@nanobpm/nano-workforce 0.43.0 → 0.44.0

package/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+# [0.44.0](https://github.com/nanobpm/nano-workforce/compare/v0.43.0...v0.44.0) (2026-08-11)
+
+
+### Features
+
+* **merge-loop:** wait on a blocking PR instead of escalating to a human ([#122](https://github.com/nanobpm/nano-workforce/issues/122)) ([aec738f](https://github.com/nanobpm/nano-workforce/commit/aec738f165df5a216b9094b4eb9b5b6d4a7ac419))
+
 # [0.43.0](https://github.com/nanobpm/nano-workforce/compare/v0.42.0...v0.43.0) (2026-08-11)
 
 

package/SPEC.md

@@ -368,11 +368,21 @@ start ─► wait: deps merged ─► arm merge ─► wait: mergeable ─┬─
   exhausted, the agent reports `blocked`, or the branch is in `conflict` does it fall
   through to the human escalation path.
 
+- **Discovered dependency** — a `senior:fix-ci` or `senior:rebase` agent may find that
+  the PR cannot land because **another PR must merge first** (a required linked-issue
+  gate a sibling PR will close, a stacked base PR, or a `Depends-on:` the agent read
+  from the PR/issue text). That is an ordering **wait, not a human decision**: the
+  agent returns `status: "waiting-on-pr"` with a `dependsOn` list of `owner/repo#N`
+  refs. `pr.record-dependency` appends those edges to `pr_dependencies` and parks the
+  PR back at *wait: deps merged*, so the same poller pass lands it automatically once
+  the named PRs merge — no escalation is opened.
+
 - **Dependencies** — `pr_dependencies(pr_key, depends_on_key)` (migration 004).
-  Declared two ways: a `Depends-on: owner/repo#N` line in the PR body (parsed on
-  submit) and/or a `dependsOn` array on the submit request. `merge-loop` parks at
-  *wait: deps merged*; the poller checks each dependency (own tracked row first,
-  else GitHub `merged` state) and publishes `deps-cleared` once all have landed.
+  Declared three ways: a `Depends-on: owner/repo#N` line in the PR body (parsed on
+  submit), a `dependsOn` array on the submit request, and/or **discovered at merge
+  time** by a `fix-ci`/`rebase` agent (`status: "waiting-on-pr"`, above). `merge-loop`
+  parks at *wait: deps merged*; the poller checks each dependency (own tracked row
+  first, else GitHub `merged` state) and publishes `deps-cleared` once all have landed.
 - **Mergeability** — the poller classifies GitHub's `mergeStateStatus`:
   `CLEAN`/`HAS_HOOKS`/`UNSTABLE`/`BEHIND` → `ready`; `DIRTY` → `conflict`;
   `BLOCKED` → `blocked` if a required check is failing, else keep waiting;

package/nano.app.json

@@ -87,6 +87,10 @@
       "taskType": "pr.mark-merged",
       "handler": "workers/mark-merged/worker.ts"
     },
+    {
+      "taskType": "pr.record-dependency",
+      "handler": "workers/record-dependency/worker.ts"
+    },
     {
       "taskType": "pr.record-plan",
       "handler": "workers/record-plan/worker.ts"

package/package.json

@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@nanobpm/nano-workforce",
-  "version": "0.43.0",
+  "version": "0.44.0",
   "description": "Nano Workforce — an Agent Graph Orchestration application for Agentic SDLC: durable BPMN processes that coordinate a graph of AI agents across the software delivery lifecycle.",
   "type": "module",
   "main": "main.ts",

package/prompts/fix-ci.md

@@ -56,9 +56,20 @@ the PR's checks yourself (`gh pr checks`, `gh run view`).
 Return a structured result:
 
