diff --git a/docs/explore-notes/review-merge.md b/docs/explore-notes/review-merge.md
index 482c002a..660e6658 100644
--- a/docs/explore-notes/review-merge.md
+++ b/docs/explore-notes/review-merge.md
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ There is no separate "Merge all" entry.
   the unit branch (`UnitBranchService.AbsorbChildAsync`, ff-only) instead of merging to the target.
 - **No active worktree** (sandbox run) → straight to `Done`.
 - **Company repo** (`PullRequestPublisher.IsCompanyRepoAsync`, origin matches
-  `company_remote_pattern`, checked live) with an `Active` worktree → `ApproveCompanyAsync`
+  `company_remote_pattern`, checked live) with an `Active` or `Kept` worktree → `ApproveCompanyAsync`
   instead of a merge, after the planning-parent gate and the child absorb: missing PAT / non-ADO
   remote is `blocked` before anything runs, then the verify command in the **worktree**
   (`skipVerify` ignored — no local merge to defer it to; red = `verify_failed`, nothing pushed),
diff --git a/src/ClaudeDo.Data/Repositories/WorktreeRepository.cs b/src/ClaudeDo.Data/Repositories/WorktreeRepository.cs
index 5064820d..394e905c 100644
--- a/src/ClaudeDo.Data/Repositories/WorktreeRepository.cs
+++ b/src/ClaudeDo.Data/Repositories/WorktreeRepository.cs
@@ -45,8 +45,6 @@ public sealed class WorktreeRepository
                 .SetProperty(w => w.MergeCommit, mergeCommit), ct);
     }
 
-    /// <summary>Records a successful auto-rebase: the branch's fork point moves to the rebased-onto
-    /// commit and its head moves to the new tip <c>git rebase</c> produced.</summary>
     /// <summary>Stores the draft PR an approve in a company repo created or reused.</summary>
     public async Task SetPullRequestUrlAsync(string taskId, string url, CancellationToken ct = default)
     {
@@ -55,6 +53,8 @@ public sealed class WorktreeRepository
             .ExecuteUpdateAsync(s => s.SetProperty(w => w.PullRequestUrl, url), ct);
     }
 
+    /// <summary>Records a successful auto-rebase: the branch's fork point moves to the rebased-onto
+    /// commit and its head moves to the new tip <c>git rebase</c> produced.</summary>
     public async Task SetRebasedAsync(string taskId, string baseCommit, string headCommit, CancellationToken ct = default)
     {
         await _context.Worktrees
diff --git a/src/ClaudeDo.Worker/AzureDevOps/AzureDevOpsClient.cs b/src/ClaudeDo.Worker/AzureDevOps/AzureDevOpsClient.cs
index 841d3aea..91c7cafa 100644
--- a/src/ClaudeDo.Worker/AzureDevOps/AzureDevOpsClient.cs
+++ b/src/ClaudeDo.Worker/AzureDevOps/AzureDevOpsClient.cs
@@ -121,7 +121,7 @@ public sealed class AzureDevOpsClient
     private static string StripHeads(string branch) =>
         branch.StartsWith("refs/heads/", StringComparison.Ordinal) ? branch["refs/heads/".Length..] : branch;
 
-    private async Task<JsonNode> SendAsync(
+    private async Task<JsonObject> SendAsync(
         AzdoRepo repo, HttpMethod method, string path, string? query, string? body, CancellationToken ct)
     {
         var pat = Pat;
@@ -153,7 +153,11 @@ public sealed class AzureDevOpsClient
                     throw new AzureDevOpsException("Azure DevOps 203: PAT abgelaufen oder ohne Scope Code (Read & Write).");
                 if (response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
                 {
-                    try { return JsonNode.Parse(payload) ?? new JsonObject(); }
+                    try
+                    {
+                        return JsonNode.Parse(payload) as JsonObject
+                            ?? throw new AzureDevOpsException($"Unerwartete Antwort von Azure DevOps bei {method} {path}.");
+                    }
                     catch (JsonException ex) { throw new AzureDevOpsException($"Unerwartete Antwort von Azure DevOps: {ex.Message}"); }
                 }
 
@@ -174,9 +178,10 @@ public sealed class AzureDevOpsClient
     {
         try
         {
-            if (JsonNode.Parse(payload)?["message"]?.GetValue<string>() is { Length: > 0 } msg) return msg;
+            if (JsonNode.Parse(payload) is JsonObject o && o["message"]?.GetValue<string>() is { Length: > 0 } msg) return msg;
         }
-        catch (JsonException) { }
+        // InvalidOperationException: "message" exists but is not a string.
+        catch (Exception ex) when (ex is JsonException or InvalidOperationException) { }
         return payload.Length <= 500 ? payload : payload[..500];
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/ClaudeDo.Worker/AzureDevOps/PullRequestPublisher.cs b/src/ClaudeDo.Worker/AzureDevOps/PullRequestPublisher.cs
index 02277496..105c241d 100644
--- a/src/ClaudeDo.Worker/AzureDevOps/PullRequestPublisher.cs
+++ b/src/ClaudeDo.Worker/AzureDevOps/PullRequestPublisher.cs
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ public sealed class PullRequestPublisher
             var description = BuildDescription(task, ticketId, await ResolveProjectIdAsync(ticketId, ct), verifyCommand);
             (url, created) = await _azdo.EnsureDraftPullRequestAsync(repo, wt.BranchName, target, title, description, ct);
         }
-        catch (AzureDevOpsException ex)
+        // InvalidOperationException: a field of the ADO answer has an unexpected JSON type.
+        catch (Exception ex) when (ex is AzureDevOpsException or InvalidOperationException)
         {
             return Blocked($"gepusht, PR fehlgeschlagen: {ex.Message}");
         }
diff --git a/src/ClaudeDo.Worker/Lifecycle/TaskMergeService.cs b/src/ClaudeDo.Worker/Lifecycle/TaskMergeService.cs
index efa2662b..e460f55b 100644
--- a/src/ClaudeDo.Worker/Lifecycle/TaskMergeService.cs
+++ b/src/ClaudeDo.Worker/Lifecycle/TaskMergeService.cs
@@ -1054,7 +1054,8 @@ public sealed class TaskMergeService
             }
         }
 
