diff --git a/common/_home_manager/mods/foot.nix b/common/_home_manager/mods/foot.nix
index fc37320..29fe6e3 100644
--- a/common/_home_manager/mods/foot.nix
+++ b/common/_home_manager/mods/foot.nix
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
     };
     alpha = lib.mkOption {
       type = lib.types.float;
-      default = 0.9;
+      default = 0.935;
       description = "Background opacity for Foot terminal (1.0 = opaque)";
     };
   };
diff --git a/common/general/shell/branch.func.sh b/common/general/shell/branch.func.sh
index ae911d8..3422ce4 100644
--- a/common/general/shell/branch.func.sh
+++ b/common/general/shell/branch.func.sh
@@ -76,9 +76,17 @@ branch() {
   git -C "$repo_dir" fetch --all --prune || true
 
   local wt_root wt_path
+  if [ -z "$xdg" ]; then
+    xdg="${XDG_DATA_HOME:-$HOME/.local/share}"
+  fi
   wt_root="$xdg/git_worktrees/${repo_base}_${repo_hash}"
   wt_path="$wt_root/$branch_name"
 
+  # ensure worktree root exists
+  if [ ! -d "$wt_root" ]; then
+    mkdir -p "$wt_root" || { echo "Failed to create worktree root: $wt_root" >&2; return 1; }
+  fi
+
   # If worktree already exists at our expected path, open a shell there
   if [ -d "$wt_path" ]; then
     echo "Opening existing worktree at '$wt_path'."
@@ -86,11 +94,23 @@ branch() {
     return 0
   fi
 
-  local branch_exists branch_from
+  local branch_exists branch_from local_exists
   branch_exists=$(git -C "$repo_dir" ls-remote --heads origin "$branch_name" | wc -l)
+  # check if a local branch exists
+  if git -C "$repo_dir" show-ref --verify --quiet "refs/heads/$branch_name"; then
+    local_exists=1
+  else
+    local_exists=0
+  fi
+
   branch_from="$default_branch"
   if [ "$branch_exists" -eq 0 ]; then
-    echo "Branch '$branch_name' does not exist on remote; creating from '$branch_from'."
+    if [ "$local_exists" -eq 1 ]; then
+      branch_from="$branch_name"
+      echo "Branch '$branch_name' exists locally; creating worktree from local branch."
+    else
+      echo "Branch '$branch_name' does not exist on remote; creating from '$branch_from'."
+    fi
   else
     branch_from="origin/$branch_name"
     echo "Branch '$branch_name' exists on remote; creating worktree tracking it."
@@ -99,9 +119,16 @@ branch() {
   echo "Creating new worktree for branch '$branch_name' at '$wt_path'."
 
   # Try to add or update worktree from the resolved ref. Use a fallback path if needed.
-  if git -C "$repo_dir" worktree add -b "$branch_name" "$wt_path" "$branch_from" 2>/dev/null; then
-    cd "$wt_path" || return 1
-    return 0
+  if [ "$local_exists" -eq 1 ]; then
+    if git -C "$repo_dir" worktree add "$wt_path" "$branch_name" 2>/dev/null; then
+      cd "$wt_path" || return 1
+      return 0
+    fi
+  else
+    if git -C "$repo_dir" worktree add -b "$branch_name" "$wt_path" "$branch_from" 2>/dev/null; then
+      cd "$wt_path" || return 1
+      return 0
+    fi
   fi
 
   # Fallback: try to resolve a concrete SHA and create the branch ref locally, then add worktree
diff --git a/common/general/shell/branchd.func.sh b/common/general/shell/branchd.func.sh
index 7fc296c..98ed5f5 100644
--- a/common/general/shell/branchd.func.sh
+++ b/common/general/shell/branchd.func.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 branchdel() {
-  # branchd — remove current branch worktree (function form)
+  # branchdel — remove a branch worktree (optional branch arg)
+  local branch_arg
+  branch_arg="$1"
   local wt_path
   wt_path=$(pwd)
   local common_dir repo_dir
@@ -16,40 +18,76 @@ branchdel() {
     return 1
   fi
 
-  if [ "$repo_dir" = "$wt_path" ]; then
-    echo "Inside the root directory of repo, will not delete." >&2
-    return 1
-  fi
-
-  local current default_branch
+  # determine current branch in this worktree
+  local current default_branch branch target_wt
   current=$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD 2>/dev/null) || { echo "Not inside a git repository." >&2; return 1; }
 
   default_branch=$(getdefault)
 
