diff --git a/api/queries_pr.go b/api/queries_pr.go
index 34011d5be..1fa009ea1 100644
--- a/api/queries_pr.go
+++ b/api/queries_pr.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
 	"net/http"
+	"sort"
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
@@ -621,7 +622,7 @@ func PullRequestByNumber(client *Client, repo ghrepo.Interface, number int) (*Pu
 	return &resp.Repository.PullRequest, nil
 }
 
-func PullRequestForBranch(client *Client, repo ghrepo.Interface, baseBranch, headBranch string) (*PullRequest, error) {
+func PullRequestForBranch(client *Client, repo ghrepo.Interface, baseBranch, headBranch string, stateFilters []string) (*PullRequest, error) {
 	type response struct {
 		Repository struct {
 			PullRequests struct {
@@ -637,9 +638,9 @@ func PullRequestForBranch(client *Client, repo ghrepo.Interface, baseBranch, hea
 	}
 
 	query := `
-	query PullRequestForBranch($owner: String!, $repo: String!, $headRefName: String!) {
+	query PullRequestForBranch($owner: String!, $repo: String!, $headRefName: String!, $states: [PullRequestState!]) {
 		repository(owner: $owner, name: $repo) {
-			pullRequests(headRefName: $headRefName, states: OPEN, first: 30) {
+			pullRequests(headRefName: $headRefName, states: $states, first: 30) {
 				nodes {
 					id
 					number
@@ -726,6 +727,7 @@ func PullRequestForBranch(client *Client, repo ghrepo.Interface, baseBranch, hea
 		"owner":       repo.RepoOwner(),
 		"repo":        repo.RepoName(),
 		"headRefName": branchWithoutOwner,
+		"states":      stateFilters,
 	}
 
 	var resp response
@@ -734,7 +736,8 @@ func PullRequestForBranch(client *Client, repo ghrepo.Interface, baseBranch, hea
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	for _, pr := range resp.Repository.PullRequests.Nodes {
+	prs := sortPullRequestsByState(resp.Repository.PullRequests.Nodes)
+	for _, pr := range prs {
 		if pr.HeadLabel() == headBranch {
 			if baseBranch != "" {
 				if pr.BaseRefName != baseBranch {
@@ -1149,6 +1152,14 @@ func BranchDeleteRemote(client *Client, repo ghrepo.Interface, branch string) er
 	return client.REST(repo.RepoHost(), "DELETE", path, nil, nil)
 }
 
+// sortPullRequestsByState ensures that OPEN PRs precede non-open states (MERGED, CLOSED)
+func sortPullRequestsByState(prs []PullRequest) []PullRequest {
+	sort.SliceStable(prs, func(a, b int) bool {
+		return prs[a].State == "OPEN"
+	})
+	return prs
+}
+
 func min(a, b int) int {
 	if a < b {
 		return a
diff --git a/api/queries_pr_test.go b/api/queries_pr_test.go
index e624b61b3..77a40ba8c 100644
--- a/api/queries_pr_test.go
+++ b/api/queries_pr_test.go
@@ -138,3 +138,23 @@ func Test_determinePullRequestFeatures(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func Test_sortPullRequestsByPrecedence(t *testing.T) {
+	prs := sortPullRequestsByState([]PullRequest{
+		{
+			BaseRefName: "test-PR",
+			State:       "MERGED",
+		},
+		{
+			BaseRefName: "test-PR",
+			State:       "CLOSED",
+		},
+		{
+			BaseRefName: "test-PR",
+			State:       "OPEN",
+		},
+	})
+	if prs[0].State != "OPEN" {
+		t.Errorf("sortPullRequestsByPrecedence() = got %s, want \"OPEN\"", prs[0].State)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/pr/create/create.go b/pkg/cmd/pr/create/create.go
index 670491ac7..38950cb65 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/pr/create/create.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/pr/create/create.go
@@ -303,7 +303,7 @@ func createRun(opts *CreateOptions) error {
 	}
 
 	if !opts.WebMode {
-		existingPR, err := api.PullRequestForBranch(client, baseRepo, baseBranch, headBranchLabel)
+		existingPR, err := api.PullRequestForBranch(client, baseRepo, baseBranch, headBranchLabel, []string{"OPEN"})
 		var notFound *api.NotFoundError
 		if err != nil && !errors.As(err, &notFound) {
 			return fmt.Errorf("error checking for existing pull request: %w", err)
diff --git a/pkg/cmd/pr/shared/lookup.go b/pkg/cmd/pr/shared/lookup.go
index 9583b854f..06e9221c0 100644
--- a/pkg/cmd/pr/shared/lookup.go
+++ b/pkg/cmd/pr/shared/lookup.go
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ func PRFromArgs(apiClient *api.Client, baseRepoFn func() (ghrepo.Interface, erro
 		}
 
 		// Last see if it is a branch name
-		pr, err = api.PullRequestForBranch(apiClient, repo, "", arg)
+		pr, err = api.PullRequestForBranch(apiClient, repo, "", arg, nil)
 		return pr, repo, err
 	}
 }
@@ -117,5 +117,5 @@ func prForCurrentBranch(apiClient *api.Client, repo ghrepo.Interface, branchFn f
 		}
 	}
 
-	return api.PullRequestForBranch(apiClient, repo, "", prHeadRef)
+	return api.PullRequestForBranch(apiClient, repo, "", prHeadRef, nil)
 }