diff --git a/docs/WORKTREES.md b/docs/WORKTREES.md
index 846dcc4..4f10835 100644
--- a/docs/WORKTREES.md
+++ b/docs/WORKTREES.md
@@ -79,6 +79,11 @@ would have blocked. A tree whose guard is clear never needed the override, so a
 forced kill removes it as usual — force changes what happens to blocked work,
 not ordinary cleanup.
 
+In the web client the kill button sends the unforced `DELETE` straight away —
+there is no pre-confirmation, because the daemon is the one that decides. Only
+the refusal raises a prompt, and that prompt names what is in the way and offers
+"Force kill", which repeats the request with `force=true`.
+
 Ending a session and destroying its work are two separate acts. Maestro only
 performs the first one. Removing a tree it left behind is the operator's own
 `git worktree remove`, chosen while looking at exactly what would be lost.
diff --git a/web/src/api.ts b/web/src/api.ts
index bee6c1b..50f6e20 100644
--- a/web/src/api.ts
+++ b/web/src/api.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import * as routes from "./routes.js";
 import type {
   ApiError,
+  InTheWay,
   Branches,
   CreateSessionRequest,
   DaemonInfo,
@@ -13,19 +14,38 @@ import type {
   Uuid,
 } from "./types.js";
 
+/** A `/api/*` failure with the daemon's own error envelope kept intact, so a
+ * caller can branch on `code` — the kill guard's `kill_guarded` (#79) — and
+ * render `unsavedWork` rather than re-parsing the message. */
+export class ApiRequestError extends Error {
+  readonly status: number;
+  readonly code: string;
+  readonly detail: string;
+  readonly unsavedWork: InTheWay | null;
+
+  constructor(res: Response, info?: ApiError["error"], text?: string) {
+    const detail = info ? `${info.code}: ${info.message}` : (text ?? "");
+    super(`${res.status} ${res.statusText}${detail ? ` — ${detail}` : ""}`);
+    this.name = "ApiRequestError";
+    this.status = res.status;
+    this.code = info?.code ?? "";
+    this.detail = info?.message ?? text ?? "";
+    this.unsavedWork = info?.unsaved_work ?? null;
+  }
+}
+
 async function jsonOrError<T>(res: Response): Promise<T> {
   if (res.ok) {
     if (res.status === 204) return undefined as unknown as T;
     return (await res.json()) as T;
   }
-  let detail = "";
   try {
     const body = (await res.json()) as ApiError;
-    detail = `${body.error.code}: ${body.error.message}`;
-  } catch {
-    detail = await res.text();
+    throw new ApiRequestError(res, body.error);
+  } catch (e) {
+    if (e instanceof ApiRequestError) throw e;
+    throw new ApiRequestError(res, undefined, await res.text().catch(() => ""));
   }
-  throw new Error(`${res.status} ${res.statusText}${detail ? ` — ${detail}` : ""}`);
 }
 
 export async function listSessions(): Promise<Session[]> {
@@ -57,9 +77,14 @@ export async function renameSession(id: Uuid, name: string): Promise<Session> {
   );
 }
 
-export async function killSession(id: Uuid): Promise<void> {
+/** Kill a session. With `force` (#81) the daemon overrides its refusal over a
+ * worktree holding unsaved work and leaves that worktree on disk. */
+export async function killSession(id: Uuid, force = false): Promise<void> {
+  const url = force
+    ? `${routes.session(id)}?${routes.FORCE_QUERY}=true`
+    : routes.session(id);
   await jsonOrError(
-    await fetch(routes.session(id), {
+    await fetch(url, {
       method: "DELETE",
       credentials: "same-origin",
     }),
diff --git a/web/src/catalog.test.ts b/web/src/catalog.test.ts
index 3d4c576..fd0e4ab 100644
--- a/web/src/catalog.test.ts
+++ b/web/src/catalog.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // @vitest-environment happy-dom
-import { beforeAll, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { afterEach, beforeAll, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 
 import { renderSidebar } from "./catalog.js";
 import type { CatalogListener, CatalogStore } from "./events.js";
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ beforeAll(() => {
   window.fetch = () => Promise.reject(new Error("offline"));
 });
 
