diff --git a/src/app/(app)/projects/[projectId]/deliverables/[deliverableId]/page.tsx b/src/app/(app)/projects/[projectId]/deliverables/[deliverableId]/page.tsx
index 612c21c..bf4896a 100644
--- a/src/app/(app)/projects/[projectId]/deliverables/[deliverableId]/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(app)/projects/[projectId]/deliverables/[deliverableId]/page.tsx
@@ -439,45 +439,76 @@ export default function DeliverableDetailPage() {
                     />
                   </div>
 
-                  {available.length > 0 && (
-                    <div className="ml-auto flex flex-wrap gap-1">
-                      {available.map((nextStatus) => {
-                        const isSkip = nextStatus === "SKIPPED";
-                        const isReopen =
-                          (nextStatus === "IN_PROGRESS" &&
-                            (stage.status === "APPROVED" ||
-                              stage.status === "DELIVERED")) ||
-                          (nextStatus === "NOT_STARTED" &&
-                            stage.status === "SKIPPED");
-                        const label = isReopen
-                          ? "Reopen"
-                          : (TRANSITION_LABELS[nextStatus] ?? nextStatus);
+                  {(() => {
+                    // Visible action set rules (Phase 5b — declutter):
+                    //  - BLOCKED rows: no buttons (path forward is the
+                    //    upstream prereq; we don't want producers to click
+                    //    "Skip" by accident). The lock icon below still
+                    //    explains why nothing is actionable.
+                    //  - Stages with approvalType !== NONE: the
+                    //    StageReviewPanel owns the Approve / Request changes
+                    //    / Send to client / New revision affordances. No
+                    //    duplicates in this row.
+                    //  - All other transitions are visible — but
+                    //    destructive / sideways moves (Skip, Reopen) stay
+                    //    muted outline so the forward path is the obvious
+                    //    primary action.
+                    const stageApprovalType =
+                      stage.stageDefinition?.approvalType ??
+                      stage.template?.approvalType ??
+                      "NONE";
+                    const hasReviewPanel = stageApprovalType !== "NONE";
+                    const isBlocked = stage.status === "BLOCKED";
 
-                        return (
-                          <Button
-                            key={nextStatus}
-                            size="sm"
-                            variant={isSkip || isReopen ? "outline" : "default"}
-                            className={cn(
-                              "h-6 text-[13px] px-2",
-                              (isSkip || isReopen) && "text-[var(--muted-foreground)]"
-                            )}
-                            disabled={updateStage.isPending}
-                            onClick={() => handleTransition(stage.id, nextStatus)}
-                          >
-                            {isSkip ? (
-                              <SkipForward className="mr-1 h-3 w-3" />
-                            ) : isReopen ? (
-                              <RotateCcw className="mr-1 h-3 w-3" />
-                            ) : (
-                              <ChevronRight className="mr-1 h-3 w-3" />
-                            )}
-                            {label}
-                          </Button>
-                        );
-                      })}
-                    </div>
-                  )}
+                    if (isBlocked || hasReviewPanel || available.length === 0) {
+                      return null;
+                    }
+
+                    return (
+                      <div className="ml-auto flex flex-wrap gap-1">
+                        {available.map((nextStatus) => {
+                          const isSkip = nextStatus === "SKIPPED";
+                          const isReopen =
+                            (nextStatus === "IN_PROGRESS" &&
+                              (stage.status === "APPROVED" ||
+                                stage.status === "DELIVERED")) ||
+                            (nextStatus === "NOT_STARTED" &&
+                              stage.status === "SKIPPED");
+                          const label = isReopen
+                            ? "Reopen"
+                            : (TRANSITION_LABELS[nextStatus] ?? nextStatus);
+
+                          return (
+                            <Button
+                              key={nextStatus}
+                              size="sm"
+                              variant={
+                                isSkip || isReopen ? "outline" : "default"
+                              }
+                              className={cn(
+                                "h-6 text-[13px] px-2",
+                                (isSkip || isReopen) &&
+                                  "text-[var(--muted-foreground)]"
+                              )}
+                              disabled={updateStage.isPending}
+                              onClick={() =>
+                                handleTransition(stage.id, nextStatus)
+                              }
+                            >
+                              {isSkip ? (
+                                <SkipForward className="mr-1 h-3 w-3" />
+                              ) : isReopen ? (
+                                <RotateCcw className="mr-1 h-3 w-3" />
+                              ) : (
+                                <ChevronRight className="mr-1 h-3 w-3" />
+                              )}
+                              {label}
+                            </Button>
+                          );
+                        })}
+                      </div>
+                    );
+                  })()}
                 </div>
 
