diff --git a/lib/uninstall/batch.sh b/lib/uninstall/batch.sh
index a3931c5..464fedf 100755
--- a/lib/uninstall/batch.sh
+++ b/lib/uninstall/batch.sh
@@ -530,15 +530,35 @@ batch_uninstall_applications() {
                 if brew_uninstall_cask "$cask_name" "$app_path"; then
                     used_brew_successfully=true
                 else
-                    # Fallback to manual removal if brew fails
-                    if [[ "$needs_sudo" == true ]]; then
-                        if ! safe_sudo_remove "$app_path"; then
-                            reason="brew failed, manual removal failed"
+                    # Only fall back to manual app removal when Homebrew no longer
+                    # tracks the cask. Otherwise we would recreate the mismatch
+                    # where brew still reports the app as installed after Mole
+                    # removes the bundle manually.
+                    local cask_state=2
+                    if command -v is_brew_cask_installed > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+                        if is_brew_cask_installed "$cask_name"; then
+                            cask_state=0
+                        else
+                            cask_state=$?
                         fi
+                    fi
+
+                    if [[ $cask_state -eq 1 ]]; then
+                        if [[ "$needs_sudo" == true ]]; then
+                            if ! safe_sudo_remove "$app_path"; then
+                                reason="brew cleanup incomplete, manual removal failed"
+                            fi
+                        else
+                            if ! safe_remove "$app_path" true; then
+                                reason="brew cleanup incomplete, manual removal failed"
+                            fi
+                        fi
+                    elif [[ $cask_state -eq 0 ]]; then
+                        reason="brew uninstall failed, package still installed"
+                        suggestion="Run brew uninstall --cask --zap $cask_name"
                     else
-                        if ! safe_remove "$app_path" true; then
-                            reason="brew failed, manual removal failed"
-                        fi
+                        reason="brew uninstall failed, package state unknown"
+                        suggestion="Run brew uninstall --cask --zap $cask_name"
                     fi
                 fi
             elif [[ "$needs_sudo" == true ]]; then
diff --git a/lib/uninstall/brew.sh b/lib/uninstall/brew.sh
index 012ca53..5856a52 100644
--- a/lib/uninstall/brew.sh
+++ b/lib/uninstall/brew.sh
@@ -35,6 +35,21 @@ is_homebrew_available() {
     command -v brew > /dev/null 2>&1
 }
 
+# Check whether a cask is still recorded as installed in Homebrew.
+# Exit codes:
+#   0 - cask is installed
+#   1 - cask is not installed
+#   2 - install state could not be determined
+is_brew_cask_installed() {
+    local cask_name="$1"
+    [[ -n "$cask_name" ]] || return 2
+    is_homebrew_available || return 2
+
+    local cask_list
+    cask_list=$(HOMEBREW_NO_ENV_HINTS=1 brew list --cask 2> /dev/null) || return 2
+    grep -qxF "$cask_name" <<< "$cask_list"
+}
+
 # Extract cask token from a Caskroom path
 # Args: $1 - path (must be inside Caskroom)
 # Prints: cask token to stdout
@@ -211,7 +226,12 @@ brew_uninstall_cask() {
 
     # Verify removal (only if not timed out)
     local cask_gone=true app_gone=true
-    HOMEBREW_NO_ENV_HINTS=1 brew list --cask 2> /dev/null | grep -qxF "$cask_name" && cask_gone=false
+    if is_brew_cask_installed "$cask_name"; then
+        cask_gone=false
+    else
+        local cask_state=$?
+        [[ $cask_state -eq 1 ]] || cask_gone=false
+    fi
     [[ -n "$app_path" && -e "$app_path" ]] && app_gone=false
 
     # Success: uninstall worked and both are gone, or already uninstalled
diff --git a/tests/brew_uninstall.bats b/tests/brew_uninstall.bats
index ae49f75..f10d3b1 100644
--- a/tests/brew_uninstall.bats
+++ b/tests/brew_uninstall.bats
@@ -228,6 +228,122 @@ EOF
     [[ "$output" != *"Checking brew dependencies"* ]]
 }
 
