diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 0ec1a656d8..5fe882efb5 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -49,8 +49,10 @@ mise.local.toml
 /completions/
 
 
-# E2E test artifacts
-e2e/artifacts/
+# E2E test artifacts are ignored by e2e/.gitignore, not from here. go-git's
+# gitignore walk only prunes a directory when the matching pattern comes from
+# that directory's own .gitignore, so a nested "e2e/artifacts/" rule here would
+# leave go-git descending every artifact directory on each Worktree.Status().
 
 # worktrees
 .worktrees/
diff --git a/.golangci.yaml b/.golangci.yaml
index 4904850c94..c761c684e1 100644
--- a/.golangci.yaml
+++ b/.golangci.yaml
@@ -113,6 +113,9 @@ linters:
         - pattern: '^.*\.Checkout$'
           msg: "go-git Checkout deletes .gitignored dirs - use CheckoutBranch() from git_operations.go"
           pkg: 'github\.com/go-git/go-git'
+        - pattern: '^.*Worktree\.Status$'
+          msg: "go-git Worktree.Status() walks ignored subtrees (seconds in this repo) - use gitrepo.Status(ctx, repo)"
+          pkg: 'github\.com/go-git/go-git'
         - pattern: '^.*\.(Print|Println|Printf)$'
           msg: "cobra's Print* writes to OutOrStderr (stderr in production); use fmt.Fprint*(cmd.OutOrStdout(), ...)"
           pkg: 'github\.com/spf13/cobra'
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 81fa96c652..c72f5e41a1 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -492,6 +492,50 @@ reftable and sha256 repositories. Reviewers should flag any new
 `git.PlainOpen*`/`git.Open` outside `gitrepo`. Key files: `gitrepo/repository.go`
 (open entry points) and `gitrepo/reftable.go` (`reftableStorer`).
 
+#### Reading Worktree Status - Always Use `gitrepo.Status`
+
+**Never call go-git's `worktree.Status()` directly.** Use
+`gitrepo.Status(ctx, repo)`; a `forbidigo` rule in `.golangci.yaml` enforces
+this, and `gitrepo/status.go` is the only sanctioned call site.
+
+`Worktree.Status()` walks the whole worktree twice — once in
+`gitignore.ReadPatterns` collecting patterns, once diffing. `ReadPatterns` does
+**not** thread a parent directory's patterns into its recursive walk: each
+recursive call rebuilds its pattern set from that directory's own ignore files,
+so the prune check only ever matches patterns declared by the directory being
+scanned.
+
+**Consequence for `.gitignore` layout:** a rule prunes a subtree only when its
+target is a *direct child* of the `.gitignore` declaring it. A root-level
+`e2e/artifacts/` rule is one level too deep and never prunes, so every
+`Status()` descended ~15k artifact directories and cost 5.25s (against 0.013s
+for `git status --porcelain`), which timed out agent hooks. The rule therefore
+lives in `e2e/.gitignore` as `/artifacts/`. When adding a new ignored directory,
+declare it in a `.gitignore` in its parent directory rather than as a nested
+path from the root — reviewers should flag multi-component directory patterns
+added to the root `.gitignore`.
+
+Anchor the relocated pattern with a leading slash. Moving `a/b/` to a
+`.gitignore` in `a/` as bare `b/` also drops git's root anchoring, so it would
+newly match `b` at any depth below `a/`; `/b/` preserves the original scope and
+prunes identically.
+
+`gitrepo.WithStatusCache(ctx)` memoizes the walk for callers that read status
+more than once. Install it **only** across a window that neither writes tracked
+files nor stages anything: the TurnStart hook qualifies (it runs before the agent
+acts and writes only session metadata under `.entire/` and refs under `.git/`),
+post-agent hooks such as TurnEnd do not — `DetectFileChanges` there must observe
+the agent's edits.
+
+Staging counts as invalidation even though `.git/index` sits inside `.git/`: the
+index feeds the status diff, so an index write makes a cached result stale. Entire
+performs no index writes today — there are no `SetIndex` calls, the single
+`Storer.Index()` use (`strategy/content_overlap.go`) is a read, and the git
+subcommands on the hook paths are all index-read-only. **If you add an
+index-mutating operation, check whether it lands inside a status-cache window.**
+The cache is context-scoped to one short-lived hook process, so it cannot go
+stale across turns.
+
 #### go-git v5 Bugs - Use CLI Instead
 
