diff --git a/bin/fm-crew-state.sh b/bin/fm-crew-state.sh
index df627b487f2..e425ecccba8 100755
--- a/bin/fm-crew-state.sh
+++ b/bin/fm-crew-state.sh
@@ -496,7 +496,11 @@ if [ "$HAVE_RUN" = 1 ]; then
 
     if [ -n "$outcome" ]; then
       case "$outcome" in
-        passed)        RUN_STATE="done"; RUN_DETAIL="run passed: PR merged/closed" ;;
+        # `passed` is a claim about the pipeline's own nine steps completing.
+        # It establishes nothing about the forge: the PR may still be open,
+        # already merged, or not exist. Only teardown's own pr_is_merged
+        # check establishes landing, so this detail stays neutral about it.
+        passed)        RUN_STATE="done"; RUN_DETAIL="run passed: pipeline complete" ;;
         checks-passed) RUN_STATE="done"; RUN_DETAIL="checks green: PR ready for review" ;;
         failed)        RUN_STATE=failed; RUN_DETAIL="run failed" ;;
         cancelled)     RUN_STATE=failed; RUN_DETAIL="run cancelled" ;;
diff --git a/tests/fm-crew-state.test.sh b/tests/fm-crew-state.test.sh
index 602b3e5cfc3..e7df0c259ae 100755
--- a/tests/fm-crew-state.test.sh
+++ b/tests/fm-crew-state.test.sh
@@ -671,6 +671,30 @@ test_terminal_passed() {
   pass "terminal passed run is authoritative"
 }
 
+test_terminal_passed_does_not_claim_landing() {
+  # Regression for issue #2421: a pipeline `passed` outcome is a claim about
+  # the run's own steps, not about the forge. The PR may be open, already
+  # merged, or absent; rendering "PR merged/closed" (the old wording) or any
+  # other forge state invents landing the helper never established.
+  reset_fakes
+  local d; d=$(new_case passed-open-pr)
+  make_repo_on_branch "$d/wt" fm/feat-landing
+  make_fakebin "$d" >/dev/null
+  fm_write_meta "$d/state/feat-landing.meta" "window=fm:fm-feat-landing" "worktree=$d/wt" "kind=ship"
+  FM_FAKE_AXI_STATUS="$(run_passed fm/feat-landing)"
+  local out; out=$(run_crew_state "$d" feat-landing)
+  assert_contains "$out" "run passed" "passed run keeps its run claim"
+  assert_contains "$out" "pipeline complete" "detail stays neutral about the forge"
+  case "$out" in
+    *merged/closed*|*awaiting*review*)
+      fail "passed run must not render any forge claim about the PR"
+      ;;
+    *)
+      pass "no forge claim for an outcome=passed run"
+      ;;
+  esac
+}
+
 test_terminal_failed() {
   reset_fakes
   local d; d=$(new_case failed)
@@ -1427,6 +1451,7 @@ test_ci_fixing_after_green_stays_working
 test_top_level_fixing_ci_running_after_green_stays_working
 test_top_level_fixing_done_log_stays_working
 test_terminal_passed
+test_terminal_passed_does_not_claim_landing
 test_terminal_failed
 test_cross_branch_attribution_via_runs_list
 test_cross_branch_attribution_picks_most_recent_row