diff --git a/src/main/ipc/handlers/git.ts b/src/main/ipc/handlers/git.ts
index 6018c69f..2aeb5240 100644
--- a/src/main/ipc/handlers/git.ts
+++ b/src/main/ipc/handlers/git.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import path from 'path';
 import { execFileNoThrow } from '../../utils/execFile';
 import { logger } from '../../utils/logger';
 import { withIpcErrorLogging, createIpcHandler, CreateHandlerOptions } from '../../utils/ipcHandler';
+import { getExpandedEnv } from '../../utils/cliDetection';
 import {
   parseGitBranches,
   parseGitTags,
@@ -524,9 +525,26 @@ export function registerGitHandlers(): void {
   ipcMain.handle('git:checkGhCli', withIpcErrorLogging(
     handlerOpts('checkGhCli'),
     async (ghPath?: string) => {
-      // Use custom path if provided, otherwise fall back to 'gh' (expects it in PATH)
-      const ghCommand = ghPath || 'gh';
-      logger.debug(`Checking gh CLI at: ${ghCommand} (custom path: ${ghPath || 'none'})`, LOG_CONTEXT);
+      // Use custom path if provided
+      let ghCommand = ghPath || 'gh';
+      logger.debug(`Checking gh CLI (custom path: ${ghPath || 'auto-detect'})`, LOG_CONTEXT);
+
+      // Auto-detect gh location if no custom path provided
+      if (!ghPath) {
+        // Use platform-appropriate command: 'where' on Windows, 'which' on Unix
+        const command = process.platform === 'win32' ? 'where' : 'which';
+        const env = getExpandedEnv(); // Expanded PATH for finding binaries
+        const whichResult = await execFileNoThrow(command, ['gh'], undefined, env);
+
+        if (whichResult.exitCode === 0 && whichResult.stdout.trim()) {
+          // On Windows, 'where' can return multiple paths - take the first one
+          ghCommand = whichResult.stdout.trim().split('\n')[0];
+          logger.debug(`Auto-detected gh CLI at: ${ghCommand}`, LOG_CONTEXT);
+        } else {
+          // If detection fails, fall back to 'gh' and let execFileNoThrow handle the error
+          logger.debug('Auto-detection failed, using default "gh" command', LOG_CONTEXT);
+        }
+      }
 
       // Check if gh is installed by running gh --version
       const versionResult = await execFileNoThrow(ghCommand, ['--version']);
diff --git a/src/main/utils/cliDetection.ts b/src/main/utils/cliDetection.ts
index 024e128f..dbf13c06 100644
--- a/src/main/utils/cliDetection.ts
+++ b/src/main/utils/cliDetection.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ let cloudflaredPathCache: string | null = null;
  * Build an expanded PATH that includes common binary installation locations.
  * This is necessary because packaged Electron apps don't inherit shell environment.
  */
-function getExpandedEnv(): NodeJS.ProcessEnv {
+export function getExpandedEnv(): NodeJS.ProcessEnv {
   const home = os.homedir();
   const env = { ...process.env };
   const isWindows = process.platform === 'win32';