 **Do NOT use go-git v5 for `checkout` or `reset --hard` operations.**
diff --git a/cmd/entire/cli/gitrepo/status.go b/cmd/entire/cli/gitrepo/status.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..fcab26ef98
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/entire/cli/gitrepo/status.go
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+package gitrepo
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"sync"
+
+	"github.com/go-git/go-git/v6"
+)
+
+// Status is the single entry point for reading go-git worktree status; the
+// forbidigo rule in .golangci.yaml keeps callers off worktree.Status directly.
+//
+// go-git's Worktree.Status() is expensive: it walks the whole worktree twice
+// (once collecting .gitignore patterns, once diffing), and gitignore.ReadPatterns
+// does not thread a parent directory's patterns into its recursive walk, so it
+// only prunes an ignored directory when the matching pattern was declared by
+// that directory's own parent .gitignore. A rule one level too deep leaves the
+// whole subtree walked: a single call cost 5.25s in this repo before e2e's
+// artifacts rule moved into e2e/.gitignore.
+
+type statusCacheKey struct{}
+
+type statusCache struct {
+	mu       sync.Mutex
+	statuses map[string]git.Status
+}
+
+// WithStatusCache returns a context that memoizes Status results.
+//
+// Install it only across a window that neither writes tracked files nor stages
+// anything — otherwise later callers observe a stale status. Staging counts:
+// .git/index lives inside .git/, but the index feeds the status diff, so an
+// index write invalidates a cached result just as a worktree write does. Entire
+// performs no index writes today (no SetIndex calls; the git subcommands on the
+// hook paths are all index-read-only), which is what makes turn start a valid
+// window. A hook that runs after the agent has edited files is not.
+func WithStatusCache(ctx context.Context) context.Context {
+	return context.WithValue(ctx, statusCacheKey{}, &statusCache{
+		statuses: make(map[string]git.Status),
+	})
+}
+
+// Status returns the worktree status for repo, reusing a cached result when ctx
+// carries a cache from WithStatusCache and the same worktree was already read.
+//
+// The returned map is shared with other callers holding the same cached ctx, so
+// callers must treat it as read-only.
+func Status(ctx context.Context, repo *git.Repository) (git.Status, error) {
+	worktree, err := repo.Worktree()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err //nolint:wrapcheck // callers add their own context
+	}
+
+	cache, ok := ctx.Value(statusCacheKey{}).(*statusCache)
+	if !ok {
+		return worktree.Status() //nolint:wrapcheck,forbidigo // the sanctioned call site
+	}
+
+	// Key on the worktree root rather than the repository pointer: callers on
+	// the same hook path open the repository independently.
+	root := worktree.Filesystem().Root()
+
+	cache.mu.Lock()
+	defer cache.mu.Unlock()
+
+	if cached, hit := cache.statuses[root]; hit {
+		return cached, nil
+	}
+
+	status, err := worktree.Status() //nolint:forbidigo // the sanctioned call site
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err //nolint:wrapcheck // callers add their own context
+	}
+	cache.statuses[root] = status
+
+	return status, nil
+}
diff --git a/cmd/entire/cli/gitrepo/status_test.go b/cmd/entire/cli/gitrepo/status_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..885df190e7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cmd/entire/cli/gitrepo/status_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+package gitrepo
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"github.com/go-git/go-git/v6"
+)
+
+func TestStatus_Cache(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	tests := []struct {
+		name          string
+		newContext    func() context.Context
+		wantSeesWrite bool
+	}{
+		{
+			name:          "without cache every call re-reads the worktree",
+			newContext:    context.Background,
+			wantSeesWrite: true,
+		},
+		{
+			name:          "with cache the first result is reused",
+			newContext:    func() context.Context { return WithStatusCache(context.Background()) },
+			wantSeesWrite: false,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			t.Parallel()
+
+			dir := t.TempDir()
+			initRepoWithFile(t, dir, "tracked.txt", "initial")
+
+			repo, err := OpenPath(dir)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+			defer repo.Close()
+
+			ctx := tt.newContext()
+
+			_, err = Status(ctx, repo)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+
+			// Writing after the first read is what distinguishes a reused result
+			// from a fresh walk: only a fresh walk reports new.txt.
+			require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(dir, "new.txt"), []byte("hello"), 0o600))
+
+			status, err := Status(ctx, repo)
+			require.NoError(t, err)
+
+			entry, ok := status["new.txt"]
+			if !tt.wantSeesWrite {
+				require.False(t, ok, "second call should have reused the cached result")
+				return
+			}
+			require.True(t, ok, "second call should have re-read the worktree")
+			require.Equal(t, git.Untracked, entry.Worktree)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestStatus_CacheKeysPerWorktree(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	dirA := t.TempDir()
+	initRepoWithFile(t, dirA, "tracked.txt", "initial")
+
+	dirB := t.TempDir()
+	initRepoWithFile(t, dirB, "tracked.txt", "initial")
+	require.NoError(t, os.WriteFile(filepath.Join(dirB, "only-in-b.txt"), []byte("hello"), 0o600))
+
+	repoA, err := OpenPath(dirA)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer repoA.Close()
+
+	repoB, err := OpenPath(dirB)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	defer repoB.Close()
+
+	ctx := WithStatusCache(context.Background())
+
+	statusA, err := Status(ctx, repoA)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.NotContains(t, statusA, "only-in-b.txt")
+
+	statusB, err := Status(ctx, repoB)
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+	require.Contains(t, statusB, "only-in-b.txt",
+		"a second worktree must not reuse the first worktree's cached entry")
+}
diff --git a/cmd/entire/cli/lifecycle.go b/cmd/entire/cli/lifecycle.go
index dfef9d72da..2ed336f994 100644
--- a/cmd/entire/cli/lifecycle.go
+++ b/cmd/entire/cli/lifecycle.go
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/entireio/cli/cmd/entire/cli/agent"
 	"github.com/entireio/cli/cmd/entire/cli/agent/codex"
 	"github.com/entireio/cli/cmd/entire/cli/agent/types"
+	"github.com/entireio/cli/cmd/entire/cli/gitrepo"
 	"github.com/entireio/cli/cmd/entire/cli/logging"
 	"github.com/entireio/cli/cmd/entire/cli/paths"
 	"github.com/entireio/cli/cmd/entire/cli/provenance"
@@ -549,6 +550,16 @@ func handleLifecycleTurnStart(ctx context.Context, ag agent.Agent, event *agent.
 	// background lock holder can't stall the user's prompt (see the const doc).
 	ctx = strategy.WithSessionLockWait(ctx, turnStartSessionLockWait)
 
