diff --git a/crates/maestro-cli/src/cli.rs b/crates/maestro-cli/src/cli.rs
index 6c8fdc4..b1c7ac2 100644
--- a/crates/maestro-cli/src/cli.rs
+++ b/crates/maestro-cli/src/cli.rs
@@ -102,11 +102,6 @@ pub struct SpawnArgs {
     /// there.
     #[arg(long)]
     pub existing_branch: bool,
-    /// Remove the worktree when the session is killed. Kept for wire
-    /// compatibility (#56): the daemon now always cleans up on kill, guarded
-    /// against unsaved work.
-    #[arg(long, default_value_t = true)]
-    pub cleanup_on_kill: bool,
     /// After spawning, attach immediately.
     #[arg(long, short = 'a')]
     pub attach: bool,
@@ -168,7 +163,6 @@ mod tests {
             "/repos/foo",
             "--branch",
             "feat/x",
-            "--cleanup-on-kill",
             "-e",
             "FOO=bar",
             "-e",
@@ -179,7 +173,6 @@ mod tests {
             Command::Spawn(a) => {
                 assert_eq!(a.command, "bash");
                 assert_eq!(a.branch.as_deref(), Some("feat/x"));
-                assert!(a.cleanup_on_kill);
                 assert_eq!(
                     a.env,
                     vec![("FOO".into(), "bar".into()), ("BAZ".into(), "qux".into()),]
@@ -189,27 +182,6 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
-    #[test]
-    fn cleanup_on_kill_defaults_true_for_the_wire() {
-        let cli = Cli::try_parse_from([
-            "maestro",
-            "spawn",
-            "--cwd",
-            "/tmp",
-            "--command",
-            "bash",
-            "--worktree-from",
-            "/repos/foo",
-            "--branch",
-            "feat/x",
-        ])
-        .unwrap();
-        match cli.command {
-            Command::Spawn(a) => assert!(a.cleanup_on_kill),
-            _ => panic!("wrong subcommand"),
-        }
-    }
-
     /// Review fix: without a flag the CLI always sent `create_branch: true`,
     /// so the daemon's existing-branch path was unreachable and spawning onto
     /// a branch that already existed just failed.
diff --git a/crates/maestro-cli/src/sessions.rs b/crates/maestro-cli/src/sessions.rs
index dd1b38f..7423ddd 100644
--- a/crates/maestro-cli/src/sessions.rs
+++ b/crates/maestro-cli/src/sessions.rs
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ pub async fn run_spawn(client: &DaemonClient, args: SpawnArgs) -> Result<Session
         (Some(repo), Some(branch)) => Some(WorktreeSpec {
             base_repo: repo.clone(),
             branch: branch.clone(),
-            cleanup_on_kill: args.cleanup_on_kill,
             create_branch: !args.existing_branch,
         }),
         _ => None,
diff --git a/crates/maestro-daemon/tests/local_api.rs b/crates/maestro-daemon/tests/local_api.rs
index ce6e071..c5d1ab7 100644
--- a/crates/maestro-daemon/tests/local_api.rs
+++ b/crates/maestro-daemon/tests/local_api.rs
@@ -363,7 +363,6 @@ async fn delete_a_session_whose_worktree_holds_unsaved_work_returns_409_with_the
             worktree: Some(WorktreeSpec {
                 base_repo: repo.path().to_path_buf(),
                 branch: "feat/guarded".into(),
-                cleanup_on_kill: true,
                 create_branch: true,
             }),
         })
@@ -417,7 +416,6 @@ async fn delete_with_force_ends_the_session_and_answers_what_was_retained() {
