diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
deleted file mode 120000
index c3170642553..00000000000
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-AGENTS.md
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/GitActionsControl.logic.test.ts b/apps/web/src/components/GitActionsControl.logic.test.ts
index 7950753330e..18e7270dfda 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/GitActionsControl.logic.test.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/GitActionsControl.logic.test.ts
@@ -874,7 +874,7 @@ describe("when: ref has no upstream configured", () => {
 });
 
 describe("requiresDefaultBranchConfirmation", () => {
-  it("requires confirmation for push actions on default ref", () => {
+  it("requires confirmation for push actions on default branch", () => {
     assert.isFalse(requiresDefaultBranchConfirmation("commit", true));
     assert.isTrue(requiresDefaultBranchConfirmation("push", true));
     assert.isTrue(requiresDefaultBranchConfirmation("create_pr", true));
@@ -894,9 +894,9 @@ describe("resolveDefaultBranchActionDialogCopy", () => {
     });
 
     assert.deepEqual(copy, {
-      title: "Push to default ref?",
+      title: "Push to default branch?",
       description:
-        'This action will push local commits on "main". You can continue on this ref or create a feature ref and run the same action there.',
+        'This action will push local commits on "main". You can continue on this branch or create a feature branch and run the same action there.',
       continueLabel: "Push to main",
     });
   });
@@ -909,9 +909,9 @@ describe("resolveDefaultBranchActionDialogCopy", () => {
     });
 
     assert.deepEqual(copy, {
-      title: "Push & create PR from default ref?",
+      title: "Push & create PR from default branch?",
       description:
-        'This action will push local commits and create a pull request on "main". You can continue on this ref or create a feature ref and run the same action there.',
+        'This action will push local commits and create a pull request on "main". You can continue on this branch or create a feature branch and run the same action there.',
       continueLabel: "Push & create PR",
     });
   });
@@ -924,9 +924,9 @@ describe("resolveDefaultBranchActionDialogCopy", () => {
     });
 
     assert.deepEqual(copy, {
-      title: "Commit, push & create PR from default ref?",
+      title: "Commit, push & create PR from default branch?",
       description:
-        'This action will commit, push, and create a pull request on "main". You can continue on this ref or create a feature ref and run the same action there.',
+        'This action will commit, push, and create a pull request on "main". You can continue on this branch or create a feature branch and run the same action there.',
       continueLabel: "Commit, push & create PR",
     });
   });
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/GitActionsControl.logic.ts b/apps/web/src/components/GitActionsControl.logic.ts
index 3f6bae61cdd..10fec03b8cf 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/GitActionsControl.logic.ts
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/GitActionsControl.logic.ts
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ export function buildGitActionProgressStages(input: {
   terminology?: ChangeRequestTerminology;
 }): string[] {
   const terminology = input.terminology ?? DEFAULT_CHANGE_REQUEST_TERMINOLOGY;
-  const branchStages = input.featureBranch ? ["Preparing feature ref..."] : [];
+  const branchStages = input.featureBranch ? ["Preparing feature branch..."] : [];
   const pushStage = input.pushTarget ? `Pushing to ${input.pushTarget}...` : "Pushing...";
   const prStages = [
     `Preparing ${terminology.shortLabel}...`,
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ export function resolveQuickAction(
       label: "Commit",
       disabled: true,
       kind: "show_hint",
-      hint: `Create and checkout a ref before pushing or opening a ${terminology.singular}.`,
+      hint: `Create and checkout a branch before pushing or opening a ${terminology.singular}.`,
     };
   }
 