 - `status: "fixed"` — you pushed a fix you believe makes the failing checks pass.
-- `status: "blocked"` — you could **not** fix it (e.g. the failure needs a human
-  decision, a secret, or an upstream change). Set `question` to a concise,
-  specific description of what is blocking and what a human must decide.
+- `status: "waiting-on-pr"` — the PR cannot merge yet because **another PR must land
+  first**, and this is an ordering constraint, not a defect: e.g. the failing check
+  is a required linked-issue / "closes #N" gate that a sibling PR will satisfy, the
+  PR is stacked on a base PR that has not merged, or the PR body / an issue it
+  references says it depends on another PR. This is a **wait, not an escalation** — do
+  **not** ask a human to babysit it. Set `dependsOn` to the PR(s) that must merge
+  first, as `owner/repo#N` refs (or PR URLs), separated by commas or spaces. The
+  process records the dependency and automatically re-attempts the merge once every
+  named PR has landed.
+- `status: "blocked"` — you could **not** fix it and it genuinely needs a human
+  **decision** (a secret, an upstream change, or a judgement call). Set `question` to a
+  concise, specific description of what is blocking and what a human must decide.
+  Reserve this for a real decision — if the PR is merely waiting on another PR, use
+  `waiting-on-pr` instead so no human is pulled in.
 
 Never report `fixed` unless you actually pushed a change. If nothing was wrong on
 the branch (the failure was transient infrastructure), say so in `summary` and

package/prompts/rebase.md

@@ -67,10 +67,20 @@ Return a structured result:
 - `status: "rebased"` — the branch tip now contains the latest base: you resolved
   any conflicts mechanically and pushed, **or** it was already up to date. The
   process will re-attempt the merge.
+- `status: "waiting-on-pr"` — the PR cannot merge yet because **another PR must land
+  first**, and this is an ordering constraint, not a conflict you can resolve: e.g.
+  the branch is stacked on a base PR that has not merged, or the PR body / an issue
+  it references says it depends on another PR that must close a blocking issue first.
+  This is a **wait, not an escalation** — do **not** ask a human to babysit it. Set
+  `dependsOn` to the PR(s) that must merge first, as `owner/repo#N` refs (or PR URLs),
+  separated by commas or spaces. The process records the dependency and automatically
+  re-attempts the merge once every named PR has landed.
 - `status: "blocked"` — you could **not** resolve it mechanically (a genuine
   semantic conflict where two changes contradict and a human must decide which
   behaviour wins, or the branch is un-rebaseable). Set `question` to a concise,
   specific description of the conflicting intent and the decision a human must make.
+  Reserve this for a real decision — if the PR is merely waiting on another PR to land
+  first, use `waiting-on-pr` instead so no human is pulled in.
 
 Report `rebased` when the branch tip now contains the latest base — either
 because you pushed a resolved update, or because it was **already up to date**

