diff --git a/src/app/admin/reviews/page.tsx b/src/app/admin/reviews/page.tsx
index 129bb2a..2ae829c 100644
--- a/src/app/admin/reviews/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/admin/reviews/page.tsx
@@ -244,6 +244,9 @@ export default function ReviewsPage() {
       )
     }
     await fetchReviews(skip, { silent: true })
+    // The silent refetch intentionally skips the selection reset, so clear the
+    // now-stale selection here — decided rows have left the pending list.
+    setSelectedIds(new Set())
     refreshPendingCount()
   }
 
diff --git a/src/components/admin/review-row.tsx b/src/components/admin/review-row.tsx
index db25153..ed36d29 100644
--- a/src/components/admin/review-row.tsx
+++ b/src/components/admin/review-row.tsx
@@ -621,7 +621,13 @@ export function ReviewRow({
           : undefined
       const res = await approveReview(review.ref_id, override)
       if (res.error_message || res.status === "failed") {
+        // Keep the row and its error visible instead of silently refetching it
+        // out of the pending list (it is now 'failed', not pending) — otherwise
+        // a failed merge just vanishes and looks like it succeeded. Still refresh
+        // the pending badge so the count reflects that it left the queue.
         setInlineError(res.error_message ?? "Approval failed")
+        onCountRefresh?.()
+        return
       }
       onRefresh()
       onCountRefresh?.()