diff --git a/docs/duplicate-pr-prevention.md b/docs/duplicate-pr-prevention.md
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+# Duplicate PR Prevention Tools
+
+## Problem
+
+Despite having tools to detect and clean up duplicate PRs, agents were still creating duplicate PRs for the same issue. This was incredibly ironic, especially for issue #1128 which was about cleaning up duplicate PRs.
+
+## Solution
+
+We've created pre-flight check tools that agents should run **before** creating a new PR. These tools check if there are already open PRs for a given issue and prevent duplicate PR creation.
+
+## Tools
+
+### 1. `check-existing-prs.sh` (Bash)
+
+Check if PRs already exist for an issue.
+
+```bash
+# Check for existing PRs for issue #1128
+./scripts/check-existing-prs.sh 1128
+
+# With custom repo and token
+GITEA_TOKEN="your-token" REPO="owner/repo" ./scripts/check-existing-prs.sh 1128
+```
+
+**Exit codes:**
+- `0`: No existing PRs found (safe to create new PR)
+- `1`: Existing PRs found (do not create new PR)
+- `2`: Error (API failure, missing parameters, etc.)
+
+### 2. `check_existing_prs.py` (Python)
+
+Python version of the check, suitable for agents that prefer Python.
+
+```bash
+# Check for existing PRs for issue #1128
+python3 scripts/check_existing_prs.py 1128
+
+# With custom repo and token
+python3 scripts/check_existing_prs.py 1128 "owner/repo" "your-token"
+```
+
+### 3. `pr-safe.sh` (Wrapper)
+
+User-friendly wrapper that provides guidance.
+
+```bash
+# Check and get suggestions
+./scripts/pr-safe.sh 1128
+
+# With suggested branch name
+./scripts/pr-safe.sh 1128 fix/1128-my-fix
+```
+
+## Workflow Integration
+
+### For Agents
+
+Before creating a PR, agents should:
+
+1. Run the check: `./scripts/check-existing-prs.sh <issue_number>`
+2. If exit code is `0`, proceed with PR creation
+3. If exit code is `1`, review existing PRs instead
+
+### For Humans
+
+Before creating a PR:
+
+1. Run: `./scripts/pr-safe.sh <issue_number>`
+2. Follow the guidance provided
+
+## Prevention Strategy
+
+### 1. Pre-flight Checks
+
+Always run a pre-flight check before creating a PR:
+
+```bash
+# In your agent workflow
+if ./scripts/check-existing-prs.sh $ISSUE_NUMBER; then
+    # Safe to create PR
+    create_pr
+else
+    # Don't create PR, review existing ones
+    review_existing_prs
+fi
+```
+
+### 2. GitHub Actions Integration
+
+The existing `.github/workflows/pr-duplicate-check.yml` workflow can be enhanced to run these checks automatically.
+
+### 3. Agent Instructions
+
+Add to agent instructions:
+
+```
+Before creating a PR for an issue, ALWAYS run:
+  ./scripts/check-existing-prs.sh <issue_number>
+
+If PRs already exist, DO NOT create a new PR.
+Instead, review existing PRs and add comments or merge them.
+```
+
+## Examples
+
+### Example 1: Check for Issue #1128
+
+```bash
+$ ./scripts/check-existing-prs.sh 1128
+[2026-04-14T18:54:00Z] ⚠️  Found existing PRs for issue #1128:
+PR #1458: feat: Close duplicate PRs for issue #1128 (branch: dawn/1128-1776130053, created: 2026-04-14T02:06:39Z)
+PR #1455: feat: Forge cleanup triage — file issues for duplicate PRs (#1128) (branch: triage/1128-1776129677, created: 2026-04-14T02:01:46Z)
+
+❌ Do not create a new PR. Review existing PRs first.
+```
+
+### Example 2: Safe to Create PR
+
+```bash
+$ ./scripts/check-existing-prs.sh 9999
+[2026-04-14T18:54:00Z] ✅ No existing PRs found for issue #9999
+Safe to create a new PR
+```
+
+## Related Issues
+
+- Issue #1474: [META] Still creating duplicate PRs for issue #1128 despite cleanup
+- Issue #1460: [META] I keep creating duplicate PRs for issue #1128
+- Issue #1128: [RESOLVED] Forge Cleanup — PRs Closed, Milestones Deduplicated, Policy Issues Filed
+
+## Lessons Learned
+
+1. **Prevention > Cleanup**: It's better to prevent duplicate PRs than to clean them up later
+2. **Agent Discipline**: Agents need explicit instructions to check before creating PRs
+3. **Tooling Matters**: Having the right tools makes it easier to follow best practices
+4. **Irony Awareness**: Be aware when you're creating the problem you're trying to solve
diff --git a/scripts/check-existing-prs.sh b/scripts/check-existing-prs.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..85dd6459
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/check-existing-prs.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+# check-existing-prs.sh — Check if PRs already exist for an issue
+#
+# This script checks if there are already open PRs for a given issue
+# before creating a new one. This prevents duplicate PRs.
+#
+# Usage:
+#   ./scripts/check-existing-prs.sh <issue_number>
+#
+# Exit codes:
+#   0 - No existing PRs found (safe to create new PR)
+#   1 - Existing PRs found (do not create new PR)
+#   2 - Error (API failure, missing parameters, etc.)
+#
+# Designed for issue #1474: Prevent duplicate PRs
+# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+set -euo pipefail
+
+# ─── Configuration ──────────────────────────────────────────
+GITEA_URL="${GITEA_URL:-https://forge.alexanderwhitestone.com}"
+GITEA_TOKEN="${GITEA_TOKEN:?Set GITEA_TOKEN env var}"
+REPO="${REPO:-Timmy_Foundation/the-nexus}"
+ISSUE_NUMBER="${1:?Usage: $0 <issue_number>}"
+
+API="$GITEA_URL/api/v1"
+AUTH="Authorization: token $GITEA_TOKEN"
+
+log() { echo "[$(date -u +%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ)] $*"; }
+
+# ─── Validate inputs ──────────────────────────────────────
+if ! [[ "$ISSUE_NUMBER" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+    log "ERROR: Issue number must be a positive integer"
+    exit 2
+fi
+
+# ─── Fetch open PRs ────────────────────────────────────────
+log "Checking for existing PRs for issue #$ISSUE_NUMBER in $REPO"
+
+OPEN_PRS=$(curl -s -H "$AUTH" "$API/repos/$REPO/pulls?state=open&limit=100")
+
+if [ -z "$OPEN_PRS" ] || [ "$OPEN_PRS" = "null" ]; then
+    log "No open PRs found or API error"
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+# ─── Check for PRs referencing this issue ──────────────────
+# Look for PRs that mention the issue number in title or body
+MATCHING_PRS=$(echo "$OPEN_PRS" | jq -r --arg issue "#$ISSUE_NUMBER" '
+    .[] | 
+    select(
+        (.title | test($issue; "i")) or 
+        (.body | test($issue; "i"))
+    ) | 
+    "PR #\(.number): \(.title) (branch: \(.head.ref), created: \(.created_at))"
+')
+
+if [ -z "$MATCHING_PRS" ]; then
+    log "✅ No existing PRs found for issue #$ISSUE_NUMBER"
+    log "Safe to create a new PR"
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+# ─── Report existing PRs ───────────────────────────────────
+log "⚠️  Found existing PRs for issue #$ISSUE_NUMBER:"
+echo "$MATCHING_PRS"
+echo ""
+log "❌ Do not create a new PR. Review existing PRs first."
+log ""
+log "Options:"
+log "  1. Review and merge an existing PR"
+log "  2. Close duplicates and keep the best one"
+log "  3. Add comments to existing PRs instead of creating new ones"
+log ""
+log "To see details of existing PRs:"
+log "  curl -H \"Authorization: token \$GITEA_TOKEN\" \"$API/repos/$REPO/pulls?state=open\" | jq '.[] | select(.title | test(\"#$ISSUE_NUMBER\"; \"i\"))'"
+
+exit 1
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/check_existing_prs.py b/scripts/check_existing_prs.py
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..086cb136
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/check_existing_prs.py
@@ -0,0 +1,148 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""
+Check if PRs already exist for an issue before creating a new one.
+
+This script prevents duplicate PRs by checking if there are already
+open PRs for a given issue.
+
+Usage:
+    python3 scripts/check_existing_prs.py <issue_number>
+
+Exit codes:
+    0 - No existing PRs found (safe to create new PR)
+    1 - Existing PRs found (do not create new PR)
+    2 - Error (API failure, missing parameters, etc.)
+
+Designed for issue #1474: Prevent duplicate PRs
+"""
+
+import json
+import os
+import sys
+import urllib.request
+import urllib.error
+from datetime import datetime
+
+
+def check_existing_prs(issue_number: int, repo: str = None, token: str = None) -> int:
+    """
+    Check if PRs already exist for an issue.
+    
+    Args:
+        issue_number: The issue number to check
+        repo: Repository in format "owner/repo" (default: from env or "Timmy_Foundation/the-nexus")
+        token: Gitea API token (default: from GITEA_TOKEN env var)
+    
+    Returns:
+        0: No existing PRs found (safe to create new PR)
+        1: Existing PRs found (do not create new PR)
+        2: Error (API failure, missing parameters, etc.)
