diff --git a/lib/merge.py b/lib/merge.py
index 9910fb8..f596446 100644
--- a/lib/merge.py
+++ b/lib/merge.py
@@ -746,12 +746,16 @@ async def _merge_domain_queue(conn, domain: str) -> tuple[int, int]:
             # The branch ref still points at old commits (not a descendant of main),
             # so pushing branch_sha:main would fail as non-fast-forward.
             if pick_msg in ("already merged (all commits empty)", "already up to date"):
-                mark_merged(conn, pr_num)
-                db.audit(conn, "merge", "merged", json.dumps({"pr": pr_num, "branch": branch, "note": "content already on main"}))
                 leo_token = get_agent_token("leo")
                 await forgejo_api("POST", repo_path(f"issues/{pr_num}/comments"),
                                   {"body": f"Content already on main — closing.\nBranch: `{branch}`"})
-                await forgejo_api("PATCH", repo_path(f"pulls/{pr_num}"), {"state": "closed"}, token=leo_token)
+                result = await forgejo_api("PATCH", repo_path(f"pulls/{pr_num}"), {"state": "closed"}, token=leo_token)
+                if result is None:
+                    logger.error("PR #%d: Forgejo close failed (already-merged path), skipping DB update", pr_num)
+                    failed += 1
+                    continue
+                mark_merged(conn, pr_num)
+                db.audit(conn, "merge", "merged", json.dumps({"pr": pr_num, "branch": branch, "note": "content already on main"}))
                 await _delete_remote_branch(branch)
                 logger.info("PR #%d already merged (content on main), closed", pr_num)
                 succeeded += 1
@@ -964,12 +968,15 @@ async def _handle_permanent_conflicts(conn) -> int:
         branch = row["branch"]
         domain = row["domain"] or "unknown"
 
-        # Close PR on Forgejo
-        await forgejo_api(
+        # Close PR on Forgejo — check return to prevent ghost PR
+        close_result = await forgejo_api(
             "PATCH",
             repo_path(f"pulls/{pr_number}"),
             body={"state": "closed"},
         )
+        if close_result is None:
+            logger.error("PR #%d: Forgejo close failed (permanent conflict), skipping", pr_number)
+            continue
         await forgejo_api(
             "POST",
             repo_path(f"issues/{pr_number}/comments"),