diff --git a/.claude/skills/pull-request/SKILL.md b/.claude/skills/pull-request/SKILL.md
index fc0217e5b..967d6b997 100644
--- a/.claude/skills/pull-request/SKILL.md
+++ b/.claude/skills/pull-request/SKILL.md
@@ -97,12 +97,14 @@ PR title must follow `type(scope): description` (conventional commits). Link the
 - Checkbox sections (Validation, Guardrails): check each box that applies (`- [x]`), leave unchecked only what genuinely does not apply
 - Follow any instructions in the template (e.g. "Delete this section if not applicable")
 
-Once **draft CI passes** and the PR is ready for human review, convert to ready:
+Once **draft CI passes**, convert to ready **immediately, before anything else**:
 
 ```bash
 gh pr ready <number>
 ```
 
+> **Ordering invariant (hard requirement):** CodeRabbit never reviews a draft PR. Flipping to ready is a mandatory prerequisite for entering — or continuing — any wait on CodeRabbit/review threads. Do it the moment draft CI is green, BEFORE starting section 6. Waiting on CodeRabbit while the PR is still draft is a guaranteed silent deadlock (observed 2026-07-16, issue #4450).
+>
 > Some bots (e.g. CodeRabbit) trigger on ready, not on CI completion. After converting, do a **preliminary review pass** before entering the main loop:
 >
 > ```bash
@@ -115,6 +117,9 @@ gh pr ready <number>
 
 ## 6. Monitor loop (autonomous)
 
+The PR must already be ready (see §5) before this loop starts — CodeRabbit
+never reviews a draft, so entering this loop while still draft deadlocks.
+
 After `gh pr ready`, run an autonomous polling loop until either CI is green
 with zero unresolved threads for 3 consecutive passes (~9 min) or the safety
 limit (10 iterations) trips.
@@ -126,6 +131,9 @@ PR=<number>
 ```
 
 Per pass:
+0. **Draft guard** (belt-and-braces) → if still `isDraft: true` and CI is
+   green, `gh pr ready "$PR"` immediately — covers a loop that started
+   pre-flip, or a rebase/force-push that reverted the PR to draft
 1. Wait CI → fix + /verify + commit + push if red, else continue
 2. Check mergeable — `CONFLICTING` stops, `UNKNOWN` retries
 3. Grace `sleep 180` + adaptive recheck of pending review checks
diff --git a/.claude/skills/pull-request/references/monitor-loop.md b/.claude/skills/pull-request/references/monitor-loop.md
index 9e1e58b2d..c5073a046 100644
--- a/.claude/skills/pull-request/references/monitor-loop.md
+++ b/.claude/skills/pull-request/references/monitor-loop.md
@@ -13,14 +13,24 @@ PR=<number>
 
 After `gh pr ready`, run this loop yourself — do not wait for the user.
 
+**Ordering invariant:** the PR must be ready (not draft) before this loop
+starts — CodeRabbit never reviews a draft PR, so waiting on it while draft is
+a guaranteed silent deadlock. Step 0 below is a defensive re-check, not a
+substitute for flipping to ready in §5 before entering the loop.
+
 ## Loop procedure
 
 ```text
 consecutive_zero = 0
 
 REPEAT:
+  0. Draft guard (belt-and-braces)      → see 6a-0. If still draft with CI green, flip to ready now.
   1. Wait for CI                        → sleep 30 then gh pr checks "$PR" --watch
   2. If CI fails                        → fix, /verify, commit, push, consecutive_zero=0, GOTO 1
+  2a. Re-run draft guard                → see 6a-0. CI is confirmed green here (whether it started
+                                           green or just turned green in step 1) — re-checking closes
+                                           the gap where a pass starting draft+red would otherwise sail
+                                           straight through to mergeability/grace/review-wait still draft.
   2b. Check mergeable status            → gh pr view "$PR" --json mergeable --jq .mergeable
                                            if "CONFLICTING" → report to user and STOP
                                            if "UNKNOWN" → sleep 30, retry (up to 3 times), then proceed
@@ -34,6 +44,39 @@ REPEAT:
                                            else GOTO 3
 ```
 
+## 6a-0. Draft guard (belt-and-braces)
+
+Run at the top of **every** pass, before waiting on CI or reading threads.
+Covers the race where the loop started before the ready-flip landed, or a
+rebase/force-push reverted the PR to draft:
+
+```bash
+STATE=$(gh pr view "$PR" --json isDraft,statusCheckRollup)
+IS_DRAFT=$(echo "$STATE" | jq -r '.isDraft')
+# green = rollup non-empty (an empty rollup right after a force-push/rebase must NOT read as green) AND
+# every check is SUCCESS/NEUTRAL/SKIPPED (all non-blocking; a bare FAILURE/CANCELLED or still-pending check stays not-green)
+CI_GREEN=$(echo "$STATE" | jq -r '[.statusCheckRollup[]? | (.conclusion // .state)] | length > 0 and all(. as $s | ["SUCCESS","NEUTRAL","SKIPPED"] | index($s) != null)')
+
+if [ "$IS_DRAFT" = "true" ] && [ "$CI_GREEN" = "true" ]; then
+  if ! gh pr ready "$PR"; then
+    sleep 5
+    if ! gh pr ready "$PR"; then
+      echo "gh pr ready failed twice on PR $PR — stopping to avoid a draft deadlock." >&2
+      exit 1
+    fi
+  fi
+fi
+```
+
+If `gh pr ready` fails, retry once (5s later); if it still fails, stop and
+report to user — never fall through to mergeability/grace/review-wait with
+the PR still draft. Continue only once the PR is confirmed non-draft.
+
+If still draft with CI **not** green, do nothing here — fall through to 6a,
+fix CI first. Once CI turns green (either at pass start or mid-pass in 6a),
+this guard re-runs at step 2a before mergeability/grace/review-wait — never
+"next pass."
+
 ## 6a. Wait for CI
 
 After any push, wait 30s then watch: