diff --git a/cmd/bd/close.go b/cmd/bd/close.go
index 7affcabe..2bc2b917 100644
--- a/cmd/bd/close.go
+++ b/cmd/bd/close.go
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ create, update, show, or close operation).`,
 					Reason:      reason,
 					Session:     session,
 					SuggestNext: suggestNext,
+					Force:       force,
 				}
 				resp, err := daemonClient.CloseIssue(closeArgs)
 				if err != nil {
@@ -191,6 +192,21 @@ create, update, show, or close operation).`,
 					continue
 				}
 
+				// Check if issue has open blockers (GH#962)
+				if !force {
+					blocked, blockers, err := result.Store.IsBlocked(ctx, result.ResolvedID)
+					if err != nil {
+						result.Close()
+						fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Error checking blockers for %s: %v\n", id, err)
+						continue
+					}
+					if blocked && len(blockers) > 0 {
+						result.Close()
+						fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "cannot close %s: blocked by open issues %v (use --force to override)\n", id, blockers)
+						continue
+					}
+				}
+
 				if err := result.Store.CloseIssue(ctx, result.ResolvedID, reason, actor, session); err != nil {
 					result.Close()
 					fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Error closing %s: %v\n", id, err)
@@ -240,6 +256,19 @@ create, update, show, or close operation).`,
 				continue
 			}
 
+			// Check if issue has open blockers (GH#962)
+			if !force {
+				blocked, blockers, err := store.IsBlocked(ctx, id)
+				if err != nil {
+					fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Error checking blockers for %s: %v\n", id, err)
+					continue
+				}
+				if blocked && len(blockers) > 0 {
+					fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "cannot close %s: blocked by open issues %v (use --force to override)\n", id, blockers)
+					continue
+				}
+			}
+
 			if err := store.CloseIssue(ctx, id, reason, actor, session); err != nil {
 				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Error closing %s: %v\n", id, err)
 				continue
@@ -283,6 +312,21 @@ create, update, show, or close operation).`,
 				continue
 			}
 
+			// Check if issue has open blockers (GH#962)
+			if !force {
+				blocked, blockers, err := result.Store.IsBlocked(ctx, result.ResolvedID)
+				if err != nil {
+					result.Close()
+					fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Error checking blockers for %s: %v\n", id, err)
+					continue
+				}
+				if blocked && len(blockers) > 0 {
+					result.Close()
+					fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "cannot close %s: blocked by open issues %v (use --force to override)\n", id, blockers)
+					continue
+				}
+			}
+
 			if err := result.Store.CloseIssue(ctx, result.ResolvedID, reason, actor, session); err != nil {
 				result.Close()
 				fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Error closing %s: %v\n", id, err)
diff --git a/internal/rpc/protocol.go b/internal/rpc/protocol.go
index 362292cb..14612132 100644
--- a/internal/rpc/protocol.go
+++ b/internal/rpc/protocol.go
@@ -174,6 +174,7 @@ type CloseArgs struct {
 	Reason      string `json:"reason,omitempty"`
 	Session     string `json:"session,omitempty"`      // Claude Code session ID that closed this issue
 	SuggestNext bool   `json:"suggest_next,omitempty"` // Return newly unblocked issues (GH#679)
+	Force       bool   `json:"force,omitempty"`        // Force close even with open blockers (GH#962)
 }
 
 // CloseResult is returned when SuggestNext is true (GH#679)
diff --git a/internal/rpc/server_issues_epics.go b/internal/rpc/server_issues_epics.go
index 795a07b6..5dd4b3f0 100644
--- a/internal/rpc/server_issues_epics.go
+++ b/internal/rpc/server_issues_epics.go
@@ -831,6 +831,23 @@ func (s *Server) handleClose(req *Request) Response {
 		}
 	}
 
