diff --git a/ordinis-rest-api/src/main/java/cloud/nstart/terravault/ordinis/restapi/service/DictionaryDefinitionService.java b/ordinis-rest-api/src/main/java/cloud/nstart/terravault/ordinis/restapi/service/DictionaryDefinitionService.java
index 81d18f0..3c5e35d 100644
--- a/ordinis-rest-api/src/main/java/cloud/nstart/terravault/ordinis/restapi/service/DictionaryDefinitionService.java
+++ b/ordinis-rest-api/src/main/java/cloud/nstart/terravault/ordinis/restapi/service/DictionaryDefinitionService.java
@@ -126,6 +126,30 @@ public class DictionaryDefinitionService {
     var existing = findByName(name);
     var prevSchema = existing.getSchemaJson();
 
+    // Approval gate: dictionaries marked approvalRequired must route SCHEMA
+    // changes through the schema-draft workflow. Non-schema metadata (display
+    // name, description, locales, projection flag) are still allowed inline —
+    // those don't affect record validation. Two backdoors closed here:
+    //   1. Editing schemaJson on an approvalRequired dict bypassed review
+    //      (the SchemaDrivenForm "edit schema" button hits PUT /{name},
+    //      which had no gate). Reported 2026-05-14.
+    //   2. Same request could simultaneously flip approvalRequired:true→false
+    //      (lines below) and rewrite schemaJson — review-bypass via toggle.
+    //      We block both: if the dict is currently approvalRequired and the
+    //      request either changes schemaJson or tries to flip the flag off,
+    //      reject with 422 approval_required.
+    boolean schemaChanged = !java.util.Objects.equals(prevSchema, req.schemaJson());
+    boolean tryingToDisableApproval =
+        req.approvalRequired() != null && !req.approvalRequired();
+    if (existing.isApprovalRequired() && (schemaChanged || tryingToDisableApproval)) {
+      throw OrdinisException.unprocessableEntity(
+          "approval_required",
+          "Schema changes require the draft workflow on this dictionary. "
+              + "Use POST /api/v1/admin/dictionaries/" + name
+              + "/schema-drafts. Toggling approvalRequired off is also "
+              + "blocked here — needs an explicit admin endpoint.");
+    }
+
     existing.setDisplayName(req.displayName());
     existing.setDescription(req.description());
     existing.setSchemaJson(req.schemaJson());
diff --git a/ordinis-rest-api/src/main/java/cloud/nstart/terravault/ordinis/restapi/service/SchemaPatchService.java b/ordinis-rest-api/src/main/java/cloud/nstart/terravault/ordinis/restapi/service/SchemaPatchService.java
index 676fdee..b232e8c 100644
--- a/ordinis-rest-api/src/main/java/cloud/nstart/terravault/ordinis/restapi/service/SchemaPatchService.java
+++ b/ordinis-rest-api/src/main/java/cloud/nstart/terravault/ordinis/restapi/service/SchemaPatchService.java
@@ -89,6 +89,21 @@ public class SchemaPatchService {
       throw OrdinisException.notFound(
           "dictionary_not_found", "Dictionary not found: " + dictName);
     }
+    // Approval gate: dictionaries marked approvalRequired must route ALL
+    // schema changes — even non-breaking inline patches — through the
+    // schema-draft maker-checker workflow. Otherwise a maker could bypass
+    // review by relabeling fields (description / title) or expanding
+    // numeric/enum ranges. Records service already enforces this for row
+    // CRUD (see DictionaryRecordService line ~270); this closes the same
+    // gap for schema patches. Reported 2026-05-14 — schema edit on an
+    // approvalRequired dict was applying inline without review.
+    if (d.isApprovalRequired()) {
+      throw OrdinisException.unprocessableEntity(
+          "approval_required",
+          "Schema changes require the draft workflow on this dictionary. "
+              + "Use POST /api/v1/admin/dictionaries/" + dictName
+              + "/schema-drafts instead.");
+    }
     if (!d.getSchemaVersion().equals(req.expectedHeadVersion())) {
       throw OrdinisException.conflict(
           "version_mismatch",