                 {/* Sub-status + blocked hint on their own third line only when present */}
diff --git a/src/components/stages/stage-review-panel.tsx b/src/components/stages/stage-review-panel.tsx
index 7e4fd52..d36ae82 100644
--- a/src/components/stages/stage-review-panel.tsx
+++ b/src/components/stages/stage-review-panel.tsx
@@ -193,9 +193,10 @@ export function StageReviewPanel({
               className="h-6 px-2 text-[12px]"
               disabled={updateStageStatus.isPending}
               onClick={handleApprove}
+              title="Approve this stage and auto-open the next stage(s)"
             >
               <CheckCircle2 className="mr-1 h-3 w-3" />
-              Approve
+              Approve &amp; advance
             </Button>
           )}
 
@@ -206,6 +207,7 @@ export function StageReviewPanel({
               className="h-6 px-2 text-[12px]"
               disabled={updateStageStatus.isPending}
               onClick={handleRequestChanges}
+              title="Mark this stage as needing changes; producer will iterate"
             >
               <XCircle className="mr-1 h-3 w-3" />
               Request changes
diff --git a/src/lib/services/stage-service.ts b/src/lib/services/stage-service.ts
index 9c83af1..9bedc84 100644
--- a/src/lib/services/stage-service.ts
+++ b/src/lib/services/stage-service.ts
@@ -403,11 +403,12 @@ export async function updateStageStatus(
     downstreamStageNames: [] as string[],
   };
 
-  // Check if this will unblock downstream stages
-  if (
-    (newStatus === "APPROVED" || newStatus === "DELIVERED") &&
-    stage.template.isCriticalGate
-  ) {
+  // Check if this will auto-advance downstream stages. Phase 5b: ALL
+  // terminal transitions (APPROVED / DELIVERED / SKIPPED) auto-open
+  // every stage whose prerequisites are now satisfied — not just
+  // critical gates. Producers stop hitting "Start Work" on every row.
+  const TERMINAL: StageStatus[] = ["APPROVED", "DELIVERED", "SKIPPED"];
+  if (TERMINAL.includes(newStatus)) {
     const allStages = stage.deliverable.stages.map((s) => ({
       id: s.id,
       status: s.id === stageId ? newStatus : s.status,
@@ -462,8 +463,11 @@ export async function updateStageStatus(
       include: { template: { include: { dependsOn: true } } },
     });
 
-    // If this stage was just APPROVED/DELIVERED and is a critical gate, unblock downstream
-    if ((newStatus === "APPROVED" || newStatus === "DELIVERED") && stage.template.isCriticalGate) {
+    // Phase 5b: any terminal transition auto-advances every downstream
+    // stage whose prerequisites are now satisfied. Set them IN_PROGRESS
+    // directly (not NOT_STARTED) — producers shouldn't have to click
+    // "Start Work" on every unblocked row.
+    if (TERMINAL.includes(newStatus)) {
       const allStages = stage.deliverable.stages.map((s) => ({
         id: s.id,
         status: s.id === stageId ? newStatus : s.status,
@@ -482,7 +486,7 @@ export async function updateStageStatus(
       if (idsToUnblock.length > 0) {
         await tx.deliverableStage.updateMany({
           where: { id: { in: idsToUnblock } },
-          data: { status: "NOT_STARTED" },
+          data: { status: "IN_PROGRESS", startDate: now },
         });
       }
     }