diff --git a/.claude/guard-branch.sh b/.claude/guard-branch.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..6d6ca93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.claude/guard-branch.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# PreToolUse hook for Bash tool: blocks git commit/push on protected branches.
+# TOOL_INPUT is JSON with a "command" field containing the bash command.
+
+PROTECTED_BRANCHES=("develop" "main" "master")
+
+COMMAND="${TOOL_INPUT:-}"
+
+# Only check commands that look like git commit or git push
+if ! echo "$COMMAND" | grep -qE '\bgit\b.*(commit|push)'; then
+  exit 0
+fi
+
+BRANCH="$(git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD 2>/dev/null || echo "")"
+
+for protected in "${PROTECTED_BRANCHES[@]}"; do
+  if [[ "$BRANCH" == "$protected" ]]; then
+    echo "BLOCKED: Cannot commit or push on protected branch '$BRANCH'."
+    echo "Create a feature branch first: git checkout -b feature/<name>"
+    exit 2
+  fi
+done
+
+exit 0
diff --git a/.claude/settings.json b/.claude/settings.json
index 3c4a2bd..24c6445 100644
--- a/.claude/settings.json
+++ b/.claude/settings.json
@@ -6,13 +6,14 @@
     "PreCompact": [
       { "hooks": [{ "type": "command", "command": "beans prime" }] }
     ],
-    "PreToolCall": [
+    "PreToolUse": [
       {
         "matcher": "Bash",
         "hooks": [
           {
             "type": "command",
-            "command": "bash -c 'if echo \"$TOOL_INPUT\" | grep -q \"git commit\"; then BRANCH=$(git branch --show-current); if [ \"$BRANCH\" = \"develop\" ] || [ \"$BRANCH\" = \"main\" ]; then echo \"BLOCK: Cannot commit directly to $BRANCH. Create a feature branch first: git checkout -b feature/<name>\"; exit 2; fi; fi'"
+            "command": ".claude/guard-branch.sh",
+            "statusMessage": "Checking branch protection..."
           }
         ]
       }
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index f8c3f4f..0959288 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -1,11 +1,15 @@
 # Branching Strategy
 
-- **Never commit directly to `develop` or `main`.** Always create a `feature/*` branch first.
-- When starting an **epic**, create `feature/<epic-title-slug>` off `develop`
-- When starting a **standalone task/bug** (no parent epic), create `feature/<task-title-slug>` off `develop`
-- Each task within an epic gets its own commit(s) on the epic's feature branch
-- Branch naming: use a kebab-case slug of the bean title (e.g., `feature/add-auth-system`)
-- When the epic/task is complete, squash merge into `develop`
+- **NEVER commit or push directly to `develop` or `main`.** These branches are protected. All work happens on `feature/*` branches.
+- **Every epic** gets its own feature branch: `feature/<epic-title-slug>` off `develop`
+- **Every standalone task/bug** (no parent epic) gets its own feature branch: `feature/<task-title-slug>` off `develop`
+- Branch naming: kebab-case slug of the bean title (e.g., `feature/add-auth-system`)
+
+## Committing workflow
+
+- **Every completed task gets its own commit** on the feature branch — including tasks within an epic. One task = one commit.
+- After finishing a task, **immediately commit** the changes to the feature branch. Do not batch multiple tasks into a single commit.
+- When the epic or standalone task is fully complete, squash merge the feature branch into `develop` (via PR).
 
 # Pre-commit Hooks
 
@@ -21,7 +25,7 @@ Frontend hooks require `npm ci` in `frontend/` first (they use `npx` to run from
 
 # Instructions
 
-- After completing a task, always ask the user if they'd like to commit the changes.
+- After completing a task, immediately commit the changes to the current feature branch and ask the user to confirm.
 - Before working on a bean, always set it to in-progress. After the changes related to the bean are committed, mark it as completed.
 - If a bean is marked as draft, refine it first before starting work on it.
 - When completing a bean that has a parent (epic, feature, etc.), check the parent's checklist/success criteria for items that can now be marked as completed and update them.