+afterEach(() => {
+  document.querySelector(".kill-dialog")?.remove();
+});
+
 function session(overrides: Partial<Session>): Session {
   return {
     id: "11111111-2222-3333-4444-555555555555",
@@ -46,6 +50,11 @@ function rowFor(el: HTMLElement, id: string): HTMLElement | null {
   return el.querySelector<HTMLElement>(`[data-session-id="${id}"]`);
 }
 
+/** Let the kill chain's awaits (fetch, its json body) settle. */
+async function flush(): Promise<void> {
+  for (let i = 0; i < 8; i++) await Promise.resolve();
+}
+
 describe("blocked-work indicator (#83)", () => {
   it("marks the row of a blocked session in diff notation", () => {
     const blocked = session({
@@ -89,37 +98,77 @@ describe("blocked-work indicator (#83)", () => {
     expect(rowFor(el, unprobed.id)?.querySelector(".leaf-blocked")).toBeNull();
   });
 
-  it("restates the warning at the kill confirm", async () => {
-    const confirmations: string[] = [];
-    window.confirm = (msg?: string) => {
-      confirmations.push(msg ?? "");
-      return false;
-    };
+  it("kills straight away, without a first confirmation", async () => {
+    const calls: string[] = [];
+    window.fetch = ((url: string, init?: RequestInit) => {
+      calls.push(`${init?.method ?? "GET"} ${url}`);
+      return Promise.resolve(new Response(null, { status: 204 }));
+    }) as typeof fetch;
+    const plain = session({ id: "aaaaaaaa-0000-0000-0000-000000000005" });
+    const el = renderSidebar(storeWith([plain])).el;
+    rowFor(el, plain.id)?.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>(".leaf-kill")?.click();
+    await flush();
+    expect(calls).toContain(`DELETE /api/sessions/${plain.id}`);
+    expect(document.querySelector(".kill-dialog")).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("offers the override when the daemon refuses a guarded kill", async () => {
+    const calls: string[] = [];
+    window.fetch = ((url: string, init?: RequestInit) => {
+      calls.push(`${init?.method ?? "GET"} ${url}`);
+      if (url.includes("force=true")) return Promise.resolve(new Response(null, { status: 204 }));
+      return Promise.resolve(
+        new Response(
+          JSON.stringify({
+            error: {
+              code: "kill_guarded",
+              message: "worktree has unsaved work",
+              unsaved_work: { untracked_files: 1 },
+            },
+          }),
+          { status: 409, headers: { "content-type": "application/json" } },
+        ),
+      );
+    }) as typeof fetch;
     const blocked = session({
       id: "aaaaaaaa-0000-0000-0000-000000000004",
       command: "bash",
       blocked_work: { untracked_files: 1 },
     });
     const el = renderSidebar(storeWith([blocked])).el;
-    const kill = rowFor(el, blocked.id)?.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>(".leaf-kill");
-    kill?.click();
-    await Promise.resolve();
-    expect(confirmations).toHaveLength(1);
-    expect(confirmations[0]).toContain("1 untracked file");
-    expect(confirmations[0]).toContain("refused unless forced");
+    rowFor(el, blocked.id)?.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>(".leaf-kill")?.click();
+    await flush();
+    const dialog = document.querySelector(".kill-dialog");
+    expect(dialog?.textContent).toContain("1 untracked file");
+    dialog?.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>(".kill-dialog-force")?.click();
+    await flush();
+    expect(calls).toContain(`DELETE /api/sessions/${blocked.id}?force=true`);
+    expect(document.querySelector(".kill-dialog")).toBeNull();
   });
 
