stablyai · brennanb2025 · May 22, 2026
diff --git a/src/main/source-control/hosted-review-creation.test.ts b/src/main/source-control/hosted-review-creation.test.ts
@@ -121,6 +121,9 @@ describe('createHostedReview', () => {
       if (args[0] === 'log') {
         return { stdout: '- Feature title\n', stderr: '' }
       }
+      if (args[0] === 'rev-list' && args.includes('--count')) {
+        return { stdout: '1\n', stderr: '' }
+      }
       return { stdout: '', stderr: '' }
     })
     createGitHubPullRequestMock.mockResolvedValue({
@@ -153,6 +156,41 @@ describe('createHostedReview', () => {
     expect(createGitHubPullRequestMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 
+  it('revalidates committed branch work before creating a GitHub pull request', async () => {
+    gitExecFileAsyncMock.mockImplementation(async (args: string[]) => {
+      if (args[0] === 'rev-parse') {
+        return { stdout: 'feature\n', stderr: '' }
+      }
+      if (args[0] === 'status') {
+        return { stdout: '', stderr: '' }
+      }
+      if (args[0] === 'log' && args.includes('--pretty=%s')) {
+        return { stdout: 'Feature title\n', stderr: '' }
+      }
+      if (args[0] === 'log') {
+        return { stdout: '\n', stderr: '' }
+      }
+      if (args[0] === 'rev-list' && args.includes('--count')) {
+        return { stdout: '0\n', stderr: '' }
+      }
+      return { stdout: '', stderr: '' }
+    })
+
+    await expect(
+      createHostedReview('/repo', {
+        provider: 'github',
+        base: 'main',
+        head: 'feature',
+        title: 'Feature'
+      })
+    ).resolves.toEqual({
+      ok: false,
+      code: 'validation',
+      error: 'Create PR failed: commit changes before creating a pull request.'
+    })
+    expect(createGitHubPullRequestMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+  })
+
   it('rejects creation when the selected head is no longer checked out', async () => {
     gitExecFileAsyncMock.mockImplementation(async (args: string[]) => {
       if (args[0] === 'rev-parse') {
@@ -204,9 +242,12 @@ describe('createHostedReview', () => {
         if (args[0] === 'rev-parse' && args[2] === 'HEAD@{u}') {
           return { stdout: 'origin/feature\n', stderr: '' }
         }
-        if (args[0] === 'rev-list') {
+        if (args[0] === 'rev-list' && args.includes('--left-right')) {
           return { stdout: '0 0\n', stderr: '' }
         }
+        if (args[0] === 'rev-list' && args.includes('--count')) {
+          return { stdout: '1\n', stderr: '' }
+        }
         if (args[0] === 'log' && args.includes('--pretty=%s')) {
           return { stdout: 'Feature title\n', stderr: '' }
         }
@@ -296,7 +337,18 @@ describe('getHostedReviewCreationEligibility', () => {
     mockGitHubProvider()
     getHostedReviewForBranchMock.mockResolvedValue(null)
     ghExecFileAsyncMock.mockResolvedValue({ stdout: '', stderr: '' })
-    gitExecFileAsyncMock.mockResolvedValue({ stdout: 'Feature title\n', stderr: '' })
+    gitExecFileAsyncMock.mockImplementation(async (args: string[]) => {
+      if (args[0] === 'log' && args.includes('--pretty=%s')) {
+        return { stdout: 'Feature title\n', stderr: '' }
+      }
+      if (args[0] === 'log') {
+        return { stdout: '- Feature title\n', stderr: '' }
+      }
+      if (args[0] === 'rev-list') {
+        return { stdout: '1\n', stderr: '' }
+      }
+      return { stdout: '', stderr: '' }
+    })
   })
 
