diff --git a/src/request-management/dto/expert-initiated.dto.ts b/src/request-management/dto/expert-initiated.dto.ts
index 070ba09..803b27f 100644
--- a/src/request-management/dto/expert-initiated.dto.ts
+++ b/src/request-management/dto/expert-initiated.dto.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { ApiProperty, ApiPropertyOptional } from "@nestjs/swagger";
-import { IsEnum, IsOptional, IsString } from "class-validator";
+import { IsBoolean, IsEnum, IsOptional } from "class-validator";
 import { CreationMethod } from "../entities/schema/request-management.schema";
 
 export class CreateExpertInitiatedFileDto {
@@ -18,4 +18,17 @@ export class CreateExpertInitiatedFileDto {
   })
   @IsEnum(CreationMethod)
   creationMethod: CreationMethod;
+
+  /**
+   * V5 only. When true the resulting claim will require FileMaker approval
+   * before fanavaran submission. V4 files must leave this unset (or false).
+   */
+  @ApiPropertyOptional({
+    description:
+      "V5 only — when true the claim requires FileMaker approval before fanavaran submission.",
+    example: false,
+  })
+  @IsBoolean()
+  @IsOptional()
+  requiresFileMakerApproval?: boolean;
 }
diff --git a/src/request-management/file-maker-blame-v5.controller.ts b/src/request-management/file-maker-blame-v5.controller.ts
index 5d1c782..3dffb2a 100644
--- a/src/request-management/file-maker-blame-v5.controller.ts
+++ b/src/request-management/file-maker-blame-v5.controller.ts
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ export class FileMakerBlameV5Controller {
   ) {
     return this.requestManagementService.createExpertInitiatedBlameV2(
       fileMaker,
-      { ...dto, creationMethod: CreationMethod.IN_PERSON },
+      { ...dto, creationMethod: CreationMethod.IN_PERSON, requiresFileMakerApproval: true },
     );
   }
 
diff --git a/src/request-management/request-management.service.ts b/src/request-management/request-management.service.ts
index b304d0a..d1aab38 100644
--- a/src/request-management/request-management.service.ts
+++ b/src/request-management/request-management.service.ts
@@ -4835,6 +4835,9 @@ export class RequestManagementService {
           ? FilledBy.EXPERT
           : FilledBy.CUSTOMER,
       ...(isFileMakerRole ? { isMadeByFileMaker: true } : {}),
+      // V5 only: flag that causes the resulting claim to require FileMaker
+      // approval before fanavaran submission. V4 files never set this.
+      ...(dto.requiresFileMakerApproval ? { requiresFileMakerApproval: true } : {}),
     });
 
     const requestId = String((created as any)._id);
@@ -8876,9 +8879,10 @@ export class RequestManagementService {
             },
           }
         : {}),
-      // V5 (isMadeByFileMaker): mark approval gate at claim creation so the flag
-      // is always present regardless of whether upload-video is called.
-      ...((req as any).isMadeByFileMaker
+      // V5 only: propagate the approval gate from the blame record to the claim.
+      // isMadeByFileMaker is true for both V4 and V5; only V5 blame records also
+      // carry requiresFileMakerApproval=true (set at create time by the V5 controller).
+      ...((req as any).requiresFileMakerApproval
         ? {
             requiresFileMakerApproval: true,
             fileMakerApprovalActorId: new Types.ObjectId(actor.sub),