diff --git a/cmd/bd/doctor.go b/cmd/bd/doctor.go
index 4e18dd19..6beaa69a 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/doctor.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/doctor.go
@@ -572,6 +572,11 @@ func runDiagnostics(path string) doctorResult {
 	result.Checks = append(result.Checks, persistentMolCheck)
 	// Don't fail overall check for persistent mol issues, just warn
 
+	// Check 26c: Legacy merge queue files (gastown mrqueue remnants)
+	staleMQFilesCheck := convertDoctorCheck(doctor.CheckStaleMQFiles(path))
+	result.Checks = append(result.Checks, staleMQFilesCheck)
+	// Don't fail overall check for legacy MQ files, just warn
+
 	// Check 27: Expired tombstones (maintenance)
 	tombstonesExpiredCheck := convertDoctorCheck(doctor.CheckExpiredTombstones(path))
 	result.Checks = append(result.Checks, tombstonesExpiredCheck)
diff --git a/cmd/bd/doctor/maintenance.go b/cmd/bd/doctor/maintenance.go
index 9145454a..33111aab 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/doctor/maintenance.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/doctor/maintenance.go
@@ -392,3 +392,56 @@ func CheckPersistentMolIssues(path string) DoctorCheck {
 		Category: CategoryMaintenance,
 	}
 }
+
+// CheckStaleMQFiles detects legacy .beads/mq/*.json files from gastown.
+// These files are LOCAL ONLY (not committed) and represent stale merge queue
+// entries from the old mrqueue implementation. They are safe to delete since
+// gt done already creates merge-request wisps in beads.
+func CheckStaleMQFiles(path string) DoctorCheck {
+	beadsDir := resolveBeadsDir(filepath.Join(path, ".beads"))
+	mqDir := filepath.Join(beadsDir, "mq")
+
+	if _, err := os.Stat(mqDir); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return DoctorCheck{
+			Name:     "Legacy MQ Files",
+			Status:   StatusOK,
+			Message:  "No legacy merge queue files",
+			Category: CategoryMaintenance,
+		}
+	}
+
+	files, err := filepath.Glob(filepath.Join(mqDir, "*.json"))
+	if err != nil || len(files) == 0 {
+		return DoctorCheck{
+			Name:     "Legacy MQ Files",
+			Status:   StatusOK,
+			Message:  "No legacy merge queue files",
+			Category: CategoryMaintenance,
+		}
+	}
+
+	return DoctorCheck{
+		Name:     "Legacy MQ Files",
+		Status:   StatusWarning,
+		Message:  fmt.Sprintf("%d stale .beads/mq/*.json file(s)", len(files)),
+		Detail:   "Legacy gastown merge queue files (local only, safe to delete)",
+		Fix:      "Run 'bd doctor --fix' to delete, or 'rm -rf .beads/mq/'",
+		Category: CategoryMaintenance,
+	}
+}
+
+// FixStaleMQFiles removes the legacy .beads/mq/ directory and all its contents.
