diff --git a/.github/release-drafter.yml b/.github/release-drafter.yml
index 1eb0a4a..32b71d4 100644
--- a/.github/release-drafter.yml
+++ b/.github/release-drafter.yml
@@ -23,6 +23,23 @@ categories:
   - title: "Other Changes"
     labels:
       - "*"
+autolabeler:
+  - label: "feature"
+    branch:
+      - "/^feat/"
+  - label: "fix"
+    branch:
+      - "/^fix/"
+      - "/^bugfix/"
+      - "/^hotfix/"
+  - label: "docs"
+    branch:
+      - "/^docs/"
+  - label: "enhancement"
+    branch:
+      - "/^improve/"
+      - "/^refactor/"
+      - "/^chore/"
 version-resolver:
   major:
     labels:
diff --git a/.github/workflows/release-drafter.yml b/.github/workflows/release-drafter.yml
index a0406be..8d1563b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/release-drafter.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/release-drafter.yml
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ name: Release Drafter
 on:
   push:
     branches: [main]
+  workflow_dispatch:
 
 permissions:
   contents: read
@@ -17,6 +18,12 @@ jobs:
       pull-requests: write
 
     steps:
+      # Brief delay to allow GitHub API to propagate commit/PR data.
+      # Without this, the GraphQL query for associated pull requests
+      # can return empty results when run immediately after a push.
+      - name: Wait for API propagation
+        run: sleep 10
+
       - uses: release-drafter/release-drafter@v6
         env:
           GITHUB_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
diff --git a/internal/workspace/workspace.go b/internal/workspace/workspace.go
index 2c3f38e..d58a544 100644
--- a/internal/workspace/workspace.go
+++ b/internal/workspace/workspace.go
@@ -234,8 +234,11 @@ func (s *Service) Render(ctx context.Context, id string, progress func(msg strin
 				if err != nil {
 					return fmt.Errorf("getting default branch for %s: %w", repo.URL, err)
 				}
-				s.log().Debug("creating worktree with new branch", "path", worktreePath, "branch", repo.Branch, "from", defaultBranch)
-				if err := s.Git.AddWorktreeNewBranch(ctx, barePath, worktreePath, repo.Branch, defaultBranch); err != nil {
+				// Use the remote ref to ensure we branch from the latest fetched state,
+				// not a potentially stale local branch ref in the bare repo.
+				startPoint := "origin/" + defaultBranch
+				s.log().Debug("creating worktree with new branch", "path", worktreePath, "branch", repo.Branch, "from", startPoint)
+				if err := s.Git.AddWorktreeNewBranch(ctx, barePath, worktreePath, repo.Branch, startPoint); err != nil {
 					return fmt.Errorf("creating worktree for %s: %w", repo.URL, err)
 				}
 				progress(fmt.Sprintf("      └── %s (%s, new branch from %s) ✓", repoPath, repo.Branch, defaultBranch))
diff --git a/internal/workspace/workspace_test.go b/internal/workspace/workspace_test.go
index 661215e..23a3d4c 100644
--- a/internal/workspace/workspace_test.go
+++ b/internal/workspace/workspace_test.go
@@ -15,10 +15,11 @@ import (
 
 // mockRunner records calls without executing git.
 type mockRunner struct {
-	clones    []string
-	fetches   []string
-	worktrees []string
-	removed   []string
+	clones      []string
+	fetches     []string
+	worktrees   []string
+	removed     []string
+	startPoints []string
 
 	cloneErr     error
 	fetchErr     error
@@ -47,7 +48,8 @@ func (m *mockRunner) AddWorktree(_ context.Context, _, worktreePath, _ string) e
 	return os.MkdirAll(worktreePath, 0o755)
 }
 
-func (m *mockRunner) AddWorktreeNewBranch(_ context.Context, _, worktreePath, _, _ string) error {
+func (m *mockRunner) AddWorktreeNewBranch(_ context.Context, _, worktreePath, _, startPoint string) error {
+	m.startPoints = append(m.startPoints, startPoint)
 	m.worktrees = append(m.worktrees, worktreePath)
 	if m.addWTErr != nil {
 		return m.addWTErr
@@ -415,6 +417,32 @@ func TestRenderAddWorktreeError(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestRenderNewBranchUsesRemoteRef(t *testing.T) {
+	svc, mock := testService(t)
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	st := state.NewState("Remote ref test", "Test new branch uses origin/ prefix", []state.Repo{
+		{URL: "github.com/org/repo", Branch: "feat/new-feature", Path: "./repo"},
+	})
+	if err := svc.Create("remote-ref", st); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	// branchExists=false triggers the new branch path
+	mock.branchExists = false
+	err := svc.Render(ctx, "remote-ref", noop)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Render: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	if len(mock.startPoints) != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("startPoints = %d, want 1", len(mock.startPoints))
+	}
+	if mock.startPoints[0] != "origin/main" {
+		t.Errorf("startPoint = %q, want origin/main", mock.startPoints[0])
+	}
+}
+
 func TestRenderNotFound(t *testing.T) {
 	svc, _ := testService(t)
 	ctx := context.Background()