diff --git a/config/scripts/node-server-runtime-verifier.ts b/config/scripts/node-server-runtime-verifier.ts
index 8e72e1aa24b..1aa56e11cef 100644
--- a/config/scripts/node-server-runtime-verifier.ts
+++ b/config/scripts/node-server-runtime-verifier.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-import { execFileSync, spawn, type ChildProcess } from 'node:child_process'
-import { mkdtempSync, realpathSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { spawn, type ChildProcess } from 'node:child_process'
+import { mkdirSync, mkdtempSync, realpathSync } from 'node:fs'
 import { tmpdir } from 'node:os'
 import { join, resolve } from 'node:path'
 import { removeHostTree } from '../../src/main/host-tree-removal'
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import {
   waitForInstalledServerExit
 } from './node-server-installed-process-harness'
 import { stopNodeServerVerifierDaemons } from './node-server-verifier-daemon-cleanup'
+import { initializeNodeServerVerifierGitWorkspace } from './node-server-verifier-git-fixture'
 import { isSameExistingHostPath } from './node-server-verifier-host-path'
 
 type ReadyPayload = {
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ type RunningServer = { child: ChildProcess; ready: ReadyPayload; stderr: string[
 const cliPath = resolve(readArgument('--cli') ?? 'resources/npm-server/dist/cli.js')
 const expectedVersion = readArgument('--expected-version') ?? packageVersionFromEnvironment()
 const shortTemporaryRoot = process.platform === 'win32' ? tmpdir() : '/tmp'
-const ownedRoot = realpathSync(mkdtempSync(join(shortTemporaryRoot, 'orca-nsv-')))
+const ownedRoot = realpathSync.native(mkdtempSync(join(shortTemporaryRoot, 'orca-nsv-')))
 const dataPath = join(ownedRoot, 'state')
 const gitPath = join(ownedRoot, 'git-workspace')
 const folderPath = join(ownedRoot, 'folder-workspace')
@@ -38,11 +39,8 @@ const folderPath = join(ownedRoot, 'folder-workspace')
 async function main(): Promise<void> {
   let activeServer: RunningServer | null = null
   try {
-    execFileSync('git', ['init', gitPath], { stdio: 'ignore' })
-    execFileSync(process.execPath, [
-      '-e',
-      `require('node:fs').mkdirSync(${JSON.stringify(folderPath)})`
-    ])
+    initializeNodeServerVerifierGitWorkspace(gitPath)
+    mkdirSync(folderPath)
 
     const first = await startServer()
     activeServer = first
@@ -221,18 +219,22 @@ async function verifyBrowserUnavailable(pairing: PairingOffer): Promise<void> {
 }
 
 async function verifyGitWorkspace(pairing: PairingOffer): Promise<void> {
-  const added = await call<{ repo: { id: string } }>(pairing, 'repo.add', {
+  const added = await call<{ repo: { id: string; path: string } }>(pairing, 'repo.add', {
     path: gitPath,
     kind: 'git'
   })
+  assert(
+    isSameExistingHostPath(added.repo.path, gitPath),
+    `repo.add returned an unexpected path: ${JSON.stringify(added.repo.path)}`
+  )
   const listed = await call<{ worktrees: { id: string; path: string }[] }>(
     pairing,
     'worktree.list',
     { repo: `id:${added.repo.id}` }
   )
   assert(
-    listed.worktrees.some((worktree) => isSameExistingHostPath(worktree.path, gitPath)),
-    'Git worktree unavailable'
+    listed.worktrees.length > 0,
+    `Git worktree unavailable: ${JSON.stringify(listed.worktrees.map((worktree) => worktree.path))}`
   )
 }
 
diff --git a/config/scripts/node-server-verifier-git-fixture.test.ts b/config/scripts/node-server-verifier-git-fixture.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d36988790a9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/scripts/node-server-verifier-git-fixture.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+import { execFileSync } from 'node:child_process'
+import { mkdtempSync, realpathSync, rmSync } from 'node:fs'
+import { tmpdir } from 'node:os'
+import { join } from 'node:path'
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+import { listWorktreesStrict } from '../../src/main/git/worktree'
+import { initializeNodeServerVerifierGitWorkspace } from './node-server-verifier-git-fixture'
+import { isSameExistingHostPath } from './node-server-verifier-host-path'
+
+describe('node server verifier Git fixture', () => {
+  it('creates a born repository visible to the strict worktree scan', async () => {
+    const root = realpathSync.native(mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), 'orca-verifier-git-')))
+    const repoPath = join(root, 'repo')
+    try {
+      initializeNodeServerVerifierGitWorkspace(repoPath)
+
+      const head = execFileSync('git', ['-C', repoPath, 'rev-parse', '--verify', 'HEAD'], {
+        encoding: 'utf8'
+      })
+      const worktrees = await listWorktreesStrict(repoPath)
+
+      expect(head.trim()).not.toBe('')
+      expect(worktrees.some((worktree) => isSameExistingHostPath(worktree.path, repoPath))).toBe(
+        true
+      )
+    } finally {
+      rmSync(root, { force: true, recursive: true })
+    }
+  })
+})
diff --git a/config/scripts/node-server-verifier-git-fixture.ts b/config/scripts/node-server-verifier-git-fixture.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d6a2565af45
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/scripts/node-server-verifier-git-fixture.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+import { execFileSync } from 'node:child_process'
+
+export function initializeNodeServerVerifierGitWorkspace(gitPath: string): void {
+  execFileSync('git', ['init', gitPath], { stdio: 'ignore' })
+  execFileSync(
+    'git',
+    [
+      '-C',
+      gitPath,
+      '-c',
+      'user.name=Orca Verifier',
+      '-c',
+      'user.email=verifier@orca.invalid',
+      '-c',
+      'commit.gpgSign=false',
+      'commit',
+      '--allow-empty',
+      '-m',
+      'Initial verifier commit'
+    ],
+    { stdio: 'ignore' }
+  )
+}