diff --git a/cloudflare/src/github/service.ts b/cloudflare/src/github/service.ts
index 8dc63c0a..31000f6c 100644
--- a/cloudflare/src/github/service.ts
+++ b/cloudflare/src/github/service.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import {
 	parse,
 	ready,
 } from "quest/core";
+import { cleanAutoMergeRefusal, immediateMerge } from "../../../src/github/merge";
 import { osiApproved } from "../licenses";
 import { positiveId } from "./webhook";
 import {
@@ -1512,33 +1513,56 @@ export class GitHubService {
 				// Landing is a contribution like opening a pull request, so a paused project lands nothing.
 				if ((await this.#state(repo, installation)) !== "enabled")
 					throw new GitHubError("Contributions are paused");
+				const check = (holds: Holds) => {
+					if (holds.state !== "OPEN") throw new PublicationBlocked("The pull request is no longer open.");
+					if (!input.hold || heldToken(holds, MERGE_LABEL) !== input.hold)
+						throw new PublicationBlocked(
+							"This job's quest:merge label was removed or replaced, so it no longer holds the pull request.",
+						);
+					if (holds.head !== sha(input.head))
+						throw new PublicationBlocked("The pull request's head moved outside this job.");
+				};
 				const holds = await this.#holds(token, repo, pull);
-				if (holds.state !== "OPEN") throw new PublicationBlocked("The pull request is no longer open.");
-				if (!input.hold || heldToken(holds, MERGE_LABEL) !== input.hold)
-					throw new PublicationBlocked(
-						"This job's quest:merge label was removed or replaced, so it no longer holds the pull request.",
-					);
-				if (holds.head !== sha(input.head))
-					throw new PublicationBlocked("The pull request's head moved outside this job.");
+				check(holds);
 				const gated = await this.#gated(token, repo, holds.base);
-				const mutation =
-					!gated && !holds.queue && IMMEDIATE.includes(holds.mergeState)
+				let mutation: "mergePullRequest" | "enablePullRequestAutoMerge" =
+					!gated && immediateMerge(holds.mergeState, holds.queue)
 						? "mergePullRequest"
 						: "enablePullRequestAutoMerge";
-				const result = await this.#api<{ errors?: { message?: unknown }[] }>(token, "/graphql", "POST", {
-					query: `mutation($id: ID!, $sha: GitObjectID!, $method: PullRequestMergeMethod!, $body: String) { ${mutation}(input: { pullRequestId: $id, expectedHeadOid: $sha, mergeMethod: $method, commitBody: $body }) { clientMutationId } }`,
-					variables: {
-						id: holds.id,
-						sha: input.head,
-						method: gated ? "SQUASH" : (input.method ?? mergeMethod(current)).toUpperCase(),
-						body: gated ? `${LAND_PIN}: ${input.head}` : null,
-					},
-				});
-				if (result.errors?.length) {
-					const reason = result.errors[0]?.message;
-					throw new PublicationBlocked(
-						`GitHub refused to land the pull request${typeof reason === "string" && line(reason) ? `: ${line(reason)}` : "."}`,
-					);
+				const submit = async () => {
+					const result = await this.#api<{ errors?: { message?: unknown }[] }>(token, "/graphql", "POST", {
+						query: `mutation($id: ID!, $sha: GitObjectID!, $method: PullRequestMergeMethod!, $body: String) { ${mutation}(input: { pullRequestId: $id, expectedHeadOid: $sha, mergeMethod: $method, commitBody: $body }) { clientMutationId } }`,
+						variables: {
+							id: holds.id,
+							sha: input.head,
+							method: gated ? "SQUASH" : (input.method ?? mergeMethod(current)).toUpperCase(),
+							body: gated ? `${LAND_PIN}: ${input.head}` : null,
+						},
+					});
+					if (result.errors?.length) {
+						const reason = result.errors[0]?.message;
+						throw new PublicationBlocked(
+							`GitHub refused to land the pull request${typeof reason === "string" && line(reason) ? `: ${line(reason)}` : "."}`,
+						);
+					}
+				};
+				try {
+					await submit();
+				} catch (error) {
+					if (
+						mutation !== "enablePullRequestAutoMerge" ||
+						gated ||
+						holds.queue ||
+						!cleanAutoMergeRefusal(error instanceof Error ? error.message : null)
+					)
+						throw error;
+					// The refusal can race GitHub computing UNKNOWN. Reread once, keeping the original head pinned.
