diff --git a/api/queries_pr.go b/api/queries_pr.go
index ef49964dd..2104a6882 100644
--- a/api/queries_pr.go
+++ b/api/queries_pr.go
@@ -736,7 +736,9 @@ func PullRequestForBranch(client *Client, repo ghrepo.Interface, baseBranch, hea
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	prs := sortPullRequestsByState(resp.Repository.PullRequests.Nodes)
+	prs := resp.Repository.PullRequests.Nodes
+	sortPullRequestsByState(prs)
+
 	for _, pr := range prs {
 		if pr.HeadLabel() == headBranch {
 			if baseBranch != "" {
@@ -751,6 +753,13 @@ func PullRequestForBranch(client *Client, repo ghrepo.Interface, baseBranch, hea
 	return nil, &NotFoundError{fmt.Errorf("no pull requests found for branch %q", headBranch)}
 }
 
+// sortPullRequestsByState sorts a PullRequest slice by open-first
+func sortPullRequestsByState(prs []PullRequest) {
+	sort.SliceStable(prs, func(a, b int) bool {
+		return prs[a].State == "OPEN"
+	})
+}
+
 // CreatePullRequest creates a pull request in a GitHub repository
 func CreatePullRequest(client *Client, repo *Repository, params map[string]interface{}) (*PullRequest, error) {
 	query := `
@@ -1152,14 +1161,6 @@ 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 77a40ba8c..4e0c1581e 100644
--- a/api/queries_pr_test.go
+++ b/api/queries_pr_test.go
@@ -139,22 +139,31 @@ func Test_determinePullRequestFeatures(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func Test_sortPullRequestsByPrecedence(t *testing.T) {
-	prs := sortPullRequestsByState([]PullRequest{
+func Test_sortPullRequestsByState(t *testing.T) {
+	prs := []PullRequest{
 		{
-			BaseRefName: "test-PR",
+			BaseRefName: "test1",
 			State:       "MERGED",
 		},
 		{
-			BaseRefName: "test-PR",
+			BaseRefName: "test2",
 			State:       "CLOSED",
 		},
 		{
-			BaseRefName: "test-PR",
+			BaseRefName: "test3",
 			State:       "OPEN",
 		},
-	})
-	if prs[0].State != "OPEN" {
-		t.Errorf("sortPullRequestsByPrecedence() = got %s, want \"OPEN\"", prs[0].State)
+	}
+
+	sortPullRequestsByState(prs)
+
+	if prs[0].BaseRefName != "test3" {
+		t.Errorf("prs[0]: got %s, want %q", prs[0].BaseRefName, "test3")
+	}
+	if prs[1].BaseRefName != "test1" {
+		t.Errorf("prs[1]: got %s, want %q", prs[1].BaseRefName, "test1")
+	}
+	if prs[2].BaseRefName != "test2" {
+		t.Errorf("prs[2]: got %s, want %q", prs[2].BaseRefName, "test2")
 	}
 }