+	// Check if issue has open blockers (GH#962)
+	if !closeArgs.Force {
+		blocked, blockers, err := store.IsBlocked(ctx, closeArgs.ID)
+		if err != nil {
+			return Response{
+				Success: false,
+				Error:   fmt.Sprintf("failed to check blockers: %v", err),
+			}
+		}
+		if blocked && len(blockers) > 0 {
+			return Response{
+				Success: false,
+				Error:   fmt.Sprintf("cannot close %s: blocked by open issues %v (use --force to override)", closeArgs.ID, blockers),
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	// Capture old status for rich mutation event
 	oldStatus := ""
 	if issue != nil {
diff --git a/internal/storage/memory/memory.go b/internal/storage/memory/memory.go
index 51a76027..7c0549c0 100644
--- a/internal/storage/memory/memory.go
+++ b/internal/storage/memory/memory.go
@@ -1281,6 +1281,19 @@ func (m *MemoryStorage) GetBlockedIssues(ctx context.Context, filter types.WorkF
 	return results, nil
 }
 
+// IsBlocked checks if an issue is blocked by open dependencies (GH#962).
+// Returns true if the issue has open blockers, along with the list of blocker IDs.
+func (m *MemoryStorage) IsBlocked(ctx context.Context, issueID string) (bool, []string, error) {
+	m.mu.RLock()
+	defer m.mu.RUnlock()
+
+	blockers := m.getOpenBlockers(issueID)
+	if len(blockers) == 0 {
+		return false, nil, nil
+	}
+	return true, blockers, nil
+}
+
 // getAllDescendants returns all descendant IDs of a parent issue recursively
 func (m *MemoryStorage) getAllDescendants(parentID string) map[string]bool {
 	descendants := make(map[string]bool)
diff --git a/internal/storage/sqlite/ready.go b/internal/storage/sqlite/ready.go
index 45358376..60b05739 100644
--- a/internal/storage/sqlite/ready.go
+++ b/internal/storage/sqlite/ready.go
@@ -680,6 +680,52 @@ func filterBlockedByExternalDeps(ctx context.Context, blocked []*types.BlockedIs
 	return result
 }
 
