diff --git a/tools/plan_check b/tools/plan_check
index 1597a80..124cdf0 100755
--- a/tools/plan_check
+++ b/tools/plan_check
@@ -8,7 +8,14 @@ if len(sys.argv) < 3:
     sys.exit(1)
 
 import shutil
-if os.environ.get('OLLIE_BEADS_ENABLE', '1') != '0' and shutil.which('bd') and os.path.exists('.beads'):
+def _find_beads():
+    d = os.getcwd()
+    while d != os.path.dirname(d):
+        if os.path.isdir(os.path.join(d, '.beads')):
+            return True
+        d = os.path.dirname(d)
+    return False
+if os.environ.get('OLLIE_BEADS_ENABLE', '1') != '0' and shutil.which('bd') and _find_beads():
     print("error: beads is available — use 'bd' for planning instead of plan_check", file=sys.stderr)
     sys.exit(2)
 
diff --git a/tools/plan_create b/tools/plan_create
index 7dd5266..03ae2a6 100755
--- a/tools/plan_create
+++ b/tools/plan_create
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
 # Output: plan filename in pl/
 set -euo pipefail
 
-if [ "${OLLIE_BEADS_ENABLE:-1}" != "0" ] && command -v bd >/dev/null 2>&1 && [ -d ".beads" ]; then
+_find_beads() { local d="$PWD"; while [ "$d" != "/" ]; do [ -d "$d/.beads" ] && return 0; d="$(dirname "$d")"; done; return 1; }
+if [ "${OLLIE_BEADS_ENABLE:-1}" != "0" ] && command -v bd >/dev/null 2>&1 && _find_beads; then
     echo "error: beads is available — use 'bd' for planning instead of plan_create" >&2
     exit 2
 fi
diff --git a/tools/plan_finish b/tools/plan_finish
index b4a5cd4..0affd3c 100755
--- a/tools/plan_finish
+++ b/tools/plan_finish
@@ -9,7 +9,14 @@ if len(sys.argv) < 2:
     sys.exit(1)
 
 import shutil
-if os.environ.get('OLLIE_BEADS_ENABLE', '1') != '0' and shutil.which('bd') and os.path.exists('.beads'):
+def _find_beads():
+    d = os.getcwd()
+    while d != os.path.dirname(d):
+        if os.path.isdir(os.path.join(d, '.beads')):
+            return True
+        d = os.path.dirname(d)
+    return False
+if os.environ.get('OLLIE_BEADS_ENABLE', '1') != '0' and shutil.which('bd') and _find_beads():
     print("error: beads is available — use 'bd' for planning instead of plan_finish", file=sys.stderr)
     sys.exit(2)
 
diff --git a/tools/plan_start b/tools/plan_start
index 5c96ea6..b3934b7 100755
--- a/tools/plan_start
+++ b/tools/plan_start
@@ -4,7 +4,8 @@
 # Output: new filename
 set -euo pipefail
 
-if [ "${OLLIE_BEADS_ENABLE:-1}" != "0" ] && command -v bd >/dev/null 2>&1 && [ -d ".beads" ]; then
+_find_beads() { local d="$PWD"; while [ "$d" != "/" ]; do [ -d "$d/.beads" ] && return 0; d="$(dirname "$d")"; done; return 1; }
+if [ "${OLLIE_BEADS_ENABLE:-1}" != "0" ] && command -v bd >/dev/null 2>&1 && _find_beads; then
     echo "error: beads is available — use 'bd' for planning instead of plan_start" >&2
     exit 2
 fi