diff --git a/automaton/dashboard/html/dashboard.js b/automaton/dashboard/html/dashboard.js
index 9cd7fb8..e4f51dd 100644
--- a/automaton/dashboard/html/dashboard.js
+++ b/automaton/dashboard/html/dashboard.js
@@ -223,8 +223,11 @@ function renderDetail(task) {
         reviewActionsHtml = '<button class="review-btn approve" data-task="' + escapeHtml(task.name) + '" data-status="approved">✅ Approve</button>' +
             '<button class="review-btn changes" data-task="' + escapeHtml(task.name) + '" data-status="changes_requested">❌ Request Changes</button>';
     }
+    const approvePhaseBtn = task.is_approval_gated
+        ? `<button class="approve-phase-btn" data-task="${escapeHtml(task.name)}">🔓 Approve Phase</button>`
+        : '';
     content.innerHTML = `
-        <div class="detail-section"><h4>Status</h4><span class="detail-status-badge ${statusClass}">${statusText}</span>${phaseGroupHtml}${task.is_edit_phase ? '<span class="detail-edit-badge">✏️ Edit Allowed</span>' : ''}${task.is_approval_gated ? '<span class="detail-approval-badge">🔒 Requires Approval</span>' : ''}</div>
+        <div class="detail-section"><h4>Status</h4><span class="detail-status-badge ${statusClass}">${statusText}</span>${phaseGroupHtml}${task.is_edit_phase ? '<span class="detail-edit-badge">✏️ Edit Allowed</span>' : ''}${task.is_approval_gated ? '<span class="detail-approval-badge">🔒 Requires Approval</span>' : ''}${approvePhaseBtn}</div>
         ${statusReason ? `<div class="detail-section detail-status-reason">${escapeHtml(statusReason)}</div>` : ''}
         ${task.blocker ? `<div class="detail-section detail-blocker"><h4>⚠️ What's Blocking</h4><p class="detail-blocker-text">${escapeHtml(task.blocker)}</p></div>` : ''}
         ${task.phase_guidance ? `<div class="detail-section detail-guidance"><h4>▶ What's Next</h4><pre class="detail-guidance-text">${escapeHtml(task.phase_guidance)}</pre></div>` : ''}
@@ -538,6 +541,21 @@ async function submitReview(taskName, status) {
     }
 }
 
+async function approvePhase(taskName) {
+    try {
+        const res = await fetch(`/api/approve/${taskName}`, { method: 'POST' });
+        const data = await res.json();
+        if (data.success) {
+            closeDetail();
+            await refreshData();
+        } else {
+            console.error('Phase approval failed:', data);
+        }
+    } catch (err) {
+        console.error('Phase approval failed:', err);
+    }
+}
+
 function getFilteredTasks() {
     let filtered = [...state.tasks];
     if (state.filterPhase !== 'all') filtered = filtered.filter(t => t.state === state.filterPhase);
@@ -632,6 +650,11 @@ function setupUI() {
             const status = btn.dataset.status;
             if (taskName && status) submitReview(taskName, status);
         }
+        const approveBtn = e.target.closest('.approve-phase-btn');
+        if (approveBtn) {
+            const taskName = approveBtn.dataset.task;
+            if (taskName) approvePhase(taskName);
+        }
     });
 }
 
diff --git a/automaton/dashboard/html/styles.css b/automaton/dashboard/html/styles.css
index 68e8f4e..c21e4c6 100644
--- a/automaton/dashboard/html/styles.css
+++ b/automaton/dashboard/html/styles.css
@@ -315,6 +315,8 @@ kbd {
 .review-btn.approve:hover { background: var(--success-bg); }
 .review-btn.changes { border-color: var(--error); color: var(--error); }
 .review-btn.changes:hover { background: var(--error-bg); }
+.approve-phase-btn { display: inline-block; margin-left: 8px; padding: 4px 12px; border: 1px solid var(--warning); border-radius: var(--radius-sm); cursor: pointer; font-size: 11px; font-weight: 500; background: var(--warning-bg); color: var(--warning); font-family: inherit; transition: all 0.15s; }
+.approve-phase-btn:hover { filter: brightness(1.1); }
 .review-comment { font-size: 12px; color: var(--text-secondary); padding: 10px 12px; background: var(--bg-primary); border-radius: var(--radius-sm); margin-top: 6px; border-left: 2px solid var(--border-color); }
 .review-textarea { width: 100%; margin-top: 8px; padding: 10px; background: var(--bg-primary); border: 1px solid var(--border-color); border-radius: var(--radius-sm); color: var(--text-primary); font-size: 12px; font-family: inherit; resize: vertical; }
 .review-textarea:focus { outline: none; border-color: var(--primary); box-shadow: 0 0 0 2px rgba(138,180,248,0.2); }
diff --git a/automaton/dashboard/ui/app.py b/automaton/dashboard/ui/app.py
index 2ddfa91..114ef6b 100644
--- a/automaton/dashboard/ui/app.py
+++ b/automaton/dashboard/ui/app.py
@@ -117,6 +117,9 @@ class DashboardHandler(SimpleHTTPRequestHandler):
                 self._send_error(413, "Payload too large")
                 return
             self._handle_review(task_name)
+        elif self.path.startswith("/api/approve/"):
+            task_name = unquote(self.path.split("/api/approve/")[1])
+            self._handle_phase_approval(task_name)
         else:
             self._send_error(404, "Not found")
 
@@ -388,6 +391,31 @@ class DashboardHandler(SimpleHTTPRequestHandler):
         except json.JSONDecodeError:
             self._send_error(400, "Invalid JSON")
 
+    def _handle_phase_approval(self, task_name: str):
+        """Approve a task's current phase (--approve) via status.py."""
+        if not self._validate_task_name(task_name):
+            self._send_error(400, "Invalid task name")
+            return
+        project_root = self.project_root
+        if not project_root:
+            self._send_error(503, "Not in automaton project")
+            return
+        status_py = Path.home() / ".automaton" / "scripts" / "status.py"
+        if not status_py.exists():
+            self._send_error(500, "status.py not found")
+            return
+        import subprocess
+        result = subprocess.run(
+            [sys.executable, str(status_py), "--approve", "--task", task_name,
+             "--project", str(project_root)],
+            capture_output=True, text=True, timeout=30,
+        )
+        _invalidate_task_cache()
+        if result.returncode == 0:
+            self._send_json({"success": True, "message": result.stdout.strip()})
+        else:
+            self._send_error(400, result.stderr.strip() or result.stdout.strip())
+
     def _serve_review_summary(self):
         project_root = self.project_root
         if not project_root: