diff --git a/dev/dev-poll.sh b/dev/dev-poll.sh
index 13c5040..ca34937 100755
--- a/dev/dev-poll.sh
+++ b/dev/dev-poll.sh
@@ -463,62 +463,65 @@ if [ "$ORPHAN_COUNT" -gt 0 ]; then
           BLOCKED_BY_INPROGRESS=true
         fi
 
-        PR_SHA=$(curl -sf -H "Authorization: token ${FORGE_TOKEN}" \
-          "${API}/pulls/${HAS_PR}" | jq -r '.head.sha') || true
-        CI_STATE=$(ci_commit_status "$PR_SHA") || true
+        # Only process PR if not abandoned (stale branch check above)
+        if [ "$BLOCKED_BY_INPROGRESS" = false ]; then
+          PR_SHA=$(curl -sf -H "Authorization: token ${FORGE_TOKEN}" \
+            "${API}/pulls/${HAS_PR}" | jq -r '.head.sha') || true
+          CI_STATE=$(ci_commit_status "$PR_SHA") || true
 
-        # Non-code PRs (docs, formulas, evidence) may have no CI — treat as passed
-        if ! ci_passed "$CI_STATE" && ! ci_required_for_pr "$HAS_PR"; then
-          CI_STATE="success"
-          log "PR #${HAS_PR} has no code files — treating CI as passed"
-        fi
-
-        # Check formal reviews (single fetch to avoid race window)
-        REVIEWS_JSON=$(curl -sf -H "Authorization: token ${FORGE_TOKEN}" \
-          "${API}/pulls/${HAS_PR}/reviews") || true
-        HAS_APPROVE=$(echo "$REVIEWS_JSON" | \
-          jq -r '[.[] | select(.state == "APPROVED") | select(.stale == false)] | length') || true
-        HAS_CHANGES=$(echo "$REVIEWS_JSON" | \
-          jq -r '[.[] | select(.state == "REQUEST_CHANGES") | select(.stale == false)] | length') || true
-
-        if ci_passed "$CI_STATE" && [ "${HAS_APPROVE:-0}" -gt 0 ]; then
-          if try_direct_merge "$HAS_PR" "$ISSUE_NUM"; then
-            BLOCKED_BY_INPROGRESS=true
-          else
-            # Direct merge failed (conflicts?) — fall back to dev-agent
-            log "falling back to dev-agent for PR #${HAS_PR} merge"
-            nohup "${SCRIPT_DIR}/dev-agent.sh" "$ISSUE_NUM" >> "$LOGFILE" 2>&1 &
-            log "started dev-agent PID $! for issue #${ISSUE_NUM} (agent-merge)"
-            BLOCKED_BY_INPROGRESS=true
+          # Non-code PRs (docs, formulas, evidence) may have no CI — treat as passed
+          if ! ci_passed "$CI_STATE" && ! ci_required_for_pr "$HAS_PR"; then
+            CI_STATE="success"
+            log "PR #${HAS_PR} has no code files — treating CI as passed"
           fi
 
-        # Do NOT gate REQUEST_CHANGES on ci_passed: act immediately even if CI is
-        # pending/unknown. Definitive CI failure is handled by the elif below.
-        elif [ "${HAS_CHANGES:-0}" -gt 0 ] && { ci_passed "$CI_STATE" || [ "$CI_STATE" = "pending" ] || [ "$CI_STATE" = "unknown" ] || [ -z "$CI_STATE" ]; }; then
-          log "issue #${ISSUE_NUM} PR #${HAS_PR} has REQUEST_CHANGES — spawning agent"
-          nohup "${SCRIPT_DIR}/dev-agent.sh" "$ISSUE_NUM" >> "$LOGFILE" 2>&1 &
-          log "started dev-agent PID $! for issue #${ISSUE_NUM} (review fix)"
-          BLOCKED_BY_INPROGRESS=true
+          # Check formal reviews (single fetch to avoid race window)
+          REVIEWS_JSON=$(curl -sf -H "Authorization: token ${FORGE_TOKEN}" \
+            "${API}/pulls/${HAS_PR}/reviews") || true
+          HAS_APPROVE=$(echo "$REVIEWS_JSON" | \
+            jq -r '[.[] | select(.state == "APPROVED") | select(.stale == false)] | length') || true
+          HAS_CHANGES=$(echo "$REVIEWS_JSON" | \
+            jq -r '[.[] | select(.state == "REQUEST_CHANGES") | select(.stale == false)] | length') || true
 
