diff --git a/src/commands/branch/create.test.ts b/src/commands/branch/create.test.ts
index 598c181..13f5af2 100644
--- a/src/commands/branch/create.test.ts
+++ b/src/commands/branch/create.test.ts
@@ -202,6 +202,53 @@ describe('branch create', () => {
     expect(out).toContain('feat-x');
   });
 
+  it('--json output leaves out the branch database_password', async () => {
+    const { getProjectConfig } = await import('../../lib/config.js');
+    (getProjectConfig as Mock).mockReturnValue({
+      project_id: 'p1',
+      project_name: 'parent',
+      org_id: 'o1',
+      appkey: 'p1ky',
+      region: 'us-east',
+      api_key: 'k',
+      oss_host: 'p1ky.us-east.insforge.app',
+    });
+    const { getBranchApi } = await import('../../lib/api/platform.js');
+    (getBranchApi as Mock).mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      id: 'branch-id',
+      parent_project_id: 'p1',
+      organization_id: 'o1',
+      name: 'feat-x',
+      appkey: 'p1ky-x9p',
+      region: 'us-east',
+      branch_state: 'ready',
+      branch_created_at: new Date().toISOString(),
+      branch_metadata: { mode: 'schema-only' },
+      database_password: 'plaintext-secret',
+    });
+    const program = new Command().exitOverride();
+    program.option('--json').option('--api-url <url>').option('-y, --yes');
+    registerBranchCreateCommand(program);
+    const logs: string[] = [];
+    const origLog = console.log;
+    console.log = (...args: unknown[]) => {
+      logs.push(args.map(String).join(' '));
+    };
+    try {
+      await program.parseAsync(
+        ['create', 'feat-x', '--mode', 'schema-only', '--no-switch', '--json'],
+        { from: 'user' },
+      );
+    } finally {
+      console.log = origLog;
+    }
+    const out = logs.join('\n');
+    expect(out).not.toContain('plaintext-secret');
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(out);
+    expect(parsed.branch.id).toBe('branch-id');
+    expect(parsed.branch).not.toHaveProperty('database_password');
+  });
+
   it('happy path without --no-switch invokes runBranchSwitch', async () => {
     const { getProjectConfig } = await import('../../lib/config.js');
     (getProjectConfig as Mock).mockReturnValue({
diff --git a/src/commands/branch/create.ts b/src/commands/branch/create.ts
index 5e2c607..9cef018 100644
--- a/src/commands/branch/create.ts
+++ b/src/commands/branch/create.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import { outputJson, outputInfo } from '../../lib/output.js';
 import { captureEvent, shutdownAnalytics } from '../../lib/analytics.js';
 import { runBranchSwitch } from './switch.js';
 import { readBranchWithRetry } from './poll.js';
+import { redactBranch } from './redact.js';
 import type { Branch, BranchMode } from '../../types.js';
 
 const POLL_INTERVAL_MS = 3_000;
@@ -143,7 +144,7 @@ export function registerBranchCreateCommand(branch: Command): void {
         // exists and is billing, so a caller must be able to find and delete it
         // even when this command is about to exit non-zero.
         if (json) {
-          outputJson({ branch: ready, serving });
+          outputJson({ branch: redactBranch(ready), serving });
         } else if (ready.branch_state === 'ready' && serving) {
           if (opts.switch) {
             outputInfo(
diff --git a/src/commands/branch/list.test.ts b/src/commands/branch/list.test.ts
index 5dd6ebd..6321b14 100644
--- a/src/commands/branch/list.test.ts
+++ b/src/commands/branch/list.test.ts
@@ -117,6 +117,52 @@ describe('branch list', () => {
     expect(parsed.data[0].name).toBe('feat-x');
   });
 
+  it('json mode leaves out each branch database_password', async () => {
+    const { getProjectConfig } = await import('../../lib/config.js');
+    (getProjectConfig as Mock).mockReturnValue({
+      project_id: 'p1',
+      project_name: 'parent',
+      org_id: 'o1',
+    });
+    const { listBranchesApi } = await import('../../lib/api/platform.js');
+    (listBranchesApi as Mock).mockResolvedValueOnce([
+      {
+        id: 'b1',
+        name: 'feat-x',
+        branch_state: 'ready',
+        organization_id: 'o1',
+        parent_project_id: 'p1',
+        appkey: 'k1',
+        region: 'us-east',
+        branch_created_at: '2026-04-29T00:00:00Z',
+        branch_metadata: { mode: 'full' },
+        database_password: 'plaintext-secret',
+      },
+      {
+        id: 'b2',
+        name: 'feat-y',
+        branch_state: 'ready',
+        organization_id: 'o1',
+        parent_project_id: 'p1',
+        appkey: 'k2',
+        region: 'us-east',
+        branch_created_at: '2026-04-30T00:00:00Z',
+        branch_metadata: { mode: 'schema-only' },
+        database_password: 'second-secret',
+      },
+    ]);
+    const program = makeProgram();
+    const logs = await runWithCapturedLog(program, ['list', '--json']);
+    const out = logs.join('\n');
+    expect(out).not.toContain('plaintext-secret');
+    expect(out).not.toContain('second-secret');
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(out);
+    expect(parsed.data.map((b: { name: string }) => b.name)).toEqual(['feat-x', 'feat-y']);
+    for (const branch of parsed.data) {
+      expect(branch).not.toHaveProperty('database_password');
+    }
+  });
+
   it('table mode marks the current branch with `*`', async () => {
     const { getProjectConfig } = await import('../../lib/config.js');
     (getProjectConfig as Mock).mockReturnValue({
diff --git a/src/commands/branch/list.ts b/src/commands/branch/list.ts
index a2d7817..0373126 100644
--- a/src/commands/branch/list.ts
+++ b/src/commands/branch/list.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { requireAuth } from '../../lib/credentials.js';
 import { getProjectConfig } from '../../lib/config.js';
 import { outputJson, outputTable, outputInfo } from '../../lib/output.js';
 import { captureEvent, shutdownAnalytics } from '../../lib/analytics.js';
+import { redactBranch } from './redact.js';
 
