diff --git a/src/services/agent-action-executor.ts b/src/services/agent-action-executor.ts
index 6ca87c7d91..aa22f0de20 100644
--- a/src/services/agent-action-executor.ts
+++ b/src/services/agent-action-executor.ts
@@ -180,9 +180,15 @@ async function performAction(env: Env, ctx: AgentActionExecutionContext, action:
     case "approve":
       await createPullRequestReview(env, ctx.installationId, ctx.repoFullName, ctx.pullNumber, "APPROVE", action.reviewBody ?? "");
       return;
-    case "merge":
-      await mergePullRequest(env, ctx.installationId, ctx.repoFullName, ctx.pullNumber, { mergeMethod: action.mergeMethod ?? "squash", ...(ctx.headSha ? { sha: ctx.headSha } : {}) });
+    case "merge": {
+      // Pin the merge to the REVIEWED head (action.expectedHeadSha) when present — for an approval-queue replay
+      // this is the commit the maintainer reviewed, not necessarily the current head, so a force-push after
+      // staging fails safe with a 409 (→ terminal hold) instead of merging un-reviewed code. A live sweep plans
+      // expectedHeadSha == ctx.headSha, so its behavior is unchanged; the fallback covers any unpinned plan.
+      const mergeSha = action.expectedHeadSha ?? ctx.headSha;
+      await mergePullRequest(env, ctx.installationId, ctx.repoFullName, ctx.pullNumber, { mergeMethod: action.mergeMethod ?? "squash", ...(mergeSha ? { sha: mergeSha } : {}) });
       return;
+    }
     case "close":
       if (action.closeComment) await createIssueComment(env, ctx.installationId, ctx.repoFullName, ctx.pullNumber, action.closeComment);
       await closePullRequest(env, ctx.installationId, ctx.repoFullName, ctx.pullNumber);
diff --git a/src/services/agent-approval-queue.ts b/src/services/agent-approval-queue.ts
index 97dede42e0..a391b5c106 100644
--- a/src/services/agent-approval-queue.ts
+++ b/src/services/agent-approval-queue.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,25 @@ export async function decidePendingAgentAction(env: Env, input: { id: string; de
     getPullRequest(env, pending.repoFullName, pending.pullNumber),
     getInstallation(env, pending.installationId),
   ]);
+
+  // Re-validate the staged action against the LIVE head before executing. A staged merge records the reviewed
+  // head (expectedHeadSha); if the contributor force-pushed after staging, the live head has moved and replaying
+  // the action would act on un-reviewed code. Refuse, supersede the sticky row, and record it. This is the
+  // application-level fail-safe; the executor additionally pins the GitHub merge to the reviewed SHA as a backstop.
+  const stagedHead = pending.params.expectedHeadSha;
+  if (stagedHead && pr?.headSha && stagedHead !== pr.headSha) {
+    await setPendingAgentActionStatus(env, pending.id, { status: "rejected", decidedBy: input.decidedBy });
+    await recordAuditEvent(env, {
+      eventType: "agent.pending_action.superseded",
+      actor: input.decidedBy,
+      targetKey,
+      outcome: "denied",
+      detail: `superseded ${pending.actionClass}: staged head ${stagedHead.slice(0, 12)} no longer matches live head ${pr.headSha.slice(0, 12)} (force-push after staging)`,
+      metadata: { ...baseMetadata, stagedHeadSha: stagedHead, liveHeadSha: pr.headSha },
+    });
+    return { status: "rejected", action: { ...pending, status: "rejected", decidedBy: input.decidedBy }, executionOutcome: "head_moved" };
+  }
+
   const outcomes = await executeAgentMaintenanceActions(
     env,
     {
diff --git a/src/settings/agent-actions.ts b/src/settings/agent-actions.ts
index 3e97420d1e..76755c325c 100644
--- a/src/settings/agent-actions.ts
+++ b/src/settings/agent-actions.ts
@@ -414,6 +414,11 @@ export function planAgentMaintenanceActions(input: AgentActionPlanInput): Planne
       requiresApproval: approval("merge"),
       reason: `gate passed, CI green, mergeable, ${autoMaintain.requireApprovals} approval(s) satisfied`,
       mergeMethod: autoMaintain.mergeMethod,
+      // Pin the merge to the EXACT reviewed head. For an `auto_with_approval` stage this travels into the pending
+      // row (actionParams persists expectedHeadSha), so a force-push after staging can never be merged: the
+      // executor pins GitHub's merge `sha` to this commit → a moved head yields a 409 (terminal hold) instead of
+      // merging un-reviewed code. A live sweep sets this == ctx.headSha, so its behavior is unchanged.
