diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/commands/handlers/core.ts b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/commands/handlers/core.ts
index d7adce661..6fdb8eba7 100644
--- a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/commands/handlers/core.ts
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/commands/handlers/core.ts
@@ -71,6 +71,9 @@ export function showHelp(ctx: ExtensionCommandContext): void {
 
 export async function handleStatus(ctx: ExtensionCommandContext): Promise<void> {
   const basePath = projectRoot();
+  // Open DB in cold sessions so status uses DB-backed state, not filesystem fallback (#3385)
+  const { ensureDbOpen } = await import("../../bootstrap/dynamic-tools.js");
+  await ensureDbOpen();
   const state = await deriveState(basePath);
 
   if (state.registry.length === 0) {
diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/quick.ts b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/quick.ts
index aa83a5553..ad513e46d 100644
--- a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/quick.ts
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/quick.ts
@@ -192,28 +192,33 @@ export async function handleQuick(
   const taskDirRel = `.gsd/quick/${taskNum}-${slug}`;
   const date = new Date().toISOString().split("T")[0];
 
-  // Create git branch for the quick task
+  // Create git branch for the quick task (unless isolation:none — #3337)
   const gitPrefs = loadEffectiveGSDPreferences()?.preferences?.git ?? {};
   const git = new GitServiceImpl(basePath, gitPrefs);
   const branchName = `gsd/quick/${taskNum}-${slug}`;
   let originalBranch = git.getCurrentBranch();
 
-  let branchCreated = false;
-  try {
-    const current = originalBranch;
-    if (current !== branchName) {
-      // Auto-commit any dirty state before switching
-      try {
-        git.autoCommit("quick-task", `Q${taskNum}`, []);
-      } catch { /* nothing to commit — fine */ }
+  const { getIsolationMode } = await import("./preferences.js");
+  const usesBranch = getIsolationMode() !== "none";
 
-      runGit(basePath, ["checkout", "-b", branchName]);
-      branchCreated = true;
+  let branchCreated = false;
+  if (usesBranch) {
+    try {
+      const current = originalBranch;
+      if (current !== branchName) {
+        // Auto-commit any dirty state before switching
+        try {
+          git.autoCommit("quick-task", `Q${taskNum}`, []);
+        } catch { /* nothing to commit — fine */ }
+
+        runGit(basePath, ["checkout", "-b", branchName]);
+        branchCreated = true;
+      }
+    } catch (err) {
+      // Branch creation failed — continue on current branch
+      const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
+      ctx.ui.notify(`Could not create branch ${branchName}: ${message}. Working on current branch.`, "warning");
     }
-  } catch (err) {
-    // Branch creation failed — continue on current branch
-    const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err);
-    ctx.ui.notify(`Could not create branch ${branchName}: ${message}. Working on current branch.`, "warning");
   }
 
   const actualBranch = branchCreated ? branchName : git.getCurrentBranch();
diff --git a/src/resources/extensions/gsd/tests/status-db-open.test.ts b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/tests/status-db-open.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1fbd1aeb4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/resources/extensions/gsd/tests/status-db-open.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+/**
+ * Regression test for #3691 — /gsd status opens DB before deriveState
+ *
+ * In cold sessions the DB was not opened before deriveState, causing
+ * status to fall back to filesystem-only state.  The fix adds an
+ * ensureDbOpen() call before deriveState in handleStatus.
+ *
+ * Also verifies that quick.ts checks getIsolationMode before branching.
+ */
+
+import { describe, test } from 'node:test';
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import { readFileSync } from 'node:fs';
+import { fileURLToPath } from 'node:url';
+import { dirname, join } from 'node:path';
+
+const __filename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url);
+const __dirname = dirname(__filename);
+
+const coreSrc = readFileSync(
+  join(__dirname, '..', 'commands', 'handlers', 'core.ts'),
+  'utf-8',
+);
+const quickSrc = readFileSync(
+  join(__dirname, '..', 'quick.ts'),
+  'utf-8',
+);
+
+describe('status opens DB before deriveState (#3691)', () => {
+  test('handleStatus calls ensureDbOpen before deriveState', () => {
+    const ensureIdx = coreSrc.indexOf('ensureDbOpen');
+    const deriveIdx = coreSrc.indexOf('deriveState(basePath)');
+    assert.ok(ensureIdx > -1, 'ensureDbOpen call should exist in core.ts');
+    assert.ok(deriveIdx > -1, 'deriveState(basePath) call should exist in core.ts');
+    assert.ok(
+      ensureIdx < deriveIdx,
+      'ensureDbOpen must appear before deriveState so DB is ready',
+    );
+  });
+
+  test('quick.ts checks getIsolationMode before branching', () => {
+    assert.match(quickSrc, /getIsolationMode\(\)/,
+      'quick.ts should call getIsolationMode()');
+    assert.match(quickSrc, /getIsolationMode\(\)\s*!==\s*"none"/,
+      'quick.ts should compare isolation mode against "none"');
+  });
+});