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fix: stop finished PRs from blocking idle pickup #37

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lemarier merged 1 commit into from
Sep 27, 2026
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fix: stop finished PRs from blocking idle pickup #37

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45 changes: 40 additions & 5 deletions skills/origin89-orca/references/unattended-run.md
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Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -182,8 +182,11 @@ coordinator; only unresolved decisions reach the user in that conversation. Its
precheck continues only when:

- fewer issue workers in the repository are active than the limit, starting at
one; include workers waiting for a reply, not just those generating output;
- fewer than the limit of the user's ready PRs await review;
one; include workers waiting for a reply, not just those generating output.
A worker is active only until its Dispatch settles. A settled worker's open
PR does not hold a slot while it waits for review or merge: the merge gate
and [repair](#repair-conflicting-prs) own it from there, and its linked
worktree already keeps its issue from being picked up again;
- an open `agent-ready` issue exists without `agent-working`, `needs-spec`,
`human-only`, an assignee, a linked Orca worktree, or an open blocker
(`issue_dependencies_summary.blocked_by` above 0 in
Expand All @@ -199,9 +202,11 @@ start the computation, then list again after a short wait.

Recheck those conditions, then pick one issue: first an issue that open issues
are blocked by, then milestone order, then the oldest. Skip issues blocked by an
open issue. Do not run two issues at once that allocate in the same generated
file, such as a protocol registry: the second waits for the first to merge,
because a sibling merging first leaves the other PR conflicting. Before claiming, read the issue body and comments. When the text
open issue. Before claiming, check whether the issue would edit the same files
as one of the user's open, unmerged PRs, such as a shared generated file or
protocol registry; a sibling merging first would leave the second PR
conflicting. Stack it instead of waiting, per [Stack overlapping work](#stack-overlapping-work).
Before claiming, read the issue body and comments. When the text
names an open issue as a prerequisite and no blocked-by link records it, do not
claim the issue; skip it and list it in the report so the link gets added.
Idle pickup requires explicit authority for workers to commit, push,
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -229,6 +234,10 @@ merge, publish releases, flash firmware, or operate equipment.
A successful send proves enqueue only; a worker reply establishes receipt.
Process the full delivery before acknowledgment. The worker follows its live
preamble for mailbox checks, blocking `ask`, and exactly one `worker_done`.
It runs the review phase of the
[review follow-up](../../origin89-commits/references/pr-review-follow-up.md)
with a bounded cap, then settles; it does not stay live to wait for merge,
so a finished PR frees its slot.
4. Answer questions from available evidence within the grant. Missing product
information must reach the user; never invent an answer. A worker that cannot
finish records the blocker on the issue, which is the durable record once the
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -264,6 +273,25 @@ back to a standalone agent. Do not redispatch an already running standalone
worker merely to attach messaging; preserve its work and use Orca's documented
recovery or terminal-reuse route once its state permits that transition.

### Stack overlapping work

When the next issue overlaps an open, unmerged PR's files, or builds on that
PR's change, launch its worker on a new layer above that PR's branch with
[gh-stack](../../origin89-gh-stack/SKILL.md) rather than on the default branch.
The new layer contains the lower change, so allocations in a shared file follow
it and cannot collide, and the PR shows only its own diff. Stack only on a PR
whose worker has settled and that lacks `needs-human-review` and `human-only`;
otherwise pick another issue. The spec names the lower branch and head SHA and
has the worker create the layer with `gh stack add <branch>` from a checkout of
that branch, open the PR with `gh stack submit --auto --open`, and never edit
Comment on lines +284 to +286

@chatgpt-codex-connector chatgpt-codex-connector Bot Sep 27, 2026

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P1 Badge Initialize the lower branch before adding a layer

When the lower PR was created by the existing unstacked pickup flow, merely checking out its branch does not make it a stack layer, so the prescribed gh stack add <branch> cannot proceed. The referenced command documentation says add must run from the top of an existing stack and otherwise exits, while gh stack init is what adopts an existing branch (skills/origin89-gh-stack/references/commands.md:21-38). Initialize the stack with the lower branch, or use the documented worktree-compatible linking flow, before adding the new layer.

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the lower layer. A finding that belongs in the lower layer goes back to the
coordinator.

Stacks keep one writer per layer. Only the coordinator, through a repair
worker, restacks, and only when no live worker holds any layer of the stack.
Keep at most three open layers in one stack; beyond that, pick another issue.
The merge gate merges the bottom layer only, as its rule 1 requires.

@chatgpt-codex-connector chatgpt-codex-connector Bot Sep 27, 2026

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P1 Badge Use gh stack to merge the bottom layer

Once this path creates a stack, its bottom PR is still a stack member, but the merge gate continues to invoke gh pr merge at lines 473–475. The referenced gh-stack instructions explicitly state that gh pr merge cannot merge a stack and require a scoped gh stack merge <target> --yes instead (skills/origin89-gh-stack/SKILL.md:70-75). Consequently the gate cannot land the bottom layer, so repair never gets an opportunity to retarget the upper layers; make the gate detect stacked PRs and use the stack-aware command while preserving its head-change guard.

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### Repair conflicting PRs

A picked-up PR can start conflicting after its worker settles, typically when a
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -297,6 +325,13 @@ unneeded update restarts reviews. A resolution that would choose between
behaviours is a blocker: the worker comments it on the PR and the coordinator
hands the PR over.

A stacked PR also needs repair when its lower layer has merged, so the gate can
reach it, or when `gh stack view --json` reports `needsRebase`. Its repair
worker restacks with `gh stack sync` instead of merging the base: `sync`
handles squash-merged layers and retargets each PR to its new base. This is
Comment on lines +330 to +331

@coderabbitai coderabbitai Bot Sep 27, 2026

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🔒 Security & Privacy | 🟠 Major | ⚡ Quick win

🔎 Supported by static analysis

🏁 Script executed:

sed -n '1,45p' skills/origin89-gh-stack/SKILL.md
sed -n '310,345p' skills/origin89-orca/references/unattended-run.md
rg -n 'task authorization|authorized|authorization|repair worker|gh stack sync' skills/origin89-orca skills/origin89-gh-stack

Repository: origin89hq/engineering

Length of output: 7202

🏁 Script executed:

#!/bin/bash
set -o pipefail
printf '%s\n' '--- changed files ---'
git diff --stat 007d10f8f686d110d9a0c62b586398716c5ee90c e63561e27bfeef460b9fad5f7cbf69ad4d9f870d
printf '%s\n' '--- relevant diff ---'
git diff --unified=25 007d10f8f686d110d9a0c62b586398716c5ee90c e63561e27bfeef460b9fad5f7cbf69ad4d9f870d -- skills/origin89-orca/references/unattended-run.md skills/origin89-orca/SKILL.md skills/origin89-commits/SKILL.md skills/origin89-gh-stack/SKILL.md
printf '%s\n' '--- authorization and repair references ---'
rg -n -C 5 'authorization|authorized|worker-start|repair|stack sync|force-push|remote effects|inherits' skills/origin89-commits skills/origin89-orca skills/origin89-gh-stack

Repository: origin89hq/engineering

Length of output: 42278

🤖 get_repo_knowledge executed:

get_repo_knowledge origin89hq/engineering /tmp/coderabbit-repo-knowledge/origin89hq-engineering-afe2c562/architecture /tmp/coderabbit-repo-knowledge/origin89hq-engineering-afe2c562/conventions

Length of output: 24114

🏁 Script executed:

#!/bin/bash
set -o pipefail
printf '%s\n' '--- Orca authorization contract ---'
sed -n '1,125p' skills/origin89-orca/SKILL.md
printf '%s\n' '--- commits authorization contract ---'
sed -n '1,180p' skills/origin89-commits/SKILL.md
printf '%s\n' '--- review follow-up authorization and wait-for-merge ---'
rg -n -C 8 'Wait for merge|authorization|authorized|force-push|rebase|push|scope|worker' skills/origin89-commits/references/pr-review-follow-up.md
printf '%s\n' '--- gh-stack scope and authorization ---'
rg -n -C 8 'authorization|authorized|scope|force-push|sync|own layers|branch|PR' skills/origin89-gh-stack/SKILL.md skills/origin89-gh-stack/references
printf '%s\n' '--- Orca worker inheritance references ---'
rg -n -C 8 'inherit|authority|authorization|scope|worker-start|repair worker|repair' skills/origin89-orca skills/origin89-commits

Repository: origin89hq/engineering

Length of output: 42144

Require a scoped sync grant before stacked repair.

gh stack sync rebases and pushes remote branches. A generic push grant does not authorize those additional effects. This reachable repair path starts a worker for a stacked PR when its lower layer merged or needsRebase is set, but it does not require the worker spec to include authorization for sync across every affected stack layer. The worker can therefore force-push an unauthorized layer.

Suggested fix 
 Start one supervised repair worker in the PR's existing worktree with
-`worker-start --worktree path:<worktree>`. Its spec applies the Wait for merge
+`worker-start --worktree path:<worktree>`. Before starting a stacked repair,
+verify that the coordinator's task authorization explicitly covers `gh stack
+sync`, including its rebase and force-push effects, for every layer that the
+command may update. Put that scoped grant and the inspected stack layer set in
+the worker spec; otherwise hand the PR over. Its spec applies the Wait for merge
 section of the review follow-up: merge the base into the branch, never rebase

the only repair that force-pushes, and only the stack's own layers. On a
conflict, it follows gh-stack's exit 3 recovery under the same intent rules.

A repair does not use the issue limit and does not claim or relabel the PR's
issue. Run at most two repairs at once across the job's repositories, and start
them before any new issue. Verify the new head is `MERGEABLE` with checks green
Expand Down
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