diff --git a/find_replace.go b/find_replace.go
index 9bdbe79..07d53a4 100644
--- a/find_replace.go
+++ b/find_replace.go
@@ -151,6 +151,11 @@ func (fr *findReplace) WalkDir(f *File) {
 // the rename step; the failure is returned so the walker can log it and
 // continue with siblings.
 func (fr *findReplace) HandleFile(f *File) error {
+	if f.Base() == ".git" {
+		// Skip .git whether it is a directory or a worktree/submodule pointer file.
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	info, err := f.Info()
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
@@ -158,10 +163,6 @@ func (fr *findReplace) HandleFile(f *File) error {
 
 	// If file is a directory, recurse immediately (depth-first).
 	if info.IsDir() {
-		// Ignore certain directories
-		if f.Base() == ".git" {
-			return nil
-		}
 		fr.WalkDir(f)
 	} else {
 		// Replace the contents of regular files.
diff --git a/find_replace_test.go b/find_replace_test.go
index 9a54564..f169da8 100644
--- a/find_replace_test.go
+++ b/find_replace_test.go
@@ -660,6 +660,29 @@ func withWorkingDir(t *testing.T, dir string) {
 	t.Cleanup(func() { _ = os.Chdir(prev) })
 }
 
+
+func TestHandleFileSkipsGitWorktreeFile(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	path := filepath.Join(dir, ".git")
+	const original = "gitdir: /path/to/main/.git/worktrees/foo\n"
+	if err := os.WriteFile(path, []byte(original), 0o644); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	f := newFileOrFatal(t, path)
+
+	fr := findReplace{find: "git", replace: "got"}
+	if err := fr.HandleFile(f); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	got, err := os.ReadFile(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if string(got) != original {
+		t.Fatalf("content = %q; want unchanged worktree .git file", got)
+	}
+}
+
 func CloneRepoToTestDir(b *testing.B, repoUrl string) *File {
 	b.Helper()
 	d := newTestDir(b, "", "*")