   it('treats short remote base refs as the default branch name', async () => {
@@ -356,8 +408,46 @@ describe('getHostedReviewCreationEligibility', () => {
       defaultBaseRef: 'origin/main',
       head: 'feature/create-pr',
       title: 'Feature title',
-      body: 'Feature title'
+      body: '- Feature title',
+      hasCommittedChanges: true
+    })
+  })
+
+  it('counts committed review work against the remote-tracking base when only a short base is provided', async () => {
+    gitExecFileAsyncMock.mockImplementation(async (args: string[]) => {
+      if (args[0] === 'log' && args.includes('--pretty=%s')) {
+        return { stdout: 'Feature title\n', stderr: '' }
+      }
+      if (args[0] === 'log') {
+        return { stdout: '', stderr: '' }
+      }
+      if (args[0] === 'rev-list' && args.includes('origin/main..HEAD')) {
+        return { stdout: '1\n', stderr: '' }
+      }
+      if (args[0] === 'rev-list') {
+        throw new Error(`Unexpected rev-list candidate: ${args.join(' ')}`)
+      }
+      return { stdout: '', stderr: '' }
     })
+
+    await expect(
+      getHostedReviewCreationEligibility({
+        repoPath: '/repo',
+        branch: 'feature/create-pr',
+        base: 'main',
+        hasUncommittedChanges: false,
+        hasUpstream: true,
+        ahead: 0,
+        behind: 0
+      })
+    ).resolves.toMatchObject({
+      canCreate: true,
+      hasCommittedChanges: true
+    })
+    expect(gitExecFileAsyncMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      ['rev-list', '--count', 'origin/main..HEAD'],
+      { cwd: '/repo' }
+    )
   })
 
   it('resolves remote eligibility through SSH repo metadata', async () => {
@@ -369,6 +459,9 @@ describe('getHostedReviewCreationEligibility', () => {
         if (args[0] === 'log') {
           return { stdout: '- Remote title\n', stderr: '' }
         }
+        if (args[0] === 'rev-list') {
+          return { stdout: '1\n', stderr: '' }
+        }
         return { stdout: '', stderr: '' }
       })
     }
@@ -389,7 +482,8 @@ describe('getHostedReviewCreationEligibility', () => {
       provider: 'github',
       canCreate: true,
       title: 'Remote title',
-      body: '- Remote title'
+      body: '- Remote title',
+      hasCommittedChanges: true
     })
 
     expect(getProjectSlugMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith('/remote/repo', 'ssh-1')
@@ -418,6 +512,39 @@ describe('getHostedReviewCreationEligibility', () => {
     })
   })
 
+  it('reports no committed review changes when the branch matches the base', async () => {
+    gitExecFileAsyncMock.mockImplementation(async (args: string[]) => {
+      if (args[0] === 'log' && args.includes('--pretty=%s')) {
+        return { stdout: 'Feature title\n', stderr: '' }
+      }
+      if (args[0] === 'log') {
+        return { stdout: '\n', stderr: '' }
+      }
+      if (args[0] === 'rev-list') {
+        return { stdout: '0\n', stderr: '' }
+      }
+      return { stdout: '', stderr: '' }
+    })
+
+    await expect(
+      getHostedReviewCreationEligibility({
+        repoPath: '/repo',
+        branch: 'feature/no-delta',
+        base: 'origin/main',
+        hasUncommittedChanges: false,
+        hasUpstream: true,
+        ahead: 0,
+        behind: 0
+      })
+    ).resolves.toMatchObject({
+      canCreate: false,
+      blockedReason: 'no_committed_changes',
+      nextAction: 'commit',
+      body: null,
+      hasCommittedChanges: false
+    })
+  })
+
   it('blocks unsupported providers before GitHub authentication checks', async () => {
     getProjectSlugMock.mockResolvedValue({ host: 'gitlab.com', path: 'acme/orca' })
     getRepoSlugMock.mockResolvedValue(null)

diff --git a/src/main/source-control/hosted-review-creation.ts b/src/main/source-control/hosted-review-creation.ts
@@ -138,6 +138,44 @@ async function getCommitSummaryBody(
   }
 }
 
+async function hasCommittedChangesForReview(
+  repoPath: string,
+  base: string | null,
+  connectionId?: string | null
+): Promise<boolean> {
+  if (!base) {
+    return false
+  }
+
+  const normalizedBase = normalizeHostedReviewBaseRef(base)
+  const candidates = new Set<string>()
+  if (!base.startsWith('refs/') && !base.includes('/')) {
+    // Why: submit preflight receives provider base names like "main", but a
+    // local checkout may only have the remote-tracking ref available.
+    candidates.add(`origin/${base}`)
+    candidates.add(`upstream/${base}`)
+  }
+  candidates.add(base)
+  candidates.add(normalizedBase)
+
+  for (const candidate of candidates) {
+    try {
+      const { stdout } = await runGitForHostedReview(
+        repoPath,
+        ['rev-list', '--count', `${candidate}..HEAD`],
+        connectionId
+      )
+      const count = Number.parseInt(stdout.trim(), 10)
+      if (Number.isFinite(count)) {
+        return count > 0
+      }
+    } catch {
+      // Try the next plausible local spelling of the provider base branch.
+    }
+  }
+  return false
+}
+
 async function getDefaultBaseRef(
   repoPath: string,
   connectionId?: string | null
@@ -243,6 +281,11 @@ const blockedCreateResultByReason = {
     code: 'validation',
     error: 'Create PR failed: choose a feature branch before creating a pull request.'
   },
+  no_committed_changes: {
+    ok: false,
+    code: 'validation',
+    error: 'Create PR failed: commit changes before creating a pull request.'
+  },
   no_upstream: {
     ok: false,
     code: 'validation',
@@ -355,16 +398,20 @@ export async function getHostedReviewCreationEligibility(
     connectionId: args.connectionId ?? null
   })
 
-  const title =
-    (await getLatestCommitSubject(args.repoPath, args.connectionId)) ?? branchToTitle(branch)
-  const body = await getCommitSummaryBody(args.repoPath, defaultBaseRef ?? null, args.connectionId)
+  const [latestCommitSubject, body, hasCommittedChanges] = await Promise.all([
+    getLatestCommitSubject(args.repoPath, args.connectionId),
+    getCommitSummaryBody(args.repoPath, defaultBaseRef ?? null, args.connectionId),
+    hasCommittedChangesForReview(args.repoPath, defaultBaseRef ?? null, args.connectionId)
+  ])
+  const title = latestCommitSubject ?? branchToTitle(branch)
   const baseResult = {
     provider,
     review: review ? { number: review.number, url: review.url } : null,
     defaultBaseRef,
     head: branch || null,
     title,
-    body
+    body,
+    hasCommittedChanges
   }
 
   if (!branch || branch === 'HEAD') {
@@ -392,6 +439,16 @@ export async function getHostedReviewCreationEligibility(
   if (args.hasUncommittedChanges) {
     return { ...baseResult, canCreate: false, blockedReason: 'dirty', nextAction: 'commit' }
   }
+  // Why: every PR creation entry point consumes canCreate; keeping the
+  // no-delta rule here prevents renderer and main-process preflight drift.
+  if (baseBranch && !hasCommittedChanges) {
+    return {
+      ...baseResult,
+      canCreate: false,
+      blockedReason: 'no_committed_changes',
+      nextAction: 'commit'
+    }
+  }
   if (args.hasUpstream === false) {
     return { ...baseResult, canCreate: false, blockedReason: 'no_upstream', nextAction: 'publish' }
   }

diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/right-sidebar/ChecksPanel.tsx b/src/renderer/src/components/right-sidebar/ChecksPanel.tsx
@@ -1150,7 +1150,7 @@ export default function ChecksPanel(): React.JSX.Element {
     const isPausedPRRefresh = prRefreshState?.status === 'paused'
     const isErroredPRRefresh = prRefreshState?.status === 'error'
 
