diff --git a/artifacts/api-server/src/routes/service-orders.ts b/artifacts/api-server/src/routes/service-orders.ts
index c3ec4381..5393983e 100644
--- a/artifacts/api-server/src/routes/service-orders.ts
+++ b/artifacts/api-server/src/routes/service-orders.ts
@@ -384,8 +384,12 @@ router.patch(
       return;
     } else if (next === "cancelled") {
       // Check terminal state first so the receiver sees the right message
-      // regardless of permission gating order.
-      if (existing.status === "cancelled" || existing.status === "completed") {
+      // regardless of permission gating order. Admin may still cancel a
+      // completed/cancelled order (e.g. corrective action), so they bypass.
+      if (
+        !admin &&
+        (existing.status === "cancelled" || existing.status === "completed")
+      ) {
         res.status(409).json({ error: "order_unavailable" });
         return;
       }
diff --git a/artifacts/api-server/tests/service-orders.test.mjs b/artifacts/api-server/tests/service-orders.test.mjs
index 994d96b8..aabb202d 100644
--- a/artifacts/api-server/tests/service-orders.test.mjs
+++ b/artifacts/api-server/tests/service-orders.test.mjs
@@ -245,11 +245,11 @@ test("status transitions matrix: receiver flows + owner/admin cancel rules", asy
   assert.equal(res.status, 200);
   assert.equal((await res.json()).status, "completed");
 
-  // Cannot transition completed → anything (non-admin)
+  // Cannot transition completed → anything (non-admin); now 409 order_unavailable per Task #80
   res = await call(cr, "PATCH", `/orders/${order.id}/status`, {
     status: "preparing",
   });
-  assert.equal(res.status, 400);
+  assert.equal(res.status, 409);
 
   // Admin CAN cancel a completed order
   res = await call(ca, "PATCH", `/orders/${order.id}/status`, {