diff --git a/scripts/audit-quote-company-drift.mjs b/scripts/audit-quote-company-drift.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9ac55e8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/audit-quote-company-drift.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+/**
+ * READ-ONLY audit: quotes whose `company` relation disagrees with
+ * their customer's `company`.
+ *
+ * `quotes.company` is a denormalised copy of `customer.company` that
+ * PocketBase does not re-cascade, so any quote whose customer was
+ * swapped after creation is now inconsistent. This script only READS
+ * and prints — it makes no writes.
+ *
+ * Run: npx tsx scripts/audit-quote-company-drift.mjs
+ */
+import PocketBase from "pocketbase";
+
+const PB_URL = process.env.PB_URL ?? "https://pocketbase-gnqc88suy8fqk6wyryjjdpvl.169.239.180.130.sslip.io";
+const PB_ADMIN_EMAIL = process.env.PB_ADMIN_EMAIL ?? "david.els1@outlook.com";
+const PB_ADMIN_PASSWORD = process.env.PB_ADMIN_PASSWORD ?? "1234567890";
+
+const pb = new PocketBase(PB_URL);
+await pb.collection("_superusers").authWithPassword(PB_ADMIN_EMAIL, PB_ADMIN_PASSWORD);
+
+const quotes = await pb.collection("quotes").getFullList(200, {
+  expand: "customer,customer.company,company",
+  sort: "-created",
+});
+
+// Company records store their display name in `company`, not `name`.
+const nameOf = (expand, key) => expand?.[key]?.company ?? null;
+// When an expand doesn't resolve, show the raw relation id rather than a
+// bare "(none)" — otherwise "unresolved" and "genuinely empty" look identical.
+const label = (name, id) => (name ? name : id ? `<id ${id}>` : "(none)");
+
+let checked = 0;
+let consistent = 0;
+let noCustomerCompany = 0;
+const drifted = [];
+
+for (const q of quotes) {
+  if (!q.customer) continue;
+  checked++;
+  const cust = q.expand?.customer;
+  const custCompanyId = cust?.company ?? "";
+  const custCompanyName = nameOf(cust?.expand, "company");
+
+  if (!custCompanyId) {
+    noCustomerCompany++;
+    if (q.company) {
+      drifted.push({
+        n: q.quote_number,
+        id: q.id,
+        status: q.status,
+        quoteCompany: label(nameOf(q.expand, "company"), q.company),
+        custCompany: "(customer has none)",
+        created: (q.created ?? "").slice(0, 10),
+      });
+    }
+    continue;
+  }
+
+  if (q.company === custCompanyId) {
+    consistent++;
+  } else {
+    drifted.push({
+      n: q.quote_number,
+      id: q.id,
+      status: q.status,
+      quoteCompany: label(nameOf(q.expand, "company"), q.company),
+      custCompany: custCompanyName ? label(custCompanyName, custCompanyId) : label(null, custCompanyId),
+      created: (q.created ?? "").slice(0, 10),
+    });
+  }
+}
+
+console.log(`Scanned      : ${quotes.length} quotes`);
+console.log(`With customer: ${checked}`);
+console.log(`Consistent   : ${consistent}`);
+console.log(`No cust co   : ${noCustomerCompany} (customer has no company)`);
+console.log(`DRIFTED      : ${drifted.length}`);
+console.log("");
+
+if (drifted.length) {
+  console.log("quote      created    status             quote.company -> customer.company");
+  console.log("-".repeat(84));
+  for (const d of drifted.slice(0, 60)) {
+    console.log(
+      `${String(d.n).padEnd(10)} ${d.created}  ${String(d.status).padEnd(18)} ${d.quoteCompany}  ->  ${d.custCompany}`,
+    );
+  }
+  if (drifted.length > 60) console.log(`… and ${drifted.length - 60} more`);
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/app/(app)/quotes/[id]/page.tsx b/src/app/(app)/quotes/[id]/page.tsx
index 8e7bfb9..9811a54 100644
--- a/src/app/(app)/quotes/[id]/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(app)/quotes/[id]/page.tsx
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ import {
   Loader2,
   Settings,
   Activity,
+  Truck,
   type LucideIcon,
 } from "lucide-react";
 import { toast } from "sonner";
@@ -2028,6 +2029,58 @@ export default function QuoteDetailPage({ params }: { params: Promise<{ id: stri
   const renderActions = () => {
     const btns: React.ReactNode[] = [];
 
+    /**
+     * Delivery-note quotes get a small, deliberately non-sending action
+     * row (2026-10-16).