package/resources/processes/merge-loop.bpmn

@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@
           <nano:extend name="status" type="string" />
           <nano:extend name="summary" type="string" optional="true" />
           <nano:extend name="question" type="string" optional="true" />
+          <nano:extend name="dependsOn" type="string" optional="true" />
         </nano:shape>
         <nano:shape id="RebaseIn" name="Rebase — input">
           <nano:extend name="prKey" type="string" />
@@ -88,6 +89,11 @@
           <nano:extend name="status" type="string" />
           <nano:extend name="summary" type="string" optional="true" />
           <nano:extend name="question" type="string" optional="true" />
+          <nano:extend name="dependsOn" type="string" optional="true" />
+        </nano:shape>
+        <nano:shape id="RecordDepIn" name="Record discovered dependency — input">
+          <nano:extend name="prKey" type="string" />
+          <nano:extend name="dependsOn" type="string" optional="true" />
         </nano:shape>
         <nano:shape id="MergeEscalationAnswered" name="escalation-answered message payload">
           <nano:extend name="answer" type="string" />
@@ -100,6 +106,7 @@
     </bpmn:startEvent>
     <bpmn:intermediateCatchEvent id="wait-deps" name="Wait: dependencies merged">
       <bpmn:incoming>f_m_start</bpmn:incoming>
+      <bpmn:incoming>f_dep_rewait</bpmn:incoming>
       <bpmn:outgoing>f_m_deps</bpmn:outgoing>
       <bpmn:messageEventDefinition id="med_depsCleared" messageRef="Message_depsCleared" />
     </bpmn:intermediateCatchEvent>
@@ -237,6 +244,7 @@
     <bpmn:exclusiveGateway id="gw-ci-result" name="fixed?" default="f_ci_blocked">
       <bpmn:incoming>f_ci_done</bpmn:incoming>
       <bpmn:outgoing>f_ci_fixed</bpmn:outgoing>
+      <bpmn:outgoing>f_ci_wait</bpmn:outgoing>
       <bpmn:outgoing>f_ci_blocked</bpmn:outgoing>
     </bpmn:exclusiveGateway>
     <bpmn:exclusiveGateway id="gw-rebase" name="auto-rebase?" default="f_reb_giveup">
@@ -265,8 +273,20 @@
     <bpmn:exclusiveGateway id="gw-rebase-result" name="rebased?" default="f_reb_blocked">
       <bpmn:incoming>f_reb_done</bpmn:incoming>
       <bpmn:outgoing>f_reb_rebased</bpmn:outgoing>
+      <bpmn:outgoing>f_reb_wait</bpmn:outgoing>
       <bpmn:outgoing>f_reb_blocked</bpmn:outgoing>
     </bpmn:exclusiveGateway>
+    <bpmn:serviceTask id="record-merge-dep" name="Wait on another PR">
+      <bpmn:extensionElements>
+        <zeebe:taskDefinition type="pr.record-dependency" />
+        <zeebe:properties>
+          <zeebe:property name="io.nanobpm.dataEnvelope.in" value="RecordDepIn" />
+        </zeebe:properties>
+      </bpmn:extensionElements>
+      <bpmn:incoming>f_ci_wait</bpmn:incoming>
+      <bpmn:incoming>f_reb_wait</bpmn:incoming>
+      <bpmn:outgoing>f_dep_rewait</bpmn:outgoing>
+    </bpmn:serviceTask>
     <bpmn:sequenceFlow id="f_m_start" sourceRef="MergeStart" targetRef="wait-deps" />
     <bpmn:sequenceFlow id="f_m_deps" sourceRef="wait-deps" targetRef="arm-merge" />
     <bpmn:sequenceFlow id="f_m_arm" sourceRef="arm-merge" targetRef="wait-mergeable" />
@@ -290,6 +310,9 @@
       <bpmn:conditionExpression xsi:type="bpmn:tFormalExpression">=status = "fixed"</bpmn:conditionExpression>
     </bpmn:sequenceFlow>
     <bpmn:sequenceFlow id="f_ci_blocked" name="could not fix" sourceRef="gw-ci-result" targetRef="merge-esc-attempt" />
+    <bpmn:sequenceFlow id="f_ci_wait" name="waits on another PR" sourceRef="gw-ci-result" targetRef="record-merge-dep">
+      <bpmn:conditionExpression xsi:type="bpmn:tFormalExpression">=status = "waiting-on-pr"</bpmn:conditionExpression>
+    </bpmn:sequenceFlow>
     <bpmn:sequenceFlow id="f_reb_go" name="within budget" sourceRef="gw-rebase" targetRef="rebase">
       <bpmn:conditionExpression xsi:type="bpmn:tFormalExpression">=rebaseRound &lt; rebaseMax</bpmn:conditionExpression>
     </bpmn:sequenceFlow>
@@ -299,6 +322,10 @@
       <bpmn:conditionExpression xsi:type="bpmn:tFormalExpression">=status = "rebased"</bpmn:conditionExpression>
     </bpmn:sequenceFlow>
     <bpmn:sequenceFlow id="f_reb_blocked" name="could not resolve" sourceRef="gw-rebase-result" targetRef="merge-esc-attempt" />
