diff --git a/src/worktree.rs b/src/worktree.rs
index 9649e282b..66253c669 100644
--- a/src/worktree.rs
+++ b/src/worktree.rs
@@ -29,6 +29,8 @@ mod preservation_tests;
 #[cfg(test)]
 mod review_recovery_tests;
 #[cfg(test)]
+mod skill_tests;
+#[cfg(test)]
 mod synchronization_tests;
 
 #[derive(Clone, Copy)]
diff --git a/src/worktree/skill.rs b/src/worktree/skill.rs
index 2cb26ff52..168055221 100644
--- a/src/worktree/skill.rs
+++ b/src/worktree/skill.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 //! Standalone skill checkouts start at the Launch directory's committed HEAD.
 
+use std::os::unix::fs::MetadataExt;
 use std::path::Path;
 
 use anyhow::Result;
@@ -44,13 +45,9 @@ impl SkillWorktree {
         let recovered = retained.is_some();
         let checkout = match retained {
             Some(checkout) => checkout,
-            None => {
-                let path = tempfile::Builder::new()
-                    .prefix("thirdshift-review-")
-                    .tempdir()?
-                    .keep();
-                acquisition::add_review(launch, branch, &path, commit)?
-            }
+            None => acquire_in_temp("thirdshift-review-", |path| {
+                acquisition::add_review(launch, branch, path, commit)
+            })?,
         };
         Ok(Self {
             launch: Git::new(root),
@@ -62,16 +59,13 @@ impl SkillWorktree {
 
     fn checkout(launch: &Git, commit: &str) -> Result<Self> {
         let root = launch.run(&["rev-parse", "--show-toplevel"])?;
-        // Cleanup belongs to the captured checkout, never TempDir's recursive Drop.
-        let path = tempfile::Builder::new()
-            .prefix("thirdshift-skill-")
-            .tempdir()?
-            .keep();
-        progress::step(format_args!(
-            "creating skill worktree {} at {commit}",
-            path.display()
-        ));
-        let checkout = acquisition::add(launch, None, &path, commit)?;
+        let checkout = acquire_in_temp("thirdshift-skill-", |path| {
+            progress::step(format_args!(
+                "creating skill worktree {} at {commit}",
+                path.display()
+            ));
+            acquisition::add(launch, None, path, commit)
+        })?;
         Ok(Self {
             launch: Git::new(root),
             checkout,
@@ -130,6 +124,26 @@ impl SkillWorktree {
     }
 }
 