+     *
+     * A DN quote shares its statuses with the regular pipeline, so it
+     * can't own a clean `switch` arm without duplicating three existing
+     * ones. Branch on the `delivery_note` relation before the switch.
+     *
+     * NOTE: there is deliberately NO "send" button here. A
+     * delivery-note quote is never sent on its own — it goes out with
+     * the note, via the delivery note's own "Send the delivery note and
+     * quote to the customer" button. The quote is created pre-approved
+     * (`createQuoteFromDeliveryNote`), so the rep approval queue never
+     * sees it. This row only points back at the note where Send lives,
+     * plus preview/re-price. An earlier draft of this fix added a
+     * "Send to customer" button that POSTed the quote directly — that
+     * would have created a second, competing way to email a customer
+     * the same invoice.
+     */
+    if (
+      quote.delivery_note &&
+      (quote.status === "delivery_note" ||
+        quote.status === "claimed" ||
+        quote.status === "processed" ||
+        quote.status === "approved")
+    ) {
+      return (
+        <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2">
+          <Button variant="outline" size="sm" onClick={() => setViewQuoteOpen(true)} disabled={actionLoading !== ""}>
+            <FileText className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
+            Preview PDF
+          </Button>
+          <Button
+            variant="outline"
+            size="sm"
+            onClick={() => router.push(`/delivery-notes/${quote.delivery_note}`)}
+            disabled={actionLoading !== ""}
+          >
+            <Truck className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
+            Go to delivery note
+          </Button>
+          <Button variant="outline" size="sm" onClick={() => router.push(`/quotes/${id}/process`)} disabled={actionLoading !== ""}>
+            <RefreshCw className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
+            {quote.status === "processed" ? "Re-price" : "Price items"}
+          </Button>
+          <span className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+            Sent together with the delivery note — not on its own.
+          </span>
+        </div>
+      );
+    }
+
     switch (quote.status) {
       case "new":
         btns.push(
@@ -2072,6 +2125,8 @@ export default function QuoteDetailPage({ params }: { params: Promise<{ id: stri
         //     audit trail.
         //   - Submit for Approval: PDF generation IS the submit.
         //     The PDF route auto-flips to approval_pending on render.
+        //     (Regular quotes only — delivery-note quotes are exempt
+        //     from that flip and return early above.)
         btns.push(
           <Button key="process2" variant="outline" size="sm" onClick={() => router.push(`/quotes/${id}/process`)}>
             <RefreshCw className="mr-2 h-4 w-4" />
@@ -2375,11 +2430,22 @@ export default function QuoteDetailPage({ params }: { params: Promise<{ id: stri
 
       {/*
         Compact customer strip — replaces the old "Customer" sidebar
-        card. Lifts the customer / company / dates / letterhead /
-        claimed-by info onto a single horizontal band directly below
-        the header so the operator sees "who is this quote for"
-        before they decide which sidebar panel to open. Mobile wraps
-        the columns; desktop shows them inline.
+        card. Lifts the customer / dates / letterhead / claimed-by info
+        onto a single horizontal band directly below the header so the
+        operator sees "who is this quote for" before they decide which
+        sidebar panel to open. Mobile wraps the columns; desktop shows
+        them inline.
+
+        The company is rendered ONCE, nested under the customer name
+        (derived via `customer.company`). There used to be a second
+        standalone "Company" column reading `quote.company` — the
+        quote's own denormalised company relation. It was removed
+        2026-10-16 because it was redundant AND wrong: nothing
+        re-cascades `quotes.company` when the customer is changed, so
+        the two columns drifted apart. Quote Q202610315 (Pierre Visser
+        / Harmony - Moab Khotsong) showed the real company under the
+        customer and a stale "Mre" in the standalone column. The
+        customer-derived value is the authoritative one.
       */}
       <Card>
         <CardContent className="pt-4 pb-4">
@@ -2393,10 +2459,6 @@ export default function QuoteDetailPage({ params }: { params: Promise<{ id: stri
                 </p>
               )}
             </div>
-            <div>
-              <p className="text-[10px] uppercase tracking-wider text-muted-foreground">Company</p>
-              <p className="font-medium">{quote.expand?.company?.company || "—"}</p>
-            </div>
             <div>
               <p className="text-[10px] uppercase tracking-wider text-muted-foreground">Created</p>
               <p className="font-medium">{formatDate(quote.created)}</p>
diff --git a/src/app/(app)/quotes/[id]/process/page.tsx b/src/app/(app)/quotes/[id]/process/page.tsx
index 12d26bb..19ce100 100644
--- a/src/app/(app)/quotes/[id]/process/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(app)/quotes/[id]/process/page.tsx
@@ -843,20 +843,43 @@ export default function QuoteProcessPage({ params }: { params: Promise<{ id: str
 
   /**
    * Swap the customer on this quote. Called by the `<CustomerSearch>`
-   * dropdown in the header. PATCHes the quote on the server, refreshes
-   * the quote record from PB, and toasts. Refuses placeholder picks
-   * both client-side (the search hides them) and server-side (the API
-   * rejects them with 422).
+   * dropdown in the header. Refuses placeholder picks both client-side
+   * (the search hides them) and server-side (the API rejects them
+   * with 422).
+   *
+   * Goes through `PATCH /api/v1/quotes/[id]/pdf` rather than writing
+   * to PocketBase from the browser. It used to call
+   * `pb.collection("quotes").update(...)` directly, which had two
+   * problems:
+   *
+   *   1. It wrote ONLY `customer`, leaving `quotes.company` pointing
+   *      at the old customer's company forever — quote Q202610315
+   *      ended up with `company = Mre` while its customer sat at
+   *      Harmony. The route now cascades `company` from the new
+   *      customer.
+   *   2. It bypassed the server-side placeholder/email guard that
+   *      this route enforces, by writing with the browser's own PB
+   *      credentials.
    */
   const changeCustomer = async (newCustomerId: string) => {
     if (!quote || !newCustomerId || newCustomerId === quote.customer) return;
     try {
-      const pb = getPocketBase();
-      await pb.collection("quotes").update(id, { customer: newCustomerId });
+      const res = await fetch(`/api/v1/quotes/${id}/pdf`, {
+        method: "PATCH",
+        headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
+        body: JSON.stringify({ customer: newCustomerId }),
+      });
+      if (!res.ok) {
+        const body = (await res.json().catch(() => null)) as { error?: string } | null;
+        throw new Error(body?.error || `Failed to change customer (${res.status})`);
+      }
       toast.success("Customer updated");
       // Pull the freshly-expanded quote so the header reflects the change.
+      // expand=company too — the header shows the customer's company, and
+      // the cascade just rewrote it.
+      const pb = getPocketBase();
       const fresh = await pb.collection("quotes").getOne<Quote>(id, {
-        expand: "customer",
+        expand: "customer,customer.company",
       });
       setQuote(fresh);
     } catch (err) {
diff --git a/src/app/(app)/quotes/approvals/[id]/page.tsx b/src/app/(app)/quotes/approvals/[id]/page.tsx
index e036693..97143be 100644
--- a/src/app/(app)/quotes/approvals/[id]/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(app)/quotes/approvals/[id]/page.tsx
@@ -626,9 +626,14 @@ export default function ApprovalReviewPage() {
   }
 
   const customerName = quote.expand?.customer?.customer ?? "—";
-  const companyName = quote.expand?.customer?.expand?.company?.company
-    ?? quote.expand?.company?.company
-    ?? "";
+  // Company comes from the CUSTOMER, never from the quote's own
+  // `company` relation. That relation is a denormalised copy which
+  // used to go stale whenever the quote's customer was changed
+  // (Q202610315 showed "Mre" while its customer sat at Harmony).
+  // The customer cascade now keeps them in step, but falling back to
+  // the stale copy would just re-hide the same class of bug — and a
+  // missing company is a harmless blank, a wrong one is not.
