diff --git a/interrogate_badge.svg b/interrogate_badge.svg
index f3f8d64..bc91d28 100644
--- a/interrogate_badge.svg
+++ b/interrogate_badge.svg
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 <svg width="140" height="20" viewBox="0 0 140 20" version="1.1" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xml:space="preserve" xmlns:serif="http://www.serif.com/" style="fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;stroke-linejoin:round;stroke-miterlimit:2;">
-    <title>interrogate: 99.7%</title>
+    <title>interrogate: 100%</title>
     <g transform="matrix(1,0,0,1,22,0)">
         <g id="backgrounds" transform="matrix(1.32789,0,0,1,-22.3892,0)">
             <rect x="0" y="0" width="71" height="20" style="fill:rgb(85,85,85);"/>
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@
     <g fill="#fff" text-anchor="middle" font-family="DejaVu Sans,Verdana,Geneva,sans-serif" font-size="110">
         <text x="590" y="150" fill="#010101" fill-opacity=".3" transform="scale(.1)" textLength="610">interrogate</text>
         <text x="590" y="140" transform="scale(.1)" textLength="610">interrogate</text>
-        <text x="1160" y="150" fill="#010101" fill-opacity=".3" transform="scale(.1)" textLength="370" data-interrogate="result">99.7%</text>
-        <text x="1160" y="140" transform="scale(.1)" textLength="370" data-interrogate="result">99.7%</text>
+        <text x="1160" y="150" fill="#010101" fill-opacity=".3" transform="scale(.1)" textLength="330" data-interrogate="result">100%</text>
+        <text x="1160" y="140" transform="scale(.1)" textLength="330" data-interrogate="result">100%</text>
     </g>
     <g id="logo-shadow" serif:id="logo shadow" transform="matrix(0.854876,0,0,0.854876,-6.73514,1.732)">
         <g transform="matrix(0.299012,0,0,0.299012,9.70229,-6.68582)">
diff --git a/src/sw_metadata_bot/publish.py b/src/sw_metadata_bot/publish.py
index 66f6835..46939ac 100644
--- a/src/sw_metadata_bot/publish.py
+++ b/src/sw_metadata_bot/publish.py
@@ -164,6 +164,17 @@ def _issue_url_for_publish(record: dict[str, object]) -> str | None:
     return None
 
 
+def _issue_is_closed(issue_data: dict[str, object] | None) -> bool:
+    """Return True when issue data indicates the issue is already closed."""
+    if not isinstance(issue_data, dict):
+        return False
+    state_value = issue_data.get("state")
+    return isinstance(state_value, str) and state_value.strip().lower() in {
+        "closed",
+        "close",
+    }
+
+
 def _write_per_repo_report(
     analysis_root: Path,
     record: dict[str, object],
@@ -319,6 +330,16 @@ def issue_client_for_platform(platform: str):
                     )
                     continue
 
+                issue_data = issue_client.get_issue(issue_url)
+                if action == constants.ACTION_UPDATED_BY_COMMENT and _issue_is_closed(
+                    issue_data
+                ):
+                    record["action"] = constants.ACTION_SIMULATED_CREATED
+                    record["reason_code"] = "changed_and_issue_closed"
+                    record["previous_issue_url"] = issue_url
+                    record.pop("issue_url", None)
+                    action = constants.ACTION_SIMULATED_CREATED
+
             if action == constants.ACTION_SIMULATED_CREATED:
                 body = _load_publish_body(analysis_root, repo_url)
                 title = "Automated Metadata Quality Report from CodeMetaSoft"
diff --git a/tests/test_publish.py b/tests/test_publish.py
index cdfd679..908ae7e 100644
--- a/tests/test_publish.py
+++ b/tests/test_publish.py
@@ -160,6 +160,49 @@ def test_publish_updated_by_comment_posts_comment(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     assert record.get("dry_run") is False
 
 
+def test_publish_closed_issue_opens_new_issue_instead_of_comment(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    """publish creates a new issue when the previous issue is already closed."""
+    snapshot_dir = tmp_path / "snapshot"
+    snapshot_dir.mkdir()
+    repo_url = "https://github.com/example/repo"
+    issue_url = f"{repo_url}/issues/5"
+
+    _write_run_report(
+        snapshot_dir,
+        records=[
+            {
+                "repo_url": repo_url,
+                "action": "updated_by_comment",
+                "platform": "github",
+                "issue_url": issue_url,
+                "dry_run": True,
+                "issue_persistence": "simulated",
+            }
+        ],
+    )
+    _write_issue_report(snapshot_dir, repo_url)
+
+    class _ClosedIssueClient(_FakeIssueClient):
+        def get_issue(self, issue_url: str) -> dict:
+            return {"state": "closed"}
+
+    fake = _ClosedIssueClient()
+    _patch_clients(monkeypatch, fake)
+
+    runner = CliRunner()
+    result = runner.invoke(publish_command, ["--analysis-root", str(snapshot_dir)])
+
+    assert result.exit_code == 0, result.output
+    assert len(fake.created) == 1
+    assert not fake.commented
+
+    report = json.loads((snapshot_dir / "run_report.json").read_text())
+    record = report["records"][0]
+    assert record["action"] == "created"
+    assert record["issue_persistence"] == "posted"
+    assert record.get("dry_run") is False
+
+
 def test_publish_closed_closes_issue(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
     """publish closes the issue for closed records."""
     snapshot_dir = tmp_path / "snapshot"