diff --git a/docs/rag/lifecycle/intent-verbs.md b/docs/rag/lifecycle/intent-verbs.md
index 8f22c414..6ebc348f 100644
--- a/docs/rag/lifecycle/intent-verbs.md
+++ b/docs/rag/lifecycle/intent-verbs.md
@@ -173,7 +173,7 @@ Cell PM bubbles a finished cell-scope task up to Main PM.
 
 **Composes:** submit_pm_review
 
-**Side effects:** create_pr
+**Pre side effects:** create_pr
 
 
 ## triage
diff --git a/panel/lib/lifecycle.json b/panel/lib/lifecycle.json
index 73286997..f4f1066f 100644
--- a/panel/lib/lifecycle.json
+++ b/panel/lib/lifecycle.json
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
       "composes": [],
       "description": "Claim awaiting_documentation. Returns evidence inline.",
       "name": "claim_doc_task",
+      "pre_side_effects": [],
       "side_effects": []
     },
     {
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@
       "composes": [],
       "description": "Claim a task in awaiting_qa for review. Returns evidence inline.",
       "name": "claim_review",
+      "pre_side_effects": [],
       "side_effects": []
     },
     {
@@ -51,6 +53,7 @@
       ],
       "description": "Cell PM merges leaf PR + transitions to completed; Main PM merges root PR + escalates to CEO.",
       "name": "complete",
+      "pre_side_effects": [],
       "side_effects": [
         "pr_merge"
       ]
@@ -65,6 +68,7 @@
       ],
       "description": "Create a subtask under the current task. Validates the delegation chain (main_pm->cell_pm; cell_pm->its team's devs) and the assignee-vs-task_type rule (Cell PMs get planning-typed tasks; devs get code/documentation).",
       "name": "delegate",
+      "pre_side_effects": [],
       "side_effects": []
     },
     {
@@ -78,6 +82,7 @@
       ],
       "description": "Escalate to CEO with reason. Transitions to awaiting_ceo_approval.",
       "name": "escalate_to_ceo",
+      "pre_side_effects": [],
       "side_effects": []
     },
     {
@@ -88,6 +93,7 @@
       "composes": [],
       "description": "Escalate to your role's escalation_target.",
       "name": "escalate_up",
+      "pre_side_effects": [],
       "side_effects": []
     },
     {
@@ -99,6 +105,7 @@
       ],
       "description": "Fail QA with concrete issues. Transitions to needs_revision.",
       "name": "fail_review",
+      "pre_side_effects": [],
       "side_effects": []
     },
     {
@@ -112,6 +119,7 @@
       "composes": [],
       "description": "Return your most-actionable task or signal idle.",
       "name": "give_me_work",
+      "pre_side_effects": [],
       "side_effects": []
     },
     {
@@ -125,6 +133,7 @@
       ],
       "description": "Escalate to PM. Logs a struggle journal entry.",
       "name": "i_am_blocked",
+      "pre_side_effects": [],
       "side_effects": []
     },
     {
@@ -137,6 +146,7 @@
       ],
       "description": "Submit work for QA. Auto-runs in_progress->verifying then verifying->awaiting_qa. Strict - PR must be open (call open_pr first) and >=1 commit.",
       "name": "i_am_done",
+      "pre_side_effects": [],
       "side_effects": []
     },
     {
@@ -153,6 +163,7 @@
       "composes": [],
       "description": "Signal you have no active work. PMs auto-pause owned in_progress tasks.",
       "name": "i_am_idle",
+      "pre_side_effects": [],
       "side_effects": []
     },
     {
@@ -164,6 +175,7 @@
       ],
       "description": "Signal docs complete. Transitions to awaiting_pm_review.",
       "name": "i_documented",
+      "pre_side_effects": [],