-  it("confirms plainly when nothing blocks", async () => {
-    const confirmations: string[] = [];
-    window.confirm = (msg?: string) => {
-      confirmations.push(msg ?? "");
-      return false;
-    };
-    const plain = session({ id: "aaaaaaaa-0000-0000-0000-000000000005" });
-    const el = renderSidebar(storeWith([plain])).el;
-    rowFor(el, plain.id)?.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>(".leaf-kill")?.click();
-    await Promise.resolve();
-    expect(confirmations).toEqual(['Kill session "claude"?']);
+  it("closes the override prompt without killing on cancel", async () => {
+    const calls: string[] = [];
+    window.fetch = ((url: string, init?: RequestInit) => {
+      calls.push(`${init?.method ?? "GET"} ${url}`);
+      return Promise.resolve(
+        new Response(
+          JSON.stringify({
+            error: { code: "kill_guarded", message: "worktree has unsaved work" },
+          }),
+          { status: 409, headers: { "content-type": "application/json" } },
+        ),
+      );
+    }) as typeof fetch;
+    const blocked = session({
+      id: "aaaaaaaa-0000-0000-0000-000000000006",
+      blocked_work: { unpushed_commits: 2 },
+    });
+    const el = renderSidebar(storeWith([blocked])).el;
+    rowFor(el, blocked.id)?.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>(".leaf-kill")?.click();
+    await flush();
+    document.querySelector<HTMLButtonElement>(".kill-dialog-cancel")?.click();
+    expect(document.querySelector(".kill-dialog")).toBeNull();
+    expect(calls.filter((c) => c.includes("force=true"))).toHaveLength(0);
   });
 });
 
diff --git a/web/src/catalog.ts b/web/src/catalog.ts
index d1fc206..c4e5a00 100644
--- a/web/src/catalog.ts
+++ b/web/src/catalog.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { escapeHtml } from "./html.js";
-import { getDaemonInfo, killSession, renameSession } from "./api.js";
+import { ApiRequestError, getDaemonInfo, killSession, renameSession } from "./api.js";
+import { openForceKillDialog } from "./killDialog.js";
 import { openContextMenu } from "./contextMenu.js";
 import { isTypingTarget, toggleHelp } from "./help.js";
 import { CatalogStore } from "./events.js";
@@ -180,7 +181,7 @@ function renderNode(node: TreeNode, depth: number): HTMLElement {
   killBtn.addEventListener("click", (ev) => {
     ev.preventDefault();
     ev.stopPropagation();
-    void confirmAndKill(s, name);
+    void requestKill(s, name);
   });
   row.addEventListener("contextmenu", (ev) => {
     ev.preventDefault();
@@ -192,22 +193,31 @@ function renderNode(node: TreeNode, depth: number): HTMLElement {
         onSelect: () =>
           document.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent(SPAWN_SIMILAR_EVENT, { detail: s })),
       },
-      { label: "Kill session", danger: true, onSelect: () => void confirmAndKill(s, name) },
+      { label: "Kill session", danger: true, onSelect: () => void requestKill(s, name) },
     ]);
   });
   return row;
 }
 