-        if (wt is { State: WorktreeState.Active } && _pullRequests is not null
+        // Kept (parked or reverted) goes the PR way too: a local merge has no place in a company repo.
+        if (wt is { State: WorktreeState.Active or WorktreeState.Kept } && _pullRequests is not null
             && !string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(list.WorkingDir)
             && await _pullRequests.IsCompanyRepoAsync(list.WorkingDir, ct))
             return await ApproveCompanyAsync(task, list, wt, verifyCommand, ct, progress);
@@ -1164,9 +1165,18 @@ public sealed class TaskMergeService
             if (failed is not null) return failed;
         }
 
-        return await ProgressReporter.RunAsync(
+        var result = await ProgressReporter.RunAsync(
             _pullRequests.PublishAsync(task, list, wt, ranVerify ? verifyCommand : null, ct),
             ProgressReportInterval, progress, "push + draft PR running");
+
+        // A branch with an open PR is under review again, whatever parked it before.
+        if (wt.State == WorktreeState.Kept && result.PullRequestUrl is not null)
+        {
+            using (var ctx = _dbFactory.CreateDbContext())
+                await new WorktreeRepository(ctx).SetStateAsync(task.Id, WorktreeState.Active, ct);
+            await _broadcaster.WorktreeUpdated(task.Id);
+        }
+        return result;
     }
 
     /// <summary>
diff --git a/src/ClaudeDo.Worker/Runner/WorktreeManager.cs b/src/ClaudeDo.Worker/Runner/WorktreeManager.cs
index 3f446b22..84928d69 100644
--- a/src/ClaudeDo.Worker/Runner/WorktreeManager.cs
+++ b/src/ClaudeDo.Worker/Runner/WorktreeManager.cs
@@ -282,8 +282,17 @@ public sealed class WorktreeManager
             .Select(c => c.BaseBranch)
             .FirstOrDefaultAsync(ct)).NullIfBlank();
 
-        if (isCompany && await FetchCompanyBaseAsync(workingDir, baseBranch, ct) is { } fetched)
-            return fetched;
+        if (isCompany)
+        {
+            try
+            {
+                if (await FetchCompanyBaseAsync(workingDir, baseBranch, ct) is { } fetched) return fetched;
+            }
+            catch (Exception ex) when (ex is not OperationCanceledException)
+            {
+                _logger.LogWarning(ex, "Fetching the company base in {working_dir} failed, continuing with the local branch", workingDir);
+            }
+        }
 
         return baseBranch is null
             ? await _git.RevParseHeadAsync(workingDir, ct)
@@ -304,7 +313,7 @@ public sealed class WorktreeManager
         if (basis is null && _azdo is not null && pat is not null && AzureDevOpsClient.ParseRemote(remote) is { } repo)
         {
             try { basis = await _azdo.GetDefaultBranchAsync(repo, ct); }
-            catch (AzureDevOpsException ex) { _logger.LogWarning("Default branch from Azure DevOps unavailable: {reason}", ex.Message); }
+            catch (Exception ex) when (ex is AzureDevOpsException or InvalidOperationException) { _logger.LogWarning("Default branch from Azure DevOps unavailable: {reason}", ex.Message); }
         }
         basis ??= await _git.GetRemoteHeadBranchAsync(workingDir, ct);
         if (basis is null)
diff --git a/tests/ClaudeDo.Worker.Tests/AzureDevOps/CompanyApproveTests.cs b/tests/ClaudeDo.Worker.Tests/AzureDevOps/CompanyApproveTests.cs
index 50fb250d..2b405613 100644
--- a/tests/ClaudeDo.Worker.Tests/AzureDevOps/CompanyApproveTests.cs
+++ b/tests/ClaudeDo.Worker.Tests/AzureDevOps/CompanyApproveTests.cs
@@ -158,6 +158,22 @@ public sealed class CompanyApproveTests : IDisposable
         Assert.StartsWith("Resolves [#412](https://ticket.fb-tuning.local/board/project/393/ticket/412)", description);
     }
 
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task Approve_KeptWorktree_OpensPrInsteadOfMergingLocally()
+    {
+        if (!GitRepoFixture.IsGitAvailable()) return;
+        await SetUpWorktree();
+        using (var ctx = _db.CreateContext())
+            await new WorktreeRepository(ctx).SetStateAsync("t1", WorktreeState.Kept);
+        var mainBefore = GitRepoFixture.RunGit(_repo.RepoDir, "rev-parse", "main").Trim();
+
+        var r = await Merge(Ado()).ApproveAndMergeAsync("t1", "", default);
+
+        Assert.Equal(TaskMergeService.StatusPrCreated, r.Status);
+        Assert.Equal(mainBefore, GitRepoFixture.RunGit(_repo.RepoDir, "rev-parse", "main").Trim());
+        Assert.Equal(WorktreeState.Active, (await Rows()).Wt.State);
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public async Task Approve_ReusesActivePr_AsUpdate()
     {