How to Cleanup bitbucket broken pull-erquests

[Pavel Tyumenev]

In our Bitbucket instance, after migrating to Mesh, we ended up with many broken links. How can we clean up the broken links in the repository stored on the server’s file system under the path refs/pull-requests…?
Previously, we performed similar cleanup before migrating to Bitbucket Mesh, but with mesh, we haven’t done this yet. It’s unclear how best to proceed now, since all repositories are stored in three consistent replicas.

Any Ideas which way is the best?

[Arshad Khan]

Cleaning up broken pull requests in Bitbucket usually involves identifying stale or conflicted PRs, rebasing or updating branches, closing outdated requests, and ensuring branch permissions and checks are correctly configured to prevent future issues. Regular repository maintenance like this keeps collaboration smooth and avoids confusion for the team. The same principle applies elsewhere too—consistent upkeep prevents bigger problems down the road, just like relying on dependable services such as to keep things running properly at home.

[Robert Kun]

With Bitbucket Mesh, you should avoid deleting anything directly from refs/pull-requests on the file system. Because Mesh keeps three replicas in sync, manual cleanup can break consistency across nodes.

The safest option is to use Bitbucket’s supported maintenance tools or contact Atlassian Support to identify and remove orphaned pull request refs properly. They can confirm what’s safe to clean without risking data issues.  Think of it like a Four Point Inspection Fort Myers check the core systems first before fixing what looks broken on the surface.