diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/right-sidebar/source-control-primary-action.create-pr-intent.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/right-sidebar/source-control-primary-action.create-pr-intent.test.ts
index fad4de51349..40d0e57652d 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/right-sidebar/source-control-primary-action.create-pr-intent.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/right-sidebar/source-control-primary-action.create-pr-intent.test.ts
@@ -532,6 +532,32 @@ describe('resolvePrimaryAction Create PR intent', () => {
     })
   })
 
+  it('names a failed review lookup instead of calling a ready branch not ready', () => {
+    expect(
+      resolveCreatePrHeaderAction(
+        inputs({
+          upstreamStatus: upstreamInSync,
+          hostedReviewCreation: {
+            provider: 'gitlab',
+            review: null,
+            reviewLookupOutcome: 'unavailable',
+            defaultBaseRef: 'origin/main',
+            head: 'feature',
+            canCreate: false,
+            blockedReason: null,
+            nextAction: null
+          }
+        })
+      )
+    ).toEqual({
+      kind: 'create_pr',
+      label: 'Create MR',
+      title:
+        'Create MR failed: Orca could not confirm whether this branch already has a merge request. Retry once the GitLab lookup succeeds.',
+      disabled: true
+    })
+  })
+
   it('returns a clickable Create PR header notice path when the branch has nothing to publish yet', () => {
     expect(
       resolveCreatePrHeaderAction(
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/components/right-sidebar/source-control/review/primary-create-pr-intent-action.ts b/src/renderer/src/components/right-sidebar/source-control/review/primary-create-pr-intent-action.ts
index 8010b900407..7ab2746ac7f 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/components/right-sidebar/source-control/review/primary-create-pr-intent-action.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/components/right-sidebar/source-control/review/primary-create-pr-intent-action.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,10 @@ import type {
 } from '../../../../../../shared/hosted-review'
 import type { PrimaryAction, PrimaryActionInputs } from '../../source-control-primary-action-types'
 import { resolveCreatePrIntentEligibility } from './create-pr-intent-state'
-import { canClickBlockedCreateReviewReason } from '../../source-control-create-review-blocked-action'
+import {
+  canClickBlockedCreateReviewReason,
+  resolveBlockedCreateReviewNoticeMessage
+} from '../../source-control-create-review-blocked-action'
 
 export function resolveProvisionalHostedReviewProvider(input: {
   hostedReview?: Pick<HostedReviewInfo, 'provider'> | null
@@ -175,11 +178,14 @@ export function resolveDisabledCreatePrHeaderAction(
       case 'unsupported_provider':
       case 'base_not_on_remote':
       case null:
-        title = translate(
-          'auto.components.right.sidebar.source.control.primary.action.f0c6e2a581',
-          'This branch is not ready for a {{value0}} yet.',
-          { value0: copy.reviewLabel }
-        )
+        // A failed review lookup is not a branch problem, so name it instead.
+        title =
+          resolveBlockedCreateReviewNoticeMessage(hostedReviewCreation) ??
+          translate(
+            'auto.components.right.sidebar.source.control.primary.action.f0c6e2a581',
+            'This branch is not ready for a {{value0}} yet.',
+            { value0: copy.reviewLabel }
+          )
     }
   }