diff --git a/assignbot/__main__.py b/assignbot/__main__.py
index c07f8a48557bd3428d38f0cc5c97220459032545..5b2ce5515d2b085bb8d085d815fa72a3be81b6f7 100644
--- a/assignbot/__main__.py
+++ b/assignbot/__main__.py
@@ -162,6 +162,12 @@ class ReviewAssigner:
         shuffle(merge_requests)
 
         for merge_request in merge_requests:
+            if merge_request.work_in_progress:
+                # double check that the MR is not WIP.
+                # it seems that filtering in the search parameters is not enough
+                # XXX is it a Gitlab bug ?
+                continue
+
             project = self.cnx.projects.get(merge_request.project_id)
             if CLIENT_PROJECT_TAG in project.tag_list:
                 # it's a client project. Let's assume that someone will take