+					const fresh = await this.#holds(token, repo, pull);
+					check(fresh);
+					if (!immediateMerge(fresh.mergeState, fresh.queue) || (await this.#gated(token, repo, fresh.base)))
+						throw error;
+					mutation = "mergePullRequest";
+					await submit();
 				}
 				await this.#invalidate(repo);
 				return { merged: mutation === "mergePullRequest" };
@@ -1557,8 +1581,6 @@ function mergeMethod(current: Repository): MergeMethod {
 	throw new GitHubError("The repository allows no merge method");
 }
 
-/** Merge states GitHub merges at once, where it refuses to enable auto-merge. */
-const IMMEDIATE = ["CLEAN", "HAS_HOOKS", "UNSTABLE"];
 /** The check a base gated by `quest land` requires, and the commit body trailer that queues a head for it; see `quest land --help`. */
 const LAND_CHECK = "quest land";
 const LAND_PIN = "Quest-Land-Head";
diff --git a/cloudflare/test/publish.test.ts b/cloudflare/test/publish.test.ts
index f0b12523..442d9ad6 100644
--- a/cloudflare/test/publish.test.ts
+++ b/cloudflare/test/publish.test.ts
@@ -1178,6 +1178,75 @@ describe("merge jobs", () => {
 		expect(pull()).toMatchObject({ merged: true, closed: true });
 	});
 
+	it("lands an UNKNOWN head after GitHub refuses auto-merge as clean, with one reread", async () => {
+		const id = await merging();
+		pull().merge = "UNKNOWN";
+		vi.mocked(globalThis.fetch).mockImplementation(async (input, init) => {
+			if (String(init?.body ?? "").includes("enablePullRequestAutoMerge(")) {
+				pull().merge = "CLEAN";
+				return Response.json({ errors: [{ message: "Pull request is in clean status" }] });
+			}
+			return github(input, init);
+		});
+		const reads = () =>
+			requests().filter((r) => r.path === "/graphql" && r.body.query.includes("timelineItems(")).length;
+		const before = reads();
+		const response = await publish({ job: id, attempt: 1, head: prHead, land: { method: "squash" } });
+		expect(await response.json()).toEqual({ head: prHead, landed: { merged: true } });
+		expect(lands().map((l) => [l.mutation, l.variables.sha, l.variables.method])).toEqual([
+			["enablePullRequestAutoMerge", prHead, "SQUASH"],
+			["mergePullRequest", prHead, "SQUASH"],
+		]);
+		expect(reads() - before).toBe(2);
+	});
+
+	it("leaves an accepted UNKNOWN head on auto-merge", async () => {
+		const id = await merging();
+		pull().merge = "UNKNOWN";
+		const response = await publish({ job: id, attempt: 1, head: prHead, land: { method: "squash" } });
+		expect(await response.json()).toEqual({ head: prHead, landed: { merged: false } });
+		expect(lands().map((l) => l.mutation)).toEqual(["enablePullRequestAutoMerge"]);
+	});
+
+	it.each(["Pull request is in clean status", "Auto merge is not allowed for this repository"])(
+		"preserves an UNKNOWN auto-merge refusal: %s",
+		async (reason) => {
+			const id = await merging();
+			pull().merge = "UNKNOWN";
+			refuseLanding(reason);
+			const reads = () =>
+				requests().filter((r) => r.path === "/graphql" && r.body.query.includes("timelineItems(")).length;
+			const before = reads();
+			const response = await publish({ job: id, attempt: 1, head: prHead, land: {} });
+			expect(response.status).toBe(202);
+			expect((await job(id)).questions.at(-1)!.prompt).toEqual({
+				type: "publication",
+				blocked: `GitHub refused to land the pull request: ${reason}`,
+			});
+			expect(lands().map((l) => l.mutation)).toEqual(["enablePullRequestAutoMerge"]);
+			expect(reads() - before).toBe(reason.includes("clean status") ? 2 : 1);
+		},
+	);
+
+	it.each(["head", "hold", "gate"])("does not merge if its %s changes after a clean refusal", async (change) => {
+		const id = await merging();
+		pull().merge = "UNKNOWN";
+		vi.mocked(globalThis.fetch).mockImplementation(async (input, init) => {
+			if (String(init?.body ?? "").includes("enablePullRequestAutoMerge(")) {
+				pull().merge = "CLEAN";
+				if (change === "head") project.branches[pull().branch] = "c".repeat(40);
+				if (change === "hold") pull().labels = [];
+				if (change === "gate") project.required = ["quest land"];
+				return Response.json({ errors: [{ message: "Pull request is in clean status" }] });
+			}
+			return github(input, init);
+		});
+		const response = await publish({ job: id, attempt: 1, head: prHead, land: {} });
+		expect(response.status).toBe(202);
+		expect(lands().map((l) => l.mutation)).toEqual(["enablePullRequestAutoMerge"]);
+		expect(pull().merged).not.toBe(true);
+	});
+
 	it("refuses only the workflow changes its merge makes to the pull request's head", async () => {
 		// The pull request and its base branch both changed a workflow.
