diff --git a/cmd/sdlc/cmd_branch.go b/cmd/sdlc/cmd_branch.go
index e5f7e8c..edeed44 100644
--- a/cmd/sdlc/cmd_branch.go
+++ b/cmd/sdlc/cmd_branch.go
@@ -52,20 +52,25 @@ var branchCreateCmd = &cobra.Command{
 			}
 		}
 
-		pushCmd := exec.Command("git", "push", "origin", "HEAD")
-		pushCmd.Dir = root
-		if _, err := pushCmd.CombinedOutput(); err != nil {
-			// Retry once — transient Gitea failures are common
-			time.Sleep(2 * time.Second)
-			retryCmd := exec.Command("git", "push", "origin", "HEAD")
-			retryCmd.Dir = root
-			if retryOut, retryErr := retryCmd.CombinedOutput(); retryErr != nil {
-				// Roll back the local commit so state doesn't diverge
-				rollbackCmd := exec.Command("git", "reset", "--soft", "HEAD~1")
-				rollbackCmd.Dir = root
-				_ = rollbackCmd.Run()
-				return fmt.Errorf("failed to push branch state to remote (branch not created): %s: %w",
-					strings.TrimSpace(string(retryOut)), retryErr)
+		// Only push if origin remote exists (skip in local-only/test contexts)
+		hasOrigin := exec.Command("git", "remote", "get-url", "origin")
+		hasOrigin.Dir = root
+		if hasOrigin.Run() == nil {
+			pushCmd := exec.Command("git", "push", "origin", "HEAD")
+			pushCmd.Dir = root
+			if _, err := pushCmd.CombinedOutput(); err != nil {
+				// Retry once — transient Gitea failures are common
+				time.Sleep(2 * time.Second)
+				retryCmd := exec.Command("git", "push", "origin", "HEAD")
+				retryCmd.Dir = root
+				if retryOut, retryErr := retryCmd.CombinedOutput(); retryErr != nil {
+					// Roll back the local commit so state doesn't diverge
+					rollbackCmd := exec.Command("git", "reset", "--soft", "HEAD~1")
+					rollbackCmd.Dir = root
+					_ = rollbackCmd.Run()
+					return fmt.Errorf("failed to push branch state to remote (branch not created): %s: %w",
+						strings.TrimSpace(string(retryOut)), retryErr)
+				}
 			}
 		}