+    <bpmn:sequenceFlow id="f_reb_wait" name="waits on another PR" sourceRef="gw-rebase-result" targetRef="record-merge-dep">
+      <bpmn:conditionExpression xsi:type="bpmn:tFormalExpression">=status = "waiting-on-pr"</bpmn:conditionExpression>
+    </bpmn:sequenceFlow>
+    <bpmn:sequenceFlow id="f_dep_rewait" sourceRef="record-merge-dep" targetRef="wait-deps" />
     <bpmn:sequenceFlow id="f_m_attempt" sourceRef="attempt-merge" targetRef="gw-merge" />
     <bpmn:sequenceFlow id="f_m_gMerged" name="merged" sourceRef="gw-merge" targetRef="mark-merged">
       <bpmn:conditionExpression xsi:type="bpmn:tFormalExpression">=mergeStatus = "merged"</bpmn:conditionExpression>
@@ -327,7 +354,7 @@
       <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="BPMNShape_wait-deps" bpmnElement="wait-deps">
         <dc:Bounds x="216" y="102" width="36" height="36" />
         <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
-          <dc:Bounds x="190" y="143" width="88" height="42" />
+          <dc:Bounds x="190" y="55" width="88" height="42" />
         </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
       </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
       <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="BPMNShape_arm-merge" bpmnElement="arm-merge">
@@ -415,14 +442,17 @@
         </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
       </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
       <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="BPMNShape_rebase" bpmnElement="rebase">
-        <dc:Bounds x="1038" y="1040" width="100" height="80" />
+        <dc:Bounds x="1038" y="1200" width="100" height="80" />
       </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
       <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="BPMNShape_gw-rebase-result" bpmnElement="gw-rebase-result" isMarkerVisible="true">
-        <dc:Bounds x="1238" y="1055" width="50" height="50" />
+        <dc:Bounds x="1238" y="1215" width="50" height="50" />
         <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
-          <dc:Bounds x="1233" y="1036" width="60" height="14" />
+          <dc:Bounds x="1173" y="1233" width="60" height="14" />
         </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
       </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
+      <bpmndi:BPMNShape id="BPMNShape_record-merge-dep" bpmnElement="record-merge-dep">
+        <dc:Bounds x="1388" y="1040" width="100" height="80" />
+      </bpmndi:BPMNShape>
       <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="BPMNEdge_f_m_start" bpmnElement="f_m_start">
         <di:waypoint x="116" y="120" />
         <di:waypoint x="216" y="120" />
@@ -473,7 +503,7 @@
         <di:waypoint x="1438" y="920" />
         <di:waypoint x="1438" y="640" />
         <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
-          <dc:Bounds x="1319" y="898" width="89" height="14" />
+          <dc:Bounds x="1319" y="928" width="89" height="14" />
         </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
       </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
       <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="BPMNEdge_f_reb_giveup" bpmnElement="f_reb_giveup">
@@ -485,11 +515,12 @@
         </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
       </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
       <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="BPMNEdge_f_reb_blocked" bpmnElement="f_reb_blocked">
-        <di:waypoint x="1288" y="1080" />
-        <di:waypoint x="1438" y="1080" />
+        <di:waypoint x="1263" y="1215" />
+        <di:waypoint x="1263" y="1020" />
+        <di:waypoint x="1438" y="1020" />
         <di:waypoint x="1438" y="640" />
         <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
-          <dc:Bounds x="1331" y="1047" width="64" height="28" />
+          <dc:Bounds x="1319" y="987" width="64" height="28" />
         </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
       </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
       <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="BPMNEdge_f_eg_landed" bpmnElement="f_eg_landed">
@@ -552,17 +583,33 @@
           <dc:Bounds x="893" y="839" width="49" height="28" />