 		const workflow = ".github/workflows/ci.yml";
diff --git a/quest/m0/helpers/README.md b/quest/m0/helpers/README.md
index 9ae4d51b..bbc380e0 100644
--- a/quest/m0/helpers/README.md
+++ b/quest/m0/helpers/README.md
@@ -66,7 +66,6 @@ commands from Sep-Oct. Session counts in each child come from that window.
 
 ## Required
 
-- [Merge state race](/quest/m0/helpers/merge-state-race.md) - `--land` and merge jobs land a PR whose merge state GitHub is still computing, on the first try
 - [Wait and status accuracy](/quest/m0/helpers/wait-accuracy.md) - wake on edited bot comments, honest `checks:passed`, review rounds in `quest status`
 - [Headless agents](/quest/m0/helpers/headless-agents.md) - `/quest-spawn api` launches, resumes, and stops billed agents through one command auto mode allows
 - [Sibling PRs through a server-side merge](/quest/m0/helpers/queue-siblings.md) - children of one epic land back to back through a merge queue without conflicting on its link list
diff --git a/quest/m0/helpers/merge-state-race.md b/quest/m0/helpers/merge-state-race.md
deleted file mode 100644
index 95369486..00000000
--- a/quest/m0/helpers/merge-state-race.md
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,37 +0,0 @@
-# [S] Land through a merge state GitHub is still computing
-
-## Goal
-
-`quest merge <pr> <token> --land <sha>` and a kix merge job land a PR on the
-first try while GitHub still reports its merge state as `UNKNOWN`. Each merges
-at once when nothing is left to wait for and enables auto-merge otherwise,
-always pinned to `<sha>`, and neither fails with "Pull request is in clean
-status". Labels on merged PRs are out of scope.
-
-## Plan
-
-Decided 2026-10-26 (user), from the merge of
-[kixelated/quest#222](https://github.com/kixelated/quest/pull/222): its first
-`--land` failed with "Pull request is in clean status", and the same command
-merged it on a re-run. `land()` in `src/cli/hold.ts` and `landPullRequest` in
-`cloudflare/src/github/service.ts` each pick `mergePullRequest` only when one
-read of `mergeStateStatus` is `CLEAN`, `HAS_HOOKS`, or `UNSTABLE`; a state
-GitHub has not computed yet reads `UNKNOWN` and falls through to
-`enablePullRequestAutoMerge`, which GitHub refuses for a clean PR.
-
-- **Retry on refusal (user).** Keep enabling auto-merge pinned to the head
-  when the state is not known to be immediate. When GitHub refuses it because
-  the PR is clean, re-read the state once and merge at once, still pinned to
-  the head, if it is now `CLEAN`, `HAS_HOOKS`, or `UNSTABLE`; otherwise report
-  the refusal. Rejected: re-reading while `UNKNOWN` (a timed poll), and trying
-  `mergePullRequest` first (an admin token merges past required checks).
-- **CLI and Worker (user).** Fix both in this quest, sharing the decision
-  rather than keeping two copies of `IMMEDIATE` if the Worker can import it.
-- **Labels stay (user).** A merged PR keeps its `quest:merge` label, as every
-  merged PR does today; no cleanup and no backfill.
-- Test each path: an `UNKNOWN` state that GitHub refuses as clean merges at
-  once, an `UNKNOWN` state that accepts auto-merge stays on auto-merge, and a
-  refusal for any other reason is reported unchanged.
