diff --git a/plugins/tend-ci-runner/skills/review-reviewers/SKILL.md b/plugins/tend-ci-runner/skills/review-reviewers/SKILL.md
index 764ddbb1..e51bf492 100644
--- a/plugins/tend-ci-runner/skills/review-reviewers/SKILL.md
+++ b/plugins/tend-ci-runner/skills/review-reviewers/SKILL.md
@@ -343,10 +343,13 @@ Before creating issues or PRs, check exhaustively for existing ones:
 ```bash
 gh issue list --state open --label claude-behavior --json number,title,body
 gh issue list --state open --json number,title,body  # also check unlabeled issues
-gh pr list --state open --json number,title,headRefName,body
 gh issue list --state closed --label claude-behavior --json number,title,closedAt --limit 30
+# --state all: a merged PR is the most common way a finding is already fixed
+gh pr list --state all --limit 40 --json number,title,state,mergedAt,headRefName,body
 ```
 
+**A merged fix still reproduces on adopters.** Adopters call a pinned action ref, so a merged skill fix is dormant on their repos until the next release tags. Observing the bug is therefore not evidence the fix is missing — check merged PRs before filing, or the report is churn on something already landed.
+
 Search titles AND bodies for related keywords. Only comment on existing issues if you have material new cases that would change the approach or increase prioritization. Do not comment with progress updates, fix-PR status, or re-statements of evidence already in the issue.
 
 ## Step 5: Act on findings
diff --git a/plugins/tend-ci-runner/skills/review-runs/SKILL.md b/plugins/tend-ci-runner/skills/review-runs/SKILL.md
index 2db2fa88..34163a12 100644
--- a/plugins/tend-ci-runner/skills/review-runs/SKILL.md
+++ b/plugins/tend-ci-runner/skills/review-runs/SKILL.md
@@ -198,12 +198,19 @@ Before creating issues or PRs, check for existing ones:
 
 ```bash
 gh issue list --state open --json number,title,body
-gh pr list --state open --json number,title,headRefName,body
 gh issue list --state closed --json number,title,closedAt --limit 30
+# --state all: a merged PR is the most common way a finding is already fixed
+gh pr list --state all --limit 40 --json number,title,state,mergedAt,headRefName,body
+# Bundled-skill defects are filed upstream (Step 6), and the queries above only
+# see this repo — dedup against tend before filing there.
+gh pr list --repo max-sixty/tend --state all --limit 40 --json number,title,state,mergedAt,body
+gh issue list --repo max-sixty/tend --state all --limit 40 --json number,title,body
 ```
 
 Search titles AND bodies for related keywords.
 
+**A fix merged upstream still reproduces here.** The action ref is pinned per release, so a skill fix that merged in `max-sixty/tend` stays dormant on this repo until the next release tags. Observing the bug is therefore not evidence the fix is missing — check tend's merged PRs before filing, or the report is churn on something already landed.
+
 ## Step 6: Act on findings
 
 Improvements target **repo-local** files by default: