PR Recovery After Accidental Closure

Rule

When a PR is accidentally closed (due to force-push, branch deletion, or other git mishaps), quickly create a replacement PR with clean history rather than trying to reopen the damaged one.

Context

When working with PRs, accidents can happen — a PR may be accidentally closed due to force-push errors, branch deletion, or other git mishaps. The key is to recover quickly with minimal overhead while preserving all work.

Detection

Observable signals that you need PR recovery:

• PR shows as "CLOSED" unexpectedly
• Force-push resulted in 0 commits on PR
• Branch was deleted or corrupted
• Attempting to reopen PR fails or shows errors

Pattern

Immediate Recovery Steps

Step 1: Verify commits are intact (1-2 minutes):

# Check current PR status
gh pr view <pr-number> --json state,headRefName,baseRefName

# Check if branch still exists locally
git log <feature-branch> --oneline -5

# Check remote branch status
git fetch origin
git log origin/<feature-branch> --oneline -5

Step 2: Create Replacement PR (3-5 minutes):

# Fetch latest from origin
git fetch origin

# Create new branch from origin/master (NOT local master)
git checkout -b <new-branch-name> origin/master

# Cherry-pick or copy changes from old branch
# Option A: If old branch exists — identify the commit range first
git log origin/master..<old-branch> --oneline   # shows commits to cherry-pick
git cherry-pick <oldest-commit>^..<old-branch>  # cherry-pick creates commits; no git commit needed

# Option B: Copy files manually if commits are lost
#   git add <files>
#   git commit -m "type(scope): descriptive message"

# Push and create new PR
git push -u origin <new-branch-name>
gh pr create --title "..." --body "Replacement for accidentally closed #<old-pr>. All content preserved."

Step 3: Document the Transition:

## PR Recovery Note

**Original PR**: #<old-pr-number> (accidentally closed)
**Replacement**: this PR
**Reason**: [Brief explanation - force-push error, branch deletion, etc.]
**Status**: All content preserved, clean commit history

Step 4: Close the Loop:

• Comment on old PR: "Accidentally closed, replaced by #"
• Update any references to point to new PR
• Continue work on replacement PR

Prevention Strategies

Use force-push cautiously:

# Always verify what you're force-pushing
git log --graph --oneline --decorate --all

# Use --force-with-lease when possible (fails if remote has new commits)
git push --force-with-lease origin feature-branch

Keep backups before major rebases:

# Create backup branch before risky operations
git branch feature-branch-backup
git rebase -i origin/master

Verify PR status after pushes:

# After any force-push, verify PR is still open
gh pr view <PR_NUMBER> --json state,closed

Anti-Patterns

Wrong: Trying to fix the closed PR in-place

# Don't waste time trying to reopen a corrupted PR
gh pr reopen <closed-pr>  # Often fails or creates confusion
git push --force origin <branch>  # May make things worse

Wrong: Assuming work is lost

# Commits are almost always safe on local branches
# Check local branch before considering any work lost
git log <feature-branch> --oneline -5

Wrong: Creating a messy recovery

• Multiple reopen attempts that confuse reviewers
• Force-pushing again to try to fix the original PR
• Not documenting what happened

Right: Clean replacement PR

• Acknowledge the accident quickly
• Create replacement from origin/master (see clean-pr-creation.md)
• Document the transition clearly
• Move forward without dwelling

Recovery Principles

1. Speed over perfection: A working replacement quickly beats a perfect recovery slowly
2. Clean history: Use the replacement as an opportunity to clean up commit history
3. Clear documentation: Make it easy for reviewers to understand what happened
4. Forward momentum: Don't let accidents derail progress

Outcome

Following this pattern results in:

• Zero work loss: Commits are preserved on local/remote branches
• Minimal disruption: Quick recovery maintains work momentum
• Clean history: Replacement PR often has better commit structure than original
• Clear communication: Reviewers understand the transition
• Reduced stress: Structured recovery prevents panic and further mistakes

Related

• Clean PR Creation - Creating branches from origin/master
• Git Worktree Workflow - For complex PR management
• When to Rebase PRs - Safe rebase practices

Origin

2026-02-09: Extracted from experience recovering from accidentally closing a PR during rebase. Validated twice — pattern works consistently for force-push and branch-deletion recovery.