OpenKnots · BunsDev · Apr 8, 2026 · Apr 8, 2026
diff --git a/apps/server/src/git/Layers/GitManager.test.ts b/apps/server/src/git/Layers/GitManager.test.ts
@@ -491,6 +491,7 @@ function runStackedAction(
     actionId?: string;
     commitMessage?: string;
     featureBranch?: boolean;
+    featureBranchName?: string;
     rebaseBeforeCommit?: boolean;
     filePaths?: readonly string[];
   },
@@ -1360,6 +1361,99 @@ it.layer(GitManagerTestLayer)("GitManager", (it) => {
     }),
   );
 
+  it.effect("uses the requested feature branch name when creating a new PR head", () =>
+    Effect.gen(function* () {
+      const repoDir = yield* makeTempDir("okcode-git-manager-");
+      yield* initRepo(repoDir);
+      const remoteDir = yield* createBareRemote();
+      yield* runGit(repoDir, ["remote", "add", "origin", remoteDir]);
+      fs.writeFileSync(path.join(repoDir, "changes.txt"), "change\n");
+
+      const { manager, ghCalls } = yield* makeManager({
+        ghScenario: {
+          prListSequence: [
+            "[]",
+            JSON.stringify([
+              {
+                number: 99,
+                title: "Custom head branch PR",
+                url: "https://github.com/pingdotgg/codething-mvp/pull/99",
+                baseRefName: "main",
+                headRefName: "feature/custom-head",
+              },
+            ]),
+          ],
+        },
+      });
+
+      const result = yield* runStackedAction(manager, {
+        cwd: repoDir,
+        action: "commit_push_pr",
+        featureBranch: true,
+        featureBranchName: "custom-head",
+      });
+
+      expect(result.branch.status).toBe("created");
+      expect(result.branch.name).toBe("feature/custom-head");
+      expect(
+        ghCalls.some((call) => call.includes("pr create --base main --head feature/custom-head")),
+      ).toBe(true);
+    }),
+  );
+
+  it.effect(
+    "defaults PR base to the local default branch when GitHub metadata is unavailable",
+    () =>
+      Effect.gen(function* () {
+        const repoDir = yield* makeTempDir("okcode-git-manager-");
+        yield* runGit(repoDir, ["init", "--initial-branch=master"]);
+        yield* runGit(repoDir, ["config", "user.email", "test@example.com"]);
+        yield* runGit(repoDir, ["config", "user.name", "Test User"]);
+        yield* runGit(repoDir, ["config", "commit.gpgsign", "false"]);
+        fs.writeFileSync(path.join(repoDir, "README.md"), "hello\n");
+        yield* runGit(repoDir, ["add", "README.md"]);
+        yield* runGit(repoDir, ["commit", "-m", "Initial commit"]);
+        const remoteDir = yield* createBareRemote();
+        yield* runGit(repoDir, ["remote", "add", "origin", remoteDir]);
+        yield* runGit(repoDir, ["push", "-u", "origin", "master"]);
+        yield* runGit(repoDir, ["remote", "set-head", "origin", "master"]);
+        yield* runGit(repoDir, ["checkout", "-b", "feature/local-default-base"]);
+        fs.writeFileSync(path.join(repoDir, "feature.txt"), "feature\n");
+        yield* runGit(repoDir, ["add", "feature.txt"]);
+        yield* runGit(repoDir, ["commit", "-m", "Feature commit"]);
+        yield* runGit(repoDir, ["push", "-u", "origin", "feature/local-default-base"]);
+
+        const { manager, ghCalls } = yield* makeManager({
+          ghScenario: {
+            prListSequence: [
+              "[]",
+              JSON.stringify([
+                {
+                  number: 101,
+                  title: "Local default branch PR",
+                  url: "https://github.com/pingdotgg/codething-mvp/pull/101",
+                  baseRefName: "master",
+                  headRefName: "feature/local-default-base",
+                },
+              ]),
+            ],
+          },
+        });
+
+        const result = yield* runStackedAction(manager, {
+          cwd: repoDir,
+          action: "commit_push_pr",
+        });
+
+        expect(result.pr.status).toBe("created");
+        expect(
+          ghCalls.some((call) =>
+            call.includes("pr create --base master --head feature/local-default-base"),
+          ),
+        ).toBe(true);
+      }),
+  );
+
   it.effect("creates cross-repo PRs with the fork owner selector and default base branch", () =>
     Effect.gen(function* () {
       const repoDir = yield* makeTempDir("okcode-git-manager-");

