diff --git a/internal/api/v2/approvals.go b/internal/api/v2/approvals.go
index 1bf6f0693..953fb0462 100644
--- a/internal/api/v2/approvals.go
+++ b/internal/api/v2/approvals.go
@@ -27,24 +27,6 @@ func ApprovalsHandler(srv server.Server) http.Handler {
 			return
 		}
 
-		// Check if document is locked.
-		locked, err := hcd.IsLocked(docID, srv.DB, srv.GWService, srv.Logger)
-		if err != nil {
-			srv.Logger.Error("error checking document locked status",
-				"error", err,
-				"path", r.URL.Path,
-				"method", r.Method,
-				"doc_id", docID,
-			)
-			http.Error(w, "Error getting document status", http.StatusNotFound)
-			return
-		}
-		// Don't continue if document is locked.
-		if locked {
-			http.Error(w, "Document is locked", http.StatusLocked)
-			return
-		}
-
 		// Get document from database.
 		model := models.Document{
 			GoogleFileID: docID,
@@ -130,6 +112,24 @@ func ApprovalsHandler(srv server.Server) http.Handler {
 				return
 			}
 
+			// Check if document is locked.
+			locked, err := hcd.IsLocked(docID, srv.DB, srv.GWService, srv.Logger)
+			if err != nil {
+				srv.Logger.Error("error checking document locked status",
+					"error", err,
+					"path", r.URL.Path,
+					"method", r.Method,
+					"doc_id", docID,
+				)
+				http.Error(w, "Error getting document status", http.StatusNotFound)
+				return
+			}
+			// Don't continue if document is locked.
+			if locked {
+				http.Error(w, "Document is locked", http.StatusLocked)
+				return
+			}
+
 			// Add email to slice of users who have requested changes of the document.
 			doc.ChangesRequestedBy = append(doc.ChangesRequestedBy, userEmail)
 
@@ -398,6 +398,24 @@ func ApprovalsHandler(srv server.Server) http.Handler {
 				return
 			}
 
+			// Check if document is locked.
+			locked, err := hcd.IsLocked(docID, srv.DB, srv.GWService, srv.Logger)
+			if err != nil {
+				srv.Logger.Error("error checking document locked status",
+					"error", err,
+					"path", r.URL.Path,
+					"method", r.Method,
+					"doc_id", docID,
+				)
+				http.Error(w, "Error getting document status", http.StatusNotFound)
+				return
+			}
+			// Don't continue if document is locked.
+			if locked {
+				http.Error(w, "Document is locked", http.StatusLocked)
+				return
+			}
+
 			// If the user is a group approver, they won't be in the approvers list.
 			if !contains(doc.Approvers, userEmail) {
 				doc.Approvers = append(doc.Approvers, userEmail)