+  const companyName = quote.expand?.customer?.expand?.company?.company ?? "";
   const repName = quote.expand?.customer?.expand?.rep?.name ?? "";
   // Frozen at fetch time so the value is stable across re-renders
   // (React's purity rule: no Date.now() during render). The rep sees
diff --git a/src/app/api/v1/quotes/[id]/pdf/route.test.ts b/src/app/api/v1/quotes/[id]/pdf/route.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fa1e3f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/api/v1/quotes/[id]/pdf/route.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, vi } from "vitest";
+import { NextRequest } from "next/server";
+
+/**
+ * Tests for `PATCH /api/v1/quotes/[id]/pdf` — the customer-swap branch.
+ *
+ * The route exists so the process page can replace a placeholder
+ * customer with the real one. It also owns the `quotes.company`
+ * cascade: `quotes.company` is a denormalised copy of the customer's
+ * company and PB does not re-cascade relations, so writing only
+ * `customer` leaves the quote pointing at the previous customer's
+ * company forever (see quote Q202610315, which held `company = Mre`
+ * while its customer sat at Harmony).
+ */
+const { getAdminPocketBase } = vi.hoisted(() => ({
+  getAdminPocketBase: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/lib/pocketbase", () => ({
+  default: vi.fn(),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/lib/server/pocketbase-admin", () => ({
+  getAdminPocketBase: (...args: unknown[]) => getAdminPocketBase(...args),
+}));
+
+vi.mock("@/lib/server/quote-pdf-service", () => ({
+  generateQuotePdf: vi.fn(),
+  isQuotePdfStale: vi.fn(),
+  QuotePdfError: class QuotePdfError extends Error {},
+}));
+
+import { PATCH } from "./route";
+
+type Rec = Record<string, unknown>;
+
+/** Minimal in-memory PB stand-in: customers + quotes collections. */
+function makePb(customers: Rec[], quotes: Rec[]) {
+  const update = vi.fn(async (id: string, data: Rec) => {
+    const row = quotes.find((q) => q.id === id);
+    if (!row) throw new Error("not found");
+    Object.assign(row, data);
+    return { ...row };
+  });
+  const getOne = vi.fn(async (id: string) => {
+    const c = customers.find((x) => x.id === id);
+    if (!c) throw new Error("not found");
+    return { ...c };
+  });
+  return {
+    collection: vi.fn((name: string) =>
+      name === "customers" ? { getOne } : { update }
+    ),
+    __update: update,
+  };
+}
+
+function makeReq(id: string, body: unknown) {
+  return new NextRequest(`http://localhost/api/v1/quotes/${id}/pdf`, {
+    method: "PATCH",
+    headers: { "content-type": "application/json" },
+    body: JSON.stringify(body),
+  });
+}
+
+const CUSTOMER_WITH_COMPANY = {
+  id: "cust-harmony",
+  customer: "Pierre Visser",
+  email: "pierre.visser@harmony.co.za",
+  company: "comp-harmony",
+};
+const CUSTOMER_NO_COMPANY = {
+  id: "cust-solo",
+  customer: "Walk-in Buyer",
+  email: "walkin@buyer.co.za",
+  company: "",
+};
+
+describe("PATCH /api/v1/quotes/[id]/pdf — customer swap", () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    vi.clearAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  it("cascades quotes.company to the new customer's company", async () => {
+    const quote = { id: "q1", customer: "cust-old", company: "comp-mre" };
+    const pb = makePb([CUSTOMER_WITH_COMPANY], [quote]);
+    getAdminPocketBase.mockResolvedValue(pb);
+
+    const res = await PATCH(makeReq("q1", { customer: "cust-harmony" }), {
+      params: Promise.resolve({ id: "q1" }),
+    });
+
+    expect(res.status).toBe(200);
+    // The whole point — both relations move together.
+    expect(pb.__update).toHaveBeenCalledWith("q1", {
+      customer: "cust-harmony",
+      company: "comp-harmony",
+    });
+    expect(quote.company).toBe("comp-harmony");
+  });
+
+  it("clears the company when the new customer has none", async () => {
+    // Must not leave the PREVIOUS customer's company dangling.
+    const quote = { id: "q1", customer: "cust-old", company: "comp-mre" };
+    const pb = makePb([CUSTOMER_NO_COMPANY], [quote]);
+    getAdminPocketBase.mockResolvedValue(pb);
+
+    await PATCH(makeReq("q1", { customer: "cust-solo" }), {
+      params: Promise.resolve({ id: "q1" }),
+    });
+
+    expect(pb.__update).toHaveBeenCalledWith("q1", {
+      customer: "cust-solo",
+      company: "",
+    });
+    expect(quote.company).toBe("");
+  });
+
+  it("422s when no customer id is supplied", async () => {
+    const res = await PATCH(makeReq("q1", {}), {
+      params: Promise.resolve({ id: "q1" }),
+    });
+    expect(res.status).toBe(422);
+  });
+
+  it("422s and writes nothing when the customer has no email", async () => {
+    const noEmail = { ...CUSTOMER_WITH_COMPANY, email: "" };
+    const pb = makePb([noEmail], [{ id: "q1" }]);
+    getAdminPocketBase.mockResolvedValue(pb);
+
+    const res = await PATCH(makeReq("q1", { customer: "cust-harmony" }), {
+      params: Promise.resolve({ id: "q1" }),
+    });
+
+    expect(res.status).toBe(422);
+    expect(pb.__update).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  });
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/app/api/v1/quotes/[id]/pdf/route.ts b/src/app/api/v1/quotes/[id]/pdf/route.ts
index 564e920..1f2fa8a 100644
--- a/src/app/api/v1/quotes/[id]/pdf/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/v1/quotes/[id]/pdf/route.ts
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ export async function PATCH(
     const pb = await getAdminPocketBase();
     const customer = await pb
       .collection("customers")
-      .getOne<{ id: string; customer: string; email?: string }>(newCustomerId);
+      .getOne<{ id: string; customer: string; email?: string; company?: string }>(newCustomerId);
 
     // Same placeholder block as the PDF route. We also reject if
     // the new customer has no email — the operator would hit
@@ -218,8 +218,23 @@ export async function PATCH(
       );
     }
 
+    // Reassign BOTH relations together.
+    //
+    // `quotes.company` is a denormalised copy of the customer's
+    // company, and nothing in PB re-cascades it. Writing only
+    // `customer` left the quote pointing at the OLD customer's
+    // company forever: quote Q202610315 (changed to Pierre Visser at
+    // Harmony) kept `company = Mre`, so one quote held two
+    // contradictory companies. The customer-facing PDF reads
+    // `customer.expand.company` so the customer never saw it, which
+    // is exactly why it went unnoticed — but any consumer reading the
+    // quote's own `company` got the wrong answer.
+    //
+    // Empty company (customer has none) clears the relation rather
+    // than leaving the previous one dangling.
     const updated = await pb.collection("quotes").update(quoteId, {
       customer: customer.id,
+      company: customer.company ?? "",
     });
     return NextResponse.json({ ok: true, quote: updated, customer });
   } catch (err) {
diff --git a/src/lib/server/delivery-notes-service.test.ts b/src/lib/server/delivery-notes-service.test.ts
index c5fa4ca..4aaa348 100644
--- a/src/lib/server/delivery-notes-service.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/server/delivery-notes-service.test.ts
@@ -244,7 +244,9 @@ describe("createQuoteFromDeliveryNote", () => {
     const quotes = Array.from(getOrCreate("quotes").values());
     expect(quotes).toHaveLength(1);
     const q = quotes[0] as Record<string, unknown>;
-    expect(q.status).toBe("delivery_note");
+    // Born APPROVED — a DN quote is never sent on its own, it goes out
+    // with the note. It must never enter the rep approval queue.
+    expect(q.status).toBe("approved");
     expect(q.delivery_note).toBe(dnId);
     expect(q.customer).toBe("customer-1");
     expect(q.company).toBe("company-1");
@@ -412,6 +414,26 @@ describe("createQuoteFromDeliveryNote", () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it("still blocks a duplicate once the existing quote has been sent", async () => {
+    // Regression pin. The guard used to also require
+    // `status = "delivery_note"`, so a quote that had already gone out
+    // (`emailed`) fell straight through it — a second "Create quote"
+    // click would then raise a duplicate invoice for the same note.