         </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
       </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
+      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="BPMNEdge_f_ci_wait" bpmnElement="f_ci_wait">
+        <di:waypoint x="1288" y="920" />
+        <di:waypoint x="1438" y="920" />
+        <di:waypoint x="1438" y="1040" />
+        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
+          <dc:Bounds x="1326" y="887" width="75" height="28" />
+        </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
+      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
       <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="BPMNEdge_f_reb_go" bpmnElement="f_reb_go">
         <di:waypoint x="913" y="280" />
         <di:waypoint x="933" y="280" />
         <di:waypoint x="933" y="305" />
         <di:waypoint x="1158" y="305" />
-        <di:waypoint x="1158" y="1080" />
-        <di:waypoint x="1138" y="1080" />
+        <di:waypoint x="1158" y="1240" />
+        <di:waypoint x="1138" y="1240" />
         <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
           <dc:Bounds x="1101" y="310" width="49" height="28" />
         </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
       </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
+      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="BPMNEdge_f_reb_wait" bpmnElement="f_reb_wait">
+        <di:waypoint x="1263" y="1215" />
+        <di:waypoint x="1263" y="1080" />
+        <di:waypoint x="1388" y="1080" />
+        <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
+          <dc:Bounds x="1288" y="1047" width="75" height="28" />
+        </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
+      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
       <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="BPMNEdge_f_m_gQueued" bpmnElement="f_m_gQueued">
         <di:waypoint x="1088" y="145" />
         <di:waypoint x="1088" y="280" />
@@ -593,12 +640,12 @@
         <di:waypoint x="1238" y="920" />
       </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
       <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="BPMNEdge_f_reb_done" bpmnElement="f_reb_done">
-        <di:waypoint x="1138" y="1100" />
-        <di:waypoint x="1158" y="1100" />
-        <di:waypoint x="1158" y="1125" />
-        <di:waypoint x="1238" y="1125" />
-        <di:waypoint x="1263" y="1125" />
-        <di:waypoint x="1263" y="1105" />
+        <di:waypoint x="1138" y="1260" />
+        <di:waypoint x="1158" y="1260" />
+        <di:waypoint x="1158" y="1285" />
+        <di:waypoint x="1238" y="1285" />
+        <di:waypoint x="1263" y="1285" />
+        <di:waypoint x="1263" y="1265" />
       </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
       <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="BPMNEdge_f_ci_fixed" bpmnElement="f_ci_fixed">
         <di:waypoint x="1263" y="945" />
@@ -610,14 +657,20 @@
         </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
       </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
       <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="BPMNEdge_f_reb_rebased" bpmnElement="f_reb_rebased">
-        <di:waypoint x="1263" y="1105" />
-        <di:waypoint x="1263" y="1140" />
-        <di:waypoint x="402" y="1140" />
+        <di:waypoint x="1263" y="1265" />
+        <di:waypoint x="1263" y="1300" />
+        <di:waypoint x="402" y="1300" />
         <di:waypoint x="402" y="160" />
         <bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
-          <dc:Bounds x="806" y="1118" width="53" height="14" />
+          <dc:Bounds x="806" y="1278" width="53" height="14" />
         </bpmndi:BPMNLabel>
       </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
+      <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="BPMNEdge_f_dep_rewait" bpmnElement="f_dep_rewait">
+        <di:waypoint x="1438" y="1120" />
+        <di:waypoint x="1438" y="1320" />
+        <di:waypoint x="234" y="1320" />
+        <di:waypoint x="234" y="138" />
+      </bpmndi:BPMNEdge>
       <bpmndi:BPMNEdge id="BPMNEdge_f_m_evicted" bpmnElement="f_m_evicted">
         <di:waypoint x="1438" y="458" />
         <di:waypoint x="1438" y="478" />

