diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/clips-routes.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/clips-routes.test.ts
index 6f34ed13ce6..865a978481a 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/clips-routes.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/clips-routes.test.ts
@@ -265,7 +265,7 @@ describe("clip routes", () => {
     );
   });
 
-  it("rejects owner moderation, publish-status, and public-visibility patches", async () => {
+  it("rejects owner moderation, publish-status, public-visibility, and approved-revision patches", async () => {
     const clipId = "33333333-3333-4333-8333-333333333333";
     const sourceCompanyId = "22222222-2222-4222-8222-222222222222";
     mockClipService.getClipById.mockResolvedValue({
@@ -284,10 +284,14 @@ describe("clip routes", () => {
     const visibilityRes = await request(createApp())
       .patch("/api/clips/" + clipId)
       .send({ visibility: "public" });
+    const approvedRevisionRes = await request(createApp())
+      .patch("/api/clips/" + clipId)
+      .send({ latestApprovedRevisionId: "44444444-4444-4444-8444-444444444444" });
 
     expect(moderationRes.status).toBe(403);
     expect(publishRes.status).toBe(403);
     expect(visibilityRes.status).toBe(403);
+    expect(approvedRevisionRes.status).toBe(403);
     expect(mockClipService.updateClip).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
diff --git a/server/src/__tests__/clips-service.test.ts b/server/src/__tests__/clips-service.test.ts
index a966dc31da8..ecc4ae740d8 100644
--- a/server/src/__tests__/clips-service.test.ts
+++ b/server/src/__tests__/clips-service.test.ts
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ describeEmbeddedPostgres("clipService", () => {
     expect(rows).toHaveLength(0);
   });
 
-  it("stores revisions append-only and serves exact revision manifests", async () => {
+  it("stores revisions append-only while keeping public reads on the last approved revision", async () => {
     const companyId = await seedCompany();
     const { clip, revision } = await publishFixture(companyId);
 
@@ -211,9 +211,13 @@ describeEmbeddedPostgres("clipService", () => {
     expect(update.revision.revisionNumber).toBe(2);
     const firstRevision = await svc.getPublicRevision(clip.slug, 1);
     const secondRevision = await svc.getPublicDetail(clip.slug);
+    const unapprovedRevision = await svc.getPublicRevision(clip.slug, update.revision.revisionNumber);
 
+    expect(update.clip.currentRevisionId).toBe(update.revision.id);
+    expect(update.clip.latestApprovedRevisionId).toBe(revision.id);
     expect(firstRevision?.currentRevision?.manifestChecksum).toBe("sha256:manifest-v1");
-    expect(secondRevision?.currentRevision?.manifestChecksum).toBe("sha256:manifest-v2");
+    expect(secondRevision?.currentRevision?.manifestChecksum).toBe("sha256:manifest-v1");
+    expect(unapprovedRevision).toBeNull();
     await expect(
       db.update(clipRevisions).set({ changeSummary: "mutated" }).where(eq(clipRevisions.id, revision.id)),
     ).rejects.toThrow(/Failed query/);
diff --git a/server/src/routes/clips.ts b/server/src/routes/clips.ts
index 39ecd99e2c5..b6ca3d49719 100644
--- a/server/src/routes/clips.ts
+++ b/server/src/routes/clips.ts
@@ -649,6 +649,9 @@ export function clipRoutes(db: Db, storage?: StorageService) {
     if (req.body.moderationState !== undefined || req.body.moderationReason !== undefined) {
       throw forbidden("Clip moderation fields require platform moderation access");
     }
+    if (req.body.latestApprovedRevisionId !== undefined) {
+      throw forbidden("Approved revision promotion requires platform moderation access");
+    }
     if (req.body.status === "published" && clip.status !== "published") {
       throw forbidden("Publishing clips requires platform moderation access");
     }
diff --git a/server/src/services/clips.ts b/server/src/services/clips.ts
index ce4700cb03d..89664eaae92 100644
--- a/server/src/services/clips.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/clips.ts
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ export function clipService(db: Db) {
     const row = await getPublicClipBySlug(slug);
     if (!row) return null;
     const revision = await getRevisionByNumber(row.clip.id, revisionNumber);
-    if (!revision || !isPubliclyReadableRevision(revision)) return null;
+    if (!revision || revision.id !== row.clip.latestApprovedRevisionId || !isPubliclyReadableRevision(revision)) return null;
     const dependencies = await db.select().from(clipDependencies).where(eq(clipDependencies.revisionId, revision.id));
     return serializePublicClip({
       clip: row.clip,
@@ -404,7 +404,7 @@ export function clipService(db: Db) {
         .update(clips)
         .set({
           currentRevisionId: revision.id,
-          latestApprovedRevisionId: clip.status === "published" && clip.moderationState !== "blocked" ? revision.id : clip.latestApprovedRevisionId,
+          latestApprovedRevisionId: clip.latestApprovedRevisionId,
           updatedAt: new Date(),
         })
         .where(eq(clips.id, clip.id))