diff --git a/internal/cmd/prime.go b/internal/cmd/prime.go
index 60956bef..4c1a5cfd 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/prime.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/prime.go
@@ -74,6 +74,9 @@ func runPrime(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 	// Detect role
 	ctx := detectRole(cwd, townRoot)
 
+	// Ensure beads redirect exists for worktree-based roles
+	ensureBeadsRedirect(ctx)
+
 	// Output context
 	if err := outputPrimeContext(ctx); err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -664,3 +667,81 @@ func outputDeaconPatrolContext(ctx RoleContext) {
 	fmt.Println("  bd close <in-progress-issues>")
 	fmt.Println("  gt mol bond mol-deacon-patrol")
 }
+
+// ensureBeadsRedirect ensures the .beads/redirect file exists for worktree-based roles.
+// This handles cases where git clean or other operations delete the redirect file.
+func ensureBeadsRedirect(ctx RoleContext) {
+	// Only applies to crew and polecat roles (they use shared beads)
+	if ctx.Role != RoleCrew && ctx.Role != RolePolecat {
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Check if redirect already exists
+	beadsDir := filepath.Join(ctx.WorkDir, ".beads")
+	redirectPath := filepath.Join(beadsDir, "redirect")
+
+	if _, err := os.Stat(redirectPath); err == nil {
+		// Redirect exists, nothing to do
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Determine the correct redirect path based on role and rig structure
+	var redirectContent string
+
+	// Get the rig root (parent of crew/ or polecats/)
+	var rigRoot string
+	relPath, err := filepath.Rel(ctx.TownRoot, ctx.WorkDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+	parts := strings.Split(filepath.ToSlash(relPath), "/")
+	if len(parts) >= 1 {
+		rigRoot = filepath.Join(ctx.TownRoot, parts[0])
+	} else {
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Check for shared beads locations in order of preference:
+	// 1. rig/mayor/rig/.beads/ (if mayor rig clone exists)
+	// 2. rig/.beads/ (rig root beads)
+	mayorRigBeads := filepath.Join(rigRoot, "mayor", "rig", ".beads")
+	rigRootBeads := filepath.Join(rigRoot, ".beads")
+
+	if _, err := os.Stat(mayorRigBeads); err == nil {
+		// Use mayor/rig/.beads
+		if ctx.Role == RoleCrew {
+			// crew/<name>/.beads -> ../../mayor/rig/.beads
+			redirectContent = "../../mayor/rig/.beads"
+		} else {
+			// polecats/<name>/.beads -> ../../mayor/rig/.beads
+			redirectContent = "../../mayor/rig/.beads"
+		}
+	} else if _, err := os.Stat(rigRootBeads); err == nil {
+		// Use rig root .beads
+		if ctx.Role == RoleCrew {
+			// crew/<name>/.beads -> ../../.beads
+			redirectContent = "../../.beads"
+		} else {
+			// polecats/<name>/.beads -> ../../.beads
+			redirectContent = "../../.beads"
+		}
+	} else {
+		// No shared beads found, nothing to redirect to
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Create .beads directory if needed
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(beadsDir, 0755); err != nil {
+		// Silently fail - not critical
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Write redirect file
+	if err := os.WriteFile(redirectPath, []byte(redirectContent+"\n"), 0644); err != nil {
+		// Silently fail - not critical
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Note: We don't print a message here to avoid cluttering prime output
+	// The redirect is silently restored
+}
diff --git a/internal/crew/manager.go b/internal/crew/manager.go
index 99bc300f..8654732a 100644
--- a/internal/crew/manager.go
+++ b/internal/crew/manager.go
@@ -98,6 +98,12 @@ func (m *Manager) Add(name string, createBranch bool) (*CrewWorker, error) {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("creating mail dir: %w", err)
 	}
 
+	// Set up shared beads: crew uses rig's shared beads via redirect file
+	if err := m.setupSharedBeads(crewPath); err != nil {
+		// Non-fatal - crew can still work, warn but don't fail
+		fmt.Printf("Warning: could not set up shared beads: %v\n", err)
+	}
+
 	// Create CLAUDE.md with crew worker prompting
 	if err := m.createClaudeMD(name, crewPath); err != nil {
 		_ = os.RemoveAll(crewPath)
@@ -380,3 +386,53 @@ type PristineResult struct {
 	Synced     bool   `json:"synced"`
 	SyncError  string `json:"sync_error,omitempty"`
 }
+
+// setupSharedBeads creates a redirect file so the crew worker uses the rig's shared .beads database.
+// This eliminates the need for git sync between crew clones - all crew members share one database.
+//
+// Structure:
+//
+//	rig/
+//	  mayor/rig/.beads/     <- Shared database (the canonical location)
+//	  crew/
+//	    <name>/
+//	      .beads/
+//	        redirect        <- Contains "../../mayor/rig/.beads"
+func (m *Manager) setupSharedBeads(crewPath string) error {
+	// The shared beads database is at rig/mayor/rig/.beads/
+	// Crew clones are at rig/crew/<name>/
+	// So the relative path is ../../mayor/rig/.beads
+	sharedBeadsPath := filepath.Join(m.rig.Path, "mayor", "rig", ".beads")
+
+	// Verify the shared beads exists
+	if _, err := os.Stat(sharedBeadsPath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+		// Fall back to rig root .beads if mayor/rig doesn't exist
+		sharedBeadsPath = filepath.Join(m.rig.Path, ".beads")
+		if _, err := os.Stat(sharedBeadsPath); os.IsNotExist(err) {
+			return fmt.Errorf("no shared beads database found")
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Create crew's .beads directory
+	crewBeadsDir := filepath.Join(crewPath, ".beads")
+	if err := os.MkdirAll(crewBeadsDir, 0755); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("creating crew .beads dir: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	// Calculate relative path from crew/.beads/ to shared beads
+	// crew/<name>/.beads/ -> ../../mayor/rig/.beads or ../../.beads
+	var redirectContent string
+	if _, err := os.Stat(filepath.Join(m.rig.Path, "mayor", "rig", ".beads")); err == nil {
+		redirectContent = "../../mayor/rig/.beads\n"
+	} else {
+		redirectContent = "../../.beads\n"
+	}
+
+	// Create redirect file
+	redirectPath := filepath.Join(crewBeadsDir, "redirect")
+	if err := os.WriteFile(redirectPath, []byte(redirectContent), 0644); err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("creating redirect file: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	return nil
+}