package/workers/record-dependency/worker.test.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,116 @@
+// pr.record-dependency: a merge-stage agent that discovers "this PR must wait for another PR to
+// merge first" turns that into a durable dependency wait (parking the PR back in `waiting_deps`)
+// instead of a human escalation — the wait, not the escalation, is the correct outcome.
+import { test } from "node:test";
+import { assertEquals } from "#test-assert";
+import handler from "./worker.ts";
+
+interface DepRow {
+  pr_key: string;
+  depends_on_key: string;
+  created_at: string;
+}
+
+function fakeApp(seedDeps: DepRow[] = []) {
+  const logs: { level: string; msg: string }[] = [];
+  const stores: Record<string, Record<string, unknown>[]> = {
+    pr_dependencies: seedDeps as unknown as Record<string, unknown>[],
+    pull_requests: [{ pr_key: "o/r#1", status: "waiting_merge" }],
+  };
+  return {
+    app: {
+      data: {
+        table(name: string, key: string) {
+          const store = (stores[name] ??= []);
+          return {
+            get: (k: unknown) => Promise.resolve(store.find((r) => r[key] === k)),
+            find: (q: Record<string, unknown>) =>
+              Promise.resolve(
+                store.filter((r) => Object.entries(q).every(([f, v]) => r[f] === v)),
+              ),
+            insert: (row: Record<string, unknown>) => {
+              store.push(row);
+              return Promise.resolve(store.length);
+            },
+            update: (k: unknown, patch: Record<string, unknown>) => {
+              const row = store.find((r) => r[key] === k);
+              if (row) Object.assign(row, patch);
+              return Promise.resolve(row);
+            },
+            delete: (k: unknown) => {
+              for (let i = store.length - 1; i >= 0; i--) if (store[i][key] === k) store.splice(i, 1);
+              return Promise.resolve(undefined);
+            },
+          };
+        },
+      },
+      log: (level: string, msg: string) => logs.push({ level, msg }),
+      engine: {},
+      // biome-ignore lint/suspicious/noExplicitAny: minimal test double for AppContext
+    } as any,
+    stores,
+    logs,
+  };
+}
+
+const job = (variables: Record<string, unknown>) => ({ variables }) as never;
+
+test("records a discovered dependency from a string ref and parks the PR in waiting_deps", async () => {
+  const { app, stores } = fakeApp();
+  await handler(job({ prKey: "o/r#1", dependsOn: "o/r#2" }), app);
+
+  assertEquals(stores.pr_dependencies.length, 1);
+  assertEquals(stores.pr_dependencies[0].pr_key, "o/r#1");
+  assertEquals(stores.pr_dependencies[0].depends_on_key, "o/r#2");
+  assertEquals(stores.pull_requests[0].status, "waiting_deps");
+});
+
+test("parses several refs (commas/spaces/URLs), dedupes, and never waits on itself", async () => {
+  const { app, stores } = fakeApp();
+  await handler(
+    job({
+      prKey: "o/r#1",
+      dependsOn: "o/r#2, o/r#2 https://github.com/o/r/pull/3 o/r#1",
+    }),
+    app,
+  );
+
+  const keys = stores.pr_dependencies.map((d) => d.depends_on_key).sort();
+  assertEquals(keys, ["o/r#2", "o/r#3"]); // #2 deduped, self #1 dropped
+  assertEquals(stores.pull_requests[0].status, "waiting_deps");
+});
+
+test("appends to existing edges without wiping them and skips already-recorded ones", async () => {
+  const { app, stores } = fakeApp([
+    { pr_key: "o/r#1", depends_on_key: "o/r#9", created_at: "t0" },
+  ]);
+  await handler(job({ prKey: "o/r#1", dependsOn: ["o/r#9", "o/r#2"] }), app);
+
+  const keys = stores.pr_dependencies.map((d) => d.depends_on_key).sort();
+  assertEquals(keys, ["o/r#2", "o/r#9"]); // pre-existing #9 preserved, only #2 added
+});
+
+test("no parseable ref still parks in waiting_deps and logs the miswiring loudly", async () => {
+  const { app, stores, logs } = fakeApp();
+  await handler(job({ prKey: "o/r#1", dependsOn: "not-a-pr" }), app);
+
+  assertEquals(stores.pr_dependencies.length, 0);
+  assertEquals(stores.pull_requests[0].status, "waiting_deps");
+  assertEquals(logs.some((l) => l.level === "error"), true);
+});
+
+test("heals a missing pull_requests parent row before parking so the merge poller can watch it", async () => {
+  const { app, stores } = fakeApp();
+  stores.pull_requests.length = 0; // engine/app.db desync: no parent row for o/r#1
+
+  await handler(job({ prKey: "o/r#1", dependsOn: "o/r#2" }), app);
+
+  // ensurePr reconstructed the row, and the subsequent update landed on it (not a silent no-op).
+  assertEquals(stores.pull_requests.length, 1);
+  const healed = stores.pull_requests[0];
+  assertEquals(healed.pr_key, "o/r#1");
+  assertEquals(healed.repo, "o/r");
+  assertEquals(healed.number, 1);
+  assertEquals(healed.status, "waiting_deps");
+  assertEquals(stores.pr_dependencies.length, 1);
+});