-- `land()` sends a base gated by `quest land` to auto-merge ahead of this
-  choice ([kixelated/quest#229](https://github.com/kixelated/quest/pull/229)),
-  so it applies only to ungated bases.
diff --git a/src/cli/hold.ts b/src/cli/hold.ts
index 166e9c2f..f1a1e7e9 100644
--- a/src/cli/hold.ts
+++ b/src/cli/hold.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 // time. It holds one `quest:<state>` label, and the ID of the timeline event
 // that added the label is its hold token, since sessions often share an account.
 import { HOLD_PREFIX, MERGE_LABEL, handedBack, isHoldLabel, latestHold, heldToken, spentMergeHold } from "../core";
+import { cleanAutoMergeRefusal, immediateMerge } from "../github/merge";
 import { repositoryPath } from "./claims";
 import {
 	array,
@@ -19,9 +20,6 @@ import { Refusal, ago } from "./start";
 export type State = "iterate" | "ready" | "merge";
 export type Method = "merge" | "squash" | "rebase";
 
-/** Merge states GitHub merges at once, where it refuses to enable auto-merge. */
-const IMMEDIATE = ["CLEAN", "HAS_HOOKS", "UNSTABLE"];
-
 /** The PR, its `quest:*` labels, and the timeline events that add a label or start a landing. */
 const READ = `query HoldOwnership($owner: String!, $repo: String!, $number: Int!) {
 	repository(owner: $owner, name: $repo) {
@@ -219,16 +217,34 @@ export async function land(
 		if (snapshot.queue && method !== "merge") {
 			deps.warn(`${snapshot.url} lands through a merge queue, which applies its own merge method`);
 		}
-		const mutation =
-			!snapshot.queue && IMMEDIATE.includes(snapshot.mergeState)
-				? "mergePullRequest"
-				: "enablePullRequestAutoMerge";
-		await labels.github.graphql(
-			`mutation($id: ID!, $sha: GitObjectID!, $method: PullRequestMergeMethod!) {
+		const submit = (mutation: "mergePullRequest" | "enablePullRequestAutoMerge") =>
+			labels.github.graphql(
+				`mutation($id: ID!, $sha: GitObjectID!, $method: PullRequestMergeMethod!) {
 				${mutation}(input: { pullRequestId: $id, expectedHeadOid: $sha, mergeMethod: $method }) { clientMutationId }
 			}`,
-			{ id: snapshot.id, sha: snapshot.head, method: method.toUpperCase() },
-		);
+				{ id: snapshot.id, sha: snapshot.head, method: method.toUpperCase() },
+			);
+		if (immediateMerge(snapshot.mergeState, snapshot.queue)) {
+			await submit("mergePullRequest");
+			return;
+		}
+		try {
+			await submit("enablePullRequestAutoMerge");
+		} catch (error) {
+			if (snapshot.queue || !cleanAutoMergeRefusal(error instanceof Error ? error.message : null)) throw error;
+			// GitHub may finish computing UNKNOWN while it handles auto-merge. Reread once, without polling.
+			const fresh = await labels.read();
+			current(fresh);
+			held(fresh, hold.token);
+			if (
+				fresh.state !== "OPEN" ||
+				fresh.draft ||
+				!immediateMerge(fresh.mergeState, fresh.queue) ||
+				(await requirements(labels.github, pr, fresh.base)).checks.some((check) => check.name === LAND_CHECK)
+			)
+				throw error;
+			await submit("mergePullRequest");
+		}
 	});
 }
 
diff --git a/src/github/merge.ts b/src/github/merge.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..56a1945d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/github/merge.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+// GitHub-specific landing decisions shared by the CLI and the Worker.
+// Keep these outside the tracker-independent quest core.
