diff --git a/hermes_cli/worktree_gc.py b/hermes_cli/worktree_gc.py
index d0f17a25aa..0aca7ff515 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/worktree_gc.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/worktree_gc.py
@@ -308,9 +308,12 @@ def reclaim_worktrees(
             verdict, reason, untracked = _classify_tree(
                 _ops, repo_root, entry, merge_cache, remote_heads)
             branch = _git(["branch", "--show-current"], cwd=record.path, timeout=5)
-            if (verdict != record.verdict or untracked != record.untracked
-                    or branch.returncode != 0 or branch.stdout.strip() != record.branch):
-                actions.append(f"kept {record.name} (state changed since audit: {reason})")
+            changed = ("verdict" if verdict != record.verdict
+                       else "untracked files" if untracked != record.untracked
+                       else "branch" if branch.returncode != 0 or branch.stdout.strip() != record.branch
+                       else "")
+            if changed:
+                actions.append(f"kept {record.name} (state changed since audit: {changed}; now {reason})")
                 continue
         except Exception as exc:
             actions.append(f"kept {record.name} (could not revalidate: {exc})")
@@ -322,7 +325,7 @@ def reclaim_worktrees(
                 continue
             actions.append(f"archived {len(record.untracked)} untracked file(s) → {archive}")
 
-        # Dead-pid locks must be unlocked or `remove --force` refuses.
+        # Dead-pid locks must be unlocked or `worktree remove` refuses.
         with contextlib.suppress(Exception):
             _git(["worktree", "unlock", record.path], cwd=repo_root, timeout=10)
         try:
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_worktree_reclaim_revalidation.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_worktree_reclaim_revalidation.py
index bf95449ff3..8271ddd5da 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_worktree_reclaim_revalidation.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_worktree_reclaim_revalidation.py
@@ -45,7 +45,9 @@ def test_attended_reclaim_preserves_work_added_after_audit(repository, kind):
     assert next(record for record in records if record.path == str(tree)).verdict == "reap"
     _add_work(tree, kind)
 
-    reclaim_worktrees(str(root), records=records)
+    assert reclaim_worktrees(str(root), records=records) == [
+        "kept scratch (state changed since audit: verdict; now uncommitted tracked changes (real work))"
+        if kind == "edit" else "kept scratch (state changed since audit: verdict; now unpushed commits not found upstream)"]
 
     assert tree.is_dir()
     assert (tree / "README.md").read_text(encoding="utf-8") == "new work after audit\n"