diff --git a/.config/hooks/pre-push b/.config/hooks/pre-push
index fc73c35df..27dbecee7 100755
--- a/.config/hooks/pre-push
+++ b/.config/hooks/pre-push
@@ -21,9 +21,7 @@ else
 fi
 
 GODOT="${GODOT:-godot}"
-if [ "$CLIENT_CHANGED" -eq 0 ]; then
-    echo "pre-push: no client/ changes in push — skipping GDScript checks"
-elif command -v "$GODOT" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+if command -v "$GODOT" >/dev/null 2>&1 && [ -d "$REPO_ROOT/client/.godot" ]; then
     echo "pre-push: checking GDScript (parse)..."
     SCRIPT_ERRORS=$("$GODOT" --headless --path "$REPO_ROOT/client" --quit 2>&1 | grep -ci "SCRIPT ERROR" || true)
     if [ "$SCRIPT_ERRORS" -gt 0 ]; then
@@ -34,11 +32,11 @@ elif command -v "$GODOT" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
         echo "pre-push: GDScript parse — OK"
     fi
 else
-    echo "pre-push: WARNING — Godot not found, skipping GDScript parse check"
+    echo "pre-push: skipping GDScript parse (no .godot/ import — run Godot once to enable)"
 fi
 
 # --- GDScript lint (gdlint static analysis) — advisory only until codebase is clean ---
-if [ "$CLIENT_CHANGED" -gt 0 ] && command -v gdlint >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+if command -v gdlint >/dev/null 2>&1 && [ -d "$REPO_ROOT/client/scripts" ]; then
     echo "pre-push: checking GDScript (gdlint — advisory)..."
     LINT_COUNT=$(gdlint "$REPO_ROOT/client/scripts/" "$REPO_ROOT/client/ui/" 2>&1 | grep -c "Error:" || true)
     if [ "$LINT_COUNT" -gt 0 ]; then
@@ -49,7 +47,7 @@ if [ "$CLIENT_CHANGED" -gt 0 ] && command -v gdlint >/dev/null 2>&1; then
 fi
 
 # --- GDScript format check (gdformat) — advisory only until codebase is clean ---
-if [ "$CLIENT_CHANGED" -gt 0 ] && command -v gdformat >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+if command -v gdformat >/dev/null 2>&1 && [ -d "$REPO_ROOT/client/scripts" ]; then
     echo "pre-push: checking GDScript (gdformat — advisory)..."
     FORMAT_COUNT=$(gdformat --check "$REPO_ROOT/client/scripts/" "$REPO_ROOT/client/ui/" 2>&1 | grep -c "would reformat" || true)
     if [ "$FORMAT_COUNT" -gt 0 ]; then
@@ -60,16 +58,8 @@ if [ "$CLIENT_CHANGED" -gt 0 ] && command -v gdformat >/dev/null 2>&1; then
 fi
 
 # --- Rust lint (clippy + fmt) ---
-if [ "$SERVER_CHANGED" -eq 0 ]; then
-    echo "pre-push: no server/ changes in push — skipping Rust checks"
-elif command -v cargo >/dev/null 2>&1 && [ -d "$REPO_ROOT/server" ]; then
-    echo "pre-push: checking Rust (clippy)..."
-    if ! (cd "$REPO_ROOT/server" && cargo clippy -- -D warnings 2>&1); then
-        ERRORS=$((ERRORS + 1))
-    else
-        echo "pre-push: clippy — OK"
-    fi
-
+if command -v cargo >/dev/null 2>&1 && [ -d "$REPO_ROOT/server" ]; then
+    # fmt only needs source files — always safe to run
     echo "pre-push: checking Rust (fmt)..."
     if ! (cd "$REPO_ROOT/server" && cargo fmt --check 2>&1); then
         ERRORS=$((ERRORS + 1))
@@ -77,6 +67,18 @@ elif command -v cargo >/dev/null 2>&1 && [ -d "$REPO_ROOT/server" ]; then
         echo "pre-push: fmt — OK"
     fi
 
+    # clippy needs a build — skip if target/ doesn't exist (cold worktree)
+    if [ -d "$REPO_ROOT/server/target" ]; then
+        echo "pre-push: checking Rust (clippy)..."
+        if ! (cd "$REPO_ROOT/server" && cargo clippy -- -D warnings 2>&1); then
+            ERRORS=$((ERRORS + 1))
+        else
+            echo "pre-push: clippy — OK"
+        fi
+    else
+        echo "pre-push: skipping clippy (no target/ — run 'cargo build' once to enable)"
+    fi
+
     # --- Rust dependency audit (cargo deny) — requires deny.toml config ---
     if command -v cargo-deny >/dev/null 2>&1 && [ -f "$REPO_ROOT/server/deny.toml" ]; then
         echo "pre-push: checking Rust (cargo deny)..."