diff --git a/.gitlab-ci.yml b/.gitlab-ci.yml
index 9eb6e002f2b..719d6d53c9d 100644
--- a/.gitlab-ci.yml
+++ b/.gitlab-ci.yml
@@ -385,7 +385,16 @@ status_failure:
     - linux
   dependencies: []
 
-notify:
+notify_success:
+  stage: result
+  script: bash maintainer/gh_close_issue.sh
+  when: on_success
+  only:
+    - python
+  tags:
+    - linux
+
+notify_failure:
   stage: result
   script: bash maintainer/gh_create_issue.sh
   when: on_failure
@@ -393,4 +402,3 @@ notify:
     - python
   tags:
     - linux
-  dependencies: []
diff --git a/maintainer/gh_close_issue.sh b/maintainer/gh_close_issue.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000000..9b5bbac254e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/maintainer/gh_close_issue.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,14 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+
+ISSUE_NUMBER=$(curl -s -G https://api.github.com/search/issues \
+     --data-urlencode "q=\"CI failed for merged PR\" org:espressomd repo:espresso is:open is:issue in:title" \
+     --data-urlencode "q=${CI_PIPELINE_ID} org:espressomd repo:espresso is:open is:issue in:body" | jq '.items[0] .number')
+
+if [ "$ISSUE_NUMBER" != "null" ]; then
+curl -s "https://api.github.com/repos/espressomd/espresso/issues/$ISSUE_NUMBER" \
+     -H "Accept: application/vnd.github.full+json" \
+     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
+     -H "Authorization: token $GITHUB_TOKEN" \
+     -X PATCH \
+     -d "{\"state\": \"closed\" }"
+fi
diff --git a/maintainer/gh_create_issue.sh b/maintainer/gh_create_issue.sh
index 3c3082ba66e..23cba531edb 100755
--- a/maintainer/gh_create_issue.sh
+++ b/maintainer/gh_create_issue.sh
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 URL=$(echo "https://gitlab.icp.uni-stuttgart.de/espressomd/espresso/pipelines/${CI_PIPELINE_ID}")
 
-curl -i -s "https://api.github.com/repos/espressomd/espresso/issues" \
+curl -s "https://api.github.com/repos/espressomd/espresso/issues" \
      -H "Accept: application/vnd.github.full+json" \
      -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
      -H "Authorization: token $GITHUB_TOKEN" \