       "side_effects": []
     },
     {
@@ -178,6 +190,7 @@
       ],
       "description": "PM mirror of i_will_work_on for parent tasks. Claim, plan, transition to in_progress; from there delegate subtasks.",
       "name": "i_will_plan",
+      "pre_side_effects": [],
       "side_effects": []
     },
     {
@@ -191,6 +204,7 @@
       ],
       "description": "Claim a task, set the plan, and transition to in_progress. Atomic - preconditions checked before any state mutation.",
       "name": "i_will_work_on",
+      "pre_side_effects": [],
       "side_effects": []
     },
     {
@@ -200,6 +214,7 @@
       "composes": [],
       "description": "Push the branch and open a PR. Atomic - preconditions (assignee, >=1 commit, no prior PR) checked BEFORE any git operation. After success, call i_am_done.",
       "name": "open_pr",
+      "pre_side_effects": [],
       "side_effects": [
         "push_branch",
         "create_pr"
@@ -214,6 +229,7 @@
       ],
       "description": "Pass QA. Transitions awaiting_qa -> awaiting_documentation.",
       "name": "pass_review",
+      "pre_side_effects": [],
       "side_effects": []
     },
     {
@@ -229,6 +245,7 @@
       ],
       "description": "Resume a paused task you own. paused -> in_progress.",
       "name": "resume",
+      "pre_side_effects": [],
       "side_effects": []
     },
     {
@@ -240,9 +257,10 @@
       ],
       "description": "Cell PM bubbles a finished cell-scope task up to Main PM.",
       "name": "submit_up",
-      "side_effects": [
+      "pre_side_effects": [
         "create_pr"
-      ]
+      ],
+      "side_effects": []
     },
     {
       "allowed_roles": [
@@ -255,6 +273,7 @@
       "composes": [],
       "description": "List actionable tasks in your scope.",
       "name": "triage",
+      "pre_side_effects": [],
       "side_effects": []
     },
     {
@@ -264,6 +283,7 @@
       "composes": [],
       "description": "List actionable tasks across all teams (Main PM only).",
       "name": "triage_all",
+      "pre_side_effects": [],
       "side_effects": []
     },
     {
@@ -276,6 +296,7 @@
       ],
       "description": "PM unblocks a blocked task; restores pre-block state.",
       "name": "unblock",
+      "pre_side_effects": [],
       "side_effects": []
     },
     {
@@ -289,6 +310,7 @@
       "composes": [],
       "description": "Voluntarily release a claim back to pending. The work-in-progress branch is preserved.",
       "name": "unclaim",
+      "pre_side_effects": [],
       "side_effects": []
     }
   ],
diff --git a/roboco/foundation/_generators.py b/roboco/foundation/_generators.py
index a2eaa8c3..5610d854 100644
--- a/roboco/foundation/_generators.py
+++ b/roboco/foundation/_generators.py
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ def _intent_verb_section(iv: IntentSpec) -> list[str]:
         f"**Allowed roles:** {', '.join(roles)}\n",
         _composes_line(iv),
     ]
+    if iv.pre_side_effects:
+        section.append(f"**Pre side effects:** {', '.join(iv.pre_side_effects)}\n")
     if iv.side_effects:
         section.append(f"**Side effects:** {', '.join(iv.side_effects)}\n")
     if iv.extra_preconditions:
@@ -86,6 +88,7 @@ def _intent_to_panel_dict(iv: IntentSpec) -> dict[str, Any]:
         "description": iv.description,
         "allowed_roles": sorted(r.value for r in iv.allowed_roles),
         "composes": list(iv.composes),
+        "pre_side_effects": list(iv.pre_side_effects),
         "side_effects": list(iv.side_effects),
     }
 
diff --git a/roboco/foundation/policy/lifecycle.py b/roboco/foundation/policy/lifecycle.py
index 6d904156..2d9f7c21 100644
--- a/roboco/foundation/policy/lifecycle.py
+++ b/roboco/foundation/policy/lifecycle.py
@@ -186,6 +186,10 @@ class IntentSpec:
     don't cover (e.g. open_pr's "no PR already open" check).
     `side_effects` is a tuple of named git/branch/PR operations the
     runner invokes after the DB savepoint commits.
+    `pre_side_effects` are git/branch/PR operations the runner invokes
+    BEFORE the composing actions — for transitions that depend on a git
+    op having already run (e.g. submit_up must open the cell→root PR
+    before submit_pm_review's pr_created gate can pass).
     """
 
     name: str
@@ -195,6 +199,7 @@ class IntentSpec:
     extra_preconditions: tuple[Precondition, ...]
     side_effects: tuple[str, ...]
     next_hint: Callable[[Any], str]
+    pre_side_effects: tuple[str, ...] = ()
 
 
 @dataclass(frozen=True)
@@ -971,7 +976,13 @@ _INTENT_VERBS: dict[str, IntentSpec] = {
         description="Cell PM bubbles a finished cell-scope task up to Main PM.",
         composes=("submit_pm_review",),
         extra_preconditions=(),
-        side_effects=("create_pr",),
+        # The cell→root PR must exist BEFORE submit_pm_review runs — its
+        # pr_created gate rejects (returning None) otherwise, which then
+        # crashed the trailing create_pr on a None task. create_pr persists
+        # pr_number onto the task row, so submit_pm_review (which re-fetches)
+        # sees pr_created=True. Mirrors the dev's open_pr→i_am_done split.
+        pre_side_effects=("create_pr",),
+        side_effects=(),
         next_hint=lambda _t: "idle until Main PM reviews",
     ),
     "unblock": IntentSpec(
diff --git a/roboco/services/gateway/choreographer/_verb_runner.py b/roboco/services/gateway/choreographer/_verb_runner.py
index 3fd30434..fe8d43fe 100644
--- a/roboco/services/gateway/choreographer/_verb_runner.py
+++ b/roboco/services/gateway/choreographer/_verb_runner.py
@@ -41,13 +41,19 @@ class VerbRunner:
         agent: Any,
         context: spec.Context,
     ) -> Any:
-        """Run composed atomic actions in order, then side effects.
+        """Run pre-side-effects, then composed atomic actions, then side effects.
+
+        Most verbs only need composes→side_effects. A few (submit_up) need a
+        git op to run BEFORE the DB transition it gates — those declare
+        ``pre_side_effects`` which run first, outside the savepoint.
 
         Returns the final task object (post-composition). Raises whatever
         the underlying TaskService methods raise; the savepoint context
         rolls the DB back on raise.
         """
         intent = spec._INTENT_VERBS[intent_name]
+        for side_effect_name in intent.pre_side_effects:
+            await self._dispatch_side_effect(side_effect_name, task, agent)
         async with self.task_service.session.begin_nested():
             for action_name in intent.composes:
                 task = await self._dispatch_atomic(action_name, task, agent, context)
diff --git a/tests/unit/gateway/test_verb_runner.py b/tests/unit/gateway/test_verb_runner.py
index 9199b2c5..bc1d1f93 100644
--- a/tests/unit/gateway/test_verb_runner.py
+++ b/tests/unit/gateway/test_verb_runner.py
@@ -80,6 +80,60 @@ async def test_runner_runs_side_effects_after_db_commit() -> None:
     git_svc.create_pr.assert_awaited_once()
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_submit_up_creates_pr_before_transition() -> None:
+    """#180: submit_up's create_pr (pre_side_effect) runs BEFORE the
+    submit_pm_review transition.
+
+    submit_pm_review rejects (returns None) unless pr_created is already
+    set; create_pr persists pr_number onto the task row. With the old
+    composes→side_effects ordering the transition ran first, returned
+    None, and the trailing create_pr crashed on ``None.branch_name``.
+    """
+    calls: list[str] = []
+
+    task_svc = AsyncMock()
+    task_svc.session.begin_nested = MagicMock(
+        return_value=MagicMock(__aenter__=AsyncMock(), __aexit__=AsyncMock())
+    )
+
+    def _submit_pm_review(*_args: object, **_kwargs: object) -> MagicMock:
+        calls.append("submit_pm_review")
+        return MagicMock(status="awaiting_pm_review")
+
+    task_svc.submit_pm_review = AsyncMock(side_effect=_submit_pm_review)
+
+    git_svc = AsyncMock()
+
+    def _create_pr(*_args: object, **_kwargs: object) -> dict[str, int]:
+        calls.append("create_pr")
+        return {"pr_number": 31}
+
+    git_svc.create_pr = AsyncMock(side_effect=_create_pr)
+    runner = VerbRunner(task_service=task_svc, git_service=git_svc)
+
+    task = MagicMock(
+        id=uuid4(),
+        status="in_progress",
+        branch_name="feature/backend/ABC12345--DEF67890",
+    )
+    agent = MagicMock(id=uuid4(), role="cell_pm")
+    ctx = spec.Context(notes="cell scope complete; bubbling up to main pm")
+
+    await runner.run_intent("submit_up", task, agent, ctx)
+    assert calls == ["create_pr", "submit_pm_review"], (
+        f"create_pr must precede submit_pm_review for submit_up; got {calls}"
+    )
+
+
+def test_submit_up_spec_pins_pr_before_transition() -> None:
+    """The submit_up spec declares create_pr as a pre_side_effect, not a
+    trailing side_effect — the ordering fix lives in the spec."""
+    submit_up = spec._INTENT_VERBS["submit_up"]
+    assert submit_up.pre_side_effects == ("create_pr",)
+    assert "create_pr" not in submit_up.side_effects
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_runner_does_not_run_side_effects_if_compose_fails() -> None:
     """If a composed atomic action raises, side effects must NOT run."""