+/// Cleanup belongs to the captured checkout, never TempDir's recursive Drop:
+/// a failed acquisition can retain work there. Failure removes only the
+/// allocated directory itself, still empty, and keeps acquisition's error.
+fn acquire_in_temp(
+    prefix: &str,
+    acquire: impl FnOnce(&Path) -> Result<ownership::Checkout>,
+) -> Result<ownership::Checkout> {
+    let directory = tempfile::Builder::new().prefix(prefix).tempdir()?;
+    let allocated = std::fs::symlink_metadata(directory.path())?;
+    let path = directory.keep();
+    acquire(&path).inspect_err(|_| {
+        // remove_dir refuses a directory with contents, such as a retained checkout.
+        if std::fs::symlink_metadata(&path).is_ok_and(|current| {
+            current.is_dir() && current.dev() == allocated.dev() && current.ino() == allocated.ino()
+        }) {
+            let _ = std::fs::remove_dir(&path);
+        }
+    })
+}
+
 impl Drop for SkillWorktree {
     fn drop(&mut self) {
         self.checkout
diff --git a/src/worktree/skill_tests.rs b/src/worktree/skill_tests.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..db2989f4a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/worktree/skill_tests.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,194 @@
+//! Skill and Review checkout allocation, each run in a child with its own temp root.
+
+use std::fs;
+use std::path::Path;
+
+use super::*;
+
+const CHILD: &str = "THIRDSHIFT_SKILL_ALLOCATION_TEST";
+const MISSING_COMMIT: &str = "1234567890123456789012345678901234567890";
+
+/// Run the calling test again in a child whose temp root holds only its
+/// fixtures, so allocation leftovers can be counted.
+fn ran_in_isolated_child(configure: impl FnOnce(&Path, &mut std::process::Command)) -> bool {
+    if std::env::var_os(CHILD).is_some() {
+        return false;
+    }
+    let root = tempfile::tempdir().unwrap();
+    let name = std::thread::current().name().unwrap().to_string();
+    // The launch fixture's empty clone warns, so judge only the child's status.
+    let mut command = std::process::Command::new(std::env::current_exe().unwrap());
+    command
+        .args(["--exact", &name, "--nocapture"])
+        .env(CHILD, "1")
+        .env("TMPDIR", root.path());
+    configure(root.path(), &mut command);
+    let output = command.output().unwrap();
+    assert!(
+        output.status.success(),
+        "{}\n{}",
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stdout),
+        String::from_utf8_lossy(&output.stderr)
+    );
+    true
+}
+
+fn allocations() -> Vec<String> {
+    fs::read_dir(std::env::temp_dir())
+        .unwrap()
+        .map(|entry| entry.unwrap().file_name().to_string_lossy().into_owned())
+        .filter(|name| {
+            name.starts_with("thirdshift-review-") || name.starts_with("thirdshift-skill-")
+        })
+        .collect()
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_failed_skill_checkout_leaves_no_allocation_behind() {
+    if ran_in_isolated_child(|_, _| {}) {
+        return;
+    }
+    let (_temp, launch) = super::tests::launch_directory();
+
+    assert!(SkillWorktree::at(&launch, MISSING_COMMIT).is_err());
+
+    assert_eq!(allocations(), Vec::<String>::new());
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_failed_review_checkout_leaves_no_allocation_behind() {
+    if ran_in_isolated_child(|_, _| {}) {
+        return;
+    }
+    let (_temp, launch) = super::tests::launch_directory();
+
+    assert!(SkillWorktree::on_pull_request(&launch, "feature", MISSING_COMMIT).is_err());
+
+    assert_eq!(allocations(), Vec::<String>::new());
+    assert_eq!(local_head(&launch, "feature").unwrap(), None);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_branch_occupied_after_review_preflight_keeps_the_occupier_and_no_allocation() {
+    if ran_in_isolated_child(|root, command| {
+        // Occupy the branch once, between preflight and Git's add.
+        let real = String::from_utf8(
+            std::process::Command::new("sh")
+                .args(["-c", "command -v git"])
+                .output()
+                .unwrap()
+                .stdout,
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        let bin = root.join("bin");
+        fs::create_dir(&bin).unwrap();
+        crate::test_support::write_executable(
+            &bin.join("git"),
+            &format!(
+                "#!/bin/sh\nif [ \"$1 $2 $3\" = 'worktree add -b' ] && [ ! -e '{root}/occupier' ]; then\n  '{real}' worktree add -q -b \"$4\" '{root}/occupier' \"$6\" || exit 97\nfi\nexec '{real}' \"$@\"\n",
+                root = root.display(),
+                real = real.trim(),
+            ),
+        );
+        let path = std::env::join_paths(
+            std::iter::once(bin).chain(std::env::split_paths(&std::env::var_os("PATH").unwrap())),
+        )
+        .unwrap();
+        command.env("PATH", path);
+    }) {
+        return;
+    }
+    let (_temp, launch) = super::tests::launch_directory();
+    let start = launch.run(&["rev-parse", "HEAD"]).unwrap();
+
+    let Err(error) = SkillWorktree::on_pull_request(&launch, "feature", &start) else {
+        panic!("a branch occupied after preflight was acquired");
+    };
+
+    assert!(format!("{error:#}").contains("feature"), "{error:#}");
+    assert_eq!(allocations(), Vec::<String>::new());
+    let occupier = std::env::temp_dir().join("occupier");
+    assert_eq!(
+        Git::new(&occupier).run(&["rev-parse", "HEAD"]).unwrap(),
+        start
+    );
+    assert_eq!(local_head(&launch, "feature").unwrap(), Some(start));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn a_branch_occupied_before_review_is_refused_before_allocation() {
+    if ran_in_isolated_child(|_, _| {}) {
+        return;
+    }
+    let (_temp, launch) = super::tests::launch_directory();
+    let start = launch.run(&["rev-parse", "HEAD"]).unwrap();
+    let occupier = std::env::temp_dir().join("occupier");
+    launch
+        .run(&[
+            "worktree",
+            "add",
+            "-q",
+            "-b",
+            "feature",
+            occupier.to_str().unwrap(),
+        ])
+        .unwrap();
+
+    let Err(error) = SkillWorktree::on_pull_request(&launch, "feature", &start) else {
+        panic!("an occupied branch was acquired");
+    };
+
+    assert!(
+        format!("{error:#}").contains("Occupied checkout"),
+        "{error:#}"
+    );
+    assert_eq!(allocations(), Vec::<String>::new());
+    assert_eq!(local_head(&launch, "feature").unwrap(), Some(start));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn hook_work_from_a_failed_skill_or_review_checkout_survives() {
+    if ran_in_isolated_child(|_, _| {}) {
+        return;
+    }
+    let (temp, launch) = super::tests::launch_directory();
+    let start = launch.run(&["rev-parse", "HEAD"]).unwrap();
+    crate::test_support::write_executable(
+        &temp.path().join("hooks/post-checkout"),
+        "#!/bin/sh\necho hook work > hook.txt\nexit 1\n",
+    );
+
+    assert!(SkillWorktree::at(&launch, &start).is_err());
+    assert!(SkillWorktree::on_pull_request(&launch, "feature", &start).is_err());
+
+    let mut retained = allocations();
+    retained.sort_by_key(|name| name.starts_with("thirdshift-review-"));
+    assert!(
+        retained.len() == 2
+            && retained[0].starts_with("thirdshift-skill-")
+            && retained[1].starts_with("thirdshift-review-"),
+        "{retained:?}"
+    );
+    for name in retained {
+        let path = std::env::temp_dir().join(name);
+        assert_eq!(
+            fs::read_to_string(path.join("hook.txt")).unwrap(),
+            "hook work\n"
+        );
+    }
+    assert_eq!(local_head(&launch, "feature").unwrap(), Some(start));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn successful_skill_and_review_checkouts_are_cleaned_up() {
+    if ran_in_isolated_child(|_, _| {}) {
+        return;
+    }
+    let (_temp, launch) = super::tests::launch_directory();
+    let start = launch.run(&["rev-parse", "HEAD"]).unwrap();
+
+    drop(SkillWorktree::at(&launch, &start).unwrap());
+    drop(SkillWorktree::on_pull_request(&launch, "feature", &start).unwrap());
+
+    assert_eq!(allocations(), Vec::<String>::new());
+}