+@test "batch_uninstall_applications keeps brew-managed app intact when brew uninstall fails" {
+    local app_bundle="$HOME/Applications/BrewBroken.app"
+    mkdir -p "$app_bundle"
+
+    run env HOME="$HOME" PROJECT_ROOT="$PROJECT_ROOT" bash --noprofile --norc << 'EOF'
+set -euo pipefail
+source "$PROJECT_ROOT/lib/core/common.sh"
+source "$PROJECT_ROOT/lib/uninstall/batch.sh"
+
+start_inline_spinner() { :; }
+stop_inline_spinner() { :; }
+get_file_owner() { whoami; }
+get_path_size_kb() { echo "100"; }
+bytes_to_human() { echo "$1"; }
+drain_pending_input() { :; }
+print_summary_block() { :; }
+force_kill_app() { return 0; }
+remove_apps_from_dock() { :; }
+stop_launch_services() { :; }
+unregister_app_bundle() { :; }
+remove_login_item() { :; }
+find_app_files() { return 0; }
+find_app_system_files() { return 0; }
+get_diagnostic_report_paths_for_app() { return 0; }
+calculate_total_size() { echo "0"; }
+has_sensitive_data() { return 1; }
+decode_file_list() { return 0; }
+remove_file_list() { :; }
+run_with_timeout() { shift; "$@"; }
+
+safe_remove() {
+    echo "SAFE_REMOVE:$1" >> "$HOME/remove.log"
+    rm -rf "$1"
+}
+
+safe_sudo_remove() {
+    echo "SAFE_SUDO_REMOVE:$1" >> "$HOME/remove.log"
+    rm -rf "$1"
+}
+
+get_brew_cask_name() { echo "brew-broken-cask"; return 0; }
+brew_uninstall_cask() { return 1; }
+is_brew_cask_installed() { return 0; }
+
+selected_apps=("0|$HOME/Applications/BrewBroken.app|BrewBroken|com.example.brewbroken|0|Never")
+files_cleaned=0
+total_items=0
+total_size_cleaned=0
+
+printf '\n' | batch_uninstall_applications > /dev/null 2>&1 || true
+
+[[ -d "$HOME/Applications/BrewBroken.app" ]]
+[[ ! -f "$HOME/remove.log" ]]
+EOF
+
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+}
+
+@test "batch_uninstall_applications finishes cleanup after brew removes cask record" {
+    local app_bundle="$HOME/Applications/BrewCleanup.app"
+    mkdir -p "$app_bundle"
+
+    run env HOME="$HOME" PROJECT_ROOT="$PROJECT_ROOT" bash --noprofile --norc << 'EOF'
+set -euo pipefail
+source "$PROJECT_ROOT/lib/core/common.sh"
+source "$PROJECT_ROOT/lib/uninstall/batch.sh"
+
+start_inline_spinner() { :; }
+stop_inline_spinner() { :; }
+get_file_owner() { whoami; }
+get_path_size_kb() { echo "100"; }
+bytes_to_human() { echo "$1"; }
+drain_pending_input() { :; }
+print_summary_block() { :; }
+force_kill_app() { return 0; }
+remove_apps_from_dock() { :; }
+stop_launch_services() { :; }
+unregister_app_bundle() { :; }
+remove_login_item() { :; }
+find_app_files() { return 0; }
+find_app_system_files() { return 0; }
+get_diagnostic_report_paths_for_app() { return 0; }
+calculate_total_size() { echo "0"; }
+has_sensitive_data() { return 1; }
+decode_file_list() { return 0; }
+remove_file_list() { :; }
+run_with_timeout() { shift; "$@"; }
+
+safe_remove() {
+    echo "SAFE_REMOVE:$1" >> "$HOME/remove.log"
+    rm -rf "$1"
+}
+
+safe_sudo_remove() {
+    echo "SAFE_SUDO_REMOVE:$1" >> "$HOME/remove.log"
+    rm -rf "$1"
+}
+
+get_brew_cask_name() { echo "brew-cleanup-cask"; return 0; }
+brew_uninstall_cask() { return 1; }
+is_brew_cask_installed() { return 1; }
+
+selected_apps=("0|$HOME/Applications/BrewCleanup.app|BrewCleanup|com.example.brewcleanup|0|Never")
+files_cleaned=0
+total_items=0
+total_size_cleaned=0
+
+printf '\n' | batch_uninstall_applications > /dev/null 2>&1
+
+[[ ! -d "$HOME/Applications/BrewCleanup.app" ]]
+grep -q "SAFE_REMOVE:$HOME/Applications/BrewCleanup.app" "$HOME/remove.log"
+EOF
+
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+}
+
 @test "brew_uninstall_cask does not trigger extra sudo pre-auth" {
     run env HOME="$HOME" PROJECT_ROOT="$PROJECT_ROOT" bash --noprofile --norc << 'EOF'
 set -euo pipefail