diff --git a/apps/server/src/git/Layers/GitManager.ts b/apps/server/src/git/Layers/GitManager.ts
@@ -676,10 +676,17 @@ export const makeGitManager = Effect.gen(function* () {
     headContext: Pick<BranchHeadContext, "headBranch" | "isCrossRepository">,
   ) =>
     Effect.gen(function* () {
+      const branchList = yield* gitCore.listBranches({ cwd });
+      const localDefaultBranch =
+        branchList.branches.find((candidate) => !candidate.isRemote && candidate.isDefault)?.name ??
+        null;
       const defaultFromGh = yield* gitHubCli
         .getDefaultBranch({ cwd })
         .pipe(Effect.catch(() => Effect.succeed(null)));
-      const fallbackBase = defaultFromGh ?? "main";
+      const fallbackBase =
+        [localDefaultBranch, defaultFromGh, "main"].find(
+          (candidate): candidate is string => typeof candidate === "string" && candidate.length > 0,
+        ) ?? "main";
       const configured = yield* gitCore.readConfigValue(cwd, `branch.${branch}.gh-merge-base`);
       if (configured && configured !== headContext.headBranch && configured === fallbackBase) {
         return configured;
@@ -1275,6 +1282,7 @@ export const makeGitManager = Effect.gen(function* () {
     commitMessage?: string,
     filePaths?: readonly string[],
     model?: string,
+    featureBranchName?: string,
   ) =>
     Effect.gen(function* () {
       const suggestion = yield* resolveCommitAndBranchSuggestion({
@@ -1292,7 +1300,11 @@ export const makeGitManager = Effect.gen(function* () {
         );
       }
 
-      const preferredBranch = suggestion.branch ?? sanitizeFeatureBranchName(suggestion.subject);
+      const trimmedFeatureBranchName = featureBranchName?.trim() ?? "";
+      const preferredBranch =
+        trimmedFeatureBranchName.length > 0
+          ? trimmedFeatureBranchName
+          : (suggestion.branch ?? sanitizeFeatureBranchName(suggestion.subject));
       const existingBranchNames = yield* gitCore.listLocalBranchNames(cwd);
       const resolvedBranch = resolveAutoFeatureBranchName(existingBranchNames, preferredBranch);
 
@@ -1379,6 +1391,7 @@ export const makeGitManager = Effect.gen(function* () {
             input.commitMessage,
             input.filePaths,
             input.textGenerationModel,
+            input.featureBranchName,
           );
           branchStep = result.branchStep;
           commitMessageForStep = result.resolvedCommitMessage;

diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/GitActionsControl.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/GitActionsControl.tsx
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ import { useAppSettings } from "~/appSettings";
 import { Alert, AlertDescription, AlertTitle } from "~/components/ui/alert";
 import { Button } from "~/components/ui/button";
 import { Checkbox } from "~/components/ui/checkbox";
+import { Input } from "~/components/ui/input";
 import {
   Dialog,
   DialogDescription,
@@ -98,6 +99,7 @@ interface PendingDefaultBranchAction {
   branchName: string;
   includesCommit: boolean;
   commitMessage?: string;
+  featureBranchName?: string;
   forcePushOnlyProgress: boolean;
   onConfirmed?: () => void;
   filePaths?: string[];
@@ -124,6 +126,7 @@ interface RunGitActionWithToastInput {
   skipDefaultBranchPrompt?: boolean;
   statusOverride?: GitStatusResult | null;
   featureBranch?: boolean;
+  featureBranchName?: string;
   isDefaultBranchOverride?: boolean;
   progressToastId?: GitActionToastId;
   filePaths?: string[];
@@ -134,6 +137,7 @@ type RetryableGitActionInput = Pick<
   | "action"
   | "commitMessage"
   | "featureBranch"
+  | "featureBranchName"
   | "filePaths"
   | "forcePushOnlyProgress"
   | "skipDefaultBranchPrompt"
@@ -153,6 +157,7 @@ function toRetryableGitActionInput(input: RunGitActionWithToastInput): Retryable
     action: input.action,
     ...(input.commitMessage ? { commitMessage: input.commitMessage } : {}),
     ...(input.featureBranch ? { featureBranch: input.featureBranch } : {}),
+    ...(input.featureBranchName ? { featureBranchName: input.featureBranchName } : {}),
     ...(input.filePaths ? { filePaths: input.filePaths } : {}),
     ...(input.forcePushOnlyProgress ? { forcePushOnlyProgress: input.forcePushOnlyProgress } : {}),
     ...(input.skipDefaultBranchPrompt
@@ -360,6 +365,7 @@ export default function GitActionsControl({ gitCwd, activeThreadId }: GitActions
   const queryClient = useQueryClient();
   const [activeDialogAction, setActiveDialogAction] = useState<GitDialogAction | null>(null);
   const [dialogCommitMessage, setDialogCommitMessage] = useState("");
+  const [dialogFeatureBranchName, setDialogFeatureBranchName] = useState("");
   const [excludedFiles, setExcludedFiles] = useState<ReadonlySet<string>>(new Set());
   const [isEditingFiles, setIsEditingFiles] = useState(false);
   const [pendingDefaultBranchAction, setPendingDefaultBranchAction] =
@@ -625,6 +631,7 @@ export default function GitActionsControl({ gitCwd, activeThreadId }: GitActions
       skipDefaultBranchPrompt = false,
       statusOverride,
       featureBranch = false,
+      featureBranchName,
       isDefaultBranchOverride,
       progressToastId,
       filePaths,
@@ -648,6 +655,7 @@ export default function GitActionsControl({ gitCwd, activeThreadId }: GitActions
           branchName: actionBranch,
           includesCommit,
           ...(commitMessage ? { commitMessage } : {}),
+          ...(featureBranchName ? { featureBranchName } : {}),
           forcePushOnlyProgress,
           ...(onConfirmed ? { onConfirmed } : {}),
           ...(filePaths ? { filePaths } : {}),
@@ -702,6 +710,7 @@ export default function GitActionsControl({ gitCwd, activeThreadId }: GitActions
         action,
         ...(commitMessage ? { commitMessage } : {}),
         ...(featureBranch ? { featureBranch } : {}),
+        ...(featureBranchName ? { featureBranchName } : {}),
         ...(settings.rebaseBeforeCommit ? { rebaseBeforeCommit: true } : {}),
         ...(filePaths ? { filePaths } : {}),
       });
@@ -798,6 +807,7 @@ export default function GitActionsControl({ gitCwd, activeThreadId }: GitActions
               action,
               ...(commitMessage ? { commitMessage } : {}),
               ...(featureBranch ? { featureBranch } : {}),
+              ...(featureBranchName ? { featureBranchName } : {}),
               ...(filePaths ? { filePaths } : {}),
               ...(forcePushOnlyProgress ? { forcePushOnlyProgress } : {}),
               ...(skipDefaultBranchPrompt ? { skipDefaultBranchPrompt } : {}),
@@ -831,12 +841,19 @@ export default function GitActionsControl({ gitCwd, activeThreadId }: GitActions
 
   const continuePendingDefaultBranchAction = useCallback(() => {
     if (!pendingDefaultBranchAction) return;
-    const { action, commitMessage, forcePushOnlyProgress, onConfirmed, filePaths } =
-      pendingDefaultBranchAction;
+    const {
+      action,
+      commitMessage,
+      featureBranchName,
+      forcePushOnlyProgress,
+      onConfirmed,
+      filePaths,
+    } = pendingDefaultBranchAction;
     setPendingDefaultBranchAction(null);
     void runGitActionWithToast({
       action,
       ...(commitMessage ? { commitMessage } : {}),
+      ...(featureBranchName ? { featureBranchName } : {}),
       forcePushOnlyProgress,
       ...(onConfirmed ? { onConfirmed } : {}),
       ...(filePaths ? { filePaths } : {}),
@@ -876,12 +893,19 @@ export default function GitActionsControl({ gitCwd, activeThreadId }: GitActions
 
   const checkoutFeatureBranchAndContinuePendingAction = useCallback(() => {
     if (!pendingDefaultBranchAction) return;
-    const { action, commitMessage, forcePushOnlyProgress, onConfirmed, filePaths } =
-      pendingDefaultBranchAction;
+    const {
+      action,
+      commitMessage,
+      featureBranchName,
+      forcePushOnlyProgress,
+      onConfirmed,
+      filePaths,
+    } = pendingDefaultBranchAction;
     setPendingDefaultBranchAction(null);
     void runGitActionWithToast({
       action,
       ...(commitMessage ? { commitMessage } : {}),
+      ...(featureBranchName ? { featureBranchName } : {}),
       forcePushOnlyProgress,
       ...(onConfirmed ? { onConfirmed } : {}),
       ...(filePaths ? { filePaths } : {}),
@@ -893,15 +917,18 @@ export default function GitActionsControl({ gitCwd, activeThreadId }: GitActions
   const runDialogActionOnNewBranch = useCallback(() => {
     if (!activeDialogAction || !activeDialogIncludesCommit) return;
     const commitMessage = dialogCommitMessage.trim();
+    const featureBranchName = dialogFeatureBranchName.trim();
 
