diff --git a/internal/cmd/doctor.go b/internal/cmd/doctor.go
index bc269ff4..94702e6e 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/doctor.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/doctor.go
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ func runDoctor(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	d.Register(doctor.NewPrefixMismatchCheck())
 	d.Register(doctor.NewRoutesCheck())
 	d.Register(doctor.NewRigRoutesJSONLCheck())
+	d.Register(doctor.NewRoutingModeCheck())
 	d.Register(doctor.NewOrphanSessionCheck())
 	d.Register(doctor.NewZombieSessionCheck())
 	d.Register(doctor.NewOrphanProcessCheck())
diff --git a/internal/doctor/routing_mode_check.go b/internal/doctor/routing_mode_check.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3edf696b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/doctor/routing_mode_check.go
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+package doctor
+
+import (
+	"bytes"
+	"fmt"
+	"os/exec"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
+)
+
+// RoutingModeCheck detects when beads routing.mode is set to "auto", which can
+// cause issues to be unexpectedly routed to ~/.beads-planning instead of the
+// local .beads directory. This happens because auto mode uses git remote URL
+// to detect user role, and non-SSH URLs are interpreted as "contributor" mode.
+//
+// See: https://github.com/steveyegge/beads/issues/1165
+type RoutingModeCheck struct {
+	FixableCheck
+}
+
+// NewRoutingModeCheck creates a new routing mode check.
+func NewRoutingModeCheck() *RoutingModeCheck {
+	return &RoutingModeCheck{
+		FixableCheck: FixableCheck{
+			BaseCheck: BaseCheck{
+				CheckName:        "routing-mode",
+				CheckDescription: "Check beads routing.mode is explicit (prevents .beads-planning routing)",
+				CheckCategory:    CategoryConfig,
+			},
+		},
+	}
+}
+
+// Run checks if routing.mode is set to "explicit".
+func (c *RoutingModeCheck) Run(ctx *CheckContext) *CheckResult {
+	// Check town-level beads config
+	townBeadsDir := filepath.Join(ctx.TownRoot, ".beads")
+	result := c.checkRoutingMode(townBeadsDir, "town")
+	if result.Status != StatusOK {
+		return result
+	}
+
+	// Also check rig-level beads if specified
+	if ctx.RigName != "" {
+		rigBeadsDir := filepath.Join(ctx.RigPath(), ".beads")
+		rigResult := c.checkRoutingMode(rigBeadsDir, fmt.Sprintf("rig '%s'", ctx.RigName))
+		if rigResult.Status != StatusOK {
+			return rigResult
+		}
+	}
+
+	return &CheckResult{
+		Name:    c.Name(),
+		Status:  StatusOK,
+		Message: "Beads routing.mode is explicit",
+	}
+}
+
+// checkRoutingMode checks the routing mode in a specific beads directory.
+func (c *RoutingModeCheck) checkRoutingMode(beadsDir, location string) *CheckResult {
+	// Run bd config get routing.mode
+	cmd := exec.Command("bd", "config", "get", "routing.mode")
+	cmd.Dir = filepath.Dir(beadsDir)
+	cmd.Env = append(cmd.Environ(), "BEADS_DIR="+beadsDir)
+
+	var stdout, stderr bytes.Buffer
+	cmd.Stdout = &stdout
+	cmd.Stderr = &stderr
+
+	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {
+		// If the config key doesn't exist, that means it defaults to "auto"
+		if strings.Contains(stderr.String(), "not found") || strings.Contains(stderr.String(), "not set") {
+			return &CheckResult{
+				Name:   c.Name(),
+				Status: StatusWarning,
+				Message: fmt.Sprintf("routing.mode not set at %s (defaults to auto)", location),
+				Details: []string{
+					"Auto routing mode uses git remote URL to detect user role",
+					"Non-SSH URLs (HTTPS or file paths) trigger routing to ~/.beads-planning",
+					"This causes mail and issues to be stored in the wrong location",
+					"See: https://github.com/steveyegge/beads/issues/1165",
+				},
+				FixHint: "Run 'gt doctor --fix' or 'bd config set routing.mode explicit'",
+			}
+		}
+		// Other error - report as warning
+		return &CheckResult{
+			Name:    c.Name(),
+			Status:  StatusWarning,
+			Message: fmt.Sprintf("Could not check routing.mode at %s: %v", location, err),
+		}
+	}
+
+	mode := strings.TrimSpace(stdout.String())
+	if mode != "explicit" {
+		return &CheckResult{
+			Name:   c.Name(),
+			Status: StatusWarning,
+			Message: fmt.Sprintf("routing.mode is '%s' at %s (should be 'explicit')", mode, location),
+			Details: []string{
+				"Auto routing mode uses git remote URL to detect user role",
+				"Non-SSH URLs (HTTPS or file paths) trigger routing to ~/.beads-planning",
+				"This causes mail and issues to be stored in the wrong location",
+				"See: https://github.com/steveyegge/beads/issues/1165",
+			},
+			FixHint: "Run 'gt doctor --fix' or 'bd config set routing.mode explicit'",
+		}
+	}
+
+	return &CheckResult{
+		Name:    c.Name(),
+		Status:  StatusOK,
+		Message: fmt.Sprintf("routing.mode is explicit at %s", location),
+	}
+}
+
+// Fix sets routing.mode to "explicit" in both town and rig beads.
+func (c *RoutingModeCheck) Fix(ctx *CheckContext) error {
+	// Fix town-level beads
+	townBeadsDir := filepath.Join(ctx.TownRoot, ".beads")
+	if err := c.setRoutingMode(townBeadsDir); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("fixing town beads: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Also fix rig-level beads if specified
+	if ctx.RigName != "" {
+		rigBeadsDir := filepath.Join(ctx.RigPath(), ".beads")
+		if err := c.setRoutingMode(rigBeadsDir); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("fixing rig %s beads: %w", ctx.RigName, err)
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}
+
+// setRoutingMode sets routing.mode to "explicit" in the specified beads directory.
+func (c *RoutingModeCheck) setRoutingMode(beadsDir string) error {
+	cmd := exec.Command("bd", "config", "set", "routing.mode", "explicit")
+	cmd.Dir = filepath.Dir(beadsDir)
+	cmd.Env = append(cmd.Environ(), "BEADS_DIR="+beadsDir)
+
+	if output, err := cmd.CombinedOutput(); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("bd config set failed: %s", strings.TrimSpace(string(output)))
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}