diff --git a/claudetool/bash.go b/claudetool/bash.go
index 2edd230..b3b8b03 100644
--- a/claudetool/bash.go
+++ b/claudetool/bash.go
@@ -17,14 +17,32 @@
 	"sketch.dev/claudetool/bashkit"
 )
 
-// The Bash tool executes shell commands with bash -c and optional timeout
-var Bash = &ant.Tool{
-	Name:        bashName,
-	Description: strings.TrimSpace(bashDescription),
-	InputSchema: ant.MustSchema(bashInputSchema),
-	Run:         BashRun,
+// PermissionCallback is a function type for checking if a command is allowed to run
+type PermissionCallback func(command string) error
+
+// BashTool is a struct for executing shell commands with bash -c and optional timeout
+type BashTool struct {
+	// CheckPermission is called before running any command, if set
+	CheckPermission PermissionCallback
 }
 
+// NewBashTool creates a new Bash tool with optional permission callback
+func NewBashTool(checkPermission PermissionCallback) *ant.Tool {
+	tool := &BashTool{
+		CheckPermission: checkPermission,
+	}
+
+	return &ant.Tool{
+		Name:        bashName,
+		Description: strings.TrimSpace(bashDescription),
+		InputSchema: ant.MustSchema(bashInputSchema),
+		Run:         tool.Run,
+	}
+}
+
+// The Bash tool executes shell commands with bash -c and optional timeout
+var Bash = NewBashTool(nil)
+
 const (
 	bashName        = "bash"
 	bashDescription = `
@@ -96,17 +114,25 @@
 	}
 }
 
-func BashRun(ctx context.Context, m json.RawMessage) (string, error) {
+func (b *BashTool) Run(ctx context.Context, m json.RawMessage) (string, error) {
 	var req bashInput
 	if err := json.Unmarshal(m, &req); err != nil {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal bash command input: %w", err)
 	}
+
 	// do a quick permissions check (NOT a security barrier)
 	err := bashkit.Check(req.Command)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
 	}
 
+	// Custom permission callback if set
+	if b.CheckPermission != nil {
+		if err := b.CheckPermission(req.Command); err != nil {
+			return "", err
+		}
+	}
+
 	// If Background is set to true, use executeBackgroundBash
 	if req.Background {
 		result, err := executeBackgroundBash(ctx, req)
@@ -278,3 +304,9 @@
 		StderrFile: stderrFile,
 	}, nil
 }
+
+// BashRun is the legacy function for testing compatibility
+func BashRun(ctx context.Context, m json.RawMessage) (string, error) {
+	// Use the default Bash tool which has no permission callback
+	return Bash.Run(ctx, m)
+}
diff --git a/loop/agent.go b/loop/agent.go
index 0b8d593..9b391d0 100644
--- a/loop/agent.go
+++ b/loop/agent.go
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 
 	"sketch.dev/ant"
 	"sketch.dev/claudetool"
+	"sketch.dev/claudetool/bashkit"
 )
 
 const (
@@ -646,11 +647,41 @@
 
 	convo.SystemPrompt = fmt.Sprintf(agentSystemPrompt, editPrompt, a.config.ClientGOOS, a.config.ClientGOARCH, a.workingDir, a.repoRoot, a.initialCommit)
 
+	// Define a permission callback for the bash tool to check if the branch name is set before allowing git commits
+	bashPermissionCheck := func(command string) error {
+		// Check if branch name is set
+		a.mu.Lock()
+		branchSet := a.branchName != ""
+		a.mu.Unlock()
+
+		// If branch is set, all commands are allowed
+		if branchSet {
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		// If branch is not set, check if this is a git commit command
+		willCommit, err := bashkit.WillRunGitCommit(command)
+		if err != nil {
+			// If there's an error checking, we should allow the command to proceed
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		// If it's a git commit and branch is not set, return an error
+		if willCommit {
+			return fmt.Errorf("you must use the title tool before making git commits")
+		}
+
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// Create a custom bash tool with the permission check
+	bashTool := claudetool.NewBashTool(bashPermissionCheck)
+
 	// Register all tools with the conversation
 	// When adding, removing, or modifying tools here, double-check that the termui tool display
 	// template in termui/termui.go has pretty-printing support for all tools.
 	convo.Tools = []*ant.Tool{
-		claudetool.Bash, claudetool.Keyword,
+		bashTool, claudetool.Keyword,
 		claudetool.Think, a.titleTool(), makeDoneTool(a.codereview, a.config.GitUsername, a.config.GitEmail),
 		a.codereview.Tool(),
 	}