diff --git a/backend/src/ee/services/access-approval-policy/access-approval-policy-service.ts b/backend/src/ee/services/access-approval-policy/access-approval-policy-service.ts
index 30f5f10fe..d46f93e1d 100644
--- a/backend/src/ee/services/access-approval-policy/access-approval-policy-service.ts
+++ b/backend/src/ee/services/access-approval-policy/access-approval-policy-service.ts
@@ -248,7 +248,14 @@ export const accessApprovalPolicyServiceFactory = ({
 
     if (!project) throw new BadRequestError({ message: "Project not found" });
 
-    await permissionService.getProjectPermission(actor, actorId, project.id, actorAuthMethod, actorOrgId);
+    const { membership } = await permissionService.getProjectPermission(
+      actor,
+      actorId,
+      project.id,
+      actorAuthMethod,
+      actorOrgId
+    );
+    if (!membership) throw new BadRequestError({ message: "User not found in project" });
 
     const environment = await projectEnvDAL.findOne({ projectId: project.id, slug: envSlug });
     if (!environment) throw new BadRequestError({ message: "Environment not found" });
diff --git a/backend/src/ee/services/access-approval-request/access-approval-request-service.ts b/backend/src/ee/services/access-approval-request/access-approval-request-service.ts
index 3640d801e..780e98655 100644
--- a/backend/src/ee/services/access-approval-request/access-approval-request-service.ts
+++ b/backend/src/ee/services/access-approval-request/access-approval-request-service.ts
@@ -272,14 +272,14 @@ export const accessApprovalRequestServiceFactory = ({
     const project = await projectDAL.findProjectBySlug(projectSlug, actorOrgId);
     if (!project) throw new UnauthorizedError({ message: "Project not found" });
 
-    const { permission } = await permissionService.getProjectPermission(
+    const { membership } = await permissionService.getProjectPermission(
       actor,
       actorId,
       project.id,
       actorAuthMethod,
       actorOrgId
     );
-    ForbiddenError.from(permission).throwUnlessCan(ProjectPermissionActions.Read, ProjectPermissionSub.SecretApproval);
+    if (!membership) throw new BadRequestError({ message: "User not found in project" });
 
     const count = await accessApprovalRequestDAL.getCount({ projectId: project.id });