diff --git a/.changeset/fix-cross-repo-closer-octokit.md b/.changeset/fix-cross-repo-closer-octokit.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2800e195f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/fix-cross-repo-closer-octokit.md
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+---
+---
+
+fix(ci): rename the cross-repo client — `github-script` already declares `octokit`
+
+Release-nothing: touches `.github/workflows/cross-repo-issue-closer.yml` only.
+
+`actions/github-script` injects an `octokit` binding into the script scope, so
+the `const octokit = require('@actions/github').getOctokit(token)` added in
+#4553 aborted the run before a single line of logic executed:
+
+    SyntaxError: Identifier 'octokit' has already been declared
+
+This surfaced on #4553's own merge — the first time the workflow ever ran, and
+the first time any of its runtime behaviour was exercised. Until this lands,
+every merged pull request in this repository carries one red check.
+
+The pre-merge validation missed it for an instructive reason. The script was
+syntax-checked against a hand-written wrapper declaring `{github, context,
+core, require}` — and a wrapper that omits an injected identifier cannot
+possibly see a collision with it. The check reported clean because it was
+asking a narrower question than the runtime asks. The wrapper now carries the
+full injected set, and the previous spelling fails it.
diff --git a/.github/workflows/cross-repo-issue-closer.yml b/.github/workflows/cross-repo-issue-closer.yml
index 8f6ebb957d..dadaaf4282 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/cross-repo-issue-closer.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/cross-repo-issue-closer.yml
@@ -60,6 +60,16 @@ jobs:
               'gi',
             );
 
+            // Report credential state on EVERY run, before any early return.
+            // Otherwise a repository with the secret and one without look
+            // identical until a cross-repo reference happens to show up —
+            // which can be days — and "is it configured?" stays unanswerable.
+            // Presence only; the value is never read into the log.
+            const token = process.env.CROSS_REPO_TOKEN;
+            core.info(
+              `CROSS_REPO_ISSUE_TOKEN: ${token ? 'configured' : 'ABSENT — cross-repo closes will be reported, not performed'}`,
+            );
+
             const targets = new Map();
             for (const [, owner, repo, number] of body.matchAll(pattern)) {
               const key = `${owner}/${repo}#${number}`;
@@ -75,8 +85,6 @@ jobs:
             }
             core.info(`Cross-repo targets: ${[...targets.keys()].join(', ')}`);
 
-            const token = process.env.CROSS_REPO_TOKEN;
-
             if (!token) {
               // Degrade VISIBLY. Someone has to close these by hand, and this
               // comment is the only thing that will tell them so.
@@ -103,25 +111,25 @@ jobs:
 
             // A second client: `github` is bound to GITHUB_TOKEN, which has no
             // write access outside this repository.
-            const octokit = require('@actions/github').getOctokit(token);
+            const crossRepo = require('@actions/github').getOctokit(token);
 
             for (const [key, t] of targets) {
               try {
-                const { data: issue } = await octokit.rest.issues.get({
+                const { data: issue } = await crossRepo.rest.issues.get({
                   owner: t.owner, repo: t.repo, issue_number: t.number,
                 });
                 if (issue.state === 'closed') {
                   core.info(`${key} is already closed — skipping.`);
                   continue;
                 }
-                await octokit.rest.issues.createComment({
+                await crossRepo.rest.issues.createComment({
                   owner: t.owner, repo: t.repo, issue_number: t.number,
                   body:
                     `已由 ${thisRepo} 的 ${prUrl} 修复并合并。\n\n` +
                     `（跨仓库的关闭关键字不会自动生效，本条由 \`cross-repo-issue-closer\` 工作流代为收口。）\n\n` +
                     `---\n_Generated by [Claude Code](https://claude.ai/code)_`,
                 });
-                await octokit.rest.issues.update({
+                await crossRepo.rest.issues.update({
                   owner: t.owner, repo: t.repo, issue_number: t.number,
                   state: 'closed', state_reason: 'completed',
                 });