diff --git a/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/worktree-rm-host-qualification.test.ts b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/worktree-rm-host-qualification.test.ts
index c706c3a05be..25ecd00a471 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/worktree-rm-host-qualification.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/worktree-rm-host-qualification.test.ts
@@ -82,4 +82,41 @@ describe('worktree.rm host qualification', () => {
     })
     expect(runtime.removeManagedWorktree).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
+  // Why: a delete legitimately arrives after Git stops listing the path (the
+  // caller is clearing a stale row). Pre-resolving the host must not turn that
+  // into a hard failure for a client that sends no hostId — mobile could delete
+  // such a row before host qualification and must still be able to.
+  it('still deletes a stale workspace for an old client once Git no longer lists it', async () => {
+    const runtime = makeRuntime()
+    vi.mocked(runtime.showManagedWorktree).mockRejectedValue(new Error('selector_not_found'))
+    const dispatcher = new RpcDispatcher({ runtime, methods: WORKTREE_METHODS })
+
+    const response = await dispatcher.dispatch(
+      makeRequest({ worktree: 'id:wt-gone', force: true, runHooks: false })
+    )
+
+    expect(response).toMatchObject({ ok: true, result: { removed: true } })
+    // Unqualified on purpose: removeManagedWorktree owns the stale-row path and
+    // still refuses on its own if the id turns out to have two owners.
+    expect(runtime.removeManagedWorktree).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      'id:wt-gone',
+      true,
+      false,
+      false,
+      undefined
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('propagates a non-missing lookup failure instead of deleting unqualified', async () => {
+    const runtime = makeRuntime()
+    vi.mocked(runtime.showManagedWorktree).mockRejectedValue(new Error('selector_ambiguous'))
+    const dispatcher = new RpcDispatcher({ runtime, methods: WORKTREE_METHODS })
+
+    const response = await dispatcher.dispatch(
+      makeRequest({ worktree: 'id:wt-1', force: true, runHooks: false })
+    )
+
+    expect(response).toMatchObject({ ok: false, error: { message: 'selector_ambiguous' } })
+    expect(runtime.removeManagedWorktree).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/worktree.ts b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/worktree.ts
index 5630868365b..2dd7ef3f46f 100644
--- a/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/worktree.ts
+++ b/src/main/runtime/rpc/methods/worktree.ts
@@ -201,10 +201,25 @@ export const WORKTREE_METHODS: RpcMethod[] = [
     name: 'worktree.rm',
     params: WorktreeRemove,
     handler: async (params, { runtime }) => {
-      // Older mobile clients omit hostId, so resolve through the ambiguity gate before pinning removal.
-      const hostId = params.hostId ?? (await runtime.showManagedWorktree(params.worktree)).hostId
-      if (!hostId) {
-        throw new Error('worktree.rm could not resolve the workspace host')
+      // Older mobile clients omit hostId, so resolve through the ambiguity gate
+      // before pinning removal. An ambiguous selector still fails closed: two
+      // hosts own the id and an unqualified client cannot say which it meant.
+      let resolvedHostId = params.hostId
+      if (!resolvedHostId) {
+        try {
+          resolvedHostId = (await runtime.showManagedWorktree(params.worktree)).hostId
+          if (!resolvedHostId) {
+            throw new Error('worktree.rm could not resolve the workspace host')
+          }
+        } catch (error) {
+          // 'selector_not_found' is not a failure to attribute — Git simply no
+          // longer lists the path. A delete legitimately arrives in that state and
+          // `removeManagedWorktree` handles it, so a stale workspace stays
+          // deletable by a client that sends no host. Anything else propagates.