+      ...(input.pr.headSha ? { expectedHeadSha: input.pr.headSha } : {}),
     });
   } else if (willClose) {
     // Contributor PR that is NOT review-good (gate blockers / red / unverified CI) OR conflicts with base →
diff --git a/test/unit/agent-action-executor.test.ts b/test/unit/agent-action-executor.test.ts
index f9be0686d5..6a3eea3157 100644
--- a/test/unit/agent-action-executor.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/agent-action-executor.test.ts
@@ -69,6 +69,15 @@ describe("executeAgentMaintenanceActions (#778 gate stack)", () => {
     expect((await auditFor(env, "merge"))?.outcome).toBe("completed");
   });
 
+  it("LIVE merge pins the GitHub merge to the action's reviewed head (expectedHeadSha) over the context head", async () => {
+    const env = createTestEnv({});
+    // A staged merge replayed on accept carries the REVIEWED head. Even when ctx.headSha is a newer live head,
+    // the merge must pin to the reviewed commit so a force-pushed (un-reviewed) head can never be merged.
+    const pinnedMerge: PlannedAgentAction = { actionClass: "merge", requiresApproval: false, reason: "clean", mergeMethod: "squash", expectedHeadSha: "reviewed-sha" };
+    await executeAgentMaintenanceActions(env, ctx({ headSha: "live-sha" }), [pinnedMerge]);
+    expect(mergePullRequest).toHaveBeenCalledWith(env, 123, "owner/repo", 7, { mergeMethod: "squash", sha: "reviewed-sha" });
+  });
+
   it("LIVE label with labelOp=add + comment: adds the label AND posts the comment", async () => {
     const env = createTestEnv({});
     const flag: PlannedAgentAction = { actionClass: "label", requiresApproval: false, reason: "flag", label: "gittensory:pending-closure", labelOp: "add", comment: "⚠️ flagged" };
diff --git a/test/unit/agent-actions.test.ts b/test/unit/agent-actions.test.ts
index 808bf9e73b..e30a32f957 100644
--- a/test/unit/agent-actions.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/agent-actions.test.ts
@@ -116,6 +116,11 @@ describe("planAgentMaintenanceActions (#778)", () => {
     expect(plan.find((a) => a.actionClass === "merge")).toMatchObject({ mergeMethod: "rebase" });
   });
 
+  it("pins the planned merge to the PR's reviewed head SHA so a staged merge cannot replay against a moved head", () => {
+    const plan = planAgentMaintenanceActions(input({ conclusion: "success", autonomy: { merge: "auto" }, autoMaintain: { requireApprovals: 0, mergeMethod: "squash" }, pr: { labels: [], mergeableState: "clean", headSha: "reviewed-abc" } }));
+    expect(plan.find((a) => a.actionClass === "merge")).toMatchObject({ mergeMethod: "squash", expectedHeadSha: "reviewed-abc" });
+  });
+
   it("applies conservative defaults when autoMaintain / slopGateMinScore are omitted", () => {
     // no autoMaintain → requireApprovals defaults to 1 → a clean passing PR without APPROVED does NOT merge
     expect(classes(planAgentMaintenanceActions({ conclusion: "success", blockerTitles: [], autonomy: { merge: "auto" }, changedPaths: [], hardGuardrailGlobs: [], authorIsOwner: false, authorIsAutomationBot: false, ciState: "passed", pr: { labels: [], mergeableState: "clean" } }))).not.toContain("merge");
diff --git a/test/unit/agent-approval-queue.test.ts b/test/unit/agent-approval-queue.test.ts
index 01e2bef1ad..e80d3243f4 100644
--- a/test/unit/agent-approval-queue.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/agent-approval-queue.test.ts
@@ -113,6 +113,51 @@ describe("agent approval queue (#779)", () => {
     expect(audit).toMatchObject({ outcome: "completed", actor: "owner" });
   });
 
+  it("accept supersedes a staged merge when the live head moved after staging (force-push fail-safe)", async () => {
+    const env = createTestEnv({ GITHUB_APP_PRIVATE_KEY: "x" });
+    await upsertRepositorySettings(env, { repoFullName: "owner/repo", autonomy: { merge: "auto_with_approval" } });
+    await seedInstallation(env);
+    // The PR head is now h-NEW: the contributor force-pushed after the merge was staged against h-OLD.