-        elif ci_failed "$CI_STATE"; then
-          if handle_ci_exhaustion "$HAS_PR" "$ISSUE_NUM" "check_only"; then
-            # Fall through to backlog scan instead of exit
-            :
-          else
-            # Increment at actual launch time (not on guard-hit paths)
-            if handle_ci_exhaustion "$HAS_PR" "$ISSUE_NUM"; then
-              BLOCKED_BY_INPROGRESS=true  # exhausted between check and launch
+          if ci_passed "$CI_STATE" && [ "${HAS_APPROVE:-0}" -gt 0 ]; then
+            if try_direct_merge "$HAS_PR" "$ISSUE_NUM"; then
+              BLOCKED_BY_INPROGRESS=true
             else
-              log "issue #${ISSUE_NUM} PR #${HAS_PR} CI failed — spawning agent to fix (attempt ${CI_FIX_ATTEMPTS}/3)"
+              # Direct merge failed (conflicts?) — fall back to dev-agent
+              log "falling back to dev-agent for PR #${HAS_PR} merge"
               nohup "${SCRIPT_DIR}/dev-agent.sh" "$ISSUE_NUM" >> "$LOGFILE" 2>&1 &
-              log "started dev-agent PID $! for issue #${ISSUE_NUM} (CI fix)"
+              log "started dev-agent PID $! for issue #${ISSUE_NUM} (agent-merge)"
               BLOCKED_BY_INPROGRESS=true
             fi
-          fi
 
-        else
-          log "issue #${ISSUE_NUM} has open PR #${HAS_PR} (CI: ${CI_STATE}, waiting)"
-          BLOCKED_BY_INPROGRESS=true
+          # Do NOT gate REQUEST_CHANGES on ci_passed: act immediately even if CI is
+          # pending/unknown. Definitive CI failure is handled by the elif below.
+          elif [ "${HAS_CHANGES:-0}" -gt 0 ] && { ci_passed "$CI_STATE" || [ "$CI_STATE" = "pending" ] || [ "$CI_STATE" = "unknown" ] || [ -z "$CI_STATE" ]; }; then
+            log "issue #${ISSUE_NUM} PR #${HAS_PR} has REQUEST_CHANGES — spawning agent"
+            nohup "${SCRIPT_DIR}/dev-agent.sh" "$ISSUE_NUM" >> "$LOGFILE" 2>&1 &
+            log "started dev-agent PID $! for issue #${ISSUE_NUM} (review fix)"
+            BLOCKED_BY_INPROGRESS=true
+
+          elif ci_failed "$CI_STATE"; then
+            if handle_ci_exhaustion "$HAS_PR" "$ISSUE_NUM" "check_only"; then
+              # Fall through to backlog scan instead of exit
+              :
+            else
+              # Increment at actual launch time (not on guard-hit paths)
+              if handle_ci_exhaustion "$HAS_PR" "$ISSUE_NUM"; then
+                BLOCKED_BY_INPROGRESS=true  # exhausted between check and launch
+              else
+                log "issue #${ISSUE_NUM} PR #${HAS_PR} CI failed — spawning agent to fix (attempt ${CI_FIX_ATTEMPTS}/3)"
+                nohup "${SCRIPT_DIR}/dev-agent.sh" "$ISSUE_NUM" >> "$LOGFILE" 2>&1 &
+                log "started dev-agent PID $! for issue #${ISSUE_NUM} (CI fix)"
+                BLOCKED_BY_INPROGRESS=true
+              fi
+            fi
+
+          else
+            log "issue #${ISSUE_NUM} has open PR #${HAS_PR} (CI: ${CI_STATE}, waiting)"
+            BLOCKED_BY_INPROGRESS=true
+          fi
         fi
       else
         # Check assignee before adopting orphaned issue