             worktree: Some(WorktreeSpec {
                 base_repo: repo.path().to_path_buf(),
                 branch: "feat/guarded".into(),
-                cleanup_on_kill: true,
                 create_branch: true,
             }),
         })
diff --git a/crates/maestro-daemon/tests/session_manager.rs b/crates/maestro-daemon/tests/session_manager.rs
index 234421c..c3574d8 100644
--- a/crates/maestro-daemon/tests/session_manager.rs
+++ b/crates/maestro-daemon/tests/session_manager.rs
@@ -385,7 +385,6 @@ async fn kill_removes_worktree_even_when_spec_says_keep() {
             worktree: Some(WorktreeSpec {
                 base_repo: repo.path().to_path_buf(),
                 branch: "feat/keep".into(),
-                cleanup_on_kill: false,
                 create_branch: true,
             }),
         })
@@ -423,7 +422,6 @@ async fn killing_refuses_a_worktree_with_unsaved_work_and_keeps_the_session() {
             worktree: Some(WorktreeSpec {
                 base_repo: repo.path().to_path_buf(),
                 branch: "feat/guarded".into(),
-                cleanup_on_kill: true,
                 create_branch: true,
             }),
         })
@@ -487,7 +485,6 @@ async fn killing_refuses_until_the_branch_is_pushed() {
             worktree: Some(WorktreeSpec {
                 base_repo: repo.path().to_path_buf(),
                 branch: "feat/pushed".into(),
-                cleanup_on_kill: true,
                 create_branch: true,
             }),
         })
@@ -539,7 +536,6 @@ async fn force_killing_a_guarded_worktree_retains_it_in_the_store() {
             worktree: Some(WorktreeSpec {
                 base_repo: repo.path().to_path_buf(),
                 branch: "feat/forced".into(),
-                cleanup_on_kill: true,
                 create_branch: true,
             }),
         })
@@ -605,7 +601,6 @@ async fn force_on_a_clear_worktree_removes_it_as_usual() {
             worktree: Some(WorktreeSpec {
                 base_repo: repo.path().to_path_buf(),
                 branch: "feat/clear".into(),
-                cleanup_on_kill: true,
                 create_branch: true,
             }),
         })
@@ -648,7 +643,6 @@ async fn killing_an_ignored_only_worktree_succeeds() {
             worktree: Some(WorktreeSpec {
                 base_repo: repo.path().to_path_buf(),
                 branch: "feat/rusty".into(),
-                cleanup_on_kill: true,
                 create_branch: true,
             }),
         })
diff --git a/crates/maestro-protocol/src/lib.rs b/crates/maestro-protocol/src/lib.rs
index 3b88d6d..8a24179 100644
--- a/crates/maestro-protocol/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/maestro-protocol/src/lib.rs
@@ -119,11 +119,6 @@ pub enum ActivityState {
 pub struct WorktreeSpec {
     pub base_repo: PathBuf,
     pub branch: String,
-    /// Kept on the wire for CLI compatibility (#56) but no longer a
-    /// user-facing choice: the daemon always cleans up on kill, guarded
-    /// against unsaved work. Defaults to `true`.
-    #[serde(default = "default_true")]
-    pub cleanup_on_kill: bool,
     /// When false, `branch` must already exist and is checked out as-is
     /// (#56); when true (the default, and what every payload meant before
     /// the field existed) the daemon creates it with `worktree add -b`.
