diff --git a/.github/workflows/claude-issue-agent-run.yml b/.github/workflows/claude-issue-agent-run.yml
index 4f421237c..167825833 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/claude-issue-agent-run.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/claude-issue-agent-run.yml
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ jobs:
             actions: read
           # analyze mode gets read + comment + api tools only; triage/fix
           # additionally get Edit/Write + git/PR tools to actually make and push a
-          # fix (fix mode also gets gh api to resolve its invoking comment). Task
+          # fix (analyze/fix need gh api to read their invoking comment). Task
           # is blocked in all modes so the agent can't offload work to a
           # background sub-agent and exit before it returns. All modes get read-only
           # git log and gh pr view/diff to trace a regression to its pull request.
@@ -176,17 +176,24 @@ jobs:
                cannot determine the correct change with confidence, do NOT open a
                PR — explain why in your step 2 comment instead.
 
-            If MODE is "analyze", do NOT label, edit, or open PRs. Instead, ONLY after
-            you posted a CONCLUSIVE answer in step 2 (not a request for more info),
-            resolve the invoking comment by minimizing it as resolved:
-            gh api graphql -f query='mutation($id:ID!){minimizeComment(input:{classifier:RESOLVED,subjectId:$id}){minimizedComment{isMinimized}}}' -f id='${{ inputs.comment_node_id }}'
-            If you instead asked for more information, do NOT minimize it.
+            If MODE is "analyze", do NOT label, edit, or open PRs.
 
-            If MODE is "fix", do NOT label or edit issue metadata. Instead, ONLY
-            after you successfully opened a fix PR in step 5, resolve the invoking
-            comment the same way:
-            gh api graphql -f query='mutation($id:ID!){minimizeComment(input:{classifier:RESOLVED,subjectId:$id}){minimizedComment{isMinimized}}}' -f id='${{ inputs.comment_node_id }}'
-            If you did not open a PR, do NOT minimize it.
+            If MODE is "fix", do NOT label or edit issue metadata.
+
+            Do not minimize or otherwise touch the invoking comment, the workflow
+            resolves it once you are done.
 
             Follow the repository's AGENTS.md conventions for commit/PR style. Do not
             force-push and do not touch unrelated files.
+
+      # the agent posts its result as a comment, so the command has been answered
+      # whatever that result was. only a failed run leaves it open, there is no
+      # answer then
+      - name: Resolve invoking comment
+        if: inputs.comment_node_id != ''
+        env:
+          GH_TOKEN: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          NODE_ID: ${{ inputs.comment_node_id }}
+        run: |
+          gh api graphql -f id="$NODE_ID" -f query='
+            mutation($id:ID!){minimizeComment(input:{subjectId:$id,classifier:RESOLVED}){minimizedComment{isMinimized}}}'
diff --git a/.github/workflows/command-analyze.yml b/.github/workflows/command-analyze.yml
index 51a09aad0..70f353244 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/command-analyze.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/command-analyze.yml
@@ -6,8 +6,8 @@ on:
 
 # Triggered by a `/analyze` comment on any issue or PR conversation. Delegates to
 # the shared issue agent in analyze mode, which investigates, posts one answer
-# comment, then minimizes the calling `/analyze` comment as RESOLVED — but only
-# when it actually answered.
+# comment, then minimizes the calling `/analyze` comment as RESOLVED, whatever
+# the answer says.
 jobs:
   analyze:
     name: Analyze on demand
diff --git a/.github/workflows/command-backport.yml b/.github/workflows/command-backport.yml
index 5a5ed8882..3c6d8139f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/command-backport.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/command-backport.yml
@@ -198,11 +198,12 @@ jobs:
             });
 
       - name: Resolve command comment
-        if: steps.create.outputs.url
+        if: always()
         uses: actions/github-script@v8
         with:
           script: |
-            // collapse the /backport comment as resolved now that the pull request exists
+            // collapse the /backport comment as resolved, the result was reported
+            // back as a comment either way
             await github.graphql(
               `mutation($id:ID!){minimizeComment(input:{subjectId:$id,classifier:RESOLVED}){minimizedComment{isMinimized}}}`,
               { id: context.payload.comment.node_id }
diff --git a/.github/workflows/command-fix.yml b/.github/workflows/command-fix.yml
index 23035ba19..a8e4dd3f5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/command-fix.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/command-fix.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ on:
 # Triggered by a `/fix` comment on any issue or PR conversation, maintainers only.
 # Delegates to the shared issue agent in fix mode, which investigates, pushes a
 # fix branch, opens a PR, comments with the result, then minimizes the calling
-# `/fix` comment as RESOLVED — but only when it actually opened a PR.
+# `/fix` comment as RESOLVED, whether or not a PR was opened.
 jobs:
   fix:
     name: Fix on demand