     setActiveDialogAction(null);
     setDialogCommitMessage("");
+    setDialogFeatureBranchName("");
     setExcludedFiles(new Set());
     setIsEditingFiles(false);
 
     void runGitActionWithToast({
       action: activeDialogAction,
       ...(commitMessage ? { commitMessage } : {}),
+      ...(featureBranchName ? { featureBranchName } : {}),
       ...(!allSelected ? { filePaths: selectedFiles.map((f) => f.path) } : {}),
       featureBranch: true,
       skipDefaultBranchPrompt: true,
@@ -911,6 +938,7 @@ export default function GitActionsControl({ gitCwd, activeThreadId }: GitActions
     activeDialogIncludesCommit,
     allSelected,
     dialogCommitMessage,
+    dialogFeatureBranchName,
     selectedFiles,
   ]);
 
@@ -1104,6 +1132,7 @@ export default function GitActionsControl({ gitCwd, activeThreadId }: GitActions
     }
     if (quickAction.action) {
       setDialogCommitMessage("");
+      setDialogFeatureBranchName("");
       setExcludedFiles(new Set());
       setIsEditingFiles(false);
       setActiveDialogAction(quickAction.action);
@@ -1130,6 +1159,7 @@ export default function GitActionsControl({ gitCwd, activeThreadId }: GitActions
         return;
       }
       setDialogCommitMessage("");
+      setDialogFeatureBranchName("");
       setExcludedFiles(new Set());
       setIsEditingFiles(false);
       if (item.dialogAction === "push") {
@@ -1151,6 +1181,7 @@ export default function GitActionsControl({ gitCwd, activeThreadId }: GitActions
     const includesCommit = dialogIncludesCommit(activeDialogAction, gitStatusForActions);
     setActiveDialogAction(null);
     setDialogCommitMessage("");
+    setDialogFeatureBranchName("");
     setExcludedFiles(new Set());
     setIsEditingFiles(false);
     void runGitActionWithToast({
@@ -1427,6 +1458,7 @@ export default function GitActionsControl({ gitCwd, activeThreadId }: GitActions
           if (!open) {
             setActiveDialogAction(null);
             setDialogCommitMessage("");
+            setDialogFeatureBranchName("");
             setExcludedFiles(new Set());
             setIsEditingFiles(false);
           }
@@ -1550,6 +1582,20 @@ export default function GitActionsControl({ gitCwd, activeThreadId }: GitActions
                 )}
               </div>
             </div>
+            {activeDialogIncludesCommit && activeDialogAction === "commit_push_pr" ? (
+              <div className="space-y-1">
+                <p className="text-xs font-medium">Head branch (optional)</p>
+                <Input
+                  value={dialogFeatureBranchName}
+                  onChange={(event) => setDialogFeatureBranchName(event.target.value)}
+                  placeholder="feature/my-change"
+                  size="sm"
+                />
+                <p className="text-[11px] text-muted-foreground">
+                  Used when you choose to create a new feature branch for this PR.
+                </p>
+              </div>
+            ) : null}
             {activeDialogIncludesCommit ? (
               <div className="space-y-1">
                 <p className="text-xs font-medium">Commit message (optional)</p>
@@ -1569,6 +1615,7 @@ export default function GitActionsControl({ gitCwd, activeThreadId }: GitActions
               onClick={() => {
                 setActiveDialogAction(null);
                 setDialogCommitMessage("");
+                setDialogFeatureBranchName("");
                 setExcludedFiles(new Set());
                 setIsEditingFiles(false);
               }}

diff --git a/apps/web/src/lib/gitReactQuery.ts b/apps/web/src/lib/gitReactQuery.ts
@@ -156,13 +156,15 @@ export function gitRunStackedActionMutationOptions(input: {
       action,
       commitMessage,
       featureBranch,
+      featureBranchName,
       rebaseBeforeCommit,
       filePaths,
     }: {
       actionId: string;
       action: GitStackedAction;
       commitMessage?: string;
       featureBranch?: boolean;
+      featureBranchName?: string;
       rebaseBeforeCommit?: boolean;
       filePaths?: string[];
     }) => {
@@ -174,6 +176,7 @@ export function gitRunStackedActionMutationOptions(input: {
         action,
         ...(commitMessage ? { commitMessage } : {}),
         ...(featureBranch ? { featureBranch } : {}),
+        ...(featureBranchName ? { featureBranchName } : {}),
         ...(rebaseBeforeCommit ? { rebaseBeforeCommit } : {}),
         ...(filePaths ? { filePaths } : {}),
         ...(input.textGenerationModel ? { textGenerationModel: input.textGenerationModel } : {}),