diff --git a/core/kernel/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/core/kernel/orchestration/DefaultSessionOrchestrator.kt b/core/kernel/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/core/kernel/orchestration/DefaultSessionOrchestrator.kt
index b9cf320d..ab6ee780 100644
--- a/core/kernel/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/core/kernel/orchestration/DefaultSessionOrchestrator.kt
+++ b/core/kernel/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/core/kernel/orchestration/DefaultSessionOrchestrator.kt
@@ -661,8 +661,11 @@ class DefaultSessionOrchestrator(
                     .map { it.requestId }
                     .toSet()
                 stageRequestIds.isNotEmpty() && events.any {
-                    (it.payload as? ApprovalDecisionResolvedEvent)
-                        ?.requestId in stageRequestIds
+                    val decision = it.payload as? ApprovalDecisionResolvedEvent
+                    // A REJECTED decision must NOT satisfy the gate on retry/resume, else the stage
+                    // runs unapproved. Only APPROVED/AUTO_APPROVED count as a prior approval.
+                    decision?.requestId in stageRequestIds &&
+                        decision?.outcome != ApprovalOutcome.REJECTED
                 }
             }
             if (!alreadyApproved) {
diff --git a/testing/integration/src/test/kotlin/FreestyleApprovalGateTest.kt b/testing/integration/src/test/kotlin/FreestyleApprovalGateTest.kt
index 76d3d7f1..797a6696 100644
--- a/testing/integration/src/test/kotlin/FreestyleApprovalGateTest.kt
+++ b/testing/integration/src/test/kotlin/FreestyleApprovalGateTest.kt
@@ -209,6 +209,71 @@ class FreestyleApprovalGateTest {
         runJob.join()
     }
 
+    @Test
+    fun `a prior REJECTED decision does not satisfy the gate — it re-prompts, not runs unapproved`(): Unit =
+        runBlocking {
+            val sessionId = SessionId("freestyle-gate-reject")
+            // Pre-seed the log as if the architect gate had already been prompted and REJECTED (the
+            // retry/resume situation): a matching request + a REJECTED decision for it. The pre-fix
+            // predicate matched any decision for the request and skipped the gate, running unapproved.
+            val requestId = com.correx.core.events.types.ApprovalRequestId("seeded-req")
+            eventStore.append(
+                com.correx.testing.fixtures.EventFixtures.newEvent(
+                    com.correx.core.events.types.EventId("seed-req"),
+                    sessionId,
+                    ApprovalRequestedEvent(
+                        requestId = requestId,
+                        tier = Tier.T2,
+                        validationReportId = com.correx.core.events.types.ValidationReportId("vr"),
+                        riskSummaryId = null,
+                        sessionId = sessionId,
+                        stageId = architectStage,
+                        projectId = null,
+                        toolName = null,
+                    ),
+                ),
+            )
+            eventStore.append(
+                com.correx.testing.fixtures.EventFixtures.newEvent(
+                    com.correx.core.events.types.EventId("seed-dec"),
+                    sessionId,
+                    com.correx.core.events.events.ApprovalDecisionResolvedEvent(
+                        decisionId = com.correx.core.events.types.ApprovalDecisionId("seeded-dec"),
+                        requestId = requestId,
+                        outcome = ApprovalOutcome.REJECTED,
+                        status = ApprovalStatus.COMPLETED,
+                        tier = Tier.T2,
+                        resolutionTimestamp = Clock.System.now(),
+                        reason = "operator said no",
+                    ),
+                ),
+            )
+
+            val orchestrator = buildOrchestrator()
+            val config = OrchestrationConfig(retryPolicy = RetryPolicy(maxAttempts = 1, backoffMs = 0))
+            val runJob = launch { orchestrator.run(sessionId, freestyleGraph(), config) }
+
+            // The gate must re-prompt: a SECOND architect approval request appears (the seeded one is
+            // the first). With the bug the seeded REJECTED decision satisfied the gate and no new
+            // request was emitted — the architect ran and the workflow completed unapproved.
+            withTimeout(5_000) {
+                while (
+                    eventStore.read(sessionId)
+                        .mapNotNull { it.payload as? ApprovalRequestedEvent }
+                        .count { it.stageId == architectStage && it.toolName == null } < 2
+                ) {
+                    yield()
+                }
+            }
+
+            assertTrue(
+                eventStore.read(sessionId).none { it.payload is WorkflowCompletedEvent },
+                "Workflow must not complete off a REJECTED decision",
+            )
+            runJob.cancel()
+            runJob.join()
+        }
+
     @Test
     fun `approval resumes workflow and architect produces execution plan`(): Unit = runBlocking {
         val sessionId = SessionId("freestyle-gate-2")