace"')
+  })
+
+  it('shows delete as the top-right quick action while Option/Alt is held', () => {
+    workspaceDeleteModifierPressed = true
+
     const markup = renderToStaticMarkup(
       <WorktreeCard worktree={makeWorktree()} repo={makeRepo()} isActive={false} />
     )
@@ -233,7 +254,9 @@ describe('WorktreeCard quick actions', () => {
     expect(markup).toContain('aria-label="Delete workspace"')
   })
 
-  it('shows delete as the quick action for inactive folder workspace instances', () => {
+  it('shows delete as the quick action for folder workspace instances while Option/Alt is held', () => {
+    workspaceDeleteModifierPressed = true
+
     const markup = renderToStaticMarkup(
       <WorktreeCard
         worktree={makeWorktree({
@@ -249,6 +272,31 @@ describe('WorktreeCard quick actions', () => {
     expect(markup).toContain('aria-label="Delete workspace"')
   })
 
+  it('shows delete for a current workspace while Option/Alt is held', () => {
+    workspaceDeleteModifierPressed = true
+    const worktree = makeWorktree()
+
+    const markup = renderToStaticMarkup(
+      <WorktreeCard worktree={worktree} repo={makeRepo()} isActive isCurrentWorktree />
+    )
+
+    expect(markup).toContain('aria-label="Delete workspace"')
+  })
+
+  it('does not show delete for the main worktree while Option/Alt is held', () => {
+    workspaceDeleteModifierPressed = true
+
+    const markup = renderToStaticMarkup(
+      <WorktreeCard
+        worktree={makeWorktree({ isMainWorktree: true })}
+        repo={makeRepo()}
+        isActive={false}
+      />
+    )
+
+    expect(markup).not.toContain('aria-label="Delete workspace"')
+  })
+
   it('does not replace sleep with delete for a workspace with live activity', () => {
     const worktree = makeWorktree()
     tabsByWorktree = { [worktree.id]: [{ id: 'tab-1' }] }
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorktreeCard.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorktreeCard.tsx
index 1339912f165..e7f3eeb31b7 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorktreeCard.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/WorktreeCard.tsx
@@ -45,11 +45,14 @@ import { writeWorkspaceDragData } from './workspace-status'
 import { getWorktreeCardPrDisplay } from './worktree-card-pr-display'
 import { getWorkspacePortsByWorktreeId } from '@/lib/workspace-port-groups'
 import { RepoBadgeMark } from '@/components/repo/RepoBadgeLabel'
-import { hasActiveWorkspaceActivity } from '@/lib/worktree-activity-state'
 import { installWindowVisibilityInterval, isWindowVisible } from '@/lib/window-visibility-interval'
 import { isMacAppDataPath } from '@/lib/passive-macos-app-data-access'
 import { runWorktreeDelete } from './delete-worktree-flow'
 import { WorktreeTitleInlineRename } from './WorktreeTitleInlineRename'
+import {
+  canShowWorkspaceDeleteQuickAction,
+  useWorkspaceDeleteModifierPressed
+} from './workspace-delete-quick-action'
 
 type WorktreeCardProps = {
   worktree: Worktree
@@ -91,7 +94,6 @@ const WorktreeCard = React.memo(function WorktreeCard({
   worktree,
   repo,
   isActive,
-  isCurrentWorktree = isActive,
   isActiveSurface = isActive,
   isMultiSelected = false,
   selectedWorktrees,
@@ -249,14 +251,7 @@ const WorktreeCard = React.memo(function WorktreeCard({
         }
     : null
   const isDeleting = deleteState?.isDeleting ?? false
-  const hasActiveActivity = useAppStore((s) =>
-    hasActiveWorkspaceActivity(
-      worktree.id,
-      s.tabsByWorktree,
-      s.ptyIdsByTabId,
-      s.browserTabsByWorktree
-    )
-  )
+  const deleteModifierPressed = useWorkspaceDeleteModifierPressed()
 
   const showPR = cardProps.includes('pr')
   const showIssue = cardProps.includes('issue')
@@ -434,9 +429,13 @@ const WorktreeCard = React.memo(function WorktreeCard({
     },
     [worktree.id, worktree.isUnread, updateWorktreeMeta]
   )
-  // Why: deleting the active/current workspace or one with live activity is a
-  // disruptive hover action; keep the quick action delete-only and passive.
-  const showDeleteQuickAction = !isCurrentWorktree && !hasActiveActivity && !worktree.isMainWorktree
+  // Why: delete is destructive, so it only appears while the user is holding
+  // Option/Alt instead of being part of the ordinary hover chrome.
+  const showDeleteQuickAction = canShowWorkspaceDeleteQuickAction({
+    deleteModifierPressed,
+    isDeleting,
+    isMainWorktree: worktree.isMainWorktree
+  })
   const handleWorkspaceQuickAction = useCallback(
     (event: React.MouseEvent<HTMLButtonElement>) => {
       event.preventDefault()
@@ -569,10 +568,7 @@ const WorktreeCard = React.memo(function WorktreeCard({
   const showTitleRowDetails = compactCards && (hasDetails || hasPorts)
   const showMetaRowDetails = !compactCards && (hasDetails || hasPorts)
   const showHeaderActions =
-    showTitleRowUnread ||
-    showTitleRowPrimary ||
-    showTitleRowDetails ||
-    (showDeleteQuickAction && !isDeleting)
+    showTitleRowUnread || showTitleRowPrimary || showTitleRowDetails || showDeleteQuickAction
 
