diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/issue-execution-policy.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/issue-execution-policy.test.ts
index 7c89dba3ba1..37a64dc2784 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/issue-execution-policy.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/issue-execution-policy.test.ts
@@ -203,6 +203,43 @@ describe("issue execution policy transitions", () => {
       });
     });
 
+    it("clears loose review instructions with explicit null during a stage transition", () => {
+      const reviewStageId = policy.stages[0].id;
+      const result = applyIssueExecutionPolicyTransition({
+        issue: {
+          status: "in_progress",
+          assigneeAgentId: coderAgentId,
+          assigneeUserId: null,
+          executionPolicy: policy,
+          executionState: {
+            status: "pending",
+            currentStageId: reviewStageId,
+            currentStageIndex: 0,
+            currentStageType: "review",
+            currentParticipant: { type: "agent", agentId: qaAgentId },
+            returnAssignee: { type: "agent", agentId: coderAgentId },
+            reviewRequest: { instructions: "Old review request" },
+            completedStageIds: [],
+            lastDecisionId: null,
+            lastDecisionOutcome: null,
+          },
+        },
+        policy,
+        requestedStatus: "in_review",
+        requestedAssigneePatch: {},
+        actor: { agentId: coderAgentId },
+        commentBody: "Ready for review",
+        reviewRequest: null,
+      });
+
+      expect(result.patch.executionState).toMatchObject({
+        status: "pending",
+        currentStageType: "review",
+        currentParticipant: { type: "agent", agentId: qaAgentId },
+        reviewRequest: null,
+      });
+    });
+
     it("reviewer approves → advances to approval stage", () => {
       const reviewStageId = policy.stages[0].id;
       const result = applyIssueExecutionPolicyTransition({
diff --git a/server/src/routes/issues.ts b/server/src/routes/issues.ts
index 4889a7fadf5..7e94b1bdb06 100644
--- a/server/src/routes/issues.ts
+++ b/server/src/routes/issues.ts
@@ -1892,7 +1892,7 @@ export function issueRoutes(
         userId: actor.actorType === "user" ? actor.actorId : null,
       },
       commentBody,
-      reviewRequest: reviewRequest ?? undefined,
+      reviewRequest: reviewRequest === undefined ? undefined : reviewRequest,
     });
     const decisionId = transition.decision ? randomUUID() : null;
     if (decisionId) {
diff --git a/server/src/services/issue-execution-policy.ts b/server/src/services/issue-execution-policy.ts
index c1037d83fb1..9a78512d184 100644
--- a/server/src/services/issue-execution-policy.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/issue-execution-policy.ts
@@ -304,6 +304,9 @@ export function applyIssueExecutionPolicyTransition(input: TransitionInput): Tra
   const currentStage = input.policy ? findStageById(input.policy, existingState?.currentStageId) : null;
   const requestedStatus = input.requestedStatus;
   const activeStage = currentStage && existingState?.status === PENDING_STATUS ? currentStage : null;
+  const effectiveReviewRequest = input.reviewRequest === undefined
+    ? existingState?.reviewRequest ?? null
+    : input.reviewRequest;
 
   if (!input.policy) {
     if (existingState) {
@@ -368,7 +371,7 @@ export function applyIssueExecutionPolicyTransition(input: TransitionInput): Tra
         stage: activeStage,
         participant,
         returnAssignee: existingState?.returnAssignee ?? currentAssignee ?? actor,
-        reviewRequest: input.reviewRequest ?? existingState?.reviewRequest ?? null,
+        reviewRequest: effectiveReviewRequest,
       });
       return {
         patch,
@@ -472,7 +475,7 @@ export function applyIssueExecutionPolicyTransition(input: TransitionInput): Tra
         stage: activeStage,
         participant: currentParticipant,
         returnAssignee: existingState?.returnAssignee ?? currentAssignee ?? actor,
-        reviewRequest: input.reviewRequest ?? existingState?.reviewRequest ?? null,
+        reviewRequest: effectiveReviewRequest,
       });
       return {
         patch,
diff --git a/server/src/services/issues.ts b/server/src/services/issues.ts
index 5046ba09233..36e9ac97afe 100644
--- a/server/src/services/issues.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/issues.ts
@@ -1398,27 +1398,22 @@ export function issueService(db: Db) {
         )
       `;
       if (filters?.descendantOf) {
-        const descendantIds: string[] = [];
-        const seen = new Set<string>([filters.descendantOf]);
-        let frontier = [filters.descendantOf];
-
-        while (frontier.length > 0) {
-          const children = await db
-            .select({ id: issues.id })
-            .from(issues)
-            .where(and(eq(issues.companyId, companyId), inArray(issues.parentId, frontier)));
-
-          frontier = [];
-          for (const child of children) {
-            if (seen.has(child.id)) continue;
-            seen.add(child.id);
-            descendantIds.push(child.id);
-            frontier.push(child.id);
-          }
-        }
-
-        if (descendantIds.length === 0) return [];
-        conditions.push(inArray(issues.id, descendantIds));
+        conditions.push(sql<boolean>`
+          ${issues.id} IN (
+            WITH RECURSIVE descendants(id) AS (
+              SELECT ${issues.id}
+              FROM ${issues}
+              WHERE ${issues.companyId} = ${companyId}
+                AND ${issues.parentId} = ${filters.descendantOf}
+              UNION
+              SELECT ${issues.id}
+              FROM ${issues}
+              JOIN descendants ON ${issues.parentId} = descendants.id
+              WHERE ${issues.companyId} = ${companyId}
+            )
+            SELECT id FROM descendants
+          )
+        `);
       }
       if (filters?.status) {
         const statuses = filters.status.split(",").map((s) => s.trim());