diff --git a/src/cli.ts b/src/cli.ts
index 55242dc..35a018d 100755
--- a/src/cli.ts
+++ b/src/cli.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import { action as reviewAction } from "./commands/review.ts"
 import { action as shellAction } from "./commands/shell.ts"
 import { action as closeAction } from "./commands/close.ts"
 import { action as mergeAction } from "./commands/merge.ts"
+import { action as squashAction } from "./commands/squash.ts"
 import { action as rebaseAction } from "./commands/rebase.ts"
 import { action as saveAction } from "./commands/save.ts"
 import { action as diffAction } from "./commands/diff.ts"
@@ -97,6 +98,14 @@ program
   .description("Merge a branch into main and close the session")
   .action(mergeAction)
 
+// ── sandlot squash ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+program
+  .command("squash")
+  .argument("<branch>", "branch name")
+  .description("Squash-merge a branch into main and close the session")
+  .action(squashAction)
+
 // ── sandlot rebase ───────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
 program
diff --git a/src/commands/helpers.ts b/src/commands/helpers.ts
index 02de7a8..a760c78 100644
--- a/src/commands/helpers.ts
+++ b/src/commands/helpers.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import * as vm from "../vm.ts"
 import * as state from "../state.ts"
 import { spinner } from "../spinner.ts"
 import { die } from "../fmt.ts"
+import { action as closeAction } from "./close.ts"
 import type { Session } from "../state.ts"
 
 /** Look up a session by branch, dying if it doesn't exist. */
@@ -41,6 +42,70 @@ export async function resolveConflicts(
   }
 }
 
+/** Merge (or squash-merge) a branch into main, resolve conflicts if needed, and close the session. */
+export async function mergeAndClose(branch: string, opts?: { squash?: boolean }): Promise<void> {
+  const root = await git.repoRoot()
+  const session = await state.getSession(root, branch)
+
+  if (session && await git.isDirty(session.worktree)) {
+    die(`Branch "${branch}" has unsaved changes. Run "sandlot save ${branch}" first.`)
+  }
+
+  const label = opts?.squash ? "Squash-merged" : "Merged"
+  const conflicts = await git.merge(branch, root, opts?.squash ? { squash: true } : undefined)
+
+  if (conflicts.length === 0) {
+    if (opts?.squash) {
+      await squashCommit(branch, root)
+    }
+    console.log(`✔ ${label} ${branch} into current branch`)
+    await closeAction(branch)
+    return
+  }
+
+  // Resolve conflicts with Claude
+  console.log(`◆ Merge conflicts in ${conflicts.length} file(s). Resolving with Claude...`)
+  const spin = spinner("Starting container", branch)
+
+  try {
+    await vm.ensure((msg) => { spin.text = msg })
+    await resolveConflicts(conflicts, root, (file) => { spin.text = `Resolving ${file}` })
+
+    if (opts?.squash) {
+      await squashCommit(branch, root)
+    } else {
+      await git.commitMerge(root)
+    }
+    spin.succeed(`Resolved ${conflicts.length} conflict(s) and ${label.toLowerCase()} ${branch}`)
+  } catch (err) {
+    const message = err instanceof Error ? err.message : String(err)
+    spin.fail(message)
+    await git.abortMerge(root)
+    process.exit(1)
+  }
+
+  await closeAction(branch)
+}
+
+/** Generate a commit message for a squash-merge via Claude and commit. */
+async function squashCommit(branch: string, cwd: string): Promise<void> {
+  const diff = await git.diffStaged(cwd)
+
+  if (diff.trim()) {
+    const gen = await vm.claudePipe(
+      diff,
+      "write a short commit message summarizing these changes. output only the message, no quotes or extra text",
+    )
+    if (gen.exitCode === 0 && gen.stdout.trim()) {
+      await git.commit(gen.stdout.trim(), cwd)
+      return
+    }
+  }
+
+  // Fallback if diff is empty or Claude fails
+  await git.commit(`squash ${branch}`, cwd)
+}
+
 /** Stage all changes, generate a commit message, and commit. Returns true on success. */
 export async function saveChanges(worktree: string, branch: string, message?: string): Promise<boolean> {
   const spin = spinner("Staging changes", branch)
diff --git a/src/commands/merge.ts b/src/commands/merge.ts
index 6e542bf..1f4d05e 100644
--- a/src/commands/merge.ts
+++ b/src/commands/merge.ts
@@ -1,171 +1,5 @@
-import { join } from "path"
-import * as git from "../git.ts"
-import * as vm from "../vm.ts"
-import * as state from "../state.ts"
-import { spinner } from "../spinner.ts"
-import { die } from "../fmt.ts"
-import { action as closeAction } from "./close.ts"
-
-const MAX_DIFF_LINES = 300
-const MAX_LOG_LINES = 50
-const MAX_STAT_LINES = 100
-const MAX_CONFLICT_REGIONS = 15
-const MAX_CONFLICTED_LINES = 200
-
-interface ConflictAnalysis {
-  regions: number
-  conflictedLines: number
-}
-
-function analyzeConflicts(content: string): ConflictAnalysis {
-  let regions = 0
-  let conflictedLines = 0
-  let inConflict = false
-
-  for (const line of content.split("\n")) {
-    if (line.startsWith("<<<<<<<")) {
-      regions++
-      inConflict = true
-    } else if (line.startsWith(">>>>>>>")) {
-      inConflict = false
-    } else if (inConflict) {
-      conflictedLines++
-    }
-  }
-
-  return { regions, conflictedLines }
-}
-
-function truncate(text: string, maxLines = MAX_DIFF_LINES): string {
-  if (!text) return text
-  const lines = text.split("\n")
-  if (lines.length <= maxLines) return text
-  return lines.slice(0, maxLines).join("\n") + `\n... (truncated, ${lines.length - maxLines} more lines)`
-}
+import { mergeAndClose } from "./helpers.ts"
 
