diff --git a/apps/jobs/src/policy-checker/index.ts b/apps/jobs/src/policy-checker/index.ts
index 0994807b..5aa67af3 100644
--- a/apps/jobs/src/policy-checker/index.ts
+++ b/apps/jobs/src/policy-checker/index.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { eq } from "@ctrlplane/db";
+import { and, eq, isNull, or } from "@ctrlplane/db";
 import { db } from "@ctrlplane/db/client";
 import * as schema from "@ctrlplane/db/schema";
 import {
@@ -9,11 +9,38 @@ import {
 import { JobStatus } from "@ctrlplane/validators/jobs";
 
 export const run = async () => {
+  const isPassingApprovalGate = or(
+    isNull(schema.environment.policyId),
+    eq(schema.environmentPolicy.approvalRequirement, "automatic"),
+    eq(schema.environmentPolicyApproval.status, "approved"),
+  );
+
   const releaseJobTriggers = await db
     .select()
     .from(schema.releaseJobTrigger)
     .innerJoin(schema.job, eq(schema.releaseJobTrigger.jobId, schema.job.id))
-    .where(eq(schema.job.status, JobStatus.Pending))
+    .innerJoin(
+      schema.environment,
+      eq(schema.releaseJobTrigger.environmentId, schema.environment.id),
+    )
+    .leftJoin(
+      schema.environmentPolicy,
+      eq(schema.environment.policyId, schema.environmentPolicy.id),
+    )
+    .leftJoin(
+      schema.environmentPolicyApproval,
+      and(
+        eq(
+          schema.environmentPolicyApproval.policyId,
+          schema.environmentPolicy.id,
+        ),
+        eq(
+          schema.environmentPolicyApproval.releaseId,
+          schema.releaseJobTrigger.releaseId,
+        ),
+      ),
+    )
+    .where(and(eq(schema.job.status, JobStatus.Pending), isPassingApprovalGate))
     .then((rows) => rows.map((row) => row.release_job_trigger));
 
   if (releaseJobTriggers.length === 0) return;