diff --git a/src/forge_loop/control/recovery.py b/src/forge_loop/control/recovery.py
index e6a2510..d57a6d4 100644
--- a/src/forge_loop/control/recovery.py
+++ b/src/forge_loop/control/recovery.py
@@ -109,10 +109,15 @@ def reconcile_stale_sagas(
     appended to ``RecoveryReport.errors`` so an operator knows a saga was parked.
 
     A *deferred* kind (enqueued at dispatch but whose handler has not landed
-    yet, e.g. ``DELETE_BRANCH``) does NOT taint the saga: the handled
-    compensations still run and the saga is driven COMPENSATED, while the
-    deferred kind is skipped. That keeps dead-worker worktrees auto-reaped
-    instead of parked for a human while a deferred handler is in flight.
+    yet) does NOT taint the saga: the handled compensations still run and the
+    saga is driven COMPENSATED, while the deferred kind is skipped. That keeps
+    dead-worker worktrees auto-reaped instead of parked for a human while a
+    deferred handler is in flight.
+
+    A saga whose ``delete-branch`` handler raises is driven terminal
+    QUARANTINED instead of being left RUNNING. That preserves the integrity of
+    COMPENSATED: recovery never claims a branch was deleted when its handler
+    failed.
     """
     moment = now or datetime.now(UTC)
     recovered: list[RecoveredSaga] = []
@@ -136,6 +141,7 @@ def reconcile_stale_sagas(
                 )
                 continue
             reaped_worktrees: list[str] = []
+            failed_compensation = False
             for compensation in saga.compensations:
                 # Run only the handled compensations; deferred kinds (no handler
                 # yet) are skipped, never falsely claimed undone. Filtering by
@@ -147,7 +153,21 @@ def reconcile_stale_sagas(
                     reaped_worktrees.append(compensation.target)
                 elif compensation.kind == CompensationKind.DELETE_BRANCH:
                     if reap_branch is not None:
-                        reap_branch(compensation.target)
+                        try:
+                            reap_branch(compensation.target)
+                        except Exception as exc:  # noqa: BLE001 - park this saga, continue sweep
+                            reason = (
+                                "recovered: parked for human, compensation "
+                                f"{CompensationKind.DELETE_BRANCH} for "
+                                f"{compensation.target!r} failed: "
+                                f"{type(exc).__name__}: {exc}"
+                            )
+                            saga_store.mark_quarantined(saga.task_id, reason=reason)
+                            errors.append(f"{saga.saga_id}: quarantined, {reason}")
+                            failed_compensation = True
+                            break
+            if failed_compensation:
+                continue
             saga_store.mark_compensated(
                 saga.task_id, reason="recovered: dead-worker lease expired at boot"
             )
diff --git a/tests/test_recovery.py b/tests/test_recovery.py
index 51268c8..6a2ad93 100644
--- a/tests/test_recovery.py
+++ b/tests/test_recovery.py
@@ -411,6 +411,81 @@ def test_reconcile_delete_branch_without_reaper_still_compensates(tmp_path: Path
     assert store.get("task-42-worker").state == TaskState.COMPENSATED
 
 
+def test_reconcile_quarantines_saga_when_branch_deletion_raises(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """#434: a failed DELETE_BRANCH handler parks the saga terminal."""
+    store = _store(tmp_path)
+    _stale_with_compensations(
+        store,
+        issue=42,
+        compensations=(
+            Compensation(
+                kind=CompensationKind.DELETE_BRANCH,
+                target="loop/42",
+                reason="delete orphaned branch",
+            ),
+        ),
+    )
+
+    def fail_branch_reap(branch: str) -> None:
+        raise RuntimeError(f"protected branch: {branch}")
+
+    report = reconcile_stale_sagas(
+        store, reap_worktree=lambda _: None, reap_branch=fail_branch_reap
+    )
+
+    saga = store.get("task-42-worker")
+    assert report.recovered == ()
+    assert len(report.errors) == 1
+    assert "saga-42-worker" in report.errors[0]
+    assert "delete-branch" in report.errors[0]
+    assert "protected branch" in report.errors[0]
+    assert saga.state == TaskState.QUARANTINED
+    assert saga.is_terminal is True
+    assert "delete-branch" in (saga.terminal_reason or "")
+    assert "loop/42" in (saga.terminal_reason or "")
+    assert store.list_in_flight() == ()
+
+    second = reconcile_stale_sagas(
+        store, reap_worktree=lambda _: None, reap_branch=fail_branch_reap
+    )
+    assert second.recovered == ()
+    assert second.errors == ()
+
+
+def test_reconcile_branch_failure_does_not_abort_sibling_saga(tmp_path: Path) -> None:
+    """#434: one failed branch reap does not stop another stale saga."""
+    store = _store(tmp_path)
+    _stale_with_compensations(
+        store,
+        issue=1,
+        compensations=(
+            Compensation(
+                kind=CompensationKind.DELETE_BRANCH,
+                target="loop/1",
+                reason="delete orphaned branch",
+            ),
+        ),
+    )
+    _stale_running(store, issue=2)
+    reaped_worktrees: list[int] = []
+
+    def fail_branch_reap(branch: str) -> None:
+        raise RuntimeError(f"cannot delete {branch}")
+
+    report = reconcile_stale_sagas(
+        store, reap_worktree=reaped_worktrees.append, reap_branch=fail_branch_reap
+    )
+
+    assert [item.issue for item in report.recovered] == [2]
+    assert report.recovered[0].worktrees_reaped == ("/tmp/wt-loop-2",)
+    assert reaped_worktrees == [2]
+    assert store.get("task-1-worker").state == TaskState.QUARANTINED
+    assert store.get("task-2-worker").state == TaskState.COMPENSATED
+    assert store.list_in_flight() == ()
+    assert len(report.errors) == 1
+    assert "saga-1-worker" in report.errors[0]
+
+
 def test_recovery_handler_keyset_is_exhaustive_over_compensation_kinds() -> None:
     """#360 exhaustiveness contract: every CompensationKind is classified.