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 5a3af5aa5..ccab70d5b 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
@@ -350,6 +350,12 @@ export const accessApprovalRequestServiceFactory = ({
     const canBypass = !policy.bypassers.length || policy.bypassers.some((bypasser) => bypasser.userId === actorId);
     const cannotBypassUnderSoftEnforcement = !(isSoftEnforcement && canBypass);
 
+    // Calculate break glass attempt before sequence checks
+    const isBreakGlassApprovalAttempt =
+      policy.enforcementLevel === EnforcementLevel.Soft &&
+      actorId === accessApprovalRequest.requestedByUserId &&
+      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) {
@@ -409,15 +415,14 @@ export const accessApprovalRequestServiceFactory = ({
       const isApproverOfTheSequence = policy.approvers.find(
         (el) => el.sequence === presentSequence.step && el.userId === actorId
       );
-      if (!isApproverOfTheSequence) throw new BadRequestError({ message: "You are not reviewer in this step" });
+
+      // Only throw if actor is not the approver and not bypassing
+      if (!isApproverOfTheSequence && !isBreakGlassApprovalAttempt) {
+        throw new BadRequestError({ message: "You are not a reviewer in this step" });
+      }
     }
 
     const reviewStatus = await accessApprovalRequestReviewerDAL.transaction(async (tx) => {
-      const isBreakGlassApprovalAttempt =
-        policy.enforcementLevel === EnforcementLevel.Soft &&
-        actorId === accessApprovalRequest.requestedByUserId &&
-        status === ApprovalStatus.APPROVED;
-
       let reviewForThisActorProcessing: {
         id: string;
         requestId: string;
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 ee0f18ee0..f93eaa9ab 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
@@ -439,39 +439,35 @@ export const ReviewAccessRequestModal = ({
             </div>
           ) : (
             <>
-              {isSoftEnforcement &&
-                request.isRequestedByCurrentUser &&
-                !(request.isApprover && request.isSelfApproveAllowed) &&
-                canBypass && (
-                  <div className="mt-2 flex flex-col space-y-2">
-                    <Checkbox
-                      onCheckedChange={(checked) => setBypassApproval(checked === true)}
-                      isChecked={bypassApproval}
-                      id="byPassApproval"
-                      className={twMerge("mr-2", bypassApproval ? "border-red/30 bg-red/10" : "")}
+              {isSoftEnforcement && request.isRequestedByCurrentUser && canBypass && (
+                <div className="mt-2 flex flex-col space-y-2">
+                  <Checkbox
+                    onCheckedChange={(checked) => setBypassApproval(checked === true)}
+                    isChecked={bypassApproval}
+                    id="byPassApproval"
+                    className={twMerge("mr-2", bypassApproval ? "border-red/30 bg-red/10" : "")}
+                  >
+                    <span className="text-xs text-red">
+                      Approve without waiting for requirements to be met (bypass policy protection)
+                    </span>
+                  </Checkbox>
+                  {bypassApproval && (
+                    <FormControl
+                      label="Reason for bypass"
+                      className="mt-2"
+                      isRequired
+                      tooltipText="Enter a reason for bypassing the policy"
                     >
-                      <span className="text-xs text-red">
-                        Approve without waiting for requirements to be met (bypass policy
-                        protection)
-                      </span>
-                    </Checkbox>
-                    {bypassApproval && (
-                      <FormControl
-                        label="Reason for bypass"
-                        className="mt-2"
-                        isRequired
-                        tooltipText="Enter a reason for bypassing the secret change policy"
-                      >
-                        <Input
-                          value={bypassReason}
-                          onChange={(e) => setBypassReason(e.currentTarget.value)}
-                          placeholder="Enter reason for bypass (min 10 chars)"
-                          leftIcon={<FontAwesomeIcon icon={faTriangleExclamation} />}
-                        />
-                      </FormControl>
-                    )}
-                  </div>
-                )}
+                      <Input
+                        value={bypassReason}
+                        onChange={(e) => setBypassReason(e.currentTarget.value)}
+                        placeholder="Enter reason for bypass (min 10 chars)"
+                        leftIcon={<FontAwesomeIcon icon={faTriangleExclamation} />}
+                      />
+                    </FormControl>
+                  )}
+                </div>
+              )}
               <div className="space-x-2">
                 <Button
                   isLoading={isLoading === "approved"}