-    const canCreate = hostedReviewCreation?.canCreate
+    const canCreate = hostedReviewCreation?.canCreate === true
     const canPushCreate = hostedReviewCreation?.blockedReason === 'needs_push'
     return (
       <>
@@ -1191,9 +1191,11 @@ export default function ChecksPanel(): React.JSX.Element {
                     ? 'Refreshing GitHub status for this branch'
                     : isPausedPRRefresh
                       ? 'GitHub refresh is paused by the current rate-limit budget'
-                      : canPushCreate
-                        ? 'Push your branch before creating a pull request.'
-                        : 'Create a pull request to start checks and review.'}
+                      : hostedReviewCreation?.blockedReason === 'no_committed_changes'
+                        ? 'Commit changes before creating a pull request.'
+                        : canPushCreate
+                          ? 'Push your branch before creating a pull request.'
+                          : 'Create a pull request to start checks and review.'}
           </div>
           {!operationInProgress && (
             <div className="mt-3 flex flex-wrap gap-2">

diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/right-sidebar/source-control-dropdown-items.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/right-sidebar/source-control-dropdown-items.test.ts
@@ -373,4 +373,26 @@ describe('resolveDropdownItems', () => {
     expect(byKind.push_create_pr.label).toBe('Push before PR')
     expect(byKind.push_create_pr.disabled).toBe(false)
   })
+
+  it('keeps PR creation disabled when there is no committed branch work', () => {
+    const items = resolveDropdownItems(
+      inputs({
+        upstreamStatus: { hasUpstream: true, ahead: 0, behind: 0 },
+        hostedReviewCreation: {
+          provider: 'github',
+          review: null,
+          canCreate: false,
+          blockedReason: 'no_committed_changes',
+          nextAction: 'commit',
+          hasCommittedChanges: false
+        }
+      })
+    )
+    const byKind = Object.fromEntries(
+      items.filter((e) => e.kind !== 'separator').map((e) => [e.kind, e])
+    )
+    expect(byKind.create_pr.disabled).toBe(true)
+    expect(byKind.create_pr.hint).toBe('Commit changes first')
+    expect(byKind.push_create_pr.disabled).toBe(true)
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/right-sidebar/source-control-dropdown-items.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/right-sidebar/source-control-dropdown-items.ts
@@ -320,6 +320,8 @@ export function resolveDropdownItems(inputs: DropdownActionInputs): DropdownEntr
         return 'Check out a branch first'
       case 'default_branch':
         return 'Switch to a feature branch'
+      case 'no_committed_changes':
+        return 'Commit changes first'
       case 'no_upstream':
         return 'Publish Branch'
       case 'needs_push':

diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/right-sidebar/source-control-primary-action.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/right-sidebar/source-control-primary-action.test.ts
@@ -408,4 +408,26 @@ describe('resolvePrimaryAction', () => {
       disabled: false
     })
   })
+
+  it('keeps the primary disabled when review creation has no committed branch work', () => {
+    const result = resolvePrimaryAction(
+      inputs({
+        upstreamStatus: upstreamInSync,
+        hostedReviewCreation: {
+          provider: 'github',
+          review: null,
+          canCreate: false,
+          blockedReason: 'no_committed_changes',
+          nextAction: 'commit',
+          hasCommittedChanges: false
+        }
+      })
+    )
+    expect(result).toEqual({
+      kind: 'commit',
+      label: 'Commit',
+      title: 'Nothing to commit. Branch is up to date.',
+      disabled: true
+    })
+  })
 })
diff --git a/src/shared/hosted-review.ts b/src/shared/hosted-review.ts
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ export type HostedReviewCreationBlockedReason =
   | 'dirty'
   | 'detached_head'
   | 'default_branch'
+  | 'no_committed_changes'
   | 'no_upstream'
   | 'needs_push'
   | 'needs_sync'
@@ -106,6 +107,7 @@ export type HostedReviewCreationEligibility = {
   head?: string | null
   title?: string | null
   body?: string | null
+  hasCommittedChanges?: boolean
 }
 
 export type HostedReviewCreationEligibilityArgs = {