diff --git a/src/services/__tests__/file-watcher.test.ts b/src/services/__tests__/file-watcher.test.ts
index 10e8679..ac7fa02 100644
--- a/src/services/__tests__/file-watcher.test.ts
+++ b/src/services/__tests__/file-watcher.test.ts
@@ -91,6 +91,17 @@ describe('FileWatcher debounce / cooldown / suppress state machine', () => {
     expect(onChange).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
+  it('watches the worktree registry, not each worktree\'s private state', () => {
+    // `worktrees/**` also matched every worktree's runtime files (index.lock,
+    // FETCH_HEAD, COMMIT_EDITMSG, logs/**). In a linked worktree that set is
+    // our OWN gitdir, so the panel's git commands fed its own watcher — an
+    // endless refresh that restarted any in-flight history search. Only the
+    // registry entries `worktree list` actually reports are worth watching.
+    const patterns = h.watchers.map(w => w.pattern.pattern);
+    expect(patterns).toContain('worktrees/*/{HEAD,gitdir,locked}');
+    expect(patterns).not.toContain('worktrees/**');
+  });
+
   it('does not fire when disabled', () => {
     fw.enabled = false;
     fireOn('**', `${REPO}/src/a.ts`);
diff --git a/src/services/file-watcher.ts b/src/services/file-watcher.ts
index 329e0b5..341ab3a 100644
--- a/src/services/file-watcher.ts
+++ b/src/services/file-watcher.ts
@@ -36,7 +36,15 @@ export class FileWatcher implements vscode.Disposable {
     this.addWatcher(new vscode.RelativePattern(this.commonDir, 'refs/stash'));
     this.addWatcher(new vscode.RelativePattern(this.commonDir, 'packed-refs'));
     this.addWatcher(new vscode.RelativePattern(this.commonDir, 'config'));
-    this.addWatcher(new vscode.RelativePattern(this.commonDir, 'worktrees/**'));
+    // Only the registry entries `git worktree list` reports: the admin dir
+    // appearing/disappearing (gitdir), where each worktree points (HEAD), and
+    // its lock state. NOT `worktrees/**` — that also matched every worktree's
+    // private runtime state (index, index.lock, FETCH_HEAD, COMMIT_EDITMSG,
+    // logs/**). For a linked worktree that state IS our own gitdir, so the
+    // panel's own `git status` retriggered its own watcher: a refresh loop
+    // that also restarted any in-flight history search. For a main repo it
+    // meant every git command in a sibling worktree forced a full refresh.
+    this.addWatcher(new vscode.RelativePattern(this.commonDir, 'worktrees/*/{HEAD,gitdir,locked}'));
 
     // Watch working tree for file changes (exclude heavy dirs via specific patterns)
     // Using {src,lib,app,...}/** would be too restrictive, so we watch ** but filter