+func FixStaleMQFiles(path string) error {
+	beadsDir := resolveBeadsDir(filepath.Join(path, ".beads"))
+	mqDir := filepath.Join(beadsDir, "mq")
+
+	if _, err := os.Stat(mqDir); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		return nil // Nothing to do
+	}
+
+	if err := os.RemoveAll(mqDir); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to remove %s: %w", mqDir, err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/cmd/bd/doctor/maintenance_test.go b/cmd/bd/doctor/maintenance_test.go
index 35f20baf..8aeb6aeb 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/doctor/maintenance_test.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/doctor/maintenance_test.go
@@ -91,3 +91,124 @@ func TestCheckCompactionCandidates_NoDatabase(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("expected category 'Maintenance', got %q", check.Category)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestCheckStaleMQFiles_NoMQDirectory(t *testing.T) {
+	// Create temp directory with .beads but no mq subdirectory
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	beadsDir := filepath.Join(tmpDir, ".beads")
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(beadsDir, 0755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create .beads dir: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	check := CheckStaleMQFiles(tmpDir)
+
+	if check.Name != "Legacy MQ Files" {
+		t.Errorf("expected name 'Legacy MQ Files', got %q", check.Name)
+	}
+	if check.Status != StatusOK {
+		t.Errorf("expected status OK, got %q", check.Status)
+	}
+	if check.Message != "No legacy merge queue files" {
+		t.Errorf("expected message about no legacy files, got %q", check.Message)
+	}
+	if check.Category != CategoryMaintenance {
+		t.Errorf("expected category 'Maintenance', got %q", check.Category)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCheckStaleMQFiles_EmptyMQDirectory(t *testing.T) {
+	// Create temp directory with .beads/mq but no JSON files
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	mqDir := filepath.Join(tmpDir, ".beads", "mq")
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(mqDir, 0755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create .beads/mq dir: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	check := CheckStaleMQFiles(tmpDir)
+
+	if check.Status != StatusOK {
+		t.Errorf("expected status OK for empty mq dir, got %q", check.Status)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCheckStaleMQFiles_WithJSONFiles(t *testing.T) {
+	// Create temp directory with .beads/mq containing JSON files
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	mqDir := filepath.Join(tmpDir, ".beads", "mq")
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(mqDir, 0755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create .beads/mq dir: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Create some stale MQ files
+	for _, name := range []string{"mr-abc123.json", "mr-def456.json"} {
+		path := filepath.Join(mqDir, name)
+		if err := os.WriteFile(path, []byte(`{"id":"test"}`), 0644); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("failed to create %s: %v", name, err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	check := CheckStaleMQFiles(tmpDir)
+
+	if check.Name != "Legacy MQ Files" {
+		t.Errorf("expected name 'Legacy MQ Files', got %q", check.Name)
+	}
+	if check.Status != StatusWarning {
+		t.Errorf("expected status Warning for mq dir with files, got %q", check.Status)
+	}
+	if check.Message != "2 stale .beads/mq/*.json file(s)" {
+		t.Errorf("expected message about 2 stale files, got %q", check.Message)
+	}
+	if check.Fix == "" {
+		t.Error("expected fix message to be present")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestFixStaleMQFiles_RemovesDirectory(t *testing.T) {
+	// Create temp directory with .beads/mq containing JSON files
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	mqDir := filepath.Join(tmpDir, ".beads", "mq")
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(mqDir, 0755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create .beads/mq dir: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Create a stale MQ file
+	path := filepath.Join(mqDir, "mr-abc123.json")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(path, []byte(`{"id":"test"}`), 0644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create file: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Verify directory exists before fix
+	if _, err := os.Stat(mqDir); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		t.Fatal("mq directory should exist before fix")
+	}
+
+	// Apply the fix
+	if err := FixStaleMQFiles(tmpDir); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("FixStaleMQFiles failed: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Verify directory is removed after fix
+	if _, err := os.Stat(mqDir); !os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		t.Error("mq directory should not exist after fix")
+	}
+
+	// Verify check now passes
+	check := CheckStaleMQFiles(tmpDir)
+	if check.Status != StatusOK {
+		t.Errorf("expected status OK after fix, got %q", check.Status)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestFixStaleMQFiles_NoDirectory(t *testing.T) {
+	// Create temp directory with .beads but no mq subdirectory
+	tmpDir := t.TempDir()
+	beadsDir := filepath.Join(tmpDir, ".beads")
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(beadsDir, 0755); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to create .beads dir: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Fix should succeed even if directory doesn't exist
+	if err := FixStaleMQFiles(tmpDir); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("FixStaleMQFiles should not fail when directory doesn't exist: %v", err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/cmd/bd/doctor_fix.go b/cmd/bd/doctor_fix.go
index 14873406..4e888188 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/doctor_fix.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/doctor_fix.go
@@ -310,6 +310,8 @@ func applyFixList(path string, fixes []doctorCheck) {
 			// No auto-fix: pruning deletes data, must be user-controlled
 			fmt.Printf("  ⚠ Run 'bd cleanup --older-than 90' to prune old closed issues\n")
 			continue
+		case "Legacy MQ Files":
+			err = doctor.FixStaleMQFiles(path)
 		default:
 			fmt.Printf("  ⚠ No automatic fix available for %s\n", check.Name)
 			fmt.Printf("  Manual fix: %s\n", check.Fix)