 export async function action(branch: string) {
-  const root = await git.repoRoot()
-  const session = await state.getSession(root, branch)
-
-  if (session && await git.isDirty(session.worktree)) {
-    die(`Branch "${branch}" has unsaved changes. Run "sandlot save ${branch}" first.`)
-  }
-
-  const conflicts = await git.merge(branch, root)
-
-  if (conflicts.length === 0) {
-    console.log(`✔ Merged ${branch} into current branch`)
-    await closeAction(branch)
-    return
-  }
-
-  // Resolve conflicts with Claude
-  console.log(`◆ Merge conflicts in ${conflicts.length} file(s). Resolving with Claude...`)
-  const spin = spinner("Starting container", branch)
-
-  try {
-    await vm.ensure((msg) => { spin.text = msg })
-
-    // Gather merge context
-    spin.text = "Gathering merge context"
-    const current = await git.currentBranch(root)
-    const base = await git.mergeBase("HEAD", branch, root)
-    const branchLog = await git.commitLog(`${base}..${branch}`, root)
-    const branchDiffStat = await git.diffStat(`${base}..${branch}`, root)
-
-    // Read conflicted files, fetch diffs, and partition by complexity
-    spin.text = "Checking conflict complexity"
-    const fileEntries = await Promise.all(
-      conflicts.map(async (file) => {
-        const [content, oursDiff, theirsDiff] = await Promise.all([
-          Bun.file(join(root, file)).text(),
-          git.fileDiff(base, "HEAD", file, root),
-          git.fileDiff(base, branch, file, root),
-        ])
-        return { file, content, oursDiff, theirsDiff, ...analyzeConflicts(content) }
-      }),
-    )
-
-    const resolvable: typeof fileEntries = []
-    const skipped: string[] = []
-    for (const entry of fileEntries) {
-      if (entry.regions > MAX_CONFLICT_REGIONS || entry.conflictedLines > MAX_CONFLICTED_LINES) {
-        skipped.push(entry.file)
-      } else {
-        resolvable.push(entry)
-      }
-    }
-
-    if (resolvable.length === 0) {
-      spin.fail("All conflicts are too complex for auto-resolution")
-      console.log("\nThe following files need manual resolution:")
-      for (const file of skipped) console.log(`  - ${file}`)
-      console.log("\nYour repo is in a MERGING state. To finish:")
-      console.log("  Resolve the files, then run: git add <files> && git commit --no-edit")
-      console.log("  Or abort with: git merge --abort")
-      return
-    }
-
-    const preamble = [
-      `## Merge Context`,
-      `Merging branch \`${branch}\` into \`${current}\``,
-      ``,
-      `### Commits on \`${branch}\`:`,
-      (branchLog && truncate(branchLog, MAX_LOG_LINES)) || "(no commits)",
-      ``,
-      `### Overall changes on \`${branch}\`:`,
-      (branchDiffStat && truncate(branchDiffStat, MAX_STAT_LINES)) || "(no changes)",
-    ].join("\n")
-
-    for (const { file, content, oursDiff, theirsDiff } of resolvable) {
-      spin.text = `Resolving ${file}`
-
-      const context = [
-        preamble,
-        ``,
-        `---`,
-        `## Conflicted File: ${file}`,
-        ``,
-        `### Changes made on current branch (\`${current}\`):`,
-        (oursDiff && truncate(oursDiff)) || "(no changes to this file)",
-        ``,
-        `### Changes made on incoming branch (\`${branch}\`):`,
-        (theirsDiff && truncate(theirsDiff)) || "(no changes to this file)",
-        ``,
-        `### File with conflict markers:`,
-        content,
-      ].join("\n")
-
-      const resolved = await vm.claudePipe(
-        context,
-        "Resolve the merge conflicts in the file shown at the end. Use the diffs and commit history to understand the intent of each side. Preserve all non-conflicting changes from both sides. Output ONLY the resolved file content — no markdown fences, no explanation, no surrounding text.",
-      )
-
-      if (resolved.exitCode !== 0) {
-        throw new Error(`Claude failed to resolve ${file}: ${resolved.stderr}`)
-      }
-
-      await Bun.write(join(root, file), resolved.stdout + "\n")
-      await git.stageFile(file, root)
-    }
-
-    if (skipped.length > 0) {
-      spin.succeed(`Resolved ${resolvable.length} of ${conflicts.length} conflict(s)`)
-      console.log("\nThe following files are too complex for auto-resolution:")
-      for (const file of skipped) console.log(`  - ${file}`)
-      console.log("\nYour repo is in a MERGING state. To finish:")
-      console.log("  Resolve the remaining files, then run: git add <files> && git commit --no-edit")
-      console.log("  Or abort with: git merge --abort")
-      return
-    }
-
-    await git.commitMerge(root)
-    spin.succeed(`Resolved ${conflicts.length} conflict(s) and merged ${branch}`)
-  } catch (err) {
-    spin.fail(String((err as Error).message ?? err))
-    await git.abortMerge(root)
-    process.exit(1)
-  }
-
-  await closeAction(branch)
+  await mergeAndClose(branch)
 }
diff --git a/src/commands/squash.ts b/src/commands/squash.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2f0d341
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/commands/squash.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+import { mergeAndClose } from "./helpers.ts"
+
+export async function action(branch: string) {
+  await mergeAndClose(branch, { squash: true })
+}
diff --git a/src/git.ts b/src/git.ts
index 62519d3..379e139 100644
--- a/src/git.ts
+++ b/src/git.ts
@@ -88,8 +88,11 @@ export async function checkout(branch: string, cwd: string): Promise<void> {
 }
 