@@ -329,19 +329,19 @@ export function resolveDefaultBranchActionDialogCopy(input: {
   terminology?: ChangeRequestTerminology;
 }): DefaultBranchActionDialogCopy {
   const branchLabel = input.branchName;
-  const suffix = ` on "${branchLabel}". You can continue on this ref or create a feature ref and run the same action there.`;
+  const suffix = ` on "${branchLabel}". You can continue on this branch or create a feature branch and run the same action there.`;
   const terminology = input.terminology ?? DEFAULT_CHANGE_REQUEST_TERMINOLOGY;
 
   if (input.action === "push" || input.action === "commit_push") {
     if (input.includesCommit) {
       return {
-        title: "Commit & push to default ref?",
+        title: "Commit & push to default branch?",
         description: `This action will commit and push changes${suffix}`,
         continueLabel: `Commit & push to ${branchLabel}`,
       };
     }
     return {
-      title: "Push to default ref?",
+      title: "Push to default branch?",
       description: `This action will push local commits${suffix}`,
       continueLabel: `Push to ${branchLabel}`,
     };
@@ -349,13 +349,13 @@ export function resolveDefaultBranchActionDialogCopy(input: {
 
   if (input.includesCommit) {
     return {
-      title: `Commit, push & create ${terminology.shortLabel} from default ref?`,
+      title: `Commit, push & create ${terminology.shortLabel} from default branch?`,
       description: `This action will commit, push, and create a ${terminology.singular}${suffix}`,
       continueLabel: `Commit, push & create ${terminology.shortLabel}`,
     };
   }
   return {
-    title: `Push & create ${terminology.shortLabel} from default ref?`,
+    title: `Push & create ${terminology.shortLabel} from default branch?`,
     description: `This action will push local commits and create a ${terminology.singular}${suffix}`,
     continueLabel: `Push & create ${terminology.shortLabel}`,
   };
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/GitActionsControl.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/GitActionsControl.tsx
index 01b84bd94a5..1e88fcdea77 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/GitActionsControl.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/GitActionsControl.tsx
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ function getMenuActionDisabledReason({
 
   if (item.id === "push") {
     if (!hasBranch) {
-      return "Detached HEAD: checkout a refName before pushing.";
+      return "Detached HEAD: checkout a branch before pushing.";
     }
     if (hasChanges) {
       return "Commit or stash local changes before pushing.";
@@ -283,7 +283,7 @@ function getMenuActionDisabledReason({
     return `View ${terminology.singular} is currently unavailable.`;
   }
   if (!hasBranch) {
-    return `Detached HEAD: checkout a refName before creating a ${terminology.singular}.`;
+    return `Detached HEAD: checkout a branch before creating a ${terminology.singular}.`;
   }
   if (hasChanges) {
     return `Commit local changes before creating a ${terminology.singular}.`;
@@ -1742,7 +1742,7 @@ export default function GitActionsControl({
               ) : null}
               {gitStatusForActions?.refName === null && (
                 <p className="px-2 py-1.5 text-xs text-warning">
-                  Detached HEAD: create and checkout a refName to enable push and pull request
+                  Detached HEAD: create and checkout a branch to enable push and pull request
                   actions.
                 </p>
               )}
@@ -1788,9 +1788,7 @@ export default function GitActionsControl({
                     {gitStatusForActions?.refName ?? "(detached HEAD)"}
                   </span>
                   {isDefaultRef && (
-                    <span className="text-right text-warning text-xs">
-                      Warning: default refName
-                    </span>
+                    <span className="text-right text-warning text-xs">Warning: default branch</span>
                   )}
                 </span>
               </div>
@@ -1923,7 +1921,7 @@ export default function GitActionsControl({
               disabled={noneSelected}
               onClick={runDialogActionOnNewBranch}
             >
-              Commit on new refName
+              Commit on new branch
             </Button>
             <Button size="sm" disabled={noneSelected} onClick={runDialogAction}>
               Commit
@@ -1950,7 +1948,7 @@ export default function GitActionsControl({
         <DialogPopup className="max-w-xl">
           <DialogHeader>
             <DialogTitle>
-              {pendingDefaultBranchActionCopy?.title ?? "Run action on default refName?"}
+              {pendingDefaultBranchActionCopy?.title ?? "Run action on default branch?"}
             </DialogTitle>
             <DialogDescription>{pendingDefaultBranchActionCopy?.description}</DialogDescription>
           </DialogHeader>