diff --git a/.github/workflows/hacktoberfest_prep.yml b/.github/workflows/hacktoberfest_prep.yml
index c8a7a76a00df..fed359a0d621 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/hacktoberfest_prep.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/hacktoberfest_prep.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,14 @@
 name: hacktoberfest_prep
 
 on:
+  push:
+    paths:
+      - ".github/workflows/hacktoberfest_prep.yml"
+      - "scripts/hacktoberfest_prep_update.py"
+  pull_request:
+    paths:
+      - ".github/workflows/hacktoberfest_prep.yml"
+      - "scripts/hacktoberfest_prep_update.py"
   schedule:
     - cron: "50 11 * * *" # 11:50 UTC every day
   workflow_dispatch: # allow a manual run while testing
@@ -37,7 +45,20 @@ jobs:
           set +e
           python scripts/hacktoberfest_prep_update.py
           echo "exit_code=$?" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
+      # Dry run on push / pull_request: show the diff the script produced but
+      # do NOT commit or push. This lets a PR prove the tracker still gathers
+      # its data and rewrites docs/hacktober_2026_prep.md correctly without
+      # leaving a permanent commit. Only the schedule/manual runs persist.
+      - name: Show changes (dry run)
+        if: github.event_name == 'push' || github.event_name == 'pull_request'
+        run: |
+          echo "Dry run (${{ github.event_name }}): showing git diff, not committing."
+          git --no-pager diff -- docs/hacktober_2026_prep.md
+          if git diff --quiet -- docs/hacktober_2026_prep.md; then
+            echo "No changes to docs/hacktober_2026_prep.md."
+          fi
       - name: Commit any changes
+        if: github.event_name != 'push' && github.event_name != 'pull_request'
         run: |
           git config --global user.name "$GITHUB_ACTOR"
           git config --global user.email "$GITHUB_ACTOR@users.noreply.github.com"
diff --git a/scripts/hacktoberfest_prep_update.py b/scripts/hacktoberfest_prep_update.py
index 6c6eb1de0fbe..daf32c2f9bd0 100644
--- a/scripts/hacktoberfest_prep_update.py
+++ b/scripts/hacktoberfest_prep_update.py
@@ -113,11 +113,22 @@ async def _search_count(
 async def pr_state(
     client: httpx2.AsyncClient, sem: asyncio.Semaphore, number: int
 ) -> str | None:
-    """Return ``"merged"`` / ``"closed"`` for a resolved PR, else ``None``."""
-    body, _ = await _request(client, sem, f"{API}/repos/{REPO}/pulls/{number}")
+    """Return ``"merged"`` / ``"closed"`` for a resolved row, else ``None``.
+
+    Uses the unified ``/issues/{number}`` endpoint, which resolves for both
+    pull requests *and* issues. The tracker's "Open issues" section lists
+    issue numbers, and ``/pulls/{issue}`` 404s on those, so querying
+    ``/issues`` keeps a single issue row from crashing the whole run. A row is
+    "merged" only when it is a PR whose ``pull_request.merged_at`` is set; any
+    other closed row is "closed".
+    """
+    body, _ = await _request(client, sem, f"{API}/repos/{REPO}/issues/{number}")
     if body.get("state") == "open":  # type: ignore[union-attr]
         return None
-    return "merged" if body.get("merged_at") else "closed"  # type: ignore[union-attr]
+    pr = body.get("pull_request")  # type: ignore[union-attr]
+    if pr and pr.get("merged_at"):
+        return "merged"
+    return "closed"
 
 
 async def top_awaiting_directories(