diff --git a/lib/automations/release/utils/duplicate-pr-checker.js b/lib/automations/release/utils/duplicate-pr-checker.js
index 06f3ae56..044b0620 100644
--- a/lib/automations/release/utils/duplicate-pr-checker.js
+++ b/lib/automations/release/utils/duplicate-pr-checker.js
@@ -16,14 +16,20 @@
  */
 const duplicateChecker = async ( context, octokit, title ) => {
 	const search = await octokit.search.issuesAndPullRequests( {
-		q: `${ title } in:title type:pr state:open repo:${ context.payload.repository.full_name }`,
+		q: `${ title } in:title type:pr repo:${ context.payload.repository.full_name }`,
 		per_page: 50,
 	} );
 
 	if ( search.data.total_count !== 0 ) {
-		const existingPr = search.data.items.find(
-			( pr ) => pr.title === title
-		);
+		const existingPr = search.data.items.find( ( pr ) => {
+			if (
+				pr.title !== title ||
+				( pr.merged === true && pr.state === 'closed' )
+			) {
+				return false;
+			}
+			return true;
+		} );
 		return existingPr;
 	}
 };
diff --git a/lib/automations/release/utils/test/duplicate-pr-checker.js b/lib/automations/release/utils/test/duplicate-pr-checker.js
index ac770f4b..2bc16163 100644
--- a/lib/automations/release/utils/test/duplicate-pr-checker.js
+++ b/lib/automations/release/utils/test/duplicate-pr-checker.js
@@ -32,4 +32,40 @@ describe( 'check-for-duplicate-pull', () => {
 		const actual = await duplicateChecker( context, octokit, 'hello' );
 		expect( actual ).toBe( mock.data.items[ 0 ] );
 	} );
+	it( 'returns the pull request if the pr is closed, matches the title and is not merged', async () => {
+		// mocked pull
+		const mock = {
+			data: {
+				total_count: 1,
+				items: [
+					{
+						title: 'hello',
+						merged: false,
+						state: 'closed',
+					},
+				],
+			},
+		};
+		octokit.search.issuesAndPullRequests.mockReturnValueOnce( mock );
+		const actual = await duplicateChecker( context, octokit, 'hello' );
+		expect( actual ).toBe( mock.data.items[ 0 ] );
+	} );
+	it( 'returns undefined if the pr is closed, matches the title, and is merged', async () => {
+		// mocked pull
+		const mock = {
+			data: {
+				total_count: 1,
+				items: [
+					{
+						title: 'hello',
+						merged: true,
+						state: 'closed',
+					},
+				],
+			},
+		};
+		octokit.search.issuesAndPullRequests.mockReturnValueOnce( mock );
+		const actual = await duplicateChecker( context, octokit, 'hello' );
+		expect( actual ).toBe( undefined );
+	} );
 } );