diff --git a/bin/gs b/bin/gs
index 6f869ed..d152a00 100755
--- a/bin/gs
+++ b/bin/gs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ gs - gentle-shell on main, plus one disposable worktree per PR
                            updated if it exists), then Pi on it for shell PRs
   gs issue [repo] <n>      One step to start issue <n>: race check (stops if the
                            issue is closed, assigned to someone other than you,
-                           or referenced by a PR; GS_FORCE=1 skips it),
+                           or referenced by an open PR; GS_FORCE=1 skips it),
                            branch <type>/<n>-<slug> from origin/main,
                            then Pi on it for shell issues
 
@@ -239,8 +239,14 @@ cmd_issue() {
     [ -z "$others" ] || die "$gh_repo#$NUM is assigned to $others (GS_FORCE=1 to continue)"
     prs=$(gh pr list -R "$gh_repo" --state all --search "$NUM in:title,body" --json number,state,title \
       --jq '.[] | "  #\(.number) \(.state) \(.title)"')
-    [ -z "$prs" ] || die "PRs may already reference #$NUM (GS_FORCE=1 to continue):
-$prs"
+    # Only open PRs mean someone may be working on it now; merged/closed ones
+    # are history (long issues ship in slices), so they are listed, not fatal.
+    local open_prs done_prs
+    open_prs=$(printf '%s\n' "$prs" | grep -E '^ *#[0-9]+ OPEN ' || true)
+    done_prs=$(printf '%s\n' "$prs" | grep -vE '^ *#[0-9]+ OPEN |^$' || true)
+    [ -z "$open_prs" ] || die "Open PRs may already work on #$NUM (GS_FORCE=1 to continue):
+$open_prs"
+    [ -z "$done_prs" ] || printf 'gs: #%s already has merged or closed PRs:\n%s\n' "$NUM" "$done_prs" >&2
   fi
   case ",$labels," in
     *,type:feature,*) prefix=feat ;;
diff --git a/tests/gs_test.sh b/tests/gs_test.sh
index a80a96d..93eecf6 100755
--- a/tests/gs_test.sh
+++ b/tests/gs_test.sh
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ race_stub() {
 case "\$1 \$2" in
   "issue view") printf 'OPEN\037$1\037fix: thing\037type:bug\n' ;;
   "api user") echo me ;;
-  "pr list") echo "pr list" >> "$CALLS" ;;
+  "pr list") echo "pr list" >> "$CALLS"; printf '%b' "${2:-}" ;;
 esac
 exit 0
 EOF
@@ -170,6 +170,16 @@ OUT=$("$GS" issue shell 9 2>&1); rc=$?
 check "workshop: gs issue shared with someone else stops and names only them" \
   '[ "$rc" = 1 ] && [[ "$OUT" == *"#9 is assigned to other (GS_FORCE=1 to continue)"* ]]'
 
+# PRs that mention the issue: only open ones block; merged/closed ones are listed.
+setup workshop; race_stub "" '  #5 MERGED feat: slice one (#9)\n  #6 CLOSED docs: dropped (#9)\n'
+OUT=$("$GS" issue shell 9 2>&1); rc=$?
+check "workshop: gs issue with only merged or closed PRs continues and lists them" \
+  '[[ "$OUT" != *"GS_FORCE=1 to continue"* ]] && [[ "$OUT" == *"#9 already has merged or closed PRs"* ]] && [[ "$OUT" == *"#5 MERGED feat: slice one (#9)"* ]] && [[ "$OUT" == *"#6 CLOSED docs: dropped (#9)"* ]]'
+setup workshop; race_stub "" '  #5 MERGED feat: slice one (#9)\n  #7 OPEN feat: slice two (#9)\n'
+OUT=$("$GS" issue shell 9 2>&1); rc=$?
+check "workshop: gs issue with an open PR still stops and names only the open ones" \
+  '[ "$rc" = 1 ] && [[ "$OUT" == *"Open PRs may already work on #9 (GS_FORCE=1 to continue):"* ]] && [[ "$OUT" == *"#7 OPEN feat: slice two (#9)"* ]] && [[ "$OUT" != *"#5 MERGED"* ]]'
+
 # --- sync (workshop) ----------------------------------------------------------
 
 setup workshop