diff --git a/hermes_cli/gitlock.py b/hermes_cli/gitlock.py
index a342f75c79..2a9f1b23d2 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/gitlock.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/gitlock.py
@@ -92,8 +92,12 @@ def clear_stale_git_locks(repo_root: Path, *, min_age_seconds: Optional[int] = N
 
 
 def clear_stale_tmp_packs(repo_root: Path, *, min_age_seconds: Optional[int] = None) -> List[str]:
-    """Remove aborted-fetch temp pack files under ``.git/objects/pack``; same contract as clear_stale_git_locks."""
-    pack_dir = Path(repo_root) / ".git" / "objects" / "pack"
+    """Remove aborted-transfer temp pack files; same contract as clear_stale_git_locks.
+
+    Resolves ``.git/objects/pack`` for a checkout and ``objects/pack`` for a bare repo such as
+    the checkpoint store — a ``git gc`` killed by a timeout strands the same debris there."""
+    git_dir = Path(repo_root) / ".git"
+    pack_dir = (git_dir if git_dir.is_dir() else Path(repo_root)) / "objects" / "pack"
 
     def _candidates():
         try:
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_gitlock_tmp_packs.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_gitlock_tmp_packs.py
index d471c1b36b..2cb3a0d79d 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_gitlock_tmp_packs.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_gitlock_tmp_packs.py
@@ -81,6 +81,21 @@ def test_skips_sweep_while_git_is_running(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     assert p.exists()
 
 
+def test_bare_repo_pack_dir_is_swept(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """A bare repo (e.g. the checkpoint store) has no .git/ layer — objects/pack hangs directly
+    off the repo root, where a gc killed mid-repack strands the same debris (#115410)."""
+    monkeypatch.setattr("hermes_cli.gitlock._git_proc_running", lambda: False)
+    pack = tmp_path / "objects" / "pack"
+    pack.mkdir(parents=True)
+    debris = pack / "tmp_pack_killedGc"
+    debris.write_bytes(b"x" * 256)
+    _age(debris, STALE_TMP_PACK_MIN_AGE_SECONDS + 60)
+
+    removed = clear_stale_tmp_packs(tmp_path)
+    assert removed == [str(debris)]
+    assert not debris.exists()
+
+
 def test_no_git_dir_is_a_noop(tmp_path):
     assert clear_stale_tmp_packs(tmp_path) == []
 
diff --git a/tests/tools/test_checkpoint_manager.py b/tests/tools/test_checkpoint_manager.py
index b87bbcf970..4fb2efb6f1 100644
--- a/tests/tools/test_checkpoint_manager.py
+++ b/tests/tools/test_checkpoint_manager.py
@@ -1122,6 +1122,37 @@ class TestGcOnlyAfterStoreMutation:
         assert len(gc_calls) == 1
 
 
+class TestPruneSweepsTmpPackDebris:
+    """A ``git gc`` killed by the store timeout strands ``tmp_pack_*`` files in
+    ``objects/pack/``; ``gc.auto=0`` means git itself never reclaims them and the gc
+    only runs when a ref moved — so the prune sweeps the debris unconditionally (#115410)."""
+
+    def test_sweeps_debris_even_when_no_ref_moved(self, checkpoint_base, tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+        import tools.checkpoint_manager as cm
+        monkeypatch.setattr(cm, "CHECKPOINT_BASE", checkpoint_base)
+        monkeypatch.setattr("hermes_cli.gitlock._git_proc_running", lambda: False)
+        work = tmp_path / "proj"
+        work.mkdir()
+        (work / "f").write_text("f")
+        CheckpointManager(enabled=True).ensure_checkpoint(str(work), "seed")
+
+        pack = checkpoint_base / "store" / "objects" / "pack"
+        pack.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        debris = pack / "tmp_pack_killedGc"
+        debris.write_bytes(b"x" * 512)
+        stamp = time.time() - 11 * 60  # past the sweep's 10-minute age floor
+        os.utime(debris, (stamp, stamp))
+        fresh = pack / "tmp_pack_inFlight"
+        fresh.write_bytes(b"y")
+
+        result = prune_checkpoints(retention_days=30, delete_orphans=False, checkpoint_base=checkpoint_base)
+
+        assert result["deleted_stale"] == 0  # no ref moved: the expensive gc never ran…
+        assert not debris.exists()           # …but the debris is still swept
+        assert fresh.exists()                # a pack possibly being written NOW is spared
+        assert result["bytes_freed"] >= 512
+
+
 class TestMaybeAutoPruneCheckpoints:
     def test_prunes_once_then_skips_within_interval(self, tmp_path):
         base = tmp_path / "checkpoints"
diff --git a/tools/checkpoint_manager.py b/tools/checkpoint_manager.py
index 576ac9bc00..9f3e9178d8 100644
--- a/tools/checkpoint_manager.py
+++ b/tools/checkpoint_manager.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ from typing import Dict, Iterator, List, NamedTuple, Optional, Set, Tuple
 
 from hermes_constants import get_hermes_home
 from hermes_cli._subprocess_compat import windows_hide_flags
+from hermes_cli.gitlock import clear_stale_tmp_packs
 from utils import env_int
 
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
@@ -1126,6 +1127,10 @@ def prune_checkpoints(retention_days: int = 7, delete_orphans: bool = True, chec
     _prune_pre_v2_repos(base, cutoff, delete_orphans, orphan_allowlist, result)
     store = _store_path(base)
     if _store_has_head(store):
+        # A gc killed by the store timeout strands tmp_pack_* files that gc.auto=0 means git
+        # itself never reclaims; sweep them even when no ref moved (a sweep is a directory
+        # listing, unlike the pack-rewriting gc gated on refs below).
+        clear_stale_tmp_packs(store)
         # gc rewrites the whole pack — the entire cost of a prune on a large store — so it runs
         # only when a ref moved: deleted here, or rewritten by a checkpoint that left it pending.
         deleted_before = result["deleted_orphan"] + result["deleted_stale"]