diff --git a/scripts/deep-work/cli.sh b/scripts/deep-work/cli.sh
index 0a8744dd3..3b5fa2a60 100755
--- a/scripts/deep-work/cli.sh
+++ b/scripts/deep-work/cli.sh
@@ -11,6 +11,10 @@ Usage: pnpm deep-work <command> [args...]
 
 Full workflow automation for GitHub issues using worktrees and AI agents.
 
+By default `start` auto-assigns the issue to `@me`, and PR creation steps
+auto-assign the created PR to `@me`.
+Set `DEEP_WORK_AUTO_ASSIGN=0` (or `WORK_AUTO_ASSIGN=0`) to opt out.
+
 Commands:
   start <issue-number>           Start full workflow for an issue
   pick                          Smart issue selection + start workflow
@@ -64,4 +68,4 @@ case "$cmd" in
     usage >&2
     exit 1
     ;;
-esac
\ No newline at end of file
+esac
diff --git a/scripts/deep-work/continue.sh b/scripts/deep-work/continue.sh
index cca12304b..cd0223ecf 100755
--- a/scripts/deep-work/continue.sh
+++ b/scripts/deep-work/continue.sh
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ here="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
 source "$here/lib.sh"
 
 issue="${1:-}"
+auto_assign="${DEEP_WORK_AUTO_ASSIGN:-${WORK_AUTO_ASSIGN:-1}}"
 
 # If no issue provided, try to detect from current directory
 if [ -z "$issue" ]; then
@@ -208,6 +209,11 @@ ${body}
               --base main \
               --repo "$repo")
 
+            pr_number="${pr_url##*/}"
+            if [ "$auto_assign" = "1" ]; then
+              gh_assign_self_pr "$pr_number" "$repo"
+            fi
+
             echo "[deep-work] 📝 PR created: $pr_url"
           else
             echo "[deep-work] ✅ PR already exists"
@@ -288,4 +294,8 @@ fi
 
 echo ""
 echo "[deep-work] 🎯 Continue session complete!"
-echo "[deep-work] Use 'pnpm deep-work continue $issue' to resume anytime."
\ No newline at end of file
+if worktree_exists "$issue"; then
+  echo "[deep-work] Use 'pnpm deep-work continue $issue' to resume anytime."
+else
+  echo "[deep-work] Worktree was cleaned up. Use 'pnpm deep-work start $issue' to begin again."
+fi
diff --git a/scripts/deep-work/lib.sh b/scripts/deep-work/lib.sh
index 9a08ed67e..ad2973184 100755
--- a/scripts/deep-work/lib.sh
+++ b/scripts/deep-work/lib.sh
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ set -euo pipefail
 # Source the existing review lib for repo resolution
 here="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
 repo_root="$(cd "$here/../.." && pwd)"
-# shellcheck source=../review/lib.sh
-source "$repo_root/scripts/review/lib.sh"
+# shellcheck source=../shortcuts/review/lib.sh
+source "$repo_root/scripts/shortcuts/review/lib.sh"
 
 # Worktree utilities
 worktree_dir_for_issue() {
@@ -205,4 +205,4 @@ run_quality_checks() {
   fi
 
   echo "[deep-work] ✅ all quality checks passed"
-}
\ No newline at end of file
+}
diff --git a/scripts/deep-work/start.sh b/scripts/deep-work/start.sh
index 5ee317555..950d97028 100755
--- a/scripts/deep-work/start.sh
+++ b/scripts/deep-work/start.sh
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ issue="$1"
 shift
 
 repo=$(resolve_deep_work_repo)
+auto_assign="${DEEP_WORK_AUTO_ASSIGN:-${WORK_AUTO_ASSIGN:-1}}"
 
 echo "[deep-work] 🚀 Starting full workflow for issue #$issue from $repo"
 
@@ -57,6 +58,10 @@ echo "[deep-work] fetching issue #$issue from $repo..."
 issue_json=$(gh issue view "$issue" -R "$repo" \
   --json number,title,body,labels,state,url,assignees)
 
+if [ "$auto_assign" = "1" ]; then
+  gh_assign_self_issue "$issue" "$repo"
+fi
+
 state=$(jq -r '.state' <<<"$issue_json")
 if [ "$state" != "OPEN" ]; then
   echo "[deep-work] ⚠️  issue #$issue is $state — continuing anyway" >&2
@@ -304,6 +309,11 @@ pr_url=$(gh pr create \
   --base main \
   --repo "$repo")
 
