| name | git-pr-recovery |
| description | Safely push recovered issue-scoped fixes onto an existing PR branch without disturbing a dirty local workspace. |
| domain | git-workflow |
| confidence | high |
| source | earned |
Context
Use this when the right code already exists in a dirty local branch, but the real PR branch on origin is missing those fixes and must be updated without overwriting unrelated local work.
Patterns
- Create or reuse a dedicated worktree for the target PR branch instead of checking it out in the dirty workspace.
- When a reviewer reports that a prerequisite PR is missing from
main, verify with git fetch, git rev-parse origin/main, and git merge-base HEAD origin/main before rebasing; stale local refs can create a false blocker.
- Copy only the issue-scoped files into the worktree, then validate there with the repo's normal build/test command before committing.
- If the recovery also needs a visible review note and the PR is effectively under the same GitHub user account, post a regular PR comment instead of a formal approval review.
- Record the recovery decision in .squad/decisions/inbox/ so the team knows the branch was repaired intentionally.
Examples
- Source branch with repaired files:
neo/pr-recovery-731-732
- Target PR branch:
issue-731-user-publisher-settings
- Temporary safe workspace:
.worktrees\issue-731-recovery
- Visible GitHub note: PR #756 comment confirming recovery push + merge readiness
Anti-Patterns
- Do not switch the dirty workspace to the PR branch just to move files.
- Do not discard uncommitted recovery work after the push; preserve it until the branch lands.
- Do not submit a formal PR approval when protocol calls for a plain comment instead.