+// IsBlocked checks if an issue is blocked by open dependencies (GH#962).
+// Returns true if the issue is in the blocked_issues_cache, along with a list
+// of issue IDs that are blocking it.
+// This is used to prevent closing issues that still have open blockers.
+func (s *SQLiteStorage) IsBlocked(ctx context.Context, issueID string) (bool, []string, error) {
+	// First check if the issue is in the blocked cache
+	var inCache bool
+	err := s.db.QueryRowContext(ctx, `
+		SELECT EXISTS(SELECT 1 FROM blocked_issues_cache WHERE issue_id = ?)
+	`, issueID).Scan(&inCache)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to check blocked status: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	if !inCache {
+		return false, nil, nil
+	}
+
+	// Get the blocking issue IDs
+	// We query dependencies for 'blocks' type where the blocker is still open
+	rows, err := s.db.QueryContext(ctx, `
+		SELECT d.depends_on_id
+		FROM dependencies d
+		JOIN issues blocker ON d.depends_on_id = blocker.id
+		WHERE d.issue_id = ?
+		  AND d.type = 'blocks'
+		  AND blocker.status IN ('open', 'in_progress', 'blocked', 'deferred', 'hooked')
+		ORDER BY blocker.priority ASC
+	`, issueID)
+	if err != nil {
+		return true, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to get blockers: %w", err)
+	}
+	defer func() { _ = rows.Close() }()
+
+	var blockers []string
+	for rows.Next() {
+		var blockerID string
+		if err := rows.Scan(&blockerID); err != nil {
+			return true, nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to scan blocker ID: %w", err)
+		}
+		blockers = append(blockers, blockerID)
+	}
+
+	return true, blockers, rows.Err()
+}
+
 // GetNewlyUnblockedByClose returns issues that became unblocked when the given issue was closed.
 // This is used by the --suggest-next flag on bd close to show what work is now available.
 // An issue is "newly unblocked" if:
diff --git a/internal/storage/sqlite/ready_test.go b/internal/storage/sqlite/ready_test.go
index a07fa982..b1735036 100644
--- a/internal/storage/sqlite/ready_test.go
+++ b/internal/storage/sqlite/ready_test.go
@@ -1855,3 +1855,53 @@ func TestParentIDEmptyParent(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Expected 0 ready issues for empty parent, got %d", len(ready))
 	}
 }
+
+// TestIsBlocked tests the IsBlocked method (GH#962)
+func TestIsBlocked(t *testing.T) {
+	env := newTestEnv(t)
+	ctx := context.Background()
+
+	// Create issues:
+	// issue1: open, no dependencies → NOT BLOCKED
+	// issue2: open, depends on issue1 (open) → BLOCKED by issue1
+	// issue3: open, depends on issue4 (closed) → NOT BLOCKED (blocker is closed)
+	issue1 := env.CreateIssue("Open No Deps")
+	issue2 := env.CreateIssue("Blocked by open")
+	issue3 := env.CreateIssue("Blocked by closed")
+	issue4 := env.CreateIssue("Will be closed")
+
+	env.AddDep(issue2, issue1) // issue2 depends on issue1 (open)
+	env.AddDep(issue3, issue4) // issue3 depends on issue4
+
+	env.Close(issue4, "Done") // Close issue4
+
+	// Test issue1: not blocked
+	blocked, blockers, err := env.Store.IsBlocked(ctx, issue1.ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("IsBlocked failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	if blocked {
+		t.Errorf("Expected issue1 to NOT be blocked, got blocked=true with blockers=%v", blockers)
+	}
+
+	// Test issue2: blocked by issue1
+	blocked, blockers, err = env.Store.IsBlocked(ctx, issue2.ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("IsBlocked failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	if !blocked {
+		t.Error("Expected issue2 to be blocked")
+	}
+	if len(blockers) != 1 || blockers[0] != issue1.ID {
+		t.Errorf("Expected blockers=[%s], got %v", issue1.ID, blockers)
+	}
+
+	// Test issue3: not blocked (issue4 is closed)
+	blocked, blockers, err = env.Store.IsBlocked(ctx, issue3.ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("IsBlocked failed: %v", err)
+	}
+	if blocked {
+		t.Errorf("Expected issue3 to NOT be blocked (blocker is closed), got blocked=true with blockers=%v", blockers)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/storage/storage.go b/internal/storage/storage.go
index 9fc94a4b..9cca5dd3 100644
--- a/internal/storage/storage.go
+++ b/internal/storage/storage.go
@@ -110,6 +110,7 @@ type Storage interface {
 	// Ready Work & Blocking
 	GetReadyWork(ctx context.Context, filter types.WorkFilter) ([]*types.Issue, error)
 	GetBlockedIssues(ctx context.Context, filter types.WorkFilter) ([]*types.BlockedIssue, error)
+	IsBlocked(ctx context.Context, issueID string) (bool, []string, error) // GH#962: Check if issue has open blockers
 	GetEpicsEligibleForClosure(ctx context.Context) ([]*types.EpicStatus, error)
 	GetStaleIssues(ctx context.Context, filter types.StaleFilter) ([]*types.Issue, error)
 	GetNewlyUnblockedByClose(ctx context.Context, closedIssueID string) ([]*types.Issue, error) // GH#679
diff --git a/internal/storage/storage_test.go b/internal/storage/storage_test.go
index 6d840f0c..a68ce621 100644
--- a/internal/storage/storage_test.go
+++ b/internal/storage/storage_test.go
@@ -98,6 +98,9 @@ func (m *mockStorage) GetReadyWork(ctx context.Context, filter types.WorkFilter)
 func (m *mockStorage) GetBlockedIssues(ctx context.Context, filter types.WorkFilter) ([]*types.BlockedIssue, error) {
 	return nil, nil
 }
+func (m *mockStorage) IsBlocked(ctx context.Context, issueID string) (bool, []string, error) {
+	return false, nil, nil
+}
 func (m *mockStorage) GetEpicsEligibleForClosure(ctx context.Context) ([]*types.EpicStatus, error) {
 	return nil, nil
 }