diff --git a/src/components/layout/use-nav-groups.ts b/src/components/layout/use-nav-groups.ts
index ca9e3661..9dd1e1b9 100644
--- a/src/components/layout/use-nav-groups.ts
+++ b/src/components/layout/use-nav-groups.ts
@@ -6,12 +6,15 @@ import { getNavGroups, type NavGroup } from "@/config/menu";
  * when the backend's can-approve answer (UpliftService tier-role rule, the
  * same authority behind uplift approve/reject) is true for either tier.
  * Loading and error states stay closed so the entry never flashes for a
- * user the backend would refuse.
+ * user the backend would refuse, including when a refetch fails and the
+ * query still holds an earlier `true`.
  */
 export function useNavGroups(): NavGroup[] {
   const tier1 = useUpliftsCanApprove(1);
   const tier2 = useUpliftsCanApprove(2);
-  const canReviewUplifts = tier1.data === true || tier2.data === true;
+  const allows = (query: { data?: boolean; isError?: boolean }) =>
+    query.data === true && !query.isError;
+  const canReviewUplifts = allows(tier1) || allows(tier2);
 
   return getNavGroups({ canReviewUplifts });
 }
diff --git a/src/test/components/layout/app-sidebar-can-approve.test.tsx b/src/test/components/layout/app-sidebar-can-approve.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9db93295
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/components/layout/app-sidebar-can-approve.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+import { screen, waitFor } from "@testing-library/react";
+import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
+
+import { AppSidebar } from "@/components/layout/app-sidebar";
+import { queryKeys } from "@/infra/query-key/query-key";
+import { createTestQueryClient, renderWithProviders } from "@/test/test-utils";
+
+const canApproveApiMock = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn());
+
+vi.mock("@/domain/uplifts/api/uplifts-api", () => ({
+  upliftsApi: { canApprove: canApproveApiMock },
+}));
+
+describe("AppSidebar Uplift Approvals gating through the can-approve query", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    canApproveApiMock.mockReset();
+  });
+
+  it("shows the entry when the API allows tier 2 and fails for tier 1", async () => {
+    canApproveApiMock.mockImplementation(async (tier: number) => {
+      if (tier === 1) throw new Error("503");
+      return true;
+    });
+
+    renderWithProviders(<AppSidebar collapsed={false} />, { route: "/", withAuth: false });
+
+    expect(await screen.findByRole("link", { name: "Uplift Approvals" })).toHaveAttribute(
+      "href",
+      "/uplifts",
+    );
+    expect(canApproveApiMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(1);
+    expect(canApproveApiMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(2);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps the entry hidden once the API has denied both tiers", async () => {
+    canApproveApiMock.mockResolvedValue(false);
+    const queryClient = createTestQueryClient();
+
+    renderWithProviders(<AppSidebar collapsed={false} />, {
+      route: "/",
+      withAuth: false,
+      queryClient,
+    });
+
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      for (const tier of [1, 2]) {
+        expect(queryClient.getQueryState(queryKeys.uplifts.canApprove(tier))?.status).toBe(
+          "success",
+        );
+      }
+    });
+    expect(screen.queryByRole("link", { name: "Uplift Approvals" })).toBeNull();
+    expect(screen.getByRole("link", { name: "Services" })).toHaveAttribute(
+      "href",
+      "/settings/services",
+    );
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/test/components/layout/app-sidebar-nav.test.tsx b/src/test/components/layout/app-sidebar-nav.test.tsx
index 6a1dc738..07e58155 100644
--- a/src/test/components/layout/app-sidebar-nav.test.tsx
+++ b/src/test/components/layout/app-sidebar-nav.test.tsx
@@ -76,6 +76,15 @@ describe("AppSidebar navigation entries", () => {
     expect(links["Uplift Approvals"]).toBeUndefined();
   });
 
+  it("hides Uplift Approvals when a refetch fails after an earlier approval", () => {
+    canApproveMock.mockReturnValue({ data: true, isError: true, error: new Error("403") });
+
+    renderSidebar("/");
+    const links = sidebarLinks();
+
+    expect(links["Uplift Approvals"]).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
   it("offers Services to every user", () => {
     canApproveMock.mockReturnValue({ data: false });