+          if (!(error instanceof Error) || error.message !== 'selector_not_found') {
+            throw error
+          }
+        }
       }
       const removalArgs = [
         params.worktree,
@@ -212,7 +227,7 @@ export const WORKTREE_METHODS: RpcMethod[] = [
         params.runHooks === true,
         params.allowUnverifiedPtyStop === true
       ] as const
-      const result = await runtime.removeManagedWorktree(...removalArgs, hostId)
+      const result = await runtime.removeManagedWorktree(...removalArgs, resolvedHostId)
       return { removed: true, ...result }
     }
   }),
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/store/slices/worktrees/teardown/host-qualified-worktree-removal.ts b/src/renderer/src/store/slices/worktrees/teardown/host-qualified-worktree-removal.ts
index 544bd8beec3..ad46ef61455 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/store/slices/worktrees/teardown/host-qualified-worktree-removal.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/store/slices/worktrees/teardown/host-qualified-worktree-removal.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ import {
   WORKTREE_REMOVAL_HOST_CHANGED_ERROR
 } from '../listing/worktree-slice-constants'
 import { requestVirtualizedScrollAnchorRecord } from '@/hooks/requestVirtualizedScrollAnchorRecord'
+import { cleanupEphemeralVmRuntimesForDeleted } from '@/lib/ephemeral-vm-runtime-cleanup'
+import { purgeOrphanedRuntimeSshProjects } from './orphaned-runtime-ssh-project-purge'
 import { showPreservedBranchToast } from '@/components/sidebar/preserved-branch-toast'
 
 import { preservedBranchCleanupKey } from '../../../../../../shared/preserved-branch-cleanup'
@@ -199,8 +201,15 @@ function dropConfirmedHostRow(
 /**
  * Finish a removal whose id still exists on another host: prune just the
  * confirmed host's row and keep the preserved-branch follow-up pinned to it.
+ *
+ * Tears down the ephemeral VM even though the shared renderer state survives. A
+ * VM is NOT shared: it belongs to the workspace just deleted. The likeliest real
+ * collision is one machine reachable as both `runtime:env` and `ssh:target`, so
+ * skipping it left the VM running and billing after its row was removed. Safe to
+ * do here without the full path's ordering care, because this path tears down no
+ * terminals — there is no still-mounted pane to race a disposed relay.
  */
-export function completeSameIdHostScopedRemoval(args: {
+export async function completeSameIdHostScopedRemoval(args: {
   set: WorktreeSliceSet
   get: WorktreeSliceGet
   worktreeId: string
@@ -210,7 +219,7 @@ export function completeSameIdHostScopedRemoval(args: {
   target: ReturnType<typeof getActiveRuntimeTarget>
   worktreeBeforeRemoval: PreservedBranchWorktree
   suppressPreservedBranchToast: boolean
-}): RemoveWorktreeSliceResult {
+}): Promise<Awaited<RemoveWorktreeSliceResult>> {
   const {
     set,
     get,
@@ -222,6 +231,10 @@ export function completeSameIdHostScopedRemoval(args: {
     worktreeBeforeRemoval,
     suppressPreservedBranchToast
   } = args
+  const runtimeCleanup = await cleanupEphemeralVmRuntimesForDeleted({
+    workspaceIds: [worktreeId]
+  })
+  await purgeOrphanedRuntimeSshProjects(get, runtimeCleanup.destroyedSshTargetIds)
   dropConfirmedHostRow(set, worktreeId, requiredExecutionHostId)
   const preservedBranch = removalResult?.preservedBranch
   if (!preservedBranch) {
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/store/slices/worktrees/teardown/remove-worktree.ts b/src/renderer/src/store/slices/worktrees/teardown/remove-worktree.ts
index fae6ddf6472..cb921befdab 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/store/slices/worktrees/teardown/remove-worktree.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/store/slices/worktrees/teardown/remove-worktree.ts
@@ -193,6 +193,8 @@ export function createRemoveWorktree(
       // Why (STA-4343): another host still owns this id, so the shared renderer
       // state (tabs, terminals, browsers) belongs to that live workspace — drop
       // only the confirmed host's row instead of tearing all of it down.
+      //
+      // The ephemeral VM is the exception — see completeSameIdHostScopedRemoval.
       if (sameIdSurvivesOnAnotherHost && requiredExecutionHostId) {
         return completeSameIdHostScopedRemoval({
           set,