diff --git a/internal/scaffold/fullsend-repo/scripts/pre-code-test.sh b/internal/scaffold/fullsend-repo/scripts/pre-code-test.sh
index 472c1bd0f..13e06d204 100644
--- a/internal/scaffold/fullsend-repo/scripts/pre-code-test.sh
+++ b/internal/scaffold/fullsend-repo/scripts/pre-code-test.sh
@@ -165,6 +165,62 @@ run_test_stdout() {
   echo "PASS: ${test_name}"
 }
 
+# Check stdout contains one string and does NOT contain another.
+run_test_stdout_excludes() {
+  local test_name="$1"
+  local pr_list_output="$2"
+  local expected_stdout="$3"
+  local excluded_stdout="$4"
+  local expect_exit="$5"
+  local extra_env="${6:-}"
+
+  local mock_bin
+  mock_bin="$(build_mock "${pr_list_output}")"
+
+  local env_cmd=(
+    env
+    PATH="${mock_bin}:${PATH}"
+    ISSUE_NUMBER="42"
+    REPO_FULL_NAME="test-org/test-repo"
+    GITHUB_ISSUE_URL="https://github.com/test-org/test-repo/issues/42"
+    GH_TOKEN="fake-token"
+  )
+
+  if [[ -n "${extra_env}" ]]; then
+    while IFS= read -r kv; do
+      [[ -n "${kv}" ]] && env_cmd+=("${kv}")
+    done <<< "${extra_env}"
+  fi
+
+  local exit_code=0
+  "${env_cmd[@]}" bash "${PRE_SCRIPT}" > "${TMPDIR}/stdout.log" 2>&1 || exit_code=$?
+
+  if [[ ${exit_code} -ne ${expect_exit} ]]; then
+    echo "FAIL: ${test_name} — expected exit ${expect_exit}, got ${exit_code}"
+    cat "${TMPDIR}/stdout.log"
+    FAILURES=$((FAILURES + 1))
+    return
+  fi
+
+  if ! grep -qF "${expected_stdout}" "${TMPDIR}/stdout.log" 2>/dev/null; then
+    echo "FAIL: ${test_name} — expected stdout '${expected_stdout}' not found"
+    echo "Actual stdout:"
+    cat "${TMPDIR}/stdout.log"
+    FAILURES=$((FAILURES + 1))
+    return
+  fi
+
+  if grep -qF "${excluded_stdout}" "${TMPDIR}/stdout.log" 2>/dev/null; then
+    echo "FAIL: ${test_name} — excluded stdout '${excluded_stdout}' was found"
+    echo "Actual stdout:"
+    cat "${TMPDIR}/stdout.log"
+    FAILURES=$((FAILURES + 1))
+    return
+  fi
+
+  echo "PASS: ${test_name}"
+}
+
 # --- Test cases ---
 
 # Tab character for readability.
@@ -250,6 +306,38 @@ run_test "pr-label-created" \
   "gh label create pr-open --repo test-org/test-repo" \
   0
 
+# --- Regression tests: --force bypasses PR search (issue #1697) ---
+
+# COMMENT_BODY with --force must exit before PR search is reached.
+run_test_stdout_excludes "force-comment-body-no-pr-search" \
+  "99${TAB}human-dev${TAB}https://github.com/test-org/test-repo/pull/99" \
+  "Force override" \
+  "Checking for existing open PRs" \
+  0 \
+  "COMMENT_BODY=/fs-code --force"
+
+# CODE_FORCE=true must exit before PR search is reached.
+run_test_stdout_excludes "force-code-force-no-pr-search" \
+  "99${TAB}human-dev${TAB}https://github.com/test-org/test-repo/pull/99" \
+  "Force override" \
+  "Checking for existing open PRs" \
+  0 \
+  "CODE_FORCE=true"
+
+# Force check logs COMMENT_BODY value for debuggability.
+run_test_stdout "force-check-logs-comment-body" \
+  "" \
+  "Evaluating force override:" \
+  0 \
+  "COMMENT_BODY=/fs-code --force"
+
+# Without --force, PR search IS reached (no false bypass).
+run_test_stdout "no-force-reaches-pr-search" \
+  "" \
+  "Checking for existing open PRs" \
+  0 \
+  "COMMENT_BODY=/fs-code"
+
 # --- Summary ---
 
 echo ""
diff --git a/internal/scaffold/fullsend-repo/scripts/pre-code.sh b/internal/scaffold/fullsend-repo/scripts/pre-code.sh
index 4a0fff348..a64641ce2 100755
--- a/internal/scaffold/fullsend-repo/scripts/pre-code.sh
+++ b/internal/scaffold/fullsend-repo/scripts/pre-code.sh
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ if [[ -z "${GH_TOKEN:-}" ]]; then
 fi
 
 # Allow override when --force is in the trigger comment or CODE_FORCE is set.
+echo "Evaluating force override: CODE_FORCE='${CODE_FORCE:-}' COMMENT_BODY='${COMMENT_BODY:-}'"
 if [[ "${CODE_FORCE:-}" == "true" ]] || [[ "${COMMENT_BODY:-}" == *--force* ]]; then
   echo "Force override — skipping existing-PR check"
   exit 0
@@ -101,14 +102,14 @@ if [[ -n "${HUMAN_PR_LINES}" ]]; then
 - #${pr_num} by @${pr_author}"
   done <<< "${HUMAN_PR_LINES}"
 
-  COMMENT_BODY="An open PR already addresses this issue — skipping automated implementation.
+  SKIP_COMMENT="An open PR already addresses this issue — skipping automated implementation.
 ${PR_LIST_MD}
 
 To override, comment \`/fs-code --force\` on this issue.
 
 <sub>Posted by <a href=\"https://github.com/fullsend-ai/fullsend\">fullsend</a> pre-code check</sub>"
 
-  printf '%s' "${COMMENT_BODY}" | gh issue comment "${ISSUE_NUMBER}" \
+  printf '%s' "${SKIP_COMMENT}" | gh issue comment "${ISSUE_NUMBER}" \
     --repo "${REPO_FULL_NAME}" --body-file - 2>/dev/null || true
 
   echo "Skipping code agent — existing PR(s) found for issue #${ISSUE_NUMBER}"