+    """
+    # Get configuration from environment
+    gitea_url = os.environ.get('GITEA_URL', 'https://forge.alexanderwhitestone.com')
+    token = token or os.environ.get('GITEA_TOKEN')
+    repo = repo or os.environ.get('REPO', 'Timmy_Foundation/the-nexus')
+    
+    if not token:
+        print("ERROR: GITEA_TOKEN environment variable not set", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 2
+    
+    # Validate issue number
+    if not isinstance(issue_number, int) or issue_number <= 0:
+        print("ERROR: Issue number must be a positive integer", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 2
+    
+    # Build API URL
+    api_url = f"{gitea_url}/api/v1/repos/{repo}/pulls?state=open&limit=100"
+    
+    # Make API request
+    try:
+        req = urllib.request.Request(api_url, headers={
+            'Authorization': f'token {token}',
+            'Content-Type': 'application/json'
+        })
+        
+        with urllib.request.urlopen(req, timeout=30) as resp:
+            prs = json.loads(resp.read())
+    
+    except urllib.error.URLError as e:
+        print(f"ERROR: Failed to fetch PRs: {e}", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 2
+    except json.JSONDecodeError as e:
+        print(f"ERROR: Failed to parse API response: {e}", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 2
+    except Exception as e:
+        print(f"ERROR: Unexpected error: {e}", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 2
+    
+    # Check for PRs referencing this issue
+    issue_ref = f"#{issue_number}"
+    matching_prs = []
+    
+    for pr in prs:
+        title = pr.get('title', '')
+        body = pr.get('body', '') or ''
+        
+        # Check if issue is referenced in title or body
+        if issue_ref in title or issue_ref in body:
+            matching_prs.append(pr)
+    
+    # Report results
+    timestamp = datetime.utcnow().strftime("%Y-%m-%dT%H:%M:%SZ")
+    
+    if not matching_prs:
+        print(f"[{timestamp}] ✅ No existing PRs found for issue #{issue_number}")
+        print("Safe to create a new PR")
+        return 0
+    
+    # Found existing PRs
+    print(f"[{timestamp}] ⚠️  Found existing PRs for issue #{issue_number}:")
+    print()
+    
+    for pr in matching_prs:
+        pr_number = pr.get('number')
+        pr_title = pr.get('title')
+        pr_branch = pr.get('head', {}).get('ref', 'unknown')
+        pr_created = pr.get('created_at', 'unknown')
+        pr_url = pr.get('html_url', 'unknown')
+        
+        print(f"  PR #{pr_number}: {pr_title}")
+        print(f"    Branch: {pr_branch}")
+        print(f"    Created: {pr_created}")
+        print(f"    URL: {pr_url}")
+        print()
+    
+    print("❌ Do not create a new PR. Review existing PRs first.")
+    print()
+    print("Options:")
+    print("  1. Review and merge an existing PR")
+    print("  2. Close duplicates and keep the best one")
+    print("  3. Add comments to existing PRs instead of creating new ones")
+    print()
+    print("To see details of existing PRs:")
+    print(f'  curl -H "Authorization: token $GITEA_TOKEN" "{gitea_url}/api/v1/repos/{repo}/pulls?state=open" | jq \'.[] | select(.title | test("#{issue_number}"; "i"))\'')
+    
+    return 1
+
+
+def main():
+    """Main entry point."""
+    if len(sys.argv) < 2:
+        print("Usage: python3 check_existing_prs.py <issue_number>", file=sys.stderr)
+        print("       python3 check_existing_prs.py <issue_number> [repo] [token]", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 2
+    
+    try:
+        issue_number = int(sys.argv[1])
+    except ValueError:
+        print("ERROR: Issue number must be an integer", file=sys.stderr)
+        return 2
+    
+    repo = sys.argv[2] if len(sys.argv) > 2 else None
+    token = sys.argv[3] if len(sys.argv) > 3 else None
+    
+    return check_existing_prs(issue_number, repo, token)
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    sys.exit(main())
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/scripts/pr-safe.sh b/scripts/pr-safe.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..6d52a90a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/pr-safe.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+# pr-safe.sh — Safe PR creation wrapper
+#
+# This script checks for existing PRs before creating a new one.
+# It's a wrapper around check-existing-prs.sh that provides
+# a user-friendly interface.
+#
+# Usage:
+#   ./scripts/pr-safe.sh <issue_number> [branch_name]
+#
+# If branch_name is not provided, it will suggest one based on
+# the issue number and current timestamp.
+# ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
+set -euo pipefail
+
+ISSUE_NUMBER="${1:?Usage: $0 <issue_number> [branch_name]}"
+BRANCH_NAME="${2:-}"
+
+SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
+
+echo "🔍 Checking for existing PRs for issue #$ISSUE_NUMBER..."
+echo ""
+
+# Run the check
+if "$SCRIPT_DIR/check-existing-prs.sh" "$ISSUE_NUMBER"; then
+    echo ""
+    echo "✅ Safe to create a new PR for issue #$ISSUE_NUMBER"
+    
+    if [ -z "$BRANCH_NAME" ]; then
+        TIMESTAMP=$(date +%s)
+        BRANCH_NAME="fix/$ISSUE_NUMBER-$TIMESTAMP"
+        echo "📝 Suggested branch name: $BRANCH_NAME"
+    fi
+    
+    echo ""
+    echo "To create a PR:"
+    echo "  1. Create branch: git checkout -b $BRANCH_NAME"
+    echo "  2. Make your changes"
+    echo "  3. Commit: git commit -m 'fix: Description (#$ISSUE_NUMBER)'"
+    echo "  4. Push: git push -u origin $BRANCH_NAME"
+    echo "  5. Create PR via API or web interface"
+else
+    echo ""
+    echo "❌ Cannot create new PR for issue #$ISSUE_NUMBER"
+    echo "   Existing PRs found. Review them first."
+    exit 1
+fi