-/** #83: the confirm restates the warning at the moment of decision. */
-async function confirmAndKill(s: Session, name: string): Promise<void> {
-  const blockers = sessionBlockers(s);
-  const question = blockers
-    ? `Kill session "${name}"? Its worktree still has ${formatInTheWay(blockers)} — the kill will be refused unless forced.`
-    : `Kill session "${name}"?`;
-  if (!confirm(question)) return;
+/**
+ * Kill on the first click (#81): the daemon is the one that decides whether a
+ * session may go, and it refuses over a worktree holding unsaved work. Only
+ * that refusal is worth a prompt, and it needs one `confirm()` cannot give —
+ * a forced kill. Anything else surfaces as an alert.
+ */
+async function requestKill(s: Session, name: string): Promise<void> {
   try {
     await killSession(s.id);
   } catch (e) {
+    if (e instanceof ApiRequestError && e.code === "kill_guarded") {
+      openForceKillDialog({
+        name,
+        blockers: e.unsavedWork ?? sessionBlockers(s),
+        reason: e.detail,
+        onForce: () => killSession(s.id, true),
+      });
+      return;
+    }
     alert(`Failed to kill: ${(e as Error).message}`);
   }
 }
diff --git a/web/src/killDialog.ts b/web/src/killDialog.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3597f82
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web/src/killDialog.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+/**
+ * Forced-kill prompt (#81).
+ *
+ * The daemon refuses to kill a session whose worktree still holds uncommitted
+ * or unpushed work. `confirm()` can only ask the same question twice, so the
+ * refusal gets its own dialog: it names what is in the way and offers the
+ * override the daemon's `force=true` already implements. A kill the daemon
+ * accepts never reaches here — there is nothing to warn about.
+ */
+import { formatInTheWay, type InTheWay } from "./types.js";
+
+export interface ForceKillPrompt {
+  /** Session name, as the sidebar shows it. */
+  name: string;
+  /** What the daemon reported in the way, when it reported anything. */
+  blockers: InTheWay | null;
+  /** Message from the daemon's refusal, shown when there is no breakdown. */
+  reason: string;
+  /** Run the forced kill. A rejection is rendered in the dialog, which stays
+   *  open so the override can be retried. */
+  onForce: () => Promise<void>;
+}
+
+let open: { el: HTMLElement; onKeydown: (ev: KeyboardEvent) => void } | null = null;
+
+export function closeForceKillDialog(): void {
+  if (!open) return;
+  window.removeEventListener("keydown", open.onKeydown, true);
+  open.el.remove();
+  open = null;
+}
+
+/** Mount the prompt. Opening while one is up replaces it, so a second refusal
+ *  can never stack two dialogs. */
+export function openForceKillDialog(p: ForceKillPrompt): HTMLElement {
+  closeForceKillDialog();
+
+  const el = document.createElement("div");
+  el.className = "kill-dialog";
+  el.setAttribute("role", "dialog");
+  el.setAttribute("aria-modal", "true");
+  el.setAttribute("aria-label", `Kill ${p.name}`);
+
+  const panel = document.createElement("div");
+  panel.className = "kill-dialog-panel";
+
+  const title = document.createElement("h2");
+  title.className = "kill-dialog-title";
+  title.textContent = `Kill "${p.name}"?`;
+
+  const body = document.createElement("p");
+  body.className = "kill-dialog-body";
+  body.textContent = p.blockers
+    ? `Its worktree still has ${formatInTheWay(p.blockers)}. Forcing the kill removes the session and leaves the worktree on disk.`
+    : `${p.reason} Forcing the kill removes the session and leaves the worktree on disk.`;
+
+  const error = document.createElement("p");
+  error.className = "kill-dialog-error";
+  error.hidden = true;
+
+  const actions = document.createElement("div");
+  actions.className = "kill-dialog-actions";
+  const cancel = document.createElement("button");
+  cancel.type = "button";
+  cancel.className = "btn btn-ghost kill-dialog-cancel";
+  cancel.textContent = "Cancel";
+  cancel.addEventListener("click", closeForceKillDialog);
+  const force = document.createElement("button");
+  force.type = "button";
+  force.className = "btn btn-danger kill-dialog-force";
+  force.textContent = "Force kill";
+  force.addEventListener("click", () => {
+    force.disabled = true;
+    void p
+      .onForce()
+      .then(closeForceKillDialog)
+      .catch((e: unknown) => {
+        force.disabled = false;
+        error.hidden = false;
+        error.textContent = `Failed to kill: ${(e as Error).message}`;
+      });
+  });
+  actions.append(cancel, force);
+
+  panel.append(title, body, error, actions);
+
+  // A press on the scrim cancels; one inside the panel is left alone.
+  el.addEventListener("click", (ev) => {
+    if (!panel.contains(ev.target as Node)) closeForceKillDialog();
+  });
+  el.appendChild(panel);
+  document.body.appendChild(el);
+
+  const onKeydown = (ev: KeyboardEvent): void => {
+    if (ev.key !== "Escape") return;
+    ev.preventDefault();
+    ev.stopPropagation();
+    closeForceKillDialog();
+  };
+  window.addEventListener("keydown", onKeydown, true);
+  open = { el, onKeydown };
+  cancel.focus();
+  return el;
+}
diff --git a/web/src/routes.ts b/web/src/routes.ts
index 812160a..69ab42c 100644
--- a/web/src/routes.ts
+++ b/web/src/routes.ts
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ export const EVENTS = "/api/events";
 /** Name of the query parameter `DIRS` and `GITROOT` both take. */
 export const PATH_QUERY = "path";
 