@@ -594,7 +589,6 @@ mod tests {
             worktree: Some(WorktreeSpec {
                 base_repo: PathBuf::from("/home/naps62/projects/maestro"),
                 branch: "feat/foo".into(),
-                cleanup_on_kill: true,
                 create_branch: true,
             }),
         };
@@ -624,7 +618,6 @@ mod tests {
         });
         let spec: WorktreeSpec = serde_json::from_value(json).unwrap();
         assert!(spec.create_branch);
-        assert!(spec.cleanup_on_kill);
     }
 
     #[test]
@@ -632,7 +625,6 @@ mod tests {
         let spec = WorktreeSpec {
             base_repo: PathBuf::from("/work"),
             branch: "feat/foo".into(),
-            cleanup_on_kill: true,
             create_branch: false,
         };
         assert_eq!(spec, round_trip(&spec));
diff --git a/crates/maestro-tui/src/draft.rs b/crates/maestro-tui/src/draft.rs
index cd76fd2..3e26386 100644
--- a/crates/maestro-tui/src/draft.rs
+++ b/crates/maestro-tui/src/draft.rs
@@ -549,7 +549,6 @@ impl DraftPane {
                 WorktreeSpec {
                     base_repo,
                     branch: branch.to_string(),
-                    cleanup_on_kill: true,
                     create_branch: true,
                 }
             }
@@ -562,7 +561,6 @@ impl DraftPane {
                 WorktreeSpec {
                     base_repo,
                     branch: name,
-                    cleanup_on_kill: true,
                     create_branch: false,
                 }
             }
@@ -1689,7 +1687,6 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(wt.base_repo, PathBuf::from("/repos/maestro"));
         assert_eq!(wt.branch, "crimson-otter", "branch defaults to the name");
         assert!(wt.create_branch);
-        assert!(wt.cleanup_on_kill);
     }
 
     #[test]
diff --git a/crates/maestro-tui/src/fast_forward.rs b/crates/maestro-tui/src/fast_forward.rs
index 4b8abb3..daa879a 100644
--- a/crates/maestro-tui/src/fast_forward.rs
+++ b/crates/maestro-tui/src/fast_forward.rs
@@ -80,7 +80,6 @@ impl FastForwardDefaults {
                     .clone()
                     .unwrap_or_else(|| project.path.clone()),
                 branch: name.to_string(),
-                cleanup_on_kill: true,
                 create_branch: true,
             }),
         })
diff --git a/web/src/fastForward.test.ts b/web/src/fastForward.test.ts
index 7e46408..9d1d6e5 100644
--- a/web/src/fastForward.test.ts
+++ b/web/src/fastForward.test.ts
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@ describe("resolveFastForward (#67)", () => {
     expect(req.worktree).toEqual({
       base_repo: "/repos/fresh",
       branch: "amber-falcon",
-      cleanup_on_kill: true,
       create_branch: true,
     });
   });
diff --git a/web/src/fastForward.ts b/web/src/fastForward.ts
index 8ac91fb..39d620c 100644
--- a/web/src/fastForward.ts
+++ b/web/src/fastForward.ts
@@ -42,7 +42,6 @@ export function buildFastForwardRequest(
     worktree: {
       base_repo: project.base_repo ?? project.path,
       branch: name,
-      cleanup_on_kill: true,
       create_branch: true,
     },
   };
diff --git a/web/src/spawnForm.test.ts b/web/src/spawnForm.test.ts
index 5deb9ea..34834d2 100644
--- a/web/src/spawnForm.test.ts
+++ b/web/src/spawnForm.test.ts
@@ -38,7 +38,6 @@ describe("buildSpawnRequest", () => {
         worktree: {
           base_repo: "/home/user/project",
           branch: "feat/foo",
-          cleanup_on_kill: true,
           create_branch: true,
         },
       },
@@ -63,7 +62,6 @@ describe("buildSpawnRequest", () => {
         worktree: {
           base_repo: "/home/user/project",
           branch: "spawn-v2",
-          cleanup_on_kill: true,
           create_branch: false,
         },
       },
diff --git a/web/src/spawnForm.ts b/web/src/spawnForm.ts
index 5a21569..194d71c 100644
--- a/web/src/spawnForm.ts
+++ b/web/src/spawnForm.ts
@@ -75,9 +75,6 @@ export function buildSpawnRequest(
     req.worktree = {
       base_repo: baseRepo,
       branch,
-      // The daemon always cleans up, guarded against unsaved work (#56);
-      // the wire field stays for older daemons.
-      cleanup_on_kill: true,
       // Existing-mode picks must check out as-is; the daemon creates
       // anything else with `worktree add -b` (#56/#61).
       create_branch: mode !== "existing",
diff --git a/web/src/types.ts b/web/src/types.ts
index 10a8e43..48040cf 100644
--- a/web/src/types.ts
+++ b/web/src/types.ts
@@ -113,7 +113,6 @@ export type Projects = Project[];
 export interface WorktreeSpec {
   base_repo: string;
   branch: string;
-  cleanup_on_kill?: boolean;
   /** When false, `branch` already exists and is checked out as-is (#61).
    * Defaults to true (create a new branch) on older daemons. */
   create_branch?: boolean;