+	// Read the worktree status at most once for this hook. TurnStart runs before
+	// the agent acts, and it neither stages anything nor writes tracked files —
+	// only session metadata under .entire/ and refs under .git/ — so the status
+	// cannot change while this hook executes. Note the precondition is "no index
+	// writes and no tracked-file writes", not merely "nothing outside .git/":
+	// .git/index lives inside .git/ and staging does change reported status.
+	// Without the cache both CapturePrePromptState and the strategy's prompt
+	// attribution pay for a full go-git worktree walk.
+	ctx = gitrepo.WithStatusCache(ctx)
+
 	// Fill model from hint file if the agent didn't provide it on this hook
 	if event.Model == "" {
 		if hint := strategy.LoadModelHint(ctx, sessionID); hint != "" {
diff --git a/cmd/entire/cli/rewind.go b/cmd/entire/cli/rewind.go
index 79f64b54fd..c45b0c9ff2 100644
--- a/cmd/entire/cli/rewind.go
+++ b/cmd/entire/cli/rewind.go
@@ -1086,12 +1086,7 @@ func checkResetSafety(ctx context.Context, targetCommitHash string, uncommittedC
 		warnings = append(warnings, uncommittedChangesWarning)
 	} else {
 		// Fall back to generic check
-		worktree, err := repo.Worktree()
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to get worktree: %w", err)
-		}
-
-		status, err := worktree.Status()
+		status, err := gitrepo.Status(ctx, repo)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to get status: %w", err)
 		}
diff --git a/cmd/entire/cli/state.go b/cmd/entire/cli/state.go
index f345024029..a6d26de719 100644
--- a/cmd/entire/cli/state.go
+++ b/cmd/entire/cli/state.go
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/entireio/cli/cmd/entire/cli/agent"
+	"github.com/entireio/cli/cmd/entire/cli/gitrepo"
 	"github.com/entireio/cli/cmd/entire/cli/jsonutil"
 	"github.com/entireio/cli/cmd/entire/cli/logging"
 	"github.com/entireio/cli/cmd/entire/cli/osroot"
@@ -269,12 +270,7 @@ func DetectFileChanges(ctx context.Context, previouslyUntracked []string) (*File
 	}
 	defer repo.Close()
 
-	worktree, err := repo.Worktree()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to get worktree: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	status, err := worktree.Status()
+	status, err := gitrepo.Status(ctx, repo)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to get status: %w", err)
 	}
@@ -438,12 +434,7 @@ func getUntrackedFilesForState(ctx context.Context) ([]string, error) {
 	}
 	defer repo.Close()
 
-	worktree, err := repo.Worktree()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err //nolint:wrapcheck // already present in codebase
-	}
-
-	status, err := worktree.Status()
+	status, err := gitrepo.Status(ctx, repo)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err //nolint:wrapcheck // already present in codebase
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/entire/cli/strategy/common.go b/cmd/entire/cli/strategy/common.go
index cdce76a108..0cd4b04f16 100644
--- a/cmd/entire/cli/strategy/common.go
+++ b/cmd/entire/cli/strategy/common.go
@@ -1184,12 +1184,7 @@ func checkCanRewindWithWarning(ctx context.Context) (bool, string, error) {
 	}
 	defer repo.Close()
 
-	worktree, err := repo.Worktree()
-	if err != nil {
-		return true, "", nil
-	}
-
-	status, err := worktree.Status()
+	status, err := gitrepo.Status(ctx, repo)
 	if err != nil {
 		return true, "", nil
 	}
diff --git a/cmd/entire/cli/strategy/manual_commit_hooks.go b/cmd/entire/cli/strategy/manual_commit_hooks.go
index 2bf1f03360..3885b2d2b1 100644
--- a/cmd/entire/cli/strategy/manual_commit_hooks.go
+++ b/cmd/entire/cli/strategy/manual_commit_hooks.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/entireio/cli/cmd/entire/cli/checkpoint/remote"
 	"github.com/entireio/cli/cmd/entire/cli/checkpointpolicy"
 	"github.com/entireio/cli/cmd/entire/cli/gitops"
+	"github.com/entireio/cli/cmd/entire/cli/gitrepo"
 	"github.com/entireio/cli/cmd/entire/cli/interactive"
 	"github.com/entireio/cli/cmd/entire/cli/logging"
 	"github.com/entireio/cli/cmd/entire/cli/paths"
@@ -2498,8 +2499,10 @@ func (s *ManualCommitStrategy) calculatePromptAttributionAtStart(
 		return result
 	}
 
-	// Get worktree status to find ALL changed files
-	status, err := worktree.Status()
+	// Get worktree status to find ALL changed files. Shared with the turn-start
+	// pre-prompt capture via the context status cache, so the expensive go-git
+	// worktree walk runs once per hook rather than once per caller.
+	status, err := gitrepo.Status(ctx, repo)
 	if err != nil {
 		logging.Debug(logCtx, "prompt attribution skipped: failed to get worktree status",
 			slog.String("error", err.Error()))
diff --git a/e2e/.gitignore b/e2e/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f9302a3d71
--- /dev/null
+++ b/e2e/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+# E2E test artifacts (canary and real-agent run output).
+#
+# This rule intentionally lives here rather than as "e2e/artifacts/" in the
+# repository root .gitignore. go-git's gitignore.ReadPatterns does not thread a
+# parent directory's patterns into its recursive walk, so it only prunes a
+# subdirectory when the matching pattern was declared by that subdirectory's own
+# parent .gitignore. A root-level "e2e/artifacts/" rule therefore never pruned
+# the walk, and every Worktree.Status() descended all of e2e/artifacts (~15k
+# directories here), costing ~5s per call and timing out agent hooks.
+#
+# The leading slash anchors this to e2e/ itself, matching the scope of the
+# original root-level "e2e/artifacts/" rule. Without it the pattern would also
+# match a directory named "artifacts" at any depth below e2e/ (e.g. a future
+# e2e/tests/artifacts/ fixture would be silently untracked). Anchoring does not
+# affect pruning — go-git prunes either form.
+/artifacts/