+/** Name of the query parameter `DELETE /api/sessions/:id` takes (#81):
+ * `force=true` overrides the kill refusal over a guarded worktree. */
+export const FORCE_QUERY = "force";
+
 /** Name of the query parameter `NAMES` takes. */
 export const COUNT_QUERY = "count";
 
diff --git a/web/src/styles.css b/web/src/styles.css
index c22ab59..77ce344 100644
--- a/web/src/styles.css
+++ b/web/src/styles.css
@@ -1058,6 +1058,64 @@ input.leaf-rename:focus {
   border-color: color-mix(in oklab, var(--danger) 40%, transparent);
 }
 
+/* ---------- forced-kill prompt (#81) ---------- */
+.kill-dialog {
+  position: fixed;
+  inset: 0;
+  z-index: var(--z-modal);
+  display: grid;
+  place-items: center;
+  padding: var(--sp-4);
+  background: oklch(0 0 0 / 0.5);
+  backdrop-filter: blur(4px);
+}
+
+.kill-dialog-panel {
+  width: min(400px, 100%);
+  padding: var(--sp-4);
+  background: var(--surface);
+  border: 1px solid var(--border-strong);
+  border-radius: var(--r-3);
+  box-shadow: var(--shadow-2);
+}
+
+.kill-dialog-title {
+  margin: 0 0 var(--sp-2);
+  font-family: var(--font-mono);
+  font-size: var(--fs-15);
+  color: var(--ink);
+}
+
+.kill-dialog-body {
+  margin: 0;
+  color: var(--muted);
+  font-size: var(--fs-13);
+  line-height: 1.5;
+}
+
+.kill-dialog-error {
+  margin: var(--sp-2) 0 0;
+  color: var(--danger);
+  font-size: var(--fs-13);
+}
+
+.kill-dialog-actions {
+  display: flex;
+  justify-content: flex-end;
+  gap: var(--sp-2);
+  margin-top: var(--sp-4);
+}
+
+.btn-danger {
+  color: var(--danger);
+  border-color: color-mix(in oklab, var(--danger) 40%, transparent);
+}
+
+.btn-danger:hover {
+  background: var(--danger-tint);
+  border-color: var(--danger);
+}
+
 /* ---------- empty / loading ---------- */
 
 .empty {
diff --git a/web/src/types.ts b/web/src/types.ts
index c86ceb8..12ffe49 100644
--- a/web/src/types.ts
+++ b/web/src/types.ts
@@ -253,7 +253,12 @@ export type ClientControl =
   | { type: "Error"; code: string; message: string };
 
 export interface ApiError {
-  error: { code: string; message: string };
+  error: {
+    code: string;
+    message: string;
+    /** Set only by the kill guard (#79): what blocked the unforced kill. */
+    unsaved_work?: InTheWay;
+  };
 }
 
 export function sessionName(s: Session): string {