+
+/** GitHub merges these states at once and refuses auto-merge because the PR is clean. */
+export function immediateMerge(state: string, queue: boolean): boolean {
+	return !queue && ["CLEAN", "HAS_HOOKS", "UNSTABLE"].includes(state);
+}
+
+/** The one refusal that warrants rereading an initially unknown merge state. */
+export function cleanAutoMergeRefusal(message: unknown): boolean {
+	return typeof message === "string" && /\bpull request is in clean status\b/i.test(message);
+}
diff --git a/test/hold.test.ts b/test/hold.test.ts
index 016af9a2..65242290 100644
--- a/test/hold.test.ts
+++ b/test/hold.test.ts
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ class FakePull {
 	readonly writes: string[] = [];
 	/** Runs before each label is added, as when another session adds one at the same moment. */
 	beforeAdd?: () => void;
+	beforeAutoMerge?: () => string | undefined;
+	reads = 0;
 	private clock = Date.parse("2026-10-21T12:00:00Z");
 
 	/** Add a label as GitHub does: re-adding one already on the PR records no event. */
@@ -120,11 +122,14 @@ class FakePull {
 			if (name === "markPullRequestReadyForReview") this.draft = false;
 			if (name === "mergePullRequest") this.state = "MERGED";
 			if (name === "enablePullRequestAutoMerge") {
+				const reason = this.beforeAutoMerge?.();
+				if (reason) return { errors: [{ message: reason }] };
 				this.autoMerge = { enabledAt: "2026-10-21T12:00:00Z" };
 				this.event("AutoMergeEnabledEvent");
 			}
 			return { data: { [name]: { clientMutationId: null } } };
 		}
+		this.reads++;
 		return {
 			data: {
 				repository: {
@@ -326,6 +331,72 @@ describe("merge --land", () => {
 		expect(pull.comparisons).toEqual([]);
 	});
 
+	test.each(["CLEAN", "HAS_HOOKS", "UNSTABLE"])(
+		"rereads an UNKNOWN state once after a clean refusal, then merges %s at the same head",
+		async (state) => {
+			const pull = new FakePull();
+			pull.mergeState = "UNKNOWN";
+			pull.beforeAutoMerge = () => {
+				pull.mergeState = state;
+				return "Pull request is in clean status";
+			};
+			const { token } = await take(PR, "merge", undefined, pull.deps());
+			const before = pull.reads;
+			await land(PR, token, HEAD, "squash", pull.deps());
+			expect(pull.writes.slice(-2)).toEqual([
+				`enablePullRequestAutoMerge ${HEAD} SQUASH`,
+				`mergePullRequest ${HEAD} SQUASH`,
+			]);
+			expect(pull.reads - before).toBe(2); // The usual hold read, then one reread after refusal.
+			expect(pull.state).toBe("MERGED");
+		},
+	);
+
+	test("keeps UNKNOWN on auto-merge when GitHub accepts it", async () => {
+		const pull = new FakePull();
+		pull.mergeState = "UNKNOWN";
+		const { token } = await take(PR, "merge", undefined, pull.deps());
+		const before = pull.reads;
+		await land(PR, token, HEAD, "merge", pull.deps());
+		expect(pull.writes.at(-1)).toBe(`enablePullRequestAutoMerge ${HEAD} MERGE`);
+		expect(pull.reads - before).toBe(1);
+		expect(pull.state).toBe("OPEN");
+	});
+
+	test.each(["Pull request is in clean status", "Auto merge is not allowed for this repository"])(
+		"preserves a refused UNKNOWN auto-merge: %s",
+		async (reason) => {
+			const pull = new FakePull();
+			pull.mergeState = "UNKNOWN";
+			pull.beforeAutoMerge = () => reason;
+			const { token } = await take(PR, "merge", undefined, pull.deps());
+			const before = pull.reads;
+			await expect(land(PR, token, HEAD, "merge", pull.deps())).rejects.toThrow(reason);
+			expect(pull.reads - before).toBe(reason.includes("clean status") ? 2 : 1);
+			expect(pull.writes.at(-1)).toBe(`enablePullRequestAutoMerge ${HEAD} MERGE`);
+		},
+	);
+
+	test.each(["head", "hold", "gate", "queue"])(
+		"does not merge after the clean refusal changes its %s",
+		async (change) => {
+			const pull = new FakePull();
+			pull.mergeState = "UNKNOWN";
+			pull.beforeAutoMerge = () => {
+				pull.mergeState = "CLEAN";
+				if (change === "head") pull.head = "b".repeat(40);
+				if (change === "hold") pull.labels = [];
+				if (change === "gate") pull.required = ["quest land"];
+				if (change === "queue") pull.queue = true;
+				return "Pull request is in clean status";
+			};
+			const { token } = await take(PR, "merge", undefined, pull.deps());
+			await expect(land(PR, token, HEAD, "merge", pull.deps())).rejects.toThrow();
+			expect(pull.state).toBe("OPEN");
+			expect(pull.writes.at(-1)).toBe(`enablePullRequestAutoMerge ${HEAD} MERGE`);
+		},
+	);
+
 	test("refuses a head that moved", async () => {
 		const pull = new FakePull();
 		const { token } = await take(PR, "merge", undefined, pull.deps());