diff --git a/.lane/memory/apps/host/src/compute.ts/01M5AHG0YFSH0H05S3Y0N16BKF-git-worktree-list-prints-rea.md b/.lane/memory/apps/host/src/compute.ts/01M5AHG0YFSH0H05S3Y0N16BKF-git-worktree-list-prints-rea.md
index 40781fcf..0328e5cc 100644
--- a/.lane/memory/apps/host/src/compute.ts/01M5AHG0YFSH0H05S3Y0N16BKF-git-worktree-list-prints-rea.md
+++ b/.lane/memory/apps/host/src/compute.ts/01M5AHG0YFSH0H05S3Y0N16BKF-git-worktree-list-prints-rea.md
@@ -4,8 +4,9 @@ anchor: function lanes
 created: 2026-10-19T16:56:39Z
 norm: '1'
 sig: a117f6b009a0a5ab
-body_hash: 73bf0673747cc608
-raw_hash: deaa38044cf0d425
+body_hash: 608b9efe149e4af0
+raw_hash: eaf0bb12be123591
+vouched: 2026-10-19T18:03:00Z
 lines: 67-112
 ---
 
diff --git a/.lane/memory/apps/host/src/compute.ts/01M5AN9A1YPT5XAP3TS3ACX5BT-lane-clones-ignored-files-li.md b/.lane/memory/apps/host/src/compute.ts/01M5AN9A1YPT5XAP3TS3ACX5BT-lane-clones-ignored-files-li.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c5012652
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.lane/memory/apps/host/src/compute.ts/01M5AN9A1YPT5XAP3TS3ACX5BT-lane-clones-ignored-files-li.md
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+id: 01M5AN9A1YPT5XAP3TS3ACX5BT
+anchor: function lanes
+created: 2026-10-19T18:02:53Z
+norm: '1'
+sig: a117f6b009a0a5ab
+body_hash: 608b9efe149e4af0
+raw_hash: eaf0bb12be123591
+lines: 67-120
+---
+
+lane clones ignored files like node_modules into worktrees whose branch may not ignore them, so only tracked changes may block a move
diff --git a/apps/app/src/move-channel.tsx b/apps/app/src/move-channel.tsx
index 989b2d60..652f0376 100644
--- a/apps/app/src/move-channel.tsx
+++ b/apps/app/src/move-channel.tsx
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ const OUTCOMES = {
 	hosted:
 		"The channel becomes a hosted channel there, with this host as its workspace. It keeps its chats, messages, and lanes.",
 	cloud:
-		"Its tools then run in a container on the team's compute service, which starts from a fresh clone with the channel's pushed lanes. It keeps its chats and messages, and can't move back yet.",
+		"Its tools then run in a container on the team's compute service, which starts from a fresh clone with the channel's pushed lanes; untracked files stay on this Mac. It keeps its chats and messages, and can't move back yet.",
 };
 
 type Props = {
diff --git a/apps/host/src/compute.ts b/apps/host/src/compute.ts
index 3002799d..87a1aadc 100644
--- a/apps/host/src/compute.ts
+++ b/apps/host/src/compute.ts
@@ -92,9 +92,17 @@ async function lanes(root: string, prefix: string): Promise<Lane[]> {
 	const unready: string[] = [];
 	const ready: Lane[] = [];
 	for (const lane of found) {
+		// lane clones the project's ignored files, such as node_modules, into worktrees whose branch may
+		// not ignore them, so untracked files can't block a move; they stay on this host.
+		const changed = lane.branch
+			? (await output(lane.path, ["diff", "--name-only", "HEAD"])).split("\n").filter(Boolean)
+			: [];
 		if (!lane.branch) unready.push(`${lane.name} (no branch)`);
-		else if (await output(lane.path, ["status", "--porcelain"])) {
-			unready.push(`${lane.name} (uncommitted changes)`);
+		else if (changed.length) {
+			const more = changed.length > 3 ? `, and ${changed.length - 3} more` : "";
+			unready.push(
+				`${lane.name} (uncommitted changes to ${changed.slice(0, 3).join(", ")}${more})`,
+			);
 		} else if (pushed.get(lane.branch) !== lane.head) unready.push(`${lane.name} (not pushed)`);
 		else {
 			const base = (await git(root, ["config", "--get", `lane.${lane.branch}.base`])).stdout.trim();