package/workers/record-dependency/worker.ts

@@ -0,0 +1,109 @@
+// pr.record-dependency — a merge-stage agent discovered that this PR cannot land until ANOTHER
+// PR merges first (e.g. a stacked base PR must land, or a sibling PR closes an issue this one
+// requires). That is a WAIT, not a human escalation: record the discovered edge(s) in the
+// `pr_dependencies` DAG and park the PR back in `waiting_deps` so the merge poller's dependency
+// pass (`pollMerges` block 1) advances it — publishing `deps-cleared` — once every named PR has
+// merged. The process re-enters its existing `wait-deps` catch, so no human has to babysit an
+// ordering constraint the machinery already knows how to satisfy.
+//
+// `dependsOn` is whatever the agent returned (see prompts/fix-ci.md, prompts/rebase.md): a
+// string of one or more `owner/repo#N` refs (or PR URLs) separated by commas/whitespace/newlines,
+// or an array of such tokens. We parse each robustly (reusing `parsePr`), drop self-references and
+// duplicates, and insert missing edges idempotently — a worker retry never double-inserts, and an
+// already-recorded edge is a no-op.
+import type { AppJobHandler } from "@nanobpm/urban";
+import { ensurePr, parsePr } from "../../app/service.ts";
+
+interface In extends Record<string, unknown> {
+  prKey: string;
+  dependsOn?: unknown;
+}
+
+interface DependencyRow {
+  pr_key: string;
+  depends_on_key: string;
+  created_at: string;
+}
+
+/** Normalize the agent's `dependsOn` into a de-duplicated list of `owner/repo#N` keys.
+ * Accepts a string (split on commas/whitespace/newlines) or an array of such tokens; unparseable
+ * tokens are ignored, mirroring `parseDependsOn`'s tolerance for the `Depends-on:` PR-body line. */
+function parseDependsOn(raw: unknown): string[] {
+  const tokens: string[] = [];
+  if (typeof raw === "string") {
+    tokens.push(...raw.split(/[,\s]+/));
+  } else if (Array.isArray(raw)) {
+    for (const item of raw) {
+      if (typeof item === "string") tokens.push(...item.split(/[,\s]+/));
+    }
+  }
+  const out = new Set<string>();
+  for (const tok of tokens) {
+    const parsed = parsePr(tok);
+    if (parsed) out.add(parsed.prKey);
+  }
+  return [...out];
+}
+
+const handler: AppJobHandler<In> = async (job, app) => {
+  const prKey = job.variables.prKey;
+  const depKeys = parseDependsOn(job.variables.dependsOn);
+  const ts = new Date().toISOString();
+
+  const depTable = app.data.table<DependencyRow>("pr_dependencies", "pr_key");
+
+  // Append the discovered edges to whatever the plan DAG already declared — never wipe the set
+  // (a `registerDependencies`-style replace would drop still-relevant sibling ordering). Dedupe
+  // against existing rows so this is safe to retry.
+  const existing = await depTable.find({ pr_key: prKey });
+  const have = new Set(existing.map((d) => d.depends_on_key));
+  let recorded = 0;
+  for (const depKey of depKeys) {
+    if (depKey === prKey || have.has(depKey)) continue; // never wait on self; skip known edges
+    await depTable.insert({ pr_key: prKey, depends_on_key: depKey, created_at: ts });
+    have.add(depKey);
+    recorded += 1;
+  }
+
+  if (depKeys.length === 0) {
+    // The agent signalled "waiting-on-pr" but named no parseable PR. Whether this actually strands
+    // the PR depends on the existing DAG: with no other edges the poller clears it immediately (an
+    // empty dep set trivially "all merged"); if prior edges already exist it will keep waiting on
+    // those. Either way the miswiring — a "waiting-on-pr" signal with no parseable ref — is a
+    // defect worth logging loudly.
+    const clause =
+      have.size === 0
+        ? "it will clear immediately (no other dependencies recorded)"
+        : `it still has ${have.size} previously-recorded dependency edge(s) to wait on`;
+    app.log(
+      "error",
+      `record-dependency: ${prKey} reported waiting-on-pr but no parseable dependsOn ref; ` +
+        `${clause}. Raw: ${JSON.stringify(job.variables.dependsOn)}`,
+    );
+  }
+
+  // Heal a missing FK parent (engine/app.db desync) before updating `pull_requests`; otherwise the
+  // update silently no-ops and the instance re-enters `wait-deps` with no row for the merge poller
+  // to watch — wedging the merge loop. Mirrors persist-round's heal; repo/number are derived from
+  // the canonical `owner/repo#N` prKey since the RecordDepIn envelope carries only prKey/dependsOn.
+  const parsed = parsePr(prKey);
+  if (parsed) {
+    await ensurePr(app.data, { prKey, repo: parsed.repo, number: parsed.number, url: parsed.url });
+  }
+
+  // Park the PR back in the merge-stage dependency wait so `pollMerges` block 1 watches it.
+  await app.data.table("pull_requests", "pr_key").update(prKey, {
+    status: "waiting_deps",
+    updated_at: ts,
+  });
+
+  app.log("info", `record-dependency: ${prKey} waiting on ${depKeys.length} PR(s)`, {
+    prKey,
+    dependsOn: depKeys,
+    recorded,
+  });
+
+  return {};
+};
+
+export default handler;