diff --git a/pkg/workflow/config_helpers.go b/pkg/workflow/config_helpers.go
index 83c6ec7057..1cb70b327e 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/config_helpers.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/config_helpers.go
@@ -181,6 +181,40 @@ func parseAllowedLabelsFromConfig(configMap map[string]any) []string {
 // to consolidate all time parsing logic in a single location. These functions are used
 // for parsing expiration configurations in safe output jobs.
 
+// preprocessExpiresField handles the common expires field preprocessing pattern.
+// This function:
+//  1. Parses the expires value through parseExpiresFromConfig (handles integers, strings, and boolean false)
+//  2. Handles explicit disablement when expires=false (returns -1)
+//  3. Normalizes the value to hours and updates configData["expires"] in place
+//  4. Logs the parsed value with the provided logger
+//
+// Returns true if expires was explicitly disabled with false, false otherwise.
+// This helper consolidates duplicate preprocessing logic used in parseIssuesConfig and parseDiscussionsConfig.
+func preprocessExpiresField(configData map[string]any, log *logger.Logger) bool {
+	expiresDisabled := false
+	if configData != nil {
+		if expires, exists := configData["expires"]; exists {
+			// Always parse the expires value through parseExpiresFromConfig
+			// This handles: integers (days), strings (time specs like "48h"), and boolean false
+			expiresInt := parseExpiresFromConfig(configData)
+			if expiresInt == -1 {
+				// Explicitly disabled with false
+				expiresDisabled = true
+				configData["expires"] = 0
+			} else if expiresInt > 0 {
+				configData["expires"] = expiresInt
+			} else {
+				// Invalid or missing - set to 0
+				configData["expires"] = 0
+			}
+			if log != nil {
+				log.Printf("Parsed expires value %v to %d hours (disabled=%t)", expires, expiresInt, expiresDisabled)
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	return expiresDisabled
+}
+
 // ParseIntFromConfig is a generic helper that extracts and validates an integer value from a map.
 // Supports int, int64, float64, and uint64 types.
 // Returns the integer value, or 0 if not present or invalid.
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/config_parsing_helpers_test.go b/pkg/workflow/config_parsing_helpers_test.go
index fadc223f62..9c3562e15c 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/config_parsing_helpers_test.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/config_parsing_helpers_test.go
@@ -952,6 +952,124 @@ func TestParseBoolFromConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestPreprocessExpiresField(t *testing.T) {
+	tests := []struct {
+		name             string
+		input            map[string]any
+		expectedDisabled bool
+		expectedValue    int
+	}{
+		{
+			name: "valid integer days - converted to hours",
+			input: map[string]any{
+				"expires": 7,
+			},
+			expectedDisabled: false,
+			expectedValue:    168, // 7 days * 24 hours
+		},
+		{
+			name: "valid string format - 48h",
+			input: map[string]any{
+				"expires": "48h",
+			},
+			expectedDisabled: false,
+			expectedValue:    48,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "valid string format - 7d",
+			input: map[string]any{
+				"expires": "7d",
+			},
+			expectedDisabled: false,
+			expectedValue:    168,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "explicitly disabled with false",
+			input: map[string]any{
+				"expires": false,
+			},
+			expectedDisabled: true,
+			expectedValue:    0,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "invalid - true boolean",
+			input: map[string]any{
+				"expires": true,
+			},
+			expectedDisabled: false,
+			expectedValue:    0,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "invalid - 1 hour (below minimum)",
+			input: map[string]any{
+				"expires": "1h",
+			},
+			expectedDisabled: false,
+			expectedValue:    0,
+		},
+		{
+			name: "valid - 2 hours (at minimum)",
+			input: map[string]any{
+				"expires": "2h",
+			},
+			expectedDisabled: false,
+			expectedValue:    2,
+		},
+		{
+			name:             "no expires field",
+			input:            map[string]any{},
+			expectedDisabled: false,
+			expectedValue:    0, // configData["expires"] not set when field missing
+		},
+		{
+			name: "invalid string format",
+			input: map[string]any{
+				"expires": "invalid",
+			},
+			expectedDisabled: false,
+			expectedValue:    0,
+		},
+		{
+			name:             "nil configData",
+			input:            nil,
+			expectedDisabled: false,
+			expectedValue:    0,
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range tests {
+		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			// Make a copy of input to check modification
+			var configData map[string]any
+			if tt.input != nil {
+				configData = make(map[string]any)
+				for k, v := range tt.input {
+					configData[k] = v
+				}
+			}
+
+			disabled := preprocessExpiresField(configData, nil)
+
+			if disabled != tt.expectedDisabled {
+				t.Errorf("expected disabled=%v, got %v", tt.expectedDisabled, disabled)
+			}
+
+			// Check that configData["expires"] was updated (if configData is not nil)
+			if configData != nil && tt.input != nil {
+				if _, exists := tt.input["expires"]; exists {
+					expiresValue, ok := configData["expires"].(int)
+					if !ok && configData["expires"] != nil {
+						t.Errorf("expected expires to be int, got %T", configData["expires"])
+					}
+					if expiresValue != tt.expectedValue {
+						t.Errorf("expected configData[\"expires\"]=%d, got %d", tt.expectedValue, expiresValue)
+					}
+				}
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
 func TestUnmarshalConfig(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		name        string
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/create_discussion.go b/pkg/workflow/create_discussion.go
index 52610b4d09..4e73c449c5 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/create_discussion.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/create_discussion.go
@@ -38,25 +38,7 @@ func (c *Compiler) parseDiscussionsConfig(outputMap map[string]any) *CreateDiscu
 	configData, _ := outputMap["create-discussion"].(map[string]any)
 
