diff --git a/docs/gitea-execution-profiles.md b/docs/gitea-execution-profiles.md
index 970f5d4..da97342 100644
--- a/docs/gitea-execution-profiles.md
+++ b/docs/gitea-execution-profiles.md
@@ -238,11 +238,39 @@ narrow operation set:
 - `gitea.issue.comment`
 - `gitea.issue.close`
 - `gitea.pr.close`
+- `gitea.branch.delete` (merged-branch cleanup only — see below)
 
 Forbidden on reconciler profiles: `gitea.pr.approve`, `gitea.pr.merge`,
 `gitea.pr.review`, `gitea.pr.create`, `gitea.branch.push`, and
 `gitea.repo.commit`.
 
+### Merged-branch cleanup ownership (`gitea.branch.delete`)
+
+The reconciler is the repository-supported owner of merged-PR source-branch
+cleanup: `task_capability_map` maps `cleanup_merged_pr_branch` (and
+`reconciliation_cleanup`) to role `reconciler` with permission
+`gitea.branch.delete`. Post-merge branch lifecycle is reconciliation work —
+it happens after the author, reviewer, and merger roles have completed, and
+it must not be reachable from those roles.
+
+Least-privilege constraints:
+
+- `gitea.branch.delete` is granted **only** to reconciler profiles. Author,
+  reviewer, and merger profiles must never hold it; `gitea_delete_branch`
+  and `gitea_cleanup_merged_pr_branch` fail closed on any profile without
+  the permission.
+- Even with the permission, deletion is only supported through the guarded
+  `gitea_cleanup_merged_pr_branch` path (#514): the PR must be merged, the
+  head an ancestor of the target, the branch not protected
+  (`master`/`main`/`dev`), no open PR may still use the head, and an
+  explicit `CLEANUP MERGED PR <n> BRANCH <branch>` confirmation is
+  required.
+- Raw `git branch -d` / `git push --delete` cleanup remains blocked by
+  `branch_cleanup_guard` and the final-report validator regardless of
+  profile permissions.
+- `gitea.branch.delete` has no short alias in `GITEA_OPERATION_ALIASES`;
+  write it fully qualified in `allowed_operations`.
+
 Launch a static `gitea-reconciler` MCP namespace with
 `GITEA_MCP_PROFILE=prgs-reconciler`. Profile shape is validated by
 `reconciler_profile.assess_reconciler_profile` (#304). Use the
diff --git a/reconciler_profile.py b/reconciler_profile.py
index 4d9d589..b300ec2 100644
--- a/reconciler_profile.py
+++ b/reconciler_profile.py
@@ -18,6 +18,11 @@ RECONCILER_RECOMMENDED_OPERATIONS = (
     "gitea.pr.comment",
     "gitea.issue.comment",
     "gitea.issue.close",
+    # Merged-branch cleanup is reconciler-owned (task_capability_map maps
+    # cleanup_merged_pr_branch -> reconciler). The permission is only
+    # exercisable through the guarded gitea_cleanup_merged_pr_branch path
+    # (#514): merged proof, protected-branch refusal, explicit confirmation.
+    "gitea.branch.delete",
 )
 
 RECONCILER_FORBIDDEN_OPERATIONS = (
diff --git a/tests/test_branch_cleanup_guard.py b/tests/test_branch_cleanup_guard.py
index dd4053f..ae64fbc 100644
--- a/tests/test_branch_cleanup_guard.py
+++ b/tests/test_branch_cleanup_guard.py
@@ -93,6 +93,44 @@ class TestMergedPrBranchCleanupTool(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(res["required_permission"], "gitea.branch.delete")
         self.mock_api.assert_not_called()
 
+    def test_author_and_merger_without_delete_authority_fail_closed(self):
+        role_profiles = {
+            "author": [
+                "gitea.read",
+                "gitea.branch.create",
+                "gitea.branch.push",
+                "gitea.repo.commit",
+                "gitea.pr.create",
+            ],
+            "merger": ["gitea.read", "gitea.pr.merge"],
+        }
+        for name, allowed in role_profiles.items():
+            with self.subTest(role=name):
+                profile_patch = patch(
+                    "mcp_server.get_profile",
+                    return_value={
+                        "profile_name": name,
+                        "allowed_operations": allowed,
+                        "forbidden_operations": [],
+                    },
+                )
+                profile_patch.start()
+                try:
+                    res = gitea_cleanup_merged_pr_branch(
+                        pr_number=487,
+                        confirmation="CLEANUP MERGED PR 487 BRANCH feat/branch",
+                        branch="feat/branch",
+                        remote="prgs",
+                        worktree_path="/tmp/repo/branches/cleanup",
+                    )
+                finally:
+                    profile_patch.stop()
+                self.assertFalse(res["performed"])
+                self.assertEqual(
+                    res["required_permission"], "gitea.branch.delete"
+                )
+                self.mock_api.assert_not_called()
+
     def test_root_checkout_cleanup_fails_closed(self):
         patch(
             "mcp_server.get_profile",
diff --git a/tests/test_reconciler_profile.py b/tests/test_reconciler_profile.py
index 1c3086d..1c3b6af 100644
--- a/tests/test_reconciler_profile.py
+++ b/tests/test_reconciler_profile.py
@@ -82,6 +82,42 @@ class TestReconcilerProfileModel(unittest.TestCase):
             "reconciler",
         )
 
+    def test_branch_delete_is_recommended_for_reconciler(self):
+        self.assertIn(
+            "gitea.branch.delete",
+            reconciler_profile.RECONCILER_RECOMMENDED_OPERATIONS,
+        )
+        self.assertNotIn(
+            "gitea.branch.delete",
+            reconciler_profile.RECONCILER_REQUIRED_OPERATIONS,
+        )
+
+    def test_reconciler_with_branch_delete_stays_valid(self):
+        allowed = PRGS_RECONCILER_ALLOWED + ["gitea.branch.delete"]
+        result = reconciler_profile.assess_reconciler_profile(
+            allowed,
+            PRGS_RECONCILER_FORBIDDEN,
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(result["is_reconciler_profile"])
+        self.assertTrue(result["valid"])
+        self.assertNotIn(
+            "gitea.branch.delete", result["missing_recommended_operations"]
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            mcp_server._role_kind(allowed, PRGS_RECONCILER_FORBIDDEN),
+            "reconciler",
+        )
+
+    def test_reconciler_without_branch_delete_reports_missing_recommended(self):
+        result = reconciler_profile.assess_reconciler_profile(
+            PRGS_RECONCILER_ALLOWED,
+            PRGS_RECONCILER_FORBIDDEN,
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(result["valid"])
+        self.assertIn(
+            "gitea.branch.delete", result["missing_recommended_operations"]
+        )
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()
\ No newline at end of file