diff --git a/packages/loopover-miner/lib/loop-reentry.ts b/packages/loopover-miner/lib/loop-reentry.ts
index 80b997f8f..88df7c3b9 100644
--- a/packages/loopover-miner/lib/loop-reentry.ts
+++ b/packages/loopover-miner/lib/loop-reentry.ts
@@ -138,9 +138,11 @@ export function countReentriesSince(eventLedger: LoopReentryEventLedger, sinceMs
 /**
  * Evaluate and (if allowed) PERFORM re-entry for one resolved outcome: reads real history to compute the
  * circuit-breaker and rate-cap tallies, consults the pure `shouldReenter` policy, and -- only when it allows --
- * dequeues the next candidate and transitions run-state to `"discovering"`. Always appends exactly one audit
- * event. Fails closed (throws) on a malformed candidate or missing required dependency, mirroring
- * `recordManagePollSnapshot`'s own validation style.
+ * dequeues the next candidate and transitions THAT candidate's run-state (`dequeued.repoFullName`, the repo about
+ * to be worked -- NOT the just-finished `repoFullName`) to `"discovering"`. When the queue is empty
+ * (`dequeued === null`) no run-state transition happens, so a finished repo is never parked at `"discovering"`.
+ * Always appends exactly one audit event. Fails closed (throws) on a malformed candidate or missing required
+ * dependency, mirroring `recordManagePollSnapshot`'s own validation style.
  */
 export function attemptLoopReentry(
   candidate: LoopReentryCandidateInput,
@@ -182,8 +184,8 @@ export function attemptLoopReentry(
   let dequeued: LoopReentryResult["dequeued"] = null;
   if (decision.reenter) {
     dequeued = portfolioQueue.dequeueNext();
-    if (runState && typeof runState.setRunState === "function") {
-      runState.setRunState(repoFullName, "discovering");
+    if (dequeued && runState && typeof runState.setRunState === "function") {
+      runState.setRunState(dequeued.repoFullName, "discovering");
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/test/unit/miner-loop-reentry.test.ts b/test/unit/miner-loop-reentry.test.ts
index 141db2137..4718281c8 100644
--- a/test/unit/miner-loop-reentry.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/miner-loop-reentry.test.ts
@@ -234,4 +234,56 @@ describe("attemptLoopReentry (#2338)", () => {
     expect(result.decision.reenter).toBe(true);
     expect(result.dequeued?.identifier).toBe("issue-1");
   });
+
+  it("re-entry transitions the DEQUEUED repo's run-state, not the just-finished one (#9683): dequeues b/b while a/a finished, so setRunState hits b/b and never a/a", () => {
+    const eventLedger = tempEventLedger();
+    const portfolioQueue = tempPortfolioQueue();
+    // The portfolio queue is deliberately global: the next candidate is frequently for a different repo than the
+    // one that just finished. Only b/b is queued, so dequeueNext returns b/b even though a/a is the finished repo.
+    portfolioQueue.enqueue({ repoFullName: "b/b", identifier: "issue-b" });
+    const setRunState = vi.fn();
+
+    const result = attemptLoopReentry(
+      { killSwitchScope: "none", repoFullName: "a/a", outcome: "merged" },
+      { eventLedger, portfolioQueue, runState: { setRunState } },
+    );
+
+    expect(result.decision.reenter).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.dequeued?.repoFullName).toBe("b/b");
+    expect(setRunState).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(setRunState).toHaveBeenCalledWith("b/b", "discovering");
+    expect(setRunState).not.toHaveBeenCalledWith("a/a", expect.anything());
+  });
+
+  it("re-entry with an empty queue (#9683): dequeueNext returns null, so setRunState is never called and the finished repo is not parked at discovering", () => {
+    const eventLedger = tempEventLedger();
+    const portfolioQueue = tempPortfolioQueue();
+    // Nothing enqueued: dequeueNext() returns null even though decision.reenter is true.
+    const setRunState = vi.fn();
+
+    const result = attemptLoopReentry(
+      { killSwitchScope: "none", repoFullName: "a/a", outcome: "merged" },
+      { eventLedger, portfolioQueue, runState: { setRunState } },
+    );
+
+    expect(result.decision.reenter).toBe(true);
+    expect(result.dequeued).toBeNull();
+    expect(setRunState).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+
+  it("suppressed re-entry (#9683): when decision.reenter is false, setRunState is never called (unchanged behaviour)", () => {
+    const eventLedger = tempEventLedger();
+    const portfolioQueue = tempPortfolioQueue();
+    portfolioQueue.enqueue({ repoFullName: "b/b", identifier: "issue-b" });
+    const setRunState = vi.fn();
+
+    const result = attemptLoopReentry(
+      { killSwitchScope: "global", repoFullName: "a/a", outcome: "merged" },
+      { eventLedger, portfolioQueue, runState: { setRunState } },
+    );
+
+    expect(result.decision.reenter).toBe(false);
+    expect(result.dequeued).toBeNull();
+    expect(setRunState).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
 });