 export function registerBranchListCommand(branch: Command): void {
   branch
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ export function registerBranchListCommand(branch: Command): void {
         captureEvent(parentId, 'cli_branch_list', { count: branches.length });
 
         if (json) {
-          outputJson({ data: branches });
+          outputJson({ data: branches.map(redactBranch) });
           return;
         }
         if (branches.length === 0) {
diff --git a/src/commands/branch/redact.ts b/src/commands/branch/redact.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..74b8001
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/commands/branch/redact.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+import type { Branch } from '../../types.js';
+
+// Fields the control plane returns on a branch that are credentials, not state.
+// Command output ends up in terminal scrollback and CI logs, so they never
+// reach stdout. `ai setup` does the same for the gateway key.
+const SECRET_FIELDS = ['database_password'];
+
+/** A copy of the branch that is safe to print. */
+export function redactBranch(branch: Branch): Branch {
+  const safe = { ...branch } as Branch & Record<string, unknown>;
+  for (const field of SECRET_FIELDS) delete safe[field];
+  return safe;
+}
diff --git a/src/commands/branch/reset.test.ts b/src/commands/branch/reset.test.ts
index 85d7065..0b256eb 100644
--- a/src/commands/branch/reset.test.ts
+++ b/src/commands/branch/reset.test.ts
@@ -112,6 +112,36 @@ describe('branch reset', () => {
     }));
   });
 
+  it('--json output leaves out the branch database_password', async () => {
+    const { getBranchApi } = await import('../../lib/api/platform.js');
+    (getBranchApi as Mock).mockResolvedValueOnce({
+      id: 'b1',
+      name: 'feat-x',
+      branch_state: 'ready',
+      organization_id: 'o1',
+      parent_project_id: 'p1',
+      appkey: 'k',
+      region: 'us-east',
+      branch_created_at: '2026',
+      database_password: 'plaintext-secret',
+    });
+    const program = makeProgram();
+    const logs: string[] = [];
+    const logSpy = vi.spyOn(console, 'log').mockImplementation((...args: unknown[]) => {
+      logs.push(args.map(String).join(' '));
+    });
+    try {
+      await program.parseAsync(['reset', 'feat-x', '--yes', '--json'], { from: 'user' });
+    } finally {
+      logSpy.mockRestore();
+    }
+    const out = logs.join('\n');
+    expect(out).not.toContain('plaintext-secret');
+    const parsed = JSON.parse(out);
+    expect(parsed.branch.id).toBe('b1');
+    expect(parsed.branch).not.toHaveProperty('database_password');
+  });
+
   it('reset of merged branch is allowed (entry_state=merged threaded through analytics)', async () => {
     const program = makeProgram();
     const logSpy = vi.spyOn(console, 'log').mockImplementation(() => {});
diff --git a/src/commands/branch/reset.ts b/src/commands/branch/reset.ts
index cd90ec9..c3a81f0 100644
--- a/src/commands/branch/reset.ts
+++ b/src/commands/branch/reset.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { getProjectConfig } from '../../lib/config.js';
 import { outputJson, outputSuccess, outputInfo } from '../../lib/output.js';
 import { captureEvent, shutdownAnalytics } from '../../lib/analytics.js';
 import { readBranchWithRetry } from './poll.js';
+import { redactBranch } from './redact.js';
 import type { Branch } from '../../types.js';
 
 const POLL_INTERVAL_MS = 3_000;
@@ -70,7 +71,7 @@ export function registerBranchResetCommand(branch: Command): void {
         const final = await pollUntilReady(target.id, name, apiUrl, !json, initial.branch_state);
 
         if (json) {
-          outputJson({ branch: final });
+          outputJson({ branch: redactBranch(final) });
         } else if (final.branch_state === 'ready') {
           outputSuccess(`Branch '${name}' is back to T0 and ready.`);
           outputInfo('⚠ Reminder: edge functions, website, and compute aren’t touched by reset; redeploy if needed.');