diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/session-manager.test.ts b/packages/core/src/__tests__/session-manager.test.ts
index 0e1376490..a11a2b9fb 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/__tests__/session-manager.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/session-manager.test.ts
@@ -905,7 +905,8 @@ describe("restore", () => {
     expect(restored.runtimeHandle).toEqual(makeHandle("rt-1"));
     expect(restored.restoredAt).toBeInstanceOf(Date);
 
-    // Verify runtime was created
+    // Verify old runtime was destroyed before creating new one
+    expect(mockRuntime.destroy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(makeHandle("rt-old"));
     expect(mockRuntime.create).toHaveBeenCalled();
     // Verify metadata was updated (not rewritten)
     const meta = readMetadataRaw(sessionsDir, "app-1");
@@ -917,6 +918,43 @@ describe("restore", () => {
     expect(meta!["createdAt"]).toBe("2025-01-01T00:00:00.000Z");
   });
 
+  it("continues restore even if old runtime destroy fails", async () => {
+    const wsPath = join(tmpDir, "ws-app-1");
+    mkdirSync(wsPath, { recursive: true });
+
+    // Make destroy throw — should not block restore
+    const failingRuntime = {
+      ...mockRuntime,
+      destroy: vi.fn().mockRejectedValue(new Error("session not found")),
+      create: vi.fn().mockResolvedValue(makeHandle("rt-new")),
+    };
+
+    const registryWithFailingDestroy: PluginRegistry = {
+      ...mockRegistry,
+      get: vi.fn().mockImplementation((slot: string) => {
+        if (slot === "runtime") return failingRuntime;
+        if (slot === "agent") return mockAgent;
+        if (slot === "workspace") return mockWorkspace;
+        return null;
+      }),
+    };
+
+    writeMetadata(sessionsDir, "app-1", {
+      worktree: wsPath,
+      branch: "feat/TEST-1",
+      status: "killed",
+      project: "my-app",
+      runtimeHandle: JSON.stringify(makeHandle("rt-old")),
+    });
+
+    const sm = createSessionManager({ config, registry: registryWithFailingDestroy });
+    const restored = await sm.restore("app-1");
+
+    expect(restored.status).toBe("spawning");
+    expect(failingRuntime.destroy).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(failingRuntime.create).toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
   it("recreates workspace when missing and plugin supports restore", async () => {
     const wsPath = join(tmpDir, "ws-app-1");
     // DO NOT create the directory — it's missing
diff --git a/packages/core/src/session-manager.ts b/packages/core/src/session-manager.ts
index 47c9b80ab..fa42bc17b 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/session-manager.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/session-manager.ts
@@ -964,7 +964,16 @@ export function createSessionManager(deps: SessionManagerDeps): SessionManager {
       }
     }
 
-    // 6. Get launch command — try restore command first, fall back to fresh launch
+    // 6. Destroy old runtime if still alive (e.g. tmux session survives agent crash)
+    if (session.runtimeHandle) {
+      try {
+        await plugins.runtime.destroy(session.runtimeHandle);
+      } catch {
+        // Best effort — may already be gone
+      }
+    }
+
+    // 7. Get launch command — try restore command first, fall back to fresh launch
     let launchCommand: string;
     const agentLaunchConfig = {
       sessionId,
@@ -983,7 +992,7 @@ export function createSessionManager(deps: SessionManagerDeps): SessionManager {
 
     const environment = plugins.agent.getEnvironment(agentLaunchConfig);
 
-    // 7. Create runtime (reuse tmuxName from metadata)
+    // 8. Create runtime (reuse tmuxName from metadata)
     const tmuxName = raw["tmuxName"];
     const handle = await plugins.runtime.create({
       sessionId: tmuxName ?? sessionId,
@@ -998,7 +1007,7 @@ export function createSessionManager(deps: SessionManagerDeps): SessionManager {
       },
     });
 
-    // 8. Update metadata — merge updates, preserving existing fields
+    // 9. Update metadata — merge updates, preserving existing fields
     const now = new Date().toISOString();
     updateMetadata(sessionsDir, sessionId, {
       status: "spawning",
@@ -1006,7 +1015,7 @@ export function createSessionManager(deps: SessionManagerDeps): SessionManager {
       restoredAt: now,
     });
 
-    // 9. Run postLaunchSetup (non-fatal)
+    // 10. Run postLaunchSetup (non-fatal)
     const restoredSession: Session = {
       ...session,
       status: "spawning",
diff --git a/packages/plugins/workspace-clone/src/index.ts b/packages/plugins/workspace-clone/src/index.ts
index d6bc7f924..d8ab278fe 100644
--- a/packages/plugins/workspace-clone/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/plugins/workspace-clone/src/index.ts
@@ -190,16 +190,22 @@ export function create(config?: Record<string, unknown>): Workspace {
         remoteUrl = repoPath;
       }
 
-      // Clone fresh
-      await execFileAsync("git", [
-        "clone",
-        "--reference",
-        repoPath,
-        "--branch",
-        cfg.project.defaultBranch,
-        remoteUrl,
-        workspacePath,
-      ]);
+      // Clone fresh — clean up partial directory on failure
+      try {
+        await execFileAsync("git", [
+          "clone",
+          "--reference",
+          repoPath,
+          "--branch",
+          cfg.project.defaultBranch,
+          remoteUrl,
+          workspacePath,
+        ]);
+      } catch (cloneErr: unknown) {
+        rmSync(workspacePath, { recursive: true, force: true });
+        const msg = cloneErr instanceof Error ? cloneErr.message : String(cloneErr);
+        throw new Error(`Clone failed during restore: ${msg}`, { cause: cloneErr });
+      }
 
       // Try to checkout the branch
       try {