+    // The guard is now relation-only and strictly broader than the UI.
+    const dnId = seedDeliveryNote();
+    seedOrderItem("DN26071401");
+    getOrCreate("quotes").set("already-sent", {
+      id: "already-sent",
+      quote_number: "Q202607002",
+      status: "emailed",
+      delivery_note: dnId,
+    });
+
+    await expect(createQuoteFromDeliveryNote(dnId)).rejects.toThrow(
+      /already exists/,
+    );
+  });
+
   it("throws when the delivery note has no order_items", async () => {
     const dnId = seedDeliveryNote();
     // No seedOrderItem call → the items lookup returns [].
diff --git a/src/lib/server/delivery-notes-service.ts b/src/lib/server/delivery-notes-service.ts
index 528b14d..ae60249 100644
--- a/src/lib/server/delivery-notes-service.ts
+++ b/src/lib/server/delivery-notes-service.ts
@@ -258,11 +258,21 @@ export async function createQuoteFromDeliveryNote(
   // status filter is a belt-and-braces check — the operator could
   // in theory have transitioned the previous quote to "sent" or
   // beyond, in which case the relationship is no longer "active".
-  // We look for the *primary* quote (status="delivery_note" with
-  // delivery_note=dn.id) — a quote that has been sent and is now
-  // in flight doesn't count.
+  // Duplicate guard: has THIS note already got a quote?
+  //
+  // Match on the relation alone. The old filter also pinned
+  // `status = "delivery_note"`, which quietly scoped the guard to
+  // quotes that had never been sent — so once the quote went
+  // `emailed`, this returned nothing and a second quote could be
+  // raised for the same note (duplicate invoice to the customer).
+  // It also broke the moment DN quotes stopped being created in
+  // `delivery_note` status.
+  //
+  // The UI already hides "Create quote" when `hasQuote`, so this
+  // server-side check is the real backstop — it must be strictly
+  // broader than the UI gate, not narrower.
   const existing = await pb.collection(QUOTES).getList<Quote>(1, 1, {
-    filter: `delivery_note = "${deliveryNoteId}" && status = "delivery_note"`,
+    filter: `delivery_note = "${deliveryNoteId}"`,
   });
   if (existing.items.length > 0) {
     const q = existing.items[0];
@@ -289,7 +299,27 @@ export async function createQuoteFromDeliveryNote(
   // Create the quote header.
   const quoteCreate: Record<string, unknown> = {
     quote_number: quoteNumber,
-    status: "delivery_note",
+    // Created APPROVED — the quote skips the approval queue.
+    //
+    // Why: a delivery-note quote is never sent on its own. The office
+    // creates it off the note ("Create quote"), prices it in the same
+    // dialog, and then sends DN + quote together with the note's own
+    // "Send" button. There is no separate quote-send step and no rep
+    // in the loop — the goods have already physically gone out with
+    // the driver, so an approval round-trip is pure friction on an
+    // invoice the customer is already liable for.
+    //
+    // This used to create as `delivery_note`, which was then silently
+    // overwritten to `approval_pending` by the PDF render
+    // (`generateQuotePdf` flips every non-terminal quote). That's how
+    // DN quotes ended up clogging the rep's Pending Approvals queue.
+    // The quote is now born approved, and the PDF render leaves
+    // `approved` alone — so the quote never enters the approval queue.
+    //
+    // `approved` is in `RESENDABLE_STATUSES`, so the note's Send button
+    // (which POSTs `/api/v1/quotes/[id]/send-email`) can send it
+    // straight through to `sending` → `emailed`.
+    status: "approved",
     delivery_note: dn.id,
     // customer/company are required on the Quote collection schema.
