Failing CI
The PR was functionally close but the build, tests, type checks, or lint path never got back to green.
PR Rescue
That pull request was almost done. Let’s finish it cleanly.
If a branch is stalled on conflicts, failing tests, review feedback, missing edge cases, or lost momentum, Backlog Busted can reconstruct the intent, verify the current state, repair the branch, and return it for review.
Good fit
Work that already has a branch, a diff, or a review trail.
Review bounce
There is concrete reviewer feedback, but nobody has had time to finish the repair loop.
Merge drift
The branch fell behind main and now needs conflict resolution plus regression checking.
Abandoned 80% work
The original developer moved on, but the issue, commits, and discussion still preserve enough intent to finish safely.
Rescue preflight
We reconstruct intent before changing the branch.
A stalled PR is not permission to redesign the feature. We first establish what the PR was supposed to do and what actually remains.
Read the record
Inspect the linked issue, PR description, review comments, commits, changed files, CI history, and repository guidance.
Compare with main
Check current base-branch state, conflicts, superseding changes, and whether the original solution still makes sense.
Prove the failure
Reproduce the failing checks or document why they cannot be reproduced before attempting a repair.
Freeze rescue scope
Turn the remaining work and review findings into an approved rescue brief. Anything materially broader becomes a new decision.
How the lanes are used
Repair the exact PR. Preserve the audit trail.
Repair lane
Works only against the authorized PR/branch and approved rescue brief. It resolves the accepted findings, reruns the required evidence, and records what changed.
Independent review lane
Checks that the rescue actually addresses the original intent and reviewer findings without adding unrelated behavior. If the PR needs a redesign, it escalates instead of improvising.
No auto-merge. The repository owner still decides whether the rescued PR lands.
Founding pilot
Bring us one stalled PR.
The best pilot has a readable issue/PR history, a bounded intent, and a branch that is worth recovering rather than replacing from scratch.
What helps
- Linked issue or clear PR description
- Reviewer comments or known blocker
- Existing test/build path
- Permission to update the exact PR branch