diff --git a/.codex/skills/babysit-pr/scripts/gh_pr_watch.py b/.codex/skills/babysit-pr/scripts/gh_pr_watch.py
index face4e6981af..a250404824db 100755
--- a/.codex/skills/babysit-pr/scripts/gh_pr_watch.py
+++ b/.codex/skills/babysit-pr/scripts/gh_pr_watch.py
@@ -610,6 +610,10 @@ def unique_actions(actions):
     return out
 
 
+def has_active_failed_job(failed_jobs):
+    return any(str(job.get("run_status") or "").lower() != "completed" for job in failed_jobs)
+
+
 def is_pr_ready_to_merge(pr, checks_summary, new_review_items):
     if pr["closed"] or pr["merged"]:
         return False
@@ -643,7 +647,7 @@ def recommend_actions(pr, checks_summary, failed_runs, failed_jobs, new_review_i
     if new_review_items:
         actions.append("process_review_comment")
 
-    has_failed_pr_checks = checks_summary["failed_count"] > 0 or bool(failed_jobs)
+    has_failed_pr_checks = checks_summary["failed_count"] > 0 or has_active_failed_job(failed_jobs)
     if has_failed_pr_checks:
         if checks_summary["all_terminal"] and retries_used >= max_retries:
             actions.append("stop_exhausted_retries")
diff --git a/.codex/skills/babysit-pr/scripts/test_gh_pr_watch.py b/.codex/skills/babysit-pr/scripts/test_gh_pr_watch.py
index b636ee4c5573..ebbeab119c5a 100644
--- a/.codex/skills/babysit-pr/scripts/test_gh_pr_watch.py
+++ b/.codex/skills/babysit-pr/scripts/test_gh_pr_watch.py
@@ -118,6 +118,50 @@ def test_recommend_actions_prioritizes_review_comments():
     ]
 
 
+def test_recommend_actions_ignores_stale_failed_jobs_from_completed_runs():
+    actions = gh_pr_watch.recommend_actions(
+        sample_pr(),
+        sample_checks(),
+        [],
+        [
+            {
+                "run_id": 99,
+                "run_status": "completed",
+                "run_conclusion": "failure",
+                "job_name": "unit tests",
+                "conclusion": "failure",
+            }
+        ],
+        [],
+        3,
+        3,
+    )
+
+    assert actions == ["ready_to_merge"]
+
+
+def test_recommend_actions_diagnoses_failed_jobs_from_active_runs():
+    actions = gh_pr_watch.recommend_actions(
+        sample_pr(),
+        sample_checks(all_terminal=False, pending_count=1),
+        [],
+        [
+            {
+                "run_id": 99,
+                "run_status": "in_progress",
+                "run_conclusion": "",
+                "job_name": "unit tests",
+                "conclusion": "failure",
+            }
+        ],
+        [],
+        0,
+        3,
+    )
+
+    assert actions == ["diagnose_ci_failure"]
+
+
 def test_run_watch_keeps_polling_open_ready_to_merge_pr(monkeypatch):
     sleeps = []
     events = []