diff --git a/.failproofai/policies/workflow-policies.mjs b/.failproofai/policies/workflow-policies.mjs
index 85d309b7..80e874dd 100644
--- a/.failproofai/policies/workflow-policies.mjs
+++ b/.failproofai/policies/workflow-policies.mjs
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@ customPolicies.add({
       return instruct(
         "Check whether CHANGELOG.md needs an update for this commit. " +
         "Every PR must include an entry under the `## Unreleased` section. " +
-        "Use the appropriate subsection: Features, Fixes, Docs, or Dependencies."
+        "Use the appropriate subsection: Features, Fixes, Docs, or Dependencies.\n" +
+        "Check the version in package.json and ensure the changelog entry matches the current version."
       );
     }
     return allow();
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index d68f40c4..bd189729 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,11 @@
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+## 0.0.6-beta.0 — 2026-04-20
+
+### Fixes
+- Fix `require-pr-before-stop` falsely denying when PR is already merged and `origin/main` is stale (#112)
+
 ## 0.0.5 — 2026-04-17
 
 ### Fixes
diff --git a/__tests__/hooks/builtin-policies.test.ts b/__tests__/hooks/builtin-policies.test.ts
index d3fa80e3..bc8b1ef0 100644
--- a/__tests__/hooks/builtin-policies.test.ts
+++ b/__tests__/hooks/builtin-policies.test.ts
@@ -2169,7 +2169,7 @@ describe("hooks/builtin-policies", () => {
       expect(result.reason).toContain("gh pr create");
     });
 
-    it("denies when PR is merged and file changes exist", async () => {
+    it("denies when PR is merged and file changes exist after fetch", async () => {
       mockPrScenario({ prResult: { number: 42, url: "https://github.com/org/repo/pull/42", state: "MERGED" } });
       const ctx = makeCtx({ eventType: "Stop", session: { cwd: "/repo" } });
       const result = await policy.fn(ctx);
@@ -2177,6 +2177,84 @@ describe("hooks/builtin-policies", () => {
       expect(result.reason).toContain("merged");
     });
 