+pr_number="${pr_url##*/}"
+if [ "$auto_assign" = "1" ]; then
+  gh_assign_self_pr "$pr_number" "$repo"
+fi
+
 echo "[deep-work] 📝 draft PR created: $pr_url"
 
 # Step 10: Review cycle
@@ -376,4 +386,4 @@ echo ""
 echo "Next steps:"
 echo "- Monitor PR for reviewer feedback"
 echo "- Address any review comments"
-echo "- Merge when approved"
\ No newline at end of file
+echo "- Merge when approved"
diff --git a/scripts/shortcuts/review/lib.sh b/scripts/shortcuts/review/lib.sh
index 825e3855c..0e431987a 100755
--- a/scripts/shortcuts/review/lib.sh
+++ b/scripts/shortcuts/review/lib.sh
@@ -28,6 +28,26 @@ require() {
   done
 }
 
+gh_assign_self_issue() {
+  local issue="$1"
+  local repo="$2"
+  if gh issue edit "$issue" -R "$repo" --add-assignee "@me" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    info "assigned issue #$issue to @me"
+  else
+    warn "could not assign issue #$issue to @me; continuing"
+  fi
+}
+
+gh_assign_self_pr() {
+  local pr="$1"
+  local repo="$2"
+  if gh pr edit "$pr" -R "$repo" --add-assignee "@me" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    info "assigned PR #$pr to @me"
+  else
+    warn "could not assign PR #$pr to @me; continuing"
+  fi
+}
+
 # Summarize free-form text via a local LLM CLI (expects `-p <prompt>`).
 # Usage: summarize_text <tool> <input>
 # Tools used here: gemini (default for summaries), claude, or any CLI that
diff --git a/scripts/shortcuts/work/README.md b/scripts/shortcuts/work/README.md
index 54279ba85..4279a960e 100644
--- a/scripts/shortcuts/work/README.md
+++ b/scripts/shortcuts/work/README.md
@@ -35,8 +35,13 @@ and `pnpm work start 1234 …` are equivalent.
    `--agent cursor` or `--agent cursor-agent`, it uses
    `cursor-agent --yolo`.
 
+By default the script also tries to assign the issue to `@me` through GitHub
+as soon as work starts.
+
 ## Config
 
 - `WORK_REPO=owner/name` — override the target repo.
 - `WORK_BRANCH_PREFIX=issue` — branch is `<prefix>/<num>-<slug>`.
+- `WORK_AUTO_ASSIGN=1` — auto-assign the issue to `@me` when work starts. Set
+  to `0` to disable.
 - Requires `git`, `gh`, `jq`, plus the agent CLI (default `claude`).
diff --git a/scripts/shortcuts/work/cli.sh b/scripts/shortcuts/work/cli.sh
index 5585e954c..0cf1f7e17 100755
--- a/scripts/shortcuts/work/cli.sh
+++ b/scripts/shortcuts/work/cli.sh
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ Env:
                                  scripts/shortcuts/review.
   WORK_BRANCH_PREFIX=issue       Branch name is <prefix>/<num>-<slug> (default:
                                  issue).
+  WORK_AUTO_ASSIGN=1             Auto-assign the issue to `@me` when work
+                                 starts. Set to `0` to disable.
 EOF
 }
 
diff --git a/scripts/shortcuts/work/start.sh b/scripts/shortcuts/work/start.sh
index edee07323..64d09d6b8 100755
--- a/scripts/shortcuts/work/start.sh
+++ b/scripts/shortcuts/work/start.sh
@@ -61,11 +61,16 @@ if [ -z "$repo" ]; then
   repo=$(REVIEW_REPO= resolve_repo)
 fi
 branch_prefix="${WORK_BRANCH_PREFIX:-issue}"
+auto_assign="${WORK_AUTO_ASSIGN:-1}"
 
 echo "[work] fetching issue #$issue from $repo..."
 issue_json=$(gh issue view "$issue" -R "$repo" \
   --json number,title,body,labels,state,url,assignees)
 
+if [ "$auto_assign" = "1" ]; then
+  gh_assign_self_issue "$issue" "$repo"
+fi
+
 state=$(jq -r '.state' <<<"$issue_json")
 if [ "$state" != "OPEN" ]; then
   echo "[work] ! issue #$issue is $state — continuing anyway" >&2