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 4cee898f1..8b823ee91 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
@@ -354,11 +354,17 @@ export const accessApprovalRequestServiceFactory = ({
       status === ApprovalStatus.APPROVED;
 
     const isApprover = policy.approvers.find((approver) => approver.userId === actorId);
-    // If user is (not an approver OR cant self approve) AND can't bypass policy
-    if ((!isApprover || (!policy.allowedSelfApprovals && isSelfApproval)) && cannotBypassUnderSoftEnforcement) {
-      throw new BadRequestError({
-        message: "Failed to review access approval request. Users are not authorized to review their own request."
-      });
+
+    const isSelfRejection = isSelfApproval && status === ApprovalStatus.REJECTED;
+
+    // users can always reject (cancel) their own requests
+    if (!isSelfRejection) {
+      // If user is (not an approver OR cant self approve) AND can't bypass policy
+      if ((!isApprover || (!policy.allowedSelfApprovals && isSelfApproval)) && cannotBypassUnderSoftEnforcement) {
+        throw new BadRequestError({
+          message: "Failed to review access approval request. Users are not authorized to review their own request."
+        });
+      }
     }
 
     if (
@@ -414,7 +420,7 @@ export const accessApprovalRequestServiceFactory = ({
       );
 
       // Only throw if actor is not the approver and not bypassing
-      if (!isApproverOfTheSequence && !isBreakGlassApprovalAttempt) {
+      if (!isApproverOfTheSequence && !isBreakGlassApprovalAttempt && !isSelfRejection) {
         throw new BadRequestError({ message: "You are not a reviewer in this step" });
       }
     }
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/secret-manager/SecretApprovalsPage/components/AccessApprovalRequest/components/ReviewAccessModal.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/secret-manager/SecretApprovalsPage/components/AccessApprovalRequest/components/ReviewAccessModal.tsx
index 842c7e030..e9e9c21c4 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/secret-manager/SecretApprovalsPage/components/AccessApprovalRequest/components/ReviewAccessModal.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/secret-manager/SecretApprovalsPage/components/AccessApprovalRequest/components/ReviewAccessModal.tsx
@@ -255,6 +255,11 @@ export const ReviewAccessRequestModal = ({
     return "You are not the reviewer in this step.";
   };
 
+  // users can always reject (cancel) their own request
+  const isRejectionDisabled = request.isRequestedByCurrentUser
+    ? false
+    : !(request.isApprover && request.isSelfApproveAllowed) && !bypassApproval;
+
   return (
     <Modal isOpen={isOpen} onOpenChange={onOpenChange}>
       <ModalContent
@@ -489,14 +494,7 @@ export const ReviewAccessRequestModal = ({
                 </Button>
                 <Button
                   isLoading={isLoading === "rejected"}
-                  isDisabled={
-                    !!isLoading ||
-                    (!(
-                      request.isApprover &&
-                      (!request.isRequestedByCurrentUser || request.isSelfApproveAllowed)
-                    ) &&
-                      !bypassApproval)
-                  }
+                  isDisabled={!!isLoading || isRejectionDisabled}
                   onClick={() => handleReview("rejected")}
                   className="mt-4 border-transparent bg-transparent text-mineshaft-200 hover:border-red hover:bg-red/20 hover:text-mineshaft-200"
                   size="sm"