diff --git a/scripts/ci/pr_review_merge_scheduler_core.py b/scripts/ci/pr_review_merge_scheduler_core.py
index 48a5f56019..e3fa19d567 100644
--- a/scripts/ci/pr_review_merge_scheduler_core.py
+++ b/scripts/ci/pr_review_merge_scheduler_core.py
@@ -2845,6 +2845,26 @@ def rerun_actions_job(repo: str, job_id: str, *, dry_run: bool, action: str) ->
     reset_active_workflow_runs_cache()
 
 
+def actions_run_has_no_jobs(repo: str, run_id: int) -> bool:
+    """Return whether GitHub created no jobs for a completed workflow run."""
+    payload = json.loads(
+        run_github_read(
+            [
+                "gh",
+                "api",
+                "--method",
+                "GET",
+                f"repos/{validate_github_repository(repo)}/actions/runs/{int(run_id)}/jobs",
+                "-f",
+                "filter=all",
+                "-F",
+                "per_page=1",
+            ]
+        )
+    )
+    return payload.get("total_count") == 0
+
+
 def recover_current_head_startup_failures(
     repo: str,
     pr: dict[str, Any],
@@ -2890,6 +2910,7 @@ def recover_current_head_startup_failures(
         if run.get("head_sha") == head_sha
         and run.get("status") == "completed"
         and run.get("conclusion") == "startup_failure"
+        and actions_run_has_no_jobs(repo, int(run["id"]))
     ]
     if (
         retryable
diff --git a/tests/test_pr_review_merge_scheduler.py b/tests/test_pr_review_merge_scheduler.py
index a31a0b03bf..284641c0e7 100644
--- a/tests/test_pr_review_merge_scheduler.py
+++ b/tests/test_pr_review_merge_scheduler.py
@@ -4906,6 +4906,7 @@ def fake_read(args):
         )
 
     monkeypatch.setattr(sched, "run_github_read", fake_read)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sched, "actions_run_has_no_jobs", lambda _repo, _run_id: True)
     monkeypatch.setattr(
         sched,
         "restamp_pr_head_after_startup_failure",
@@ -4952,6 +4953,7 @@ def test_recover_current_head_startup_failures_does_not_restamp_twice(monkeypatc
             }
         ),
     )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sched, "actions_run_has_no_jobs", lambda _repo, _run_id: True)
     monkeypatch.setattr(
         sched,
         "restamp_pr_head_after_startup_failure",
@@ -4990,6 +4992,7 @@ def test_recover_current_head_startup_failures_restamps_codeql_alone(
         "run_github_read",
         lambda _args: json.dumps({"workflow_runs": [run]}),
     )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sched, "actions_run_has_no_jobs", lambda _repo, _run_id: True)
     monkeypatch.setattr(
         sched,
         "restamp_pr_head_after_startup_failure",
@@ -5004,6 +5007,50 @@ def test_recover_current_head_startup_failures_restamps_codeql_alone(
     assert restamps == [("owner/repo", head_sha, {"dry_run": False})]
 
 
+def test_recover_current_head_startup_failures_ignores_runs_with_jobs(monkeypatch):
+    head_sha = "a" * 40
+    run = {
+        "id": 92,
+        "workflow_id": 12,
+        "name": "Required OpenCode Review",
+        "event": "pull_request_target",
+        "head_sha": head_sha,
+        "status": "completed",
+        "conclusion": "startup_failure",
+        "created_at": "2026-09-04T01:02:00Z",
+    }
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        sched,
+        "run_github_read",
+        lambda _args: json.dumps({"workflow_runs": [run]}),
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(sched, "actions_run_has_no_jobs", lambda _repo, _run_id: False)
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        sched,
+        "restamp_pr_head_after_startup_failure",
+        lambda *_args, **_kwargs: pytest.fail("a run with jobs is not a pre-job failure"),
+    )
+
+    assert sched.recover_current_head_startup_failures(
+        "owner/repo", make_pr(headRefOid=head_sha), dry_run=False
+    ) == []
+
+
+def test_actions_run_has_no_jobs_checks_every_attempt(monkeypatch):
+    calls = []
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        sched,
+        "run_github_read",
+        lambda args: calls.append(args) or json.dumps({"total_count": 0, "jobs": []}),
+    )
+
+    assert sched.actions_run_has_no_jobs("owner/repo", 92)
+    assert calls == [[
+        "gh", "api", "--method", "GET", "repos/owner/repo/actions/runs/92/jobs",
+        "-f", "filter=all", "-F", "per_page=1",
+    ]]
+
+
 def test_inspect_pr_recovers_startup_failure_before_other_actions(monkeypatch):
     monkeypatch.setenv("GITHUB_ACTIONS", "true")
     monkeypatch.setattr(