diff --git a/bridged/src/test/java/dev/ltms/bridged/session/FakeWorktrees.java b/bridged/src/test/java/dev/ltms/bridged/session/FakeWorktrees.java
index c9b8d9d..443b8ee 100644
--- a/bridged/src/test/java/dev/ltms/bridged/session/FakeWorktrees.java
+++ b/bridged/src/test/java/dev/ltms/bridged/session/FakeWorktrees.java
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@ public final class FakeWorktrees implements Worktrees {
     private volatile boolean dirty = false;
     private volatile String repoRoot = "/repo";
     private volatile String prefix = "/worktrees";
+    /** Worktree paths that currently exist, mirroring real {@code Files.exists} for the gone case. */
+    private final Set<String> worktreePaths = ConcurrentHashMap.newKeySet();
 
     public FakeWorktrees withRepoRoot(String root) {
         this.repoRoot = root;
@@ -76,7 +78,15 @@ public final class FakeWorktrees implements Worktrees {
         }
         // The branch already carries a unique nonce, so the derived path is distinct per acquire
         // without an extra counter — keep it a pure function of the branch the test can predict.
-        return prefix + "/" + branch.replace('/', '_');
+        String path = prefix + "/" + branch.replace('/', '_');
+        worktreePaths.add(path);
+        return path;
+    }
+
+    /** Model an operator / {@code git worktree prune} removing the worktree before release. */
+    public FakeWorktrees markGone(String worktreePath) {
+        worktreePaths.remove(worktreePath);
+        return this;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -86,6 +96,11 @@ public final class FakeWorktrees implements Worktrees {
 
     @Override
     public boolean hasUncommitted(String worktreePath) {
+        // A path that does not exist (never added, or marked gone) is reported clean, mirroring
+        // GitWorktrees' already-gone guard — never an error, so teardown still completes.
+        if (!worktreePaths.contains(worktreePath)) {
+            return false;
+        }
         return dirty;
     }
 
diff --git a/bridged/src/test/java/dev/ltms/bridged/session/WorktreeSessionManagerTest.java b/bridged/src/test/java/dev/ltms/bridged/session/WorktreeSessionManagerTest.java
index 5fa720b..f5c7493 100644
--- a/bridged/src/test/java/dev/ltms/bridged/session/WorktreeSessionManagerTest.java
+++ b/bridged/src/test/java/dev/ltms/bridged/session/WorktreeSessionManagerTest.java
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicReference;
 
 import static org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions.*;
 
@@ -227,6 +228,34 @@ class WorktreeSessionManagerTest {
         }
     }
 
+    /**
+     * CB-576 review. A worktree that is already gone (operator cleanup, {@code git worktree prune},
+     * an earlier half-completed release) must not break teardown. {@code hasUncommitted} reports the
+     * missing path clean, so release still runs {@code notifyReleased} (the CB-516 fast-fail for a
+     * blocked {@code bridge_send} caller) and {@code launcher.stop} (so the pane is not orphaned),
+     * and falls through to the already-gone-tolerant {@code remove}.
+     */
+    @Test
+    void releaseStillStopsPaneAndNotifiesWhenWorktreeIsGone() {
+        FakeHerdr herdr = new FakeHerdr();
+        FakeWorktrees worktrees = new FakeWorktrees().withRepoRoot("/repo").withPrefix("/wt");
+        SessionManager sessions = new SessionManager(workerService(herdr), worktrees);
+        MemberSession s = sessions.acquire("ltms-local", null, "/caller/proj", null,
+                new WorktreeRequest("cb-576g", null));
+        AtomicReference<String> releasedTerminal = new AtomicReference<>();
+        sessions.onRelease(releasedTerminal::set);
+
+        worktrees.markGone(s.worktree());
+        sessions.release(s.paneId());
+
+        assertEquals(s.terminalId(), releasedTerminal.get(),
+                "notifyReleased must still fire when the worktree is already gone (CB-516)");
+        assertTrue(herdr.called("pane.close"),
+                "the pane must still be stopped when the worktree is already gone");
+        assertEquals(1, worktrees.removeCalls().size(),
+                "release still calls the already-gone-tolerant remove");
+    }
+
     @Test
     void drainAllPreservesWorktreeOfIdleSession() {
         FakeHerdr herdr = new FakeHerdr();