diff --git a/internal/cmd/prime.go b/internal/cmd/prime.go
index f93ab729..13faacee 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/prime.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/prime.go
@@ -1169,15 +1169,21 @@ func checkSlungWork(ctx RoleContext) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	// Check for hook file in the clone root
-	cloneRoot := ctx.WorkDir
+	// Get the git clone root (hooks are stored at clone root, not cwd)
+	cloneRoot, err := getGitRoot()
+	if err != nil {
+		// Not in a git repo - can't have hooks
+		return
+	}
+
 	sw, err := wisp.ReadHook(cloneRoot, agentID)
 	if err != nil {
 		if errors.Is(err, wisp.ErrNoHook) {
 			// No hook - normal case, nothing to do
 			return
 		}
-		// Other error - log but continue
+		// Log other errors (permission, corruption) but continue
+		fmt.Printf("%s Warning: error reading hook: %v\n", style.Dim.Render("⚠"), err)
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -1196,14 +1202,15 @@ func checkSlungWork(ctx RoleContext) {
 	fmt.Printf("  Slung at: %s\n", sw.CreatedAt.Format("2006-01-02 15:04:05"))
 	fmt.Println()
 
-	// Show the bead details
+	// Show the bead details - verify it exists
 	fmt.Println("**Bead details:**")
 	cmd := exec.Command("bd", "show", sw.BeadID)
 	cmd.Dir = cloneRoot
 	var stdout bytes.Buffer
 	cmd.Stdout = &stdout
 	cmd.Stderr = nil
-	if cmd.Run() == nil {
+	beadExists := cmd.Run() == nil
+	if beadExists {
 		// Show first 20 lines of bead details
 		lines := strings.Split(stdout.String(), "\n")
 		maxLines := 20
@@ -1214,6 +1221,13 @@ func checkSlungWork(ctx RoleContext) {
 		for _, line := range lines {
 			fmt.Printf("  %s\n", line)
 		}
+	} else {
+		fmt.Printf("  %s Bead %s not found! It may have been deleted.\n",
+			style.Bold.Render("⚠ WARNING:"), sw.BeadID)
+		fmt.Println("  The hook will NOT be burned. Investigate this issue.")
+		fmt.Println()
+		// Don't burn - leave hook for debugging
+		return
 	}
 	fmt.Println()
 
@@ -1222,12 +1236,22 @@ func checkSlungWork(ctx RoleContext) {
 	fmt.Println("  Begin working on this bead immediately. No human input needed.")
 	fmt.Println()
 
-	// Burn the hook now that it's been read
+	// Burn the hook now that it's been read and verified
 	if err := wisp.BurnHook(cloneRoot, agentID); err != nil {
 		fmt.Printf("%s Warning: could not burn hook: %v\n", style.Dim.Render("⚠"), err)
 	}
 }
 
+// getGitRoot returns the root of the current git repository.
+func getGitRoot() (string, error) {
+	cmd := exec.Command("git", "rev-parse", "--show-toplevel")
+	out, err := cmd.Output()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", err
+	}
+	return strings.TrimSpace(string(out)), nil
+}
+
 // getAgentIdentity returns the agent identity string for hook lookup.
 func getAgentIdentity(ctx RoleContext) string {
 	switch ctx.Role {
diff --git a/internal/cmd/sling.go b/internal/cmd/sling.go
index cbbda5ed..743f7a7b 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/sling.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/sling.go
@@ -50,6 +50,11 @@ func init() {
 func runSling(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	beadID := args[0]
 
+	// Polecats cannot sling - check early before writing anything
+	if polecatName := os.Getenv("GT_POLECAT"); polecatName != "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("polecats cannot sling (use gt done for handoff)")
+	}
+
 	// Verify the bead exists
 	if err := verifyBeadExists(beadID); err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -166,13 +171,6 @@ func detectCloneRoot() (string, error) {
 
 // triggerHandoff restarts the agent session.
 func triggerHandoff(agentID, beadID string) error {
-	// Check if we're a polecat
-	if polecatName := os.Getenv("GT_POLECAT"); polecatName != "" {
-		fmt.Printf("%s Polecat detected - cannot sling (use gt done instead)\n",
-			style.Bold.Render("⚠"))
-		return fmt.Errorf("polecats cannot sling - use gt done for handoff")
-	}
-
 	// Must be in tmux
 	if !tmux.IsInsideTmux() {
 		return fmt.Errorf("not running in tmux - cannot restart")
diff --git a/internal/wisp/io.go b/internal/wisp/io.go
index 158e4f0d..d6269e2f 100644
--- a/internal/wisp/io.go
+++ b/internal/wisp/io.go
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ func HasHook(root, agent string) bool {
 }
 
 // ListHooks returns a list of agents with active hooks.
+// Agent IDs are returned in their original form (with slashes).
 func ListHooks(root string) ([]string, error) {
 	dir := filepath.Join(root, WispDir)
 	entries, err := os.ReadDir(dir)
@@ -152,7 +153,8 @@ func ListHooks(root string) ([]string, error) {
 		if len(name) > len(HookPrefix)+len(HookSuffix) &&
 			name[:len(HookPrefix)] == HookPrefix &&
 			name[len(name)-len(HookSuffix):] == HookSuffix {
-			agent := name[len(HookPrefix) : len(name)-len(HookSuffix)]
+			sanitized := name[len(HookPrefix) : len(name)-len(HookSuffix)]
+			agent := unsanitizeAgentID(sanitized)
 			agents = append(agents, agent)
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/internal/wisp/types.go b/internal/wisp/types.go
index 64902f5c..92ffa5c9 100644
--- a/internal/wisp/types.go
+++ b/internal/wisp/types.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 package wisp
 
 import (
+	"strings"
 	"time"
 )
 
@@ -126,6 +127,23 @@ func NewPatrolCycle(formula, createdBy string) *PatrolCycle {
 }
 
 // HookFilename returns the filename for an agent's hook file.
+// Agent IDs containing slashes (e.g., "gastown/crew/joe") are sanitized
+// by replacing "/" with "--" to create valid filenames.
 func HookFilename(agent string) string {
-	return HookPrefix + agent + HookSuffix
+	// Sanitize agent ID: replace path separators with double-dash
+	// This is reversible and avoids creating subdirectories
+	sanitized := sanitizeAgentID(agent)
+	return HookPrefix + sanitized + HookSuffix
+}
+
+// sanitizeAgentID converts an agent ID to a safe filename component.
+// "gastown/crew/joe" -> "gastown--crew--joe"
+func sanitizeAgentID(agent string) string {
+	return strings.ReplaceAll(agent, "/", "--")
+}
+
+// unsanitizeAgentID converts a sanitized filename back to an agent ID.
+// "gastown--crew--joe" -> "gastown/crew/joe"
+func unsanitizeAgentID(sanitized string) string {
+	return strings.ReplaceAll(sanitized, "--", "/")
 }