diff --git a/internal/cmd/done.go b/internal/cmd/done.go
index 106cce4b..672c79d6 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/done.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/done.go
@@ -162,17 +162,6 @@ func runDone(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		if branch == defaultBranch || branch == "master" {
 			return fmt.Errorf("cannot submit %s/master branch to merge queue", defaultBranch)
 		}
-
-		// Check for unpushed commits - branch must be pushed before MR creation
-		// Use BranchPushedToRemote which handles polecat branches without upstream tracking
-		pushed, unpushedCount, err := g.BranchPushedToRemote(branch, "origin")
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("checking if branch is pushed: %w", err)
-		}
-		if !pushed {
-			return fmt.Errorf("branch has %d unpushed commit(s); run 'git push -u origin %s' first", unpushedCount, branch)
-		}
-
 		// Check that branch has commits ahead of default branch (prevents submitting stale branches)
 		aheadCount, err := g.CommitsAhead(defaultBranch, branch)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/cmd/mq_submit.go b/internal/cmd/mq_submit.go
index 0e46dff0..f453dc3d 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/mq_submit.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/mq_submit.go
@@ -90,17 +90,6 @@ func runMqSubmit(cmd *cobra.Command, args []string) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("cannot submit %s/master branch to merge queue", defaultBranch)
 	}
 
-	// CRITICAL: Verify branch is pushed before creating MR bead
-	// This prevents work loss when MR is created but commits aren't on remote.
-	// See: gt-2hwi9 (Polecats not pushing before signaling done)
-	pushed, unpushedCount, err := g.BranchPushedToRemote(branch, "origin")
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("checking if branch is pushed: %w", err)
-	}
-	if !pushed {
-		return fmt.Errorf("branch has %d unpushed commit(s); run 'git push -u origin %s' first", unpushedCount, branch)
-	}
-
 	// Parse branch info
 	info := parseBranchName(branch)