diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 4e47759..defc158 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -50,3 +50,7 @@
 
 # Transient agent worktrees (created under the repo by background agents)
 /.claude/
+
+# Tailwind CLI shim scratch (see Makefile css target / CONTRIBUTING) — never commit
+/node_modules
+/.tools/
diff --git a/node_modules b/node_modules
deleted file mode 120000
index d1d4fa9..0000000
--- a/node_modules
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1 +0,0 @@
-/tmp/claude-0/-home-user-msgbrowse/d0967623-e874-5d81-9c5a-ef60246daa9c/scratchpad/twcli/node_modules
\ No newline at end of file