diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/issue-comment-reopen-routes.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/issue-comment-reopen-routes.test.ts
index 96dcde474f..eb450d13b1 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/issue-comment-reopen-routes.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/issue-comment-reopen-routes.test.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ const mockIssueService = vi.hoisted(() => ({
   findMentionedAgents: vi.fn(),
   listWakeableBlockedDependents: vi.fn(),
   getWakeableParentAfterChildCompletion: vi.fn(),
+  getRelationSummaries: vi.fn(),
 }));
 
 const mockAccessService = vi.hoisted(() => ({
@@ -1240,6 +1241,62 @@ describe.sequential("issue comment reopen routes", () => {
     ));
   });
 
+  it("does not implicitly reopen a blocked issue via PATCH when the same request wires blockers", async () => {
+    mockIssueService.getById.mockResolvedValue(makeIssue("blocked"));
+    mockIssueService.getRelationSummaries.mockResolvedValue({ blockedBy: [], blocks: [] });
+    mockIssueService.getDependencyReadiness.mockResolvedValue({
+      issueId: "11111111-1111-4111-8111-111111111111",
+      blockerIssueIds: [],
+      unresolvedBlockerIssueIds: [],
+      unresolvedBlockerCount: 0,
+      allBlockersDone: true,
+      isDependencyReady: true,
+    });
+    mockIssueService.update.mockImplementation(async (_id: string, patch: Record<string, unknown>) => ({
+      ...makeIssue("blocked"),
+      ...patch,
+    }));
+
+    const res = await request(await installActor(createApp()))
+      .patch("/api/issues/11111111-1111-4111-8111-111111111111")
+      .send({
+        blockedByIssueIds: ["33333333-3333-4333-8333-333333333333"],
+        comment: "wired the dependency this issue is waiting on",
+      });
+
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(mockIssueService.update).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    const patch = mockIssueService.update.mock.calls[0][1] as Record<string, unknown>;
+    expect(patch.status).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(patch.blockedByIssueIds).toEqual(["33333333-3333-4333-8333-333333333333"]);
+  });
+
+  it("still implicitly reopens a blocked issue via PATCH when the same request clears blockers", async () => {
+    mockIssueService.getById.mockResolvedValue(makeIssue("blocked"));
+    mockIssueService.getRelationSummaries.mockResolvedValue({ blockedBy: [], blocks: [] });
+    mockIssueService.getDependencyReadiness.mockResolvedValue({
+      issueId: "11111111-1111-4111-8111-111111111111",
+      blockerIssueIds: [],
+      unresolvedBlockerIssueIds: [],
+      unresolvedBlockerCount: 0,
+      allBlockersDone: true,
+      isDependencyReady: true,
+    });
+    mockIssueService.update.mockImplementation(async (_id: string, patch: Record<string, unknown>) => ({
+      ...makeIssue("blocked"),
+      ...patch,
+    }));
+
+    const res = await request(await installActor(createApp()))
+      .patch("/api/issues/11111111-1111-4111-8111-111111111111")
+      .send({ blockedByIssueIds: [], comment: "nothing left to wait on, please continue" });
+
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    expect(mockIssueService.update).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    const patch = mockIssueService.update.mock.calls[0][1] as Record<string, unknown>;
+    expect(patch.status).toBe("todo");
+  });
+
   it("does not implicitly reopen closed issues via POST comments when no agent is assigned", async () => {
     mockIssueService.getById.mockResolvedValue({
       ...makeIssue("done"),
diff --git a/server/src/routes/issues.ts b/server/src/routes/issues.ts
index 43ac00e6e4..dbdfe47064 100644
--- a/server/src/routes/issues.ts
+++ b/server/src/routes/issues.ts
@@ -1836,7 +1836,14 @@ function shouldImplicitlyMoveCommentedIssueToTodo(input: {
   actorRunId: string | null | undefined;
   checkoutRunId: string | null | undefined;
   executionRunId: string | null | undefined;
+  requestAddsExplicitBlockers?: boolean;
 }) {
+  // A request that wires a non-empty blockedByIssueIds list is declaring that
+  // the issue is waiting on other work. The implicit reopen exists for plain
+  // conversational comments ("please continue"), not structured dependency
+  // edits — flipping to todo here would contradict the caller's stated intent
+  // in the same request.
+  if (input.requestAddsExplicitBlockers) return false;
   // Local-CLI agents post comments under user auth, so the actor.type is "user"
   // even though the comment originates from the same heartbeat run that owns
   // the issue lock. Without this guard, an agent that closes its own issue and
@@ -8709,6 +8716,8 @@ export function issueRoutes(
             actorRunId: actor.runId,
             checkoutRunId: existing.checkoutRunId,
             executionRunId: existing.executionRunId,
+            requestAddsExplicitBlockers:
+              Array.isArray(req.body.blockedByIssueIds) && req.body.blockedByIssueIds.length > 0,
           })) ||
         shouldResumeInProgressScheduledRetry);
     const updateReferenceSummaryBefore = titleOrDescriptionChanged