 	// Pre-process the expires field (convert to hours before unmarshaling)
-	expiresDisabled := false
-	if configData != nil {
-		if expires, exists := configData["expires"]; exists {
-			// Always parse the expires value through parseExpiresFromConfig
-			// This handles: integers (days), strings (time specs like "48h"), and boolean false
-			expiresInt := parseExpiresFromConfig(configData)
-			if expiresInt == -1 {
-				// Explicitly disabled with false
-				expiresDisabled = true
-				configData["expires"] = 0
-			} else if expiresInt > 0 {
-				configData["expires"] = expiresInt
-			} else {
-				// Invalid or missing - set to 0
-				configData["expires"] = 0
-			}
-			discussionLog.Printf("Parsed expires value %v to %d hours (disabled=%t)", expires, expiresInt, expiresDisabled)
-		}
-	}
+	expiresDisabled := preprocessExpiresField(configData, discussionLog)
 
 	// Unmarshal into typed config struct
 	var config CreateDiscussionsConfig
diff --git a/pkg/workflow/create_issue.go b/pkg/workflow/create_issue.go
index f296c5ac5f..184a6ef02e 100644
--- a/pkg/workflow/create_issue.go
+++ b/pkg/workflow/create_issue.go
@@ -35,25 +35,7 @@ func (c *Compiler) parseIssuesConfig(outputMap map[string]any) *CreateIssuesConf
 	configData, _ := outputMap["create-issue"].(map[string]any)
 
 	// Pre-process the expires field (convert to hours before unmarshaling)
-	expiresDisabled := false
-	if configData != nil {
-		if expires, exists := configData["expires"]; exists {
-			// Always parse the expires value through parseExpiresFromConfig
-			// This handles: integers (days), strings (time specs like "48h"), and boolean false
-			expiresInt := parseExpiresFromConfig(configData)
-			if expiresInt == -1 {
-				// Explicitly disabled with false
-				expiresDisabled = true
-				configData["expires"] = 0
-			} else if expiresInt > 0 {
-				configData["expires"] = expiresInt
-			} else {
-				// Invalid or missing - set to 0
-				configData["expires"] = 0
-			}
-			createIssueLog.Printf("Parsed expires value %v to %d hours (disabled=%t)", expires, expiresInt, expiresDisabled)
-		}
-	}
+	expiresDisabled := preprocessExpiresField(configData, createIssueLog)
 
 	// Unmarshal into typed config struct
 	var config CreateIssuesConfig