diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index aeff6ca03..9c761d94b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 ### Changes
 
 - Bump the injected nREPL version to 1.0.
+- [#3291](https://github.com/clojure-emacs/cider/pull/3291): **Remove** the `'cljs-pending` `repl-type`. It is replaced by `cider-repl-cljs-upgrade-pending`.
 
 ### Bugs fixed
 
diff --git a/cider-connection.el b/cider-connection.el
index c4f7a4d91..147199cbc 100644
--- a/cider-connection.el
+++ b/cider-connection.el
@@ -315,11 +315,11 @@ See `cider-connection-capabilities'."
              (_ '()))
            (when
                (or
-                (member cider-repl-type '(cljs pending-cljs))
+                (eq cider-repl-type 'cljs)
                 ;; This check is currently basically for nbb.
                 ;; See `cider-sync-tooling-eval', but it is defined on a higher layer
                 (nrepl-dict-get
-                 (nrepl-sync-request:eval "cljs.core/demunge" (current-buffer) (cider-current-ns) 'tooling)
+                 (nrepl-sync-request:eval "cljs.core/demunge" (current-buffer) nil 'tooling)
                  "value"))
              '(cljs))))))
 
@@ -762,10 +762,17 @@ Session name can be customized with `cider-session-name-template'."
 (defvar-local cider-repl-type nil
   "The type of this REPL buffer, usually either clj or cljs.")
 
+(defvar-local cider-repl-cljs-upgrade-pending nil
+  "Is the cljs repl currently pending?")
+
 (defun cider-repl-type (repl-buffer)
   "Get REPL-BUFFER's type."
   (buffer-local-value 'cider-repl-type repl-buffer))
 
+(defun cider-cljs-pending-p (repl-buffer)
+  "Returns non nil when REPL-BUFFER is currently a pending cljs repl."
+  (buffer-local-value 'cider-repl-cljs-upgrade-pending repl-buffer))
+
 (defun cider-repl-type-for-buffer (&optional buffer)
   "Return the matching connection type (clj or cljs) for BUFFER.
 BUFFER defaults to the `current-buffer'.  In cljc buffers return
@@ -812,13 +819,13 @@ PARAMS is a plist as received by `cider-repl-create'."
     (let* ((proj-dir (plist-get params :project-dir))
            (host (plist-get params :host))
            (port (plist-get params :port))
-           (cljsp (member (plist-get params :repl-type) '(cljs pending-cljs)))
+           (cljsp (member (plist-get params :repl-type) '(cljs)))
            (scored-repls
             (delq nil
                   (mapcar (lambda (b)
                             (let ((bparams (cider--gather-connect-params nil b)))
                               (when (eq cljsp (member (plist-get bparams :repl-type)
-                                                      '(cljs pending-cljs)))
+                                                      '(cljs)))
                                 (cons (buffer-name b)
                                       (+
                                        (if (equal proj-dir (plist-get bparams :project-dir)) 8 0)
@@ -866,8 +873,9 @@ function with the repl buffer set as current."
             mode-name nil
             cider-session-name ses-name
             nrepl-project-dir (plist-get params :project-dir)
-            ;; REPLs start with clj and then "upgrade" to a different type
+            ;; Cljs repls are pending until they are upgraded. See cider-repl--state-handler
             cider-repl-type (plist-get params :repl-type)
+            cider-repl-cljs-upgrade-pending (plist-get params :cider-repl-cljs-upgrade-pending)
             ;; ran at the end of cider--connected-handler
             cider-repl-init-function (plist-get params :repl-init-function)
             cider-launch-params params)
@@ -985,7 +993,9 @@ throw an error if no linked session exists."
                              (sesman-ensure-session 'CIDER)
                            (sesman-current-session 'CIDER)))))))
     (or (seq-filter (lambda (b)
-                      (cider--match-repl-type type b))
+                      (unless
+                          (cider-cljs-pending-p b)
+                        (cider--match-repl-type type b)))
                     repls)
         (when ensure
           (cider--no-repls-user-error type)))))
diff --git a/cider-repl.el b/cider-repl.el
index 80f47ec04..1ab3898cc 100644
--- a/cider-repl.el
+++ b/cider-repl.el
@@ -224,6 +224,8 @@ This cache is stored in the connection buffer.")
       (nrepl-dbind-response response (repl-type changed-namespaces)
         (when (and repl-type cider-repl-auto-detect-type)
           (cider-set-repl-type repl-type))
+        (when (eq (cider-maybe-intern repl-type) 'cljs)
+          (setq cider-repl-cljs-upgrade-pending nil))
         (unless (nrepl-dict-empty-p changed-namespaces)
           (setq cider-repl-ns-cache (nrepl-dict-merge cider-repl-ns-cache changed-namespaces))
           (dolist (b (buffer-list))
diff --git a/cider.el b/cider.el
index 5031096f7..dc44e1cfc 100644
--- a/cider.el
+++ b/cider.el
@@ -1258,7 +1258,8 @@ server buffer, in which case a new session for that server is created."
        (cider--update-cljs-type)
        (cider--update-cljs-init-function)
        (plist-put :session-name ses-name)
-       (plist-put :repl-type 'pending-cljs)))))
+       (plist-put :repl-type 'cljs)
+       (plist-put :cider-repl-cljs-upgrade-pending t)))))
 
 ;;;###autoload
 (defun cider-connect-clj (&optional params)
@@ -1292,7 +1293,8 @@ parameters regardless of their supplied or default values."
      (cider--update-cljs-type)
      (cider--update-cljs-init-function)
      (plist-put :session-name nil)
-     (plist-put :repl-type 'pending-cljs))))
+     (plist-put :repl-type 'cljs)
+     (plist-put :cider-repl-cljs-upgrade-pending t))))
 
 ;;;###autoload
 (defun cider-connect-clj&cljs (params &optional soft-cljs-start)