-  if [ "$current" = "$default_branch" ] || [ "$current" = "default" ]; then
-    echo "Already on default branch ($default_branch). Won't remove."
-    return 0
-  fi
-
-  echo "Switching to default branch '$default_branch'..."
-  # Use branch function if available, otherwise checkout directly in repo
-  if declare -f branch >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-    branch default || { echo "Failed to switch to default branch" >&2; return 1; }
+  # choose branch: provided arg or current
+  if [ -z "$branch_arg" ]; then
+    branch="$current"
   else
-    git -C "$repo_dir" checkout "$default_branch" || { echo "Failed to checkout default branch" >&2; return 1; }
+    branch="$branch_arg"
+  fi
+  # normalize branch name if refs/heads/ was provided
+  branch="${branch#refs/heads/}"
+
+  # don't remove default
+  if [ "$branch" = "$default_branch" ] || [ "$branch" = "default" ]; then
+    echo "Refusing to remove default branch worktree ($default_branch)." >&2
+    return 1
   fi
 
-  echo "Removing worktree at: $wt_path"
-  if git -C "$repo_dir" worktree remove "$wt_path" 2>/dev/null; then
-    echo "Removed worktree: $wt_path"
+  # find the worktree path for the requested branch
+  target_wt=$(git -C "$repo_dir" worktree list --porcelain 2>/dev/null | awk -v b="refs/heads/$branch" '
+    $1=="worktree" { w=$2 }
+    $1=="branch" && $2==b { print w; exit }
+  ')
+
+  # if not found in worktree list, check main worktree branch
+  if [ -z "$target_wt" ]; then
+    local main_branch
+    main_branch=$(git -C "$repo_dir" rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD 2>/dev/null || true)
+    if [ "$main_branch" = "$branch" ]; then
+      target_wt="$repo_dir"
+    fi
+  fi
+
+  if [ -z "$target_wt" ]; then
+    echo "No worktree found for branch '$branch'." >&2
+    return 1
+  fi
+
+  if [ "$target_wt" = "$repo_dir" ]; then
+    echo "Branch '$branch' is the main worktree at '$repo_dir'. Will not delete main worktree." >&2
+    return 1
+  fi
+
+  # if we're currently in that branch/worktree, switch to default and cd to repo root first
+  if [ "$current" = "$branch" ]; then
+    echo "Currently on branch '$branch' in '$wt_path'. Switching to default branch '$default_branch' in main worktree..."
+    if declare -f branch >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+      branch default || { echo "Failed to switch to default branch" >&2; return 1; }
+    else
+      git -C "$repo_dir" checkout "$default_branch" || { echo "Failed to checkout default branch" >&2; return 1; }
+    fi
+    cd "$repo_dir" || { echo "Failed to change directory to repo root: $repo_dir" >&2; return 1; }
+  fi
+
+  echo "Removing worktree at: $target_wt"
+  if git -C "$repo_dir" worktree remove "$target_wt" 2>/dev/null; then
+    rm -rf -- "$target_wt" 2>/dev/null || true
+    echo "Removed worktree: $target_wt"
     return 0
   fi
   # try with --force as a fallback
-  if git -C "$repo_dir" worktree remove --force "$wt_path" 2>/dev/null; then
-    echo "Removed worktree (forced): $wt_path"
+  if git -C "$repo_dir" worktree remove --force "$target_wt" 2>/dev/null; then
+    rm -rf -- "$target_wt" 2>/dev/null || true
+    echo "Removed worktree (forced): $target_wt"
     return 0
   fi
 
-  echo "Failed to remove worktree: $wt_path" >&2
+  echo "Failed to remove worktree: $target_wt" >&2
   return 1
 }
diff --git a/hosts/lio/flake.lock b/hosts/lio/flake.lock
index 4a2d843..fd514d0 100644
--- a/hosts/lio/flake.lock
+++ b/hosts/lio/flake.lock
@@ -1206,11 +1206,11 @@
         "rust-overlay": "rust-overlay_2"
       },
       "locked": {
-        "lastModified": 1757952613,
-        "narHash": "sha256-+oe+sRXenNMSP5O9ux0EF808JxoLbUneTV06/ILRPMA=",
+        "lastModified": 1757954114,
+        "narHash": "sha256-1Y6+uiLicKPARiiIjYY32asP9oKBW9z1LEBRYOR6ajI=",
         "ref": "refs/heads/master",
-        "rev": "4022513b5d59433b9ab0c273c384b664d6d17457",
-        "revCount": 302,
+        "rev": "f1487458ea787031e00230b604e652464fd44139",
+        "revCount": 303,
         "type": "git",
         "url": "https://git.joshuabell.xyz/ringofstorms/nvim"
       },