diff --git a/bert_e/tests/unit/test_jira.py b/bert_e/tests/unit/test_jira.py
index 1f3a4963..b6bbb433 100644
--- a/bert_e/tests/unit/test_jira.py
+++ b/bert_e/tests/unit/test_jira.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-"""Unit tests for check_fix_versions in jira.py.
+"""Unit tests for check_fix_versions and _notify_pending_hotfix_if_needed.
 
 Rules:
 - Hotfix branch PRs require the exact 4-digit fix version in Jira
@@ -11,9 +11,13 @@
 """
 import pytest
 from types import SimpleNamespace
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock, patch
 
 from bert_e import exceptions
-from bert_e.workflow.gitwaterflow.jira import check_fix_versions
+from bert_e.workflow.gitwaterflow.jira import (
+    check_fix_versions,
+    _notify_pending_hotfix_if_needed,
+)
 
 
 def _make_issue(*version_names):
@@ -143,3 +147,47 @@ def test_dev_branch_rejects_mismatch():
             _make_job('4.3.19', '5.1.4'),
             _make_issue('4.3.18', '5.1.4'),
         )
+
+
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+# _notify_pending_hotfix_if_needed — dedup behaviour
+# ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+def _make_notify_job(phantom_hotfix_versions=None):
+    """Build a minimal job for _notify_pending_hotfix_if_needed tests."""
+    cascade = SimpleNamespace(
+        phantom_hotfix_versions=phantom_hotfix_versions or set(),
+    )
+    settings = SimpleNamespace(robot='bert-e')
+    return SimpleNamespace(
+        git=SimpleNamespace(cascade=cascade),
+        settings=settings,
+        pull_request=MagicMock(),
+        active_options=[],
+    )
+
+
+@patch('bert_e.workflow.gitwaterflow.jira.notify_user')
+@patch('bert_e.workflow.gitwaterflow.jira.find_comment', return_value=None)
+def test_pending_hotfix_posts_when_not_yet_in_history(mock_find, mock_notify):
+    """Reminder is posted when no previous comment with that title exists."""
+    job = _make_notify_job(phantom_hotfix_versions={'10.0.0.0'})
+    issue = _make_issue('9.5.3', '10.0.0.0', '10.1.0')
+    _notify_pending_hotfix_if_needed(job, issue)
+    mock_notify.assert_called_once()
+
+
+@patch('bert_e.workflow.gitwaterflow.jira.notify_user')
+@patch('bert_e.workflow.gitwaterflow.jira.find_comment',
+       return_value=MagicMock())
+def test_pending_hotfix_skips_when_already_in_history(mock_find, mock_notify):
+    """Reminder is NOT posted when a previous comment with that title exists.
+
+    This covers the active_options footer dedup fix: even if active_options
+    changed between runs (making the full text differ), the title-prefix
+    check prevents a second post.
+    """
+    job = _make_notify_job(phantom_hotfix_versions={'10.0.0.0'})
+    issue = _make_issue('9.5.3', '10.0.0.0', '10.1.0')
+    _notify_pending_hotfix_if_needed(job, issue)
+    mock_notify.assert_not_called()
diff --git a/bert_e/workflow/gitwaterflow/jira.py b/bert_e/workflow/gitwaterflow/jira.py
index 7db1255c..1662a29b 100644
--- a/bert_e/workflow/gitwaterflow/jira.py
+++ b/bert_e/workflow/gitwaterflow/jira.py
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@
 
 from bert_e import exceptions
 from bert_e.lib import jira as jira_api
-from ..pr_utils import notify_user
+from ..pr_utils import find_comment, notify_user
 from .utils import bypass_jira_check
 
 
@@ -193,13 +193,23 @@ def check_fix_versions(job, issue):
             )
 
 
+_PENDING_HOTFIX_TITLE = '# Pending hotfix branch'
+
+
 def _notify_pending_hotfix_if_needed(job, issue):
     """Post a one-time reminder when the ticket carries a pre-GA hotfix
     fix version (X.Y.Z.0) so the developer knows to open a cherry-pick PR
     to the corresponding hotfix branch.
 
     This is an informational message: it is posted at most once per PR
-    (dont_repeat_if_in_history = NEVER_REPEAT) and never blocks the flow.
+    and never blocks the flow.
+
+    The standard dont_repeat_if_in_history dedup uses the full rendered
+    message as the match key, which includes the active_options footer.
+    Because active_options can change between runs (e.g. when
+    create_integration_branches is added), the footer-sensitive match would
+    miss a comment posted in an earlier run and post again. We guard with
+    an explicit title-prefix check first, which is stable across runs.
     """
     phantom_versions = job.git.cascade.phantom_hotfix_versions
     if not phantom_versions:
@@ -208,6 +218,10 @@ def _notify_pending_hotfix_if_needed(job, issue):
     matching = sorted(phantom_versions & issue_versions)
     if not matching:
         return
+    # Stable dedup: any previous comment with this title means skip.
+    if find_comment(job.pull_request, job.settings.robot,
+                    startswith=_PENDING_HOTFIX_TITLE):
+        return
     reminder = exceptions.PendingHotfixVersionReminder(
         issue=issue,
         hotfix_versions=matching,