     // The delivery note has both, so we just copy through.
diff --git a/src/lib/server/order-delivery-note-link-service.ts b/src/lib/server/order-delivery-note-link-service.ts
index 1ef4622..bf09008 100644
--- a/src/lib/server/order-delivery-note-link-service.ts
+++ b/src/lib/server/order-delivery-note-link-service.ts
@@ -205,7 +205,7 @@ function mostRecent(candidates: DnCandidate[]): DnCandidate {
 }
 
 /** Among tied exact-item-match candidates, prefer the one whose priced
- *  quote (status="delivery_note") also matches the order's line
+ *  quote (the quote linked to that note) also matches the order's line
  *  prices. Returns null if no candidate's quote prices match — caller
  *  falls back to most-recent. */
 async function breakTieByQuotePrice(
@@ -222,10 +222,13 @@ async function breakTieByQuotePrice(
   }
 
   for (const dn of candidates) {
+    // Status-agnostic on purpose: we want the note's quote whatever
+    // stage it's at. It used to pin `status = "delivery_note"`, which
+    // stopped matching as soon as the quote was approved or sent.
     const quotes = await pb
       .collection(QUOTES_COLLECTION)
       .getFullList<{ id: string; delivery_note: string }>({
-        filter: `delivery_note = "${esc(dn.id)}" && status = "delivery_note"`,
+        filter: `delivery_note = "${esc(dn.id)}"`,
         fields: "id,delivery_note",
         batch: 5,
       });
diff --git a/src/lib/server/quote-pdf-service.test.ts b/src/lib/server/quote-pdf-service.test.ts
index 2fd0fdf..781e9cf 100644
--- a/src/lib/server/quote-pdf-service.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/server/quote-pdf-service.test.ts
@@ -893,6 +893,117 @@ describe("generateQuotePdf", () => {
   });
 });
 
+// ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+// generateQuotePdf — delivery-note quotes skip the approval queue
+//
+// Regression pin for the 2026-10-16 bug. The render used to auto-flip EVERY
+// non-terminal quote to `approval_pending`, which forced every DN quote into
+// the rep's approval queue before it could be sent — defeating the
+// skip-approval path in `sendQuoteEmail` (which gates on the quote still
+// being `delivery_note` / `claimed` / `processed`).
+// ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+describe("generateQuotePdf — delivery-note exemption", () => {
+  /**
+   * A DN quote mid-flow: real customer, a fully priced line, and the
+   * `delivery_note` relation set. `status` is what the assertion pins.
+   */
+  async function seedDnQuote(status: "delivery_note" | "claimed" | "processed") {
+    const customer = await pbMock.collection("customers").create({
+      customer: "Pierre Visser",
+      email: "pierre.visser@harmony.co.za",
+      company: "Harmony",
+      dateadded: "",
+      lastvisiteddate: "",
+      rep: "",
+      coordinates: "",
+      description: "",
+      alternative_email: "",
+      buyer_email: "",
+      number: "",
+    });
+    const quote = await pbMock.collection("quotes").create({
+      quote_number: "Q202610315",
+      customer: customer.id,
+      status,
+      delivery_note: "dn-abc123",
+      notes: "",
+      email_sender: "",
+      email_subject: "",
+      email_body: "",
+      has_attachments: false,
+      company_letterhead: "ISHERWOOD",
+    });
+    await pbMock.collection("quote_items").create({
+      quote: quote.id,
+      description: "M16 hex bolt",
+      quantity: 1,
+      cost_price: 2.39,
+      selling_price: 3.11,
+      markup: 30,
+      supplier: "sup-acme",
+      is_processed: true,
+      moved_to_quote: null,
+    });
+    return quote;
+  }
+
+  it("does NOT flip a delivery_note quote into approval_pending", async () => {
+    const quote = await seedDnQuote("delivery_note");
+
+    const outcome = await generateQuotePdf(quote.id, { letterhead: "ISHERWOOD" });
+    expect(outcome.kind).toBe("ok");
+    if (outcome.kind !== "ok") throw new Error("expected ok outcome");
+
+    // The whole point: the status survives the render so the operator's
+    // send button hits the DN branch in `sendQuoteEmail`.
+    expect(outcome.status).toBe("delivery_note");
+
+    const after = await pbMock
+      .collection("quotes")
+      .getOne<{ status: string; pdf_generated_at: string }>(quote.id);
+    expect(after.status).toBe("delivery_note");
+    // The PDF timestamp still gets stamped — `sendQuoteEmail`'s staleness
+    // check depends on it being fresh.
