| name | overlap-check |
| description | Check for existing issues and PRs before creating new ones. Fires automatically when agent intends to file an issue, open a PR, or comment on a thread. Searches the target repo for duplicates and shows matches so the agent can decide whether to proceed or contribute to an existing thread instead. |
| metadata | {"openclaw":{"emoji":"🔍","requires":{"bins":"[Truncated]"}}} |
Overlap Check
Before creating a new issue or PR, search the target repo for existing threads that cover the same topic.
When This Fires
- You are about to run
gh issue create
- You are about to run
gh pr create
- The user asks you to "file an issue", "open a PR", "report this bug", or "submit a fix"
- You are drafting a comment on an issue or PR you haven't read yet
What to Do
1. Identify the target repo and your topic
Figure out which repo you're targeting. If you're inside a cloned repo, run:
gh repo view --json nameWithOwner -q .nameWithOwner
Summarize what your issue or PR is about in a few keywords.
2. Search for existing threads
Run both searches. Drop filler words (the, a, is, for, with, this, that, when, not, but, and, from) from your keywords.
gh search issues --repo OWNER/REPO "KEYWORDS" --limit 5 --json number,title,state,comments
gh search prs --repo OWNER/REPO "KEYWORDS" --limit 5 --json number,title,state,comments
3. Evaluate matches
Read the titles and comment counts. If any look related:
- Open the thread:
gh issue view NUMBER --repo OWNER/REPO or gh pr view NUMBER
- Read enough to understand whether your topic is already covered
- Check if the thread is active, stale, or closed
4. Decide
| Situation | Action |
|---|
| Existing open thread covers your exact topic | Comment there instead of creating a new one |
| Existing closed thread solved it | Don't reopen — link to it if relevant |
| Existing thread is related but different | Proceed with new issue/PR, reference the related thread |
| No matches | Proceed normally |
5. If you find duplicates, tell the user
Show what you found before proceeding:
Found existing threads that may cover this:
#13738 — WSL2 clipboard paste broken (16 comments, open)
#14635 — Paste not working in WSL (3 comments, open)
Should I comment on an existing thread or create a new one?
What NOT to Do
- Don't skip this check because you're confident your topic is new
- Don't create a new issue just because existing ones use slightly different wording
- Don't run expensive analysis — two
gh search calls is enough
- Don't block the user — if they insist on creating a new thread after seeing duplicates, do it