 /** Merge a branch into the current branch. Returns conflicted file paths, or empty array if clean. */
-export async function merge(branch: string, cwd: string): Promise<string[]> {
-  const result = await $`git merge ${branch}`.cwd(cwd).nothrow().quiet()
+export async function merge(branch: string, cwd: string, opts?: { squash?: boolean }): Promise<string[]> {
+  const cmd = opts?.squash
+    ? $`git merge --squash ${branch}`.cwd(cwd).nothrow().quiet()
+    : $`git merge ${branch}`.cwd(cwd).nothrow().quiet()
+  const result = await cmd
   if (result.exitCode === 0) return []
 
   // Check for unmerged (conflicted) files
@@ -98,7 +101,21 @@ export async function merge(branch: string, cwd: string): Promise<string[]> {
   if (files.length > 0) return files
 
   // Not a conflict — some other merge failure
-  throw new Error(`Failed to merge branch "${branch}": ${result.stderr.toString().trim()}`)
+  const label = opts?.squash ? "squash-merge" : "merge"
+  throw new Error(`Failed to ${label} branch "${branch}": ${result.stderr.toString().trim()}`)
+}
+
+/** Return the staged diff as text. */
+export async function diffStaged(cwd: string): Promise<string> {
+  return await $`git diff --staged`.cwd(cwd).nothrow().quiet().text()
+}
+
+/** Commit staged changes with a message. */
+export async function commit(message: string, cwd: string): Promise<void> {
+  const result = await $`git commit -m ${message}`.cwd(cwd).nothrow().quiet()
+  if (result.exitCode !== 0) {
+    throw new Error(`Failed to commit: ${result.stderr.toString().trim()}`)
+  }
 }
 
 /** Stage a file. */