diff --git a/mcp-server/src/legal_mcp/services/db.py b/mcp-server/src/legal_mcp/services/db.py
index 77c75e5..aec33ef 100644
--- a/mcp-server/src/legal_mcp/services/db.py
+++ b/mcp-server/src/legal_mcp/services/db.py
@@ -6736,10 +6736,17 @@ async def request_metadata_extraction(case_law_id: UUID) -> bool:
 
 async def request_halacha_extraction(case_law_id: UUID) -> bool:
     """Same but for halacha extraction. See note on
-    :func:`request_metadata_extraction` re: opening to all source kinds."""
+    :func:`request_metadata_extraction` re: opening to all source kinds.
+
+    Sets ``halacha_extraction_status='pending'`` alongside the timestamp —
+    symmetric to :func:`request_metadata_extraction` — so status and queue-stamp
+    are written together and a re-request never leaves a stale terminal badge.
+    This also closes the drift window where a row could end up 'pending' with a
+    NULL requested_at (orphaned from the queue) (#139)."""
     pool = await get_pool()
     result = await pool.execute(
-        "UPDATE case_law SET halacha_extraction_requested_at = now() "
+        "UPDATE case_law SET halacha_extraction_requested_at = now(), "
+        "halacha_extraction_status = 'pending' "
         "WHERE id = $1",
         case_law_id,
     )
@@ -6828,6 +6835,43 @@ async def requeue_stale_processing_extractions(kind: str = "halacha") -> int:
         return 0
 
 
+async def reconcile_orphaned_pending_extractions(kind: str = "halacha") -> int:
+    """Re-stamp eligible 'pending' rows that fell off the queue. Returns count.
+
+    ``requeue_stale_processing_extractions`` heals only ``status='processing'``
+    orphans. A row can also be ``status='pending'`` with ``requested_at IS NULL``
+    — never enqueued (bulk/migration paths, or a status set before the stamp) —
+    and the queue (``requested_at IS NOT NULL``) is blind to it forever, so the
+    backlog drains silently to nothing (#139, INV-DUR1).
+
+    This restores the "eligible row ⇒ in the queue" invariant: it stamps
+    ``requested_at`` (and re-affirms 'pending') for rows that are pending,
+    unstamped, and EXTRACTION-eligible — using the SAME
+    ``EXTRACTION_ELIGIBLE_PREDICATE`` the queue reader uses (#140, G2), so
+    cited_only / chunkless stubs are never proactively enqueued. kind-agnostic
+    (metadata + halacha). Idempotent: a row already stamped is not matched, so
+    concurrent runs converge on the same ``now()`` stamp harmlessly.
+    """
+    status_col = (
+        "metadata_extraction_status" if kind == "metadata"
+        else "halacha_extraction_status"
+    )
+    req_col = (
+        "metadata_extraction_requested_at" if kind == "metadata"
+        else "halacha_extraction_requested_at"
+    )
+    pool = await get_pool()
+    tag = await pool.execute(
+        f"UPDATE case_law SET {req_col} = now(), {status_col} = 'pending' "
+        f"WHERE {status_col} = 'pending' AND {req_col} IS NULL "
+        f"AND {EXTRACTION_ELIGIBLE_PREDICATE}"
+    )
+    try:
+        return int(str(tag).split()[-1])
+    except (ValueError, IndexError):
+        return 0
+
+
 async def extraction_queue_status() -> dict:
     """Pending-extraction queue depth per kind (INV-TOOL4 visibility / GAP-45).
 
diff --git a/mcp-server/src/legal_mcp/services/precedent_library.py b/mcp-server/src/legal_mcp/services/precedent_library.py
index 1aa8012..d153000 100644
--- a/mcp-server/src/legal_mcp/services/precedent_library.py
+++ b/mcp-server/src/legal_mcp/services/precedent_library.py
@@ -231,6 +231,17 @@ async def process_pending_extractions(kind: str = "metadata", limit: int = 20) -
     if healed:
         logger.warning("self-healed %d stale '%s' processing row(s)", healed, kind)
 