+    expect(after.pdf_generated_at).toBeTruthy();
+  });
+
+  it("keeps a claimed delivery-note quote claimed (no approval flip)", async () => {
+    const quote = await seedDnQuote("claimed");
+    const outcome = await generateQuotePdf(quote.id, { letterhead: "CNL" });
+    expect(outcome.kind).toBe("ok");
+    if (outcome.kind !== "ok") throw new Error("expected ok outcome");
+    expect(outcome.status).toBe("claimed");
+
+    const after = await pbMock.collection("quotes").getOne<{ status: string }>(quote.id);
+    expect(after.status).toBe("claimed");
+  });
+
+  it("still flips a REGULAR quote to approval_pending", async () => {
+    // Guard against over-correcting: the exemption must be scoped to DN
+    // quotes. A normal quote with no `delivery_note` keeps the old
+    // auto-submit behaviour.
+    const { quote } = await seedQuoteWithPdf();
+    await pbMock.collection("quotes").update(quote.id, { status: "processed" });
+    await pbMock.collection("quote_items").create({
+      quote: quote.id,
+      description: "M16 hex bolt",
+      quantity: 1,
+      cost_price: 2.39,
+      selling_price: 3.11,
+      markup: 30,
+      supplier: "sup-acme",
+      is_processed: true,
+      moved_to_quote: null,
+    });
+
+    const outcome = await generateQuotePdf(quote.id, { letterhead: "CNL" });
+    expect(outcome.kind).toBe("ok");
+    if (outcome.kind !== "ok") throw new Error("expected ok outcome");
+    expect(outcome.status).toBe("approval_pending");
+  });
+});
+
 // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 // generateQuotePdf — auto-claim (Option 1)
 //
diff --git a/src/lib/server/quote-pdf-service.ts b/src/lib/server/quote-pdf-service.ts
index 1c4aaee..bd97626 100644
--- a/src/lib/server/quote-pdf-service.ts
+++ b/src/lib/server/quote-pdf-service.ts
@@ -46,6 +46,9 @@ import type {
  *     implementation — PDF generation is the moment the quote
  *     becomes "ready for rep review" and replaces the old
  *     "Submit for Approval" button.
+ *   - EXCEPTION (2026-10-16): delivery-note quotes
+ *     (`quote.delivery_note` set) are NOT flipped. They skip the
+ *     approval queue entirely — see the flip block below.
  *   - When the quote is already in `approval_pending` /
  *     `partial_approval_pending`, the route does an idempotent
  *     regen — `pdf_generated_at` gets bumped but status stays
@@ -477,9 +480,28 @@ export async function generateQuotePdf(
       : {};
     let newStatus = quote.status;
     let pdfGeneratedAt: string | null = quote.pdf_generated_at || null;
+    /**
+     * Delivery-note quotes skip the approval queue by design (see
+     * `sendQuoteEmail`'s `isDeliveryNoteQuote` branch — it accepts
+     * `delivery_note` / `claimed` / `processed` and flips straight to
+     * `sending`). That design was silently defeated here: rendering the
+     * PDF is the operator's only pricing step for a DN quote, and this
+     * function auto-flipped ANY non-terminal quote to
+     * `approval_pending`, so every DN quote was pushed into the rep's
+     * queue before it could ever be sent. The skip-approval path was
+     * unreachable — the status it gates on had already been changed.
+     *
+     * Fix 2026-10-16: exempt DN quotes from the flip. They keep their
+     * own status (`delivery_note` → `claimed` → `processed`) while the
+     * PDF is stamped, so the operator's send button on the quote page
+     * hits the DN branch and goes straight out. The approval queue now
+     * contains only quotes that genuinely need a rep's eyes.
+     */
+    const isDeliveryNoteQuote = !!quote.delivery_note;
     if (
       TERMINAL_STATUSES.has(quote.status) ||
-      APPROVAL_STATES.has(quote.status)
+      APPROVAL_STATES.has(quote.status) ||
+      isDeliveryNoteQuote
     ) {
       // Idempotent / no-flip path: still update the timestamp so
       // we know the PDF was regenerated, but don't change the