diff --git a/src/main/codex/codex-at-rest-skills-probe.test.ts b/src/main/codex/codex-at-rest-skills-probe.test.ts
index 8306a205e40..1c4b4f4333a 100644
--- a/src/main/codex/codex-at-rest-skills-probe.test.ts
+++ b/src/main/codex/codex-at-rest-skills-probe.test.ts
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ describe('a resting Codex chat lists the skills Codex would load', () => {
       ['--disable', 'plugins', '-c', 'features.test=true', 'app-server'],
       ['--disable', 'plugins', '-c', 'features.test=true', 'app-server']
     ])
-    expect(invocations.map(({ cwd }) => cwd)).toEqual(['/work/one', '/work/two'])
+    // A settling probe must not hold the folder open, or Windows cannot remove the worktree.
+    expect(invocations.map(({ cwd }) => cwd?.startsWith('/work'))).toEqual([false, false])
     expect(invocations.every((invocation) => invocation.treeKillOnFinish)).toBe(true)
     expect(invocations[0]?.env).toMatchObject({
       CODEX_HOME: '/home/me/.codex',
diff --git a/src/main/codex/codex-at-rest-skills-probe.ts b/src/main/codex/codex-at-rest-skills-probe.ts
index 0e5f22dc7fd..fdfa9257269 100644
--- a/src/main/codex/codex-at-rest-skills-probe.ts
+++ b/src/main/codex/codex-at-rest-skills-probe.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import {
 import { runCodexAppServerSession } from './codex-app-server-session'
 import { isCodexSkillsListUnsupported, requestCodexSkillReport } from './codex-skill-list'
 import { supportsCodexStructuredLocation } from './codex-structured-location-support'
+import { resolveHiddenRateLimitPtyCwd } from '../rate-limits/hidden-rate-limit-pty-cwd'
 import {
   resolveCodexStructuredInvocation,
   type CodexStructuredInvocationDeps
@@ -106,7 +107,8 @@ async function probeCodexSkills(
     {
       command,
       args: [...args, 'app-server'],
-      cwd,
+      // skills/list takes the folder per request; a settling probe in it blocks Windows worktree removal (#33174).
+      cwd: resolveHiddenRateLimitPtyCwd(),
       cliPath: command,
       env: { ...definedEnv(environment), CODEX_HOME: accountHomePath },
       envToDelete: [NATIVE_CHAT_SCRATCH_DIR_ENV, LEGACY_NATIVE_CHAT_VISUALS_DIR_ENV],