   const unreadQuickAction = showUnreadQuickAction ? (
     <Tooltip>
@@ -777,7 +773,7 @@ const WorktreeCard = React.memo(function WorktreeCard({
 
               {showTitleRowDetails && detailsAndPorts}
 
-              {showDeleteQuickAction && !isDeleting && (
+              {showDeleteQuickAction && (
                 <Tooltip>
                   <TooltipTrigger asChild>
                     <button
@@ -788,7 +784,7 @@ const WorktreeCard = React.memo(function WorktreeCard({
                       className={cn(
                         'inline-flex size-4 items-center justify-center rounded bg-transparent opacity-0 transition-colors transition-opacity',
                         'group-hover:opacity-100 group-focus-within:opacity-100 focus-visible:opacity-100',
-                        'text-muted-foreground hover:bg-transparent hover:text-foreground focus-visible:bg-transparent focus-visible:text-foreground'
+                        'text-muted-foreground hover:bg-destructive/10 hover:text-destructive focus-visible:bg-destructive/10 focus-visible:text-destructive'
                       )}
                       aria-label="Delete workspace"
                     >
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/workspace-delete-quick-action.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/workspace-delete-quick-action.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c702f97dc8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/sidebar/workspace-delete-quick-action.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+import { useSyncExternalStore } from 'react'
+
+let deleteModifierPressed = false
+let listenersInstalled = false
+const listeners = new Set<() => void>()
+
+function notifyListeners(): void {
+  for (const listener of listeners) {
+    listener()
+  }
+}
+
+function setDeleteModifierPressed(next: boolean): void {
+  if (deleteModifierPressed === next) {
+    return
+  }
+  deleteModifierPressed = next
+  notifyListeners()
+}
+
+function onKeyDown(event: KeyboardEvent): void {
+  if (event.altKey || event.key === 'Alt') {
+    setDeleteModifierPressed(true)
+  }
+}
+
+function onKeyUp(event: KeyboardEvent): void {
+  if (event.key === 'Alt' || !event.altKey) {
+    setDeleteModifierPressed(false)
+  }
+}
+
+function clearDeleteModifierPressed(): void {
+  setDeleteModifierPressed(false)
+}
+
+function installListeners(): void {
+  if (listenersInstalled || typeof window === 'undefined') {
+    return
+  }
+  listenersInstalled = true
+  // Why: Option/Alt is a transient reveal modifier, so stale key state after
+  // focus loss would leave destructive affordances visible.
+  window.addEventListener('keydown', onKeyDown, { capture: true })
+  window.addEventListener('keyup', onKeyUp, { capture: true })
+  window.addEventListener('blur', clearDeleteModifierPressed)
+  if (typeof document !== 'undefined') {
+    document.addEventListener('visibilitychange', clearDeleteModifierPressed)
+  }
+}
+
+function uninstallListeners(): void {
+  if (!listenersInstalled || typeof window === 'undefined') {
+    return
+  }
+  listenersInstalled = false
+  window.removeEventListener('keydown', onKeyDown, { capture: true })
+  window.removeEventListener('keyup', onKeyUp, { capture: true })
+  window.removeEventListener('blur', clearDeleteModifierPressed)
+  if (typeof document !== 'undefined') {
+    document.removeEventListener('visibilitychange', clearDeleteModifierPressed)
+  }
+  clearDeleteModifierPressed()
+}
+
+function subscribeDeleteModifier(listener: () => void): () => void {
+  listeners.add(listener)
+  installListeners()
+  return () => {
+    listeners.delete(listener)
+    if (listeners.size === 0) {
+      uninstallListeners()
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+function getDeleteModifierSnapshot(): boolean {
+  return deleteModifierPressed
+}
+
+function getServerDeleteModifierSnapshot(): boolean {
+  return false
+}
+
+export function useWorkspaceDeleteModifierPressed(): boolean {
+  return useSyncExternalStore(
+    subscribeDeleteModifier,
+    getDeleteModifierSnapshot,
+    getServerDeleteModifierSnapshot
+  )
+}
+
+export function canShowWorkspaceDeleteQuickAction(args: {
+  deleteModifierPressed: boolean
+  isDeleting: boolean
+  isMainWorktree: boolean
+}): boolean {
+  return args.deleteModifierPressed && !args.isDeleting && !args.isMainWorktree
+}