diff --git a/.changelog/unreleased/improvements/2246-fix-liveness.md b/.changelog/unreleased/improvements/2246-fix-liveness.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..524c79aafb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changelog/unreleased/improvements/2246-fix-liveness.md
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+- Fix bug in client to allow for unjailing a validator
+  that was jailed for missing liveness requirements
+  ([\#2246](https://github.com/anoma/namada/pull/2246))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/proof_of_stake/src/lib.rs b/proof_of_stake/src/lib.rs
index 9b902e2ba0..e92a150958 100644
--- a/proof_of_stake/src/lib.rs
+++ b/proof_of_stake/src/lib.rs
@@ -5840,6 +5840,12 @@ where
         .collect::<HashSet<_>>();
 
     for validator in &validators_to_jail {
+        let state_jail_epoch = validator_state_handle(validator)
+            .get(storage, jail_epoch, params)?
+            .expect("Validator should have a state for the jail epoch");
+        if state_jail_epoch == ValidatorState::Jailed {
+            continue;
+        }
         tracing::info!(
             "Jailing validator {} starting in epoch {} for missing too many \
              votes to ensure liveness",
diff --git a/sdk/src/queries/vp/pos.rs b/sdk/src/queries/vp/pos.rs
index 9414379b9a..5118676ce7 100644
--- a/sdk/src/queries/vp/pos.rs
+++ b/sdk/src/queries/vp/pos.rs
@@ -24,10 +24,10 @@ use namada_proof_of_stake::{
     read_consensus_validator_set_addresses_with_stake, read_pos_params,
     read_total_stake, read_validator_description,
     read_validator_discord_handle, read_validator_email,
-    read_validator_max_commission_rate_change, read_validator_stake,
-    read_validator_website, unbond_handle, validator_commission_rate_handle,
-    validator_incoming_redelegations_handle, validator_slashes_handle,
-    validator_state_handle,
+    read_validator_last_slash_epoch, read_validator_max_commission_rate_change,
+    read_validator_stake, read_validator_website, unbond_handle,
+    validator_commission_rate_handle, validator_incoming_redelegations_handle,
+    validator_slashes_handle, validator_state_handle,
 };
 
 use crate::queries::types::RequestCtx;
@@ -57,6 +57,9 @@ router! {POS,
 
         ( "incoming_redelegation" / [src_validator: Address] / [delegator: Address] )
             -> Option<Epoch> = validator_incoming_redelegation,
+
+        ( "last_infraction_epoch" / [validator: Address] )
+            -> Option<Epoch> = validator_last_infraction_epoch,
     },
 
     ( "validator_set" ) = {
@@ -291,6 +294,18 @@ where
     Ok(state)
 }
 
+/// Get the validator state
+fn validator_last_infraction_epoch<D, H, V, T>(
+    ctx: RequestCtx<'_, D, H, V, T>,
+    validator: Address,
+) -> storage_api::Result<Option<Epoch>>
+where
+    D: 'static + DB + for<'iter> DBIter<'iter> + Sync,
+    H: 'static + StorageHasher + Sync,
+{
+    read_validator_last_slash_epoch(ctx.wl_storage, &validator)
+}
+
 /// Get the total stake of a validator at the given epoch or current when
 /// `None`. The total stake is a sum of validator's self-bonds and delegations
 /// to their address.
diff --git a/sdk/src/rpc.rs b/sdk/src/rpc.rs
index 19adb4d365..6dc6850193 100644
--- a/sdk/src/rpc.rs
+++ b/sdk/src/rpc.rs
@@ -815,6 +815,19 @@ pub async fn query_bond<C: crate::queries::Client + Sync>(
     )
 }
 
+/// Query a validator's bonds for a given epoch
+pub async fn query_last_infraction_epoch<C: crate::queries::Client + Sync>(
+    client: &C,
+    validator: &Address,
+) -> Result<Option<Epoch>, error::Error> {
+    convert_response::<C, _>(
+        RPC.vp()
+            .pos()
+            .validator_last_infraction_epoch(client, validator)
+            .await,
+    )
+}
+
 /// Query the accunt substorage space of an address
 pub async fn get_account_info<C: crate::queries::Client + Sync>(
     client: &C,
diff --git a/sdk/src/tx.rs b/sdk/src/tx.rs
index d9c2e2b31d..d99a9c6f44 100644
--- a/sdk/src/tx.rs
+++ b/sdk/src/tx.rs
@@ -897,23 +897,20 @@ pub async fn build_unjail_validator(
         }
     }
 
-    let last_slash_epoch_key =
-        namada_proof_of_stake::storage::validator_last_slash_key(validator);
-    let last_slash_epoch = rpc::query_storage_value::<_, Epoch>(
-        context.client(),
-        &last_slash_epoch_key,
-    )
-    .await;
+    let last_slash_epoch =
+        rpc::query_last_infraction_epoch(context.client(), validator).await;
     match last_slash_epoch {
-        Ok(last_slash_epoch) => {
+        Ok(Some(last_slash_epoch)) => {
+            // Jailed due to slashing
             let eligible_epoch =
                 last_slash_epoch + params.slash_processing_epoch_offset();
             if current_epoch < eligible_epoch {
                 edisplay_line!(
                     context.io(),
                     "The given validator address {} is currently frozen and \
-                     not yet eligible to be unjailed.",
-                    &validator
+                     will be eligible to be unjailed starting at epoch {}.",
+                    &validator,
+                    eligible_epoch
                 );
                 if !tx_args.force {
                     return Err(Error::from(
@@ -924,22 +921,14 @@ pub async fn build_unjail_validator(
                 }
             }
         }
-        Err(Error::Query(
-            QueryError::NoSuchKey(_) | QueryError::General(_),
-        )) => {
-            edisplay_line!(
-                context.io(),
-                "The given validator address {} is currently frozen and not \
-                 yet eligible to be unjailed.",
-                &validator
-            );
+        Ok(None) => {
+            // Jailed due to liveness only. No checks needed.
+        }
+        Err(err) => {
             if !tx_args.force {
-                return Err(Error::from(
-                    TxError::ValidatorFrozenFromUnjailing(validator.clone()),
-                ));
+                return Err(err);
             }
         }
-        Err(err) => return Err(err),
     }
 
     build(