+    # Re-enqueue eligible 'pending' rows that never got a queue stamp (orphaned
+    # from the queue — bulk/migration paths). requeue_stale only covers
+    # 'processing'; this covers 'pending' with requested_at IS NULL (#139). Runs
+    # before the list below so reclaimed rows drain in this same pass.
+    reconciled = await db.reconcile_orphaned_pending_extractions(kind=kind)
+    if reconciled:
+        logger.warning(
+            "reconciled %d orphaned 'pending' (no queue stamp) '%s' row(s)",
+            reconciled, kind,
+        )
+
     pending = await db.list_pending_extraction_requests(kind=kind, limit=limit)
     if not pending:
         return {"status": "no_pending", "kind": kind, "processed": 0, "results": []}
diff --git a/mcp-server/tests/test_extraction_orphan_reconcile.py b/mcp-server/tests/test_extraction_orphan_reconcile.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0160ea0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mcp-server/tests/test_extraction_orphan_reconcile.py
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+"""Regression test for #139 — orphaned 'pending' extraction rows are reconciled.
+
+A row can be ``<kind>_extraction_status='pending'`` with
+``<kind>_extraction_requested_at IS NULL`` — never enqueued, invisible to the
+drain (which selects ``requested_at IS NOT NULL``). ``requeue_stale`` heals only
+'processing'. ``reconcile_orphaned_pending_extractions`` restores the
+"eligible ⇒ queued" invariant, kind-agnostic, reusing the SAME eligibility
+predicate as the queue reader (#140, G2) so cited_only/chunkless stubs are never
+proactively enqueued.
+
+Runs OFFLINE — a fake pool captures executed SQL (same style as the sibling
+extraction-queue tests).
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import asyncio
+
+import pytest
+
+from legal_mcp.services import db
+
+
+class _FakePool:
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
+        self.executed: list[str] = []
+
+    async def execute(self, sql: str, *args):  # noqa: ANN002
+        self.executed.append(sql)
+        return "UPDATE 3"
+
+
+@pytest.fixture()
+def fake_pool(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> _FakePool:
+    pool = _FakePool()
+
+    async def _get_pool() -> _FakePool:
+        return pool
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(db, "get_pool", _get_pool)
+    return pool
+
+
+def _run(coro):
+    loop = asyncio.new_event_loop()
+    try:
+        return loop.run_until_complete(coro)
+    finally:
+        loop.close()
+
+
+def _norm(sql: str) -> str:
+    return " ".join(sql.split())
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("kind,status_col,req_col", [
+    ("halacha", "halacha_extraction_status", "halacha_extraction_requested_at"),
+    ("metadata", "metadata_extraction_status", "metadata_extraction_requested_at"),
+])
+def test_reconcile_targets_eligible_unstamped_pending(fake_pool, kind, status_col, req_col):
+    n = _run(db.reconcile_orphaned_pending_extractions(kind=kind))
+    assert n == 3
+    sql = _norm(fake_pool.executed[0])
+    # Only pending rows with NO queue stamp...
+    assert f"{status_col} = 'pending'" in sql, sql
+    assert f"{req_col} IS NULL" in sql, sql
+    # ...and only EXTRACTION-eligible ones (shared #140 predicate — no parallel rule).
+    assert _norm(db.EXTRACTION_ELIGIBLE_PREDICATE) in sql, sql
+    # It stamps the queue + re-affirms pending.
+    assert f"{req_col} = now()" in sql, sql
+
+
+def test_reconcile_distinct_from_requeue_stale(fake_pool):
+    """reconcile handles 'pending'; requeue_stale handles 'processing' — separate."""
+    _run(db.reconcile_orphaned_pending_extractions(kind="halacha"))
+    sql = _norm(fake_pool.executed[0])
+    assert "= 'processing'" not in sql, sql
+
+
+def test_request_halacha_sets_pending_status(fake_pool):
+    """#139 drift fix — request_halacha_extraction writes status+stamp together."""
+    _run(db.request_halacha_extraction("00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000"))
+    sql = _norm(fake_pool.executed[0])
+    assert "halacha_extraction_requested_at = now()" in sql, sql
+    assert "halacha_extraction_status = 'pending'" in sql, sql