diff --git a/src/queue/review-evasion.ts b/src/queue/review-evasion.ts
index 001d73c161..c4a9bddcf2 100644
--- a/src/queue/review-evasion.ts
+++ b/src/queue/review-evasion.ts
@@ -311,19 +311,23 @@ async function closeDraftDodgeAttemptIfBlocked(
       pr.number,
       `Gate verdict stands for this commit — converting to draft does not reset the review. Re-submit a new PR with the issues addressed${codes ? ` (${codes})` : ""}.`,
     ).catch(() => undefined);
-    await closePullRequest(
-      env,
-      installationId,
-      repoFullName,
-      pr.number,
-    ).catch(() => undefined);
+    // #2260/#8801: the audit outcome must reflect whether the close actually happened on GitHub, not just
+    // whether this handler ran. This guard was the ONE sibling in this file still swallowing the close
+    // error and unconditionally recording "completed" — a transient 403/5xx left the PR open on GitHub
+    // while the audit trail claimed a draft-dodge close was enforced.
+    const closeError = await closePullRequest(env, installationId, repoFullName, pr.number)
+      .then(() => null)
+      .catch((error: unknown) => error);
     await recordAuditEvent(env, {
       eventType: "github_app.draft_dodge_closed",
       actor: "loopover",
       targetKey,
-      outcome: "completed",
-      detail: `closed draft-dodge attempt by ${pr.authorLogin ?? "unknown"} — prior gate failure on headSha ${pr.headSha} stands`,
-      metadata: gateMetadata,
+      outcome: closeError === null ? "completed" : "error",
+      detail:
+        closeError === null
+          ? `closed draft-dodge attempt by ${pr.authorLogin ?? "unknown"} — prior gate failure on headSha ${pr.headSha} stands`
+          : `FAILED to close draft-dodge attempt by ${pr.authorLogin ?? "unknown"} — the close API call did not succeed; the PR may still be open`,
+      metadata: closeError === null ? gateMetadata : { ...gateMetadata, error: errorMessage(closeError) },
     }).catch(() => undefined);
   }
 }
diff --git a/test/unit/queue-lifecycle-guards.test.ts b/test/unit/queue-lifecycle-guards.test.ts
index 2d5fba9084..9147cf7478 100644
--- a/test/unit/queue-lifecycle-guards.test.ts
+++ b/test/unit/queue-lifecycle-guards.test.ts
@@ -1138,6 +1138,35 @@ describe("converted_to_draft gate-close (draft-dodge prevention)", () => {
     expect(audit?.detail).toContain("contributor");
   });
 
+  it("#8801: a FAILED close records outcome 'error' with the failure named — never a false 'completed' (the #2260 contract)", async () => {
+    const calls: Array<{ url: string; method: string }> = [];
+    vi.stubGlobal("fetch", async (input: RequestInfo | URL, init?: RequestInit) => {
+      const url = input.toString();
+      const method = init?.method ?? "GET";
+      calls.push({ url, method });
+      if (url.includes("/access_tokens")) return Response.json({ token: "t" });
+      if (url.endsWith("/issues/42/comments") && method === "POST") return Response.json({ id: 1 }, { status: 201 });
+      // The close PATCH fails transiently — the exact scenario the audit trail used to lie about.
+      if (url.endsWith("/pulls/42") && method === "PATCH") return new Response("boom", { status: 502 });
+      return new Response("not found", { status: 404 });
+    });
+
+    const env = createTestEnv({ GITHUB_APP_PRIVATE_KEY: generateRsaPrivateKeyPem(), GITHUB_APP_SLUG: "loopover-orb" });
+    await setupRepo(env);
+    await recordGateBlockOutcome(env, { repoFullName: "JSONbored/gittensory", pullNumber: 42, headSha: "abc123", blockerCodes: ["missing_linked_issue"] });
+
+    // No author login on the stored PR — the detail's "unknown" fallback arm is exercised on the failure path.
+    const payload = draftPayload("contributor");
+    payload.pull_request.user = undefined;
+    await processJob(env, { type: "github-webhook", deliveryId: "draft-dodge-fail", eventName: "pull_request", payload });
+
+    expect(calls.some((c) => c.method === "PATCH" && c.url.endsWith("/pulls/42"))).toBe(true); // the close WAS attempted
+    const audit = await env.DB.prepare("select outcome, detail from audit_events where event_type = ?").bind("github_app.draft_dodge_closed").first<{ outcome: string; detail: string }>();
+    expect(audit?.outcome).toBe("error");
+    expect(audit?.detail).toContain("FAILED to close draft-dodge attempt by unknown");
+    expect(audit?.detail).toContain("the PR may still be open");
+  });
+
   it("does NOT draft-dodge close when live PR state has moved since the webhook was received (#2130)", async () => {
     const calls: Array<{ url: string; method: string }> = [];
     vi.stubGlobal("fetch", async (input: RequestInfo | URL, init?: RequestInit) => {