diff --git a/hermes_cli/kanban_db.py b/hermes_cli/kanban_db.py
index c8c53dba7ecb..7d4b4ef60898 100644
--- a/hermes_cli/kanban_db.py
+++ b/hermes_cli/kanban_db.py
@@ -5889,13 +5889,19 @@ def check_respawn_guard(conn: sqlite3.Connection, task_id: str) -> Optional[str]
         return "recent_success"
 
     # 4. GitHub PR URL in a recent comment — prior worker already opened a PR.
-    pr_cutoff = now - _RESPAWN_GUARD_PR_WINDOW
-    for c in conn.execute(
-        "SELECT body FROM task_comments WHERE task_id = ? AND created_at >= ?",
-        (task_id, pr_cutoff),
-    ).fetchall():
-        if c["body"] and _RESPAWN_GUARD_PR_URL_RE.search(c["body"]):
-            return "active_pr"
+    # DISABLED BY DEFAULT: in this deployment every PR is human-reviewed and
+    # human-merged, so a re-spawn cannot silently land a duplicate/merged PR.
+    # The guard only created friction (tasks stuck `ready` after producing a PR,
+    # with no `--force` flag in this Hermes version). Re-enable by setting
+    # HERMES_KANBAN_RESPAWN_GUARD_ACTIVE_PR=1.
+    if os.environ.get("HERMES_KANBAN_RESPAWN_GUARD_ACTIVE_PR", "").strip() in ("1", "true", "True"):
+        pr_cutoff = now - _RESPAWN_GUARD_PR_WINDOW
+        for c in conn.execute(
+            "SELECT body FROM task_comments WHERE task_id = ? AND created_at >= ?",
+            (task_id, pr_cutoff),
+        ).fetchall():
+            if c["body"] and _RESPAWN_GUARD_PR_URL_RE.search(c["body"]):
+                return "active_pr"
 
     return None
 
diff --git a/tests/hermes_cli/test_kanban_db.py b/tests/hermes_cli/test_kanban_db.py
index 94295f2b63ab..b0ddffb4be6e 100644
--- a/tests/hermes_cli/test_kanban_db.py
+++ b/tests/hermes_cli/test_kanban_db.py
@@ -1710,8 +1710,24 @@ def test_respawn_guard_stale_success_not_guarded(kanban_home):
     assert reason is None
 
 
-def test_respawn_guard_active_pr_in_comment(kanban_home):
-    """A GitHub PR URL in a recent comment triggers active_pr."""
+def test_respawn_guard_active_pr_disabled_by_default(kanban_home):
+    """active_pr guard is OFF by default: every PR is human-merged here, so a
+    re-spawn cannot silently land a duplicate/merged PR. A PR URL in a recent
+    comment must NOT defer the task unless the guard is explicitly re-enabled."""
+    with kb.connect() as conn:
+        t = kb.create_task(conn, title="has-pr", assignee="alice")
+        kb.add_comment(
+            conn, t, "worker",
+            "PR created: https://github.com/totemx-AI/subsidysmart/pull/42",
+        )
+        reason = kb.check_respawn_guard(conn, t)
+    assert reason is None
+
+
+def test_respawn_guard_active_pr_in_comment_when_enabled(kanban_home, monkeypatch):
+    """When HERMES_KANBAN_RESPAWN_GUARD_ACTIVE_PR=1, a GitHub PR URL in a recent
+    comment triggers active_pr (legacy opt-in behaviour)."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_KANBAN_RESPAWN_GUARD_ACTIVE_PR", "1")
     with kb.connect() as conn:
         t = kb.create_task(conn, title="has-pr", assignee="alice")
         kb.add_comment(
@@ -1722,8 +1738,10 @@ def test_respawn_guard_active_pr_in_comment(kanban_home):
     assert reason == "active_pr"
 
 
-def test_respawn_guard_old_pr_comment_not_guarded(kanban_home):
-    """A GitHub PR URL in a comment older than the PR window does not block."""
+def test_respawn_guard_old_pr_comment_not_guarded(kanban_home, monkeypatch):
+    """A GitHub PR URL in a comment older than the PR window does not block,
+    even when the guard is explicitly enabled."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_KANBAN_RESPAWN_GUARD_ACTIVE_PR", "1")
     with kb.connect() as conn:
         t = kb.create_task(conn, title="old-pr", assignee="alice")
         old_ts = int(time.time()) - kb._RESPAWN_GUARD_PR_WINDOW - 60
@@ -1809,9 +1827,11 @@ def fake_spawn(task, workspace):
 
 
 def test_dispatch_respawn_guard_skips_active_pr(
-    kanban_home, all_assignees_spawnable
+    kanban_home, all_assignees_spawnable, monkeypatch
 ):
-    """dispatch_once skips (but does not block) a task with an active PR comment."""
+    """With the active_pr guard explicitly enabled, dispatch_once skips (but does
+    not block) a task with an active PR comment."""
+    monkeypatch.setenv("HERMES_KANBAN_RESPAWN_GUARD_ACTIVE_PR", "1")
     spawned_ids = []
 
     def fake_spawn(task, workspace):
@@ -1832,6 +1852,28 @@ def fake_spawn(task, workspace):
         assert kb.get_task(conn, t).status == "ready"
 
 
+def test_dispatch_active_pr_spawns_by_default(
+    kanban_home, all_assignees_spawnable
+):
+    """By default (guard off) a task with a PR comment is NOT skipped — it
+    spawns normally, since PRs are human-merged and re-spawn is safe."""
+    spawned_ids = []
+
+    def fake_spawn(task, workspace):
+        spawned_ids.append(task.id)
+
+    with kb.connect() as conn:
+        t = kb.create_task(conn, title="has-pr", assignee="alice")
+        kb.add_comment(
+            conn, t, "worker",
+            "Opened https://github.com/totemx-AI/subsidysmart/pull/99",
+        )
+        res = kb.dispatch_once(conn, spawn_fn=fake_spawn)
+
+    assert (t, "active_pr") not in res.respawn_guarded
+    assert t in spawned_ids
+
+
 def test_dispatch_respawn_guard_dry_run_no_auto_block(
     kanban_home, all_assignees_spawnable
 ):