+    await upsertPullRequestFromGitHub(env, "owner/repo", { number: 7, title: "PR", state: "open", user: { login: "contributor" }, head: { sha: "h-NEW" }, labels: [], body: "x" });
+    const { action } = await createPendingAgentActionIfAbsent(env, { repoFullName: "owner/repo", pullNumber: 7, installationId: 5, actionClass: "merge", autonomyLevel: "auto_with_approval", params: { mergeMethod: "squash", expectedHeadSha: "h-OLD" }, reason: "clean" });
+
+    const result = await decidePendingAgentAction(env, { id: action.id, decision: "accept", decidedBy: "owner" });
+    expect(result.status).toBe("rejected");
+    expect(result.executionOutcome).toBe("head_moved");
+    expect(mergePullRequest).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect((await getPendingAgentAction(env, action.id))?.status).toBe("rejected");
+    const audit = await env.DB.prepare("select outcome, detail from audit_events where event_type = ?").bind("agent.pending_action.superseded").first<{ outcome: string; detail: string }>();
+    expect(audit?.outcome).toBe("denied");
+    expect(audit?.detail).toContain("force-push after staging");
+  });
+
+  it("accept executes a staged merge when the staged head still matches the live head (pinned to the reviewed SHA)", async () => {
+    const env = createTestEnv({ GITHUB_APP_PRIVATE_KEY: "x" });
+    await upsertRepositorySettings(env, { repoFullName: "owner/repo", autonomy: { merge: "auto_with_approval" } });
+    await seedInstallation(env);
+    await upsertPullRequestFromGitHub(env, "owner/repo", { number: 7, title: "PR", state: "open", user: { login: "contributor" }, head: { sha: "h7" }, labels: [], body: "x" });
+    const { action } = await createPendingAgentActionIfAbsent(env, { repoFullName: "owner/repo", pullNumber: 7, installationId: 5, actionClass: "merge", autonomyLevel: "auto_with_approval", params: { mergeMethod: "squash", expectedHeadSha: "h7" }, reason: "clean" });
+
+    const result = await decidePendingAgentAction(env, { id: action.id, decision: "accept", decidedBy: "owner" });
+    expect(result.status).toBe("accepted");
+    expect(result.executionOutcome).toBe("completed");
+    // Pinned to the REVIEWED head from the staged params — not merely whatever the current head happens to be.
+    expect(mergePullRequest).toHaveBeenCalledWith(env, 5, "owner/repo", 7, { mergeMethod: "squash", sha: "h7" });
+  });
+
+  it("accept does not supersede when the PR record is absent (no live head to compare) — proceeds to the executor", async () => {
+    const env = createTestEnv({});
+    // No PR seeded → getPullRequest returns null → pr?.headSha is undefined, so the staleness guard is skipped
+    // even though the staged action carries an expectedHeadSha. No settings/install → the merge denies downstream.
+    const { action } = await createPendingAgentActionIfAbsent(env, { repoFullName: "owner/repo", pullNumber: 7, installationId: 5, actionClass: "merge", autonomyLevel: "auto_with_approval", params: { mergeMethod: "squash", expectedHeadSha: "h-OLD" }, reason: "clean" });
+    const result = await decidePendingAgentAction(env, { id: action.id, decision: "accept", decidedBy: "owner" });
+    expect(result.status).toBe("accepted");
+    expect(result.executionOutcome).toBe("denied");
+    expect(mergePullRequest).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    const superseded = await env.DB.prepare("select count(*) as n from audit_events where event_type = ?").bind("agent.pending_action.superseded").first<{ n: number }>();
+    expect(superseded?.n).toBe(0);
+  });
+
   it("accept honors current dry-run setting instead of forcing a live mutation", async () => {
     const env = createTestEnv({ GITHUB_APP_PRIVATE_KEY: "x" });
     await upsertRepositorySettings(env, { repoFullName: "owner/repo", autonomy: { merge: "auto_with_approval" }, agentDryRun: true });