+    it("allows when PR is merged and branch is up to date after fetch (regular merge)", async () => {
+      let fetched = false;
+      vi.mocked(execSync).mockImplementation((cmd: string) => {
+        if (typeof cmd === "string" && cmd.includes("gh --version")) return "/usr/bin/gh\n";
+        if (typeof cmd === "string" && cmd.includes("rev-parse --abbrev-ref")) return "feat/branch\n";
+        if (typeof cmd === "string" && cmd.includes("gh pr view")) {
+          return JSON.stringify({ number: 42, url: "https://github.com/org/repo/pull/42", state: "MERGED" });
+        }
+        return "";
+      });
+      vi.mocked(execFileSync).mockImplementation((_cmd: string, args?: readonly string[]) => {
+        const joined = args?.join(" ") ?? "";
+        if (joined.includes("fetch")) { fetched = true; return ""; }
+        if (joined.includes("log") && joined.includes("..HEAD")) {
+          return fetched ? "" : "abc123 some commit\n";
+        }
+        if (joined.includes("diff") && joined.includes("--stat")) {
+          return fetched ? "" : " src/index.ts | 2 +-\n 1 file changed\n";
+        }
+        return "";
+      });
+      const ctx = makeCtx({ eventType: "Stop", session: { cwd: "/repo" } });
+      const result = await policy.fn(ctx);
+      expect(result.decision).toBe("allow");
+      expect(result.reason).toContain("was merged");
+      expect(result.reason).toContain("up to date");
+    });
+
+    it("allows when PR is merged and no file diff after fetch (squash merge)", async () => {
+      let fetched = false;
+      vi.mocked(execSync).mockImplementation((cmd: string) => {
+        if (typeof cmd === "string" && cmd.includes("gh --version")) return "/usr/bin/gh\n";
+        if (typeof cmd === "string" && cmd.includes("rev-parse --abbrev-ref")) return "feat/branch\n";
+        if (typeof cmd === "string" && cmd.includes("gh pr view")) {
+          return JSON.stringify({ number: 42, url: "https://github.com/org/repo/pull/42", state: "MERGED" });
+        }
+        return "";
+      });
+      vi.mocked(execFileSync).mockImplementation((_cmd: string, args?: readonly string[]) => {
+        const joined = args?.join(" ") ?? "";
+        if (joined.includes("fetch")) { fetched = true; return ""; }
+        if (joined.includes("log") && joined.includes("..HEAD")) {
+          return "abc123 old squash commit\n";
+        }
+        if (joined.includes("diff") && joined.includes("--stat")) {
+          return fetched ? "" : " src/index.ts | 2 +-\n 1 file changed\n";
+        }
+        return "";
+      });
+      const ctx = makeCtx({ eventType: "Stop", session: { cwd: "/repo" } });
+      const result = await policy.fn(ctx);
+      expect(result.decision).toBe("allow");
+      expect(result.reason).toContain("was merged");
+      expect(result.reason).toContain("no file changes");
+    });
+
+    it("falls through to deny when fetch fails on merged PR", async () => {
+      vi.mocked(execSync).mockImplementation((cmd: string) => {
+        if (typeof cmd === "string" && cmd.includes("gh --version")) return "/usr/bin/gh\n";
+        if (typeof cmd === "string" && cmd.includes("rev-parse --abbrev-ref")) return "feat/branch\n";
+        if (typeof cmd === "string" && cmd.includes("gh pr view")) {
+          return JSON.stringify({ number: 42, url: "https://github.com/org/repo/pull/42", state: "MERGED" });
+        }
+        return "";
+      });
+      vi.mocked(execFileSync).mockImplementation((_cmd: string, args?: readonly string[]) => {
+        const joined = args?.join(" ") ?? "";
+        if (joined.includes("fetch")) throw new Error("network error");
+        if (joined.includes("log") && joined.includes("..HEAD")) return "abc123 commit\n";
+        if (joined.includes("diff") && joined.includes("--stat")) return " src/index.ts | 2 +-\n";
+        return "";
+      });
+      const ctx = makeCtx({ eventType: "Stop", session: { cwd: "/repo" } });
+      const result = await policy.fn(ctx);
+      expect(result.decision).toBe("deny");
+      expect(result.reason).toContain("merged");
+    });
+
     it("allows with reason when gh is not installed", async () => {
       mockPrScenario({ ghInstalled: false });
       const ctx = makeCtx({ eventType: "Stop", session: { cwd: "/repo" } });
diff --git a/src/hooks/builtin-policies.ts b/src/hooks/builtin-policies.ts
index 13f47382..9fdea588 100644
--- a/src/hooks/builtin-policies.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/builtin-policies.ts
@@ -1064,6 +1064,36 @@ function requirePrBeforeStop(ctx: PolicyContext): PolicyResult {
       return allow(`PR #${pr.number} exists: ${pr.url}`);
     }
 
+    // PR is merged/closed. The earlier origin/{baseBranch} checks may have
+    // used a stale ref. Fetch and re-verify before denying.
+    if (pr.state === "MERGED") {
+      try {
+        execFileSync("git", ["fetch", "origin", `+refs/heads/${baseBranch}:refs/remotes/origin/${baseBranch}`], {
+          cwd,
+          encoding: "utf8",
+          timeout: 10000,
+        });
+        const freshAhead = execFileSync(
+          "git",
+          ["log", `origin/${baseBranch}..HEAD`, "--oneline"],
+          { cwd, encoding: "utf8", timeout: 5000 },
+        ).trim();
+        if (!freshAhead) {
+          return allow(`PR #${pr.number} was merged; branch is up to date with ${baseBranch}.`);
+        }
+        const freshDiff = execFileSync(
+          "git",
+          ["diff", "--stat", `origin/${baseBranch}`, "HEAD"],
+          { cwd, encoding: "utf8", timeout: 5000 },
+        ).trim();
+        if (!freshDiff) {
+          return allow(`PR #${pr.number} was merged; no file changes vs ${baseBranch}.`);
+        }
+      } catch {
+        // Fetch or git command failed — fall through to deny
+      }
+    }
+
     return deny(
       `Pull request for branch "${branch}" is ${pr.state.toLowerCase()}. Run now: gh pr create`,
     );