diff --git a/backend/app/routers/applications.py b/backend/app/routers/applications.py
index 23e64d8..94428ff 100644
--- a/backend/app/routers/applications.py
+++ b/backend/app/routers/applications.py
@@ -14,7 +14,10 @@
 )
 from app.services import application_repository as repo
 from app.services import email_service
-from app.services.application_service import ApplicationService
+from app.services.application_service import (
+    CONTRACT_CRITICAL_FIELDS,
+    ApplicationService,
+)
 from app.services.contract_service import SIGNATURE_DATE_POS, ContractService
 from app.services.pdf_service import pdf_service
 from app.services.storage_service import storage_service
@@ -129,6 +132,50 @@ def delete_application(application_id: str):
         raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="Application not found")
 
 
+@router.post("/by-id/{application_id}/approve", response_model=ApplicationResponse)
+def approve_application(application_id: str):
+    """Coordinator override: manually move a candidate to `interview` and issue
+    the contract, for a borderline case the AI left at `pending` (or
+    `request_clarification`). The coordinator's judgement outranks the score.
+
+    The mandatory-field gate still holds: a contract must name a host
+    organisation and workplace supervisor, so if those are missing the override
+    is refused with the specific gaps — approving cannot fabricate them.
+    """
+    application = _require_by_id(application_id)
+
+    if application.contract_task_id:
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=409, detail="Application already has a contract")
+
+    missing = [f for f in CONTRACT_CRITICAL_FIELDS if not getattr(application, f, "")]
+    if missing:
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=422,
+            detail=(
+                "Cannot issue a contract — the application is missing: "
+                + ", ".join(f.replace("_", " ") for f in missing)
+            ),
+        )
+
+    task_id, task_dir = storage_service.create_task()
+    ContractService.create_contract_pdf(
+        name=application.name,
+        email=application.email,
+        recommended_role=application.recommended_role,
+        candidate_score=application.candidate_score,
+        company_name=application.company_name,
+        supervisor_name=application.supervisor_name,
+        supervisor_contact=application.supervisor_contact,
+        output_path=task_dir / "original.pdf",
+    )
+
+    application.status = "interview"
+    application.missing_fields = []
+    application.contract_task_id = task_id
+    application.contract_pdf_path = str(storage_service.original_path(task_id))
+    return repo.update(application)
+
+
 @router.get("/by-id/{application_id}/contract-preview")
 def preview_contract(application_id: str):
     application = _require_by_id(application_id)
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_api.py b/backend/tests/test_api.py
index 1ad1a59..84ff63e 100644
--- a/backend/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/backend/tests/test_api.py
@@ -501,3 +501,48 @@ def test_signature_date_is_stamped_at_signing_not_generation(tmp_path):
 
     signed_text = fitz.open(str(signed))[0].get_text()
     assert signed_text.count(today) == 2      # header + signing date
+
+
+def test_manual_approve_generates_contract_when_fields_present():
+    """Coordinator override: a borderline `pending` candidate whose placement
+    details are all present can be approved manually, which flips it to
+    `interview` and issues the contract."""
+    from app.models.application import ApplicationResponse
+    from app.services import application_repository as repo
+
+    app_in = ApplicationResponse(
+        name="Olga Volkova", email="olga@example.com", candidate_score=60,
+        recommended_role="Backend Developer Internship", status="pending",
+        report="borderline", email_subject="s", email_body="b",
+        company_name="Comarch S.A.", supervisor_name="Jan Kowalski",
+        supervisor_contact="jan@comarch.com",
+    )
+    repo.add(app_in)
+
+    r = client.post(f"/applications/by-id/{app_in.id}/approve")
+    assert r.status_code == 200
+    body = r.json()
+    assert body["status"] == "interview"
+    assert body["contract_task_id"]
+    # A second approve is a no-op conflict, not a duplicate contract.
+    assert client.post(f"/applications/by-id/{app_in.id}/approve").status_code == 409
+
+
+def test_manual_approve_refused_when_mandatory_field_missing():
+    """The mandatory-field gate is not bypassable: approving an application that
+    omits the supervisor is refused, since the contract could not name one."""
+    from app.models.application import ApplicationResponse
+    from app.services import application_repository as repo
+
+    app_in = ApplicationResponse(
+        name="No Supervisor", email="ns@example.com", candidate_score=60,
+        recommended_role="Backend Developer Internship",
+        status="request_clarification", report="r", email_subject="s", email_body="b",
+        company_name="Comarch S.A.", supervisor_name="", supervisor_contact="",
+        missing_fields=["supervisor_name", "supervisor_contact"],
+    )
+    repo.add(app_in)
+
+    r = client.post(f"/applications/by-id/{app_in.id}/approve")
+    assert r.status_code == 422
+    assert "supervisor" in r.json()["detail"].lower()
diff --git a/frontend/src/App.css b/frontend/src/App.css
index b312047..76c40e5 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.css
+++ b/frontend/src/App.css
@@ -714,3 +714,7 @@
 }
 .sentBox strong { display: block; color: var(--text-h); font-size: 13.5px; }
 .sentBox small { color: var(--text); font-size: 12px; }
+
+/* Coordinator manual-approve override (pending → contract) */
+.approveArea { margin-top: 16px; width: 100%; }
+.approveArea .primary { width: 100%; }
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ContractPanel.jsx b/frontend/src/components/ContractPanel.jsx
index e195f84..8f3c747 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ContractPanel.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ContractPanel.jsx
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 import { useEffect, useRef, useState } from "react";
-import { CheckCircle2, Download, FileText, Mail, PenLine, Send } from "lucide-react";
+import { CheckCircle2, Download, FileText, Gavel, Mail, PenLine, Send } from "lucide-react";
 
 import {
+  approveApplication,
   contractPreviewUrl,
   sendContract,
   signApplication,
@@ -39,6 +40,10 @@ export default function ContractPanel({ selected, refresh }) {
   const [sending, setSending] = useState(false);
   const [sendError, setSendError] = useState("");
 
+  // Coordinator override: manually approve a borderline candidate.
+  const [approving, setApproving] = useState(false);
+  const [approveError, setApproveError] = useState("");
+
   // Reset the pad and the compose form whenever a different candidate is selected.
   useEffect(() => {
     const canvas = canvasRef.current;
@@ -53,6 +58,7 @@ export default function ContractPanel({ selected, refresh }) {
     setError("");
     setComposeOpen(false);
     setSendError("");
+    setApproveError("");
     if (selected) {
       setTo(selected.email || "");
       setSubject(defaultSubject(selected));
@@ -150,6 +156,19 @@ export default function ContractPanel({ selected, refresh }) {
     }
   }
 
+  async function handleApprove() {
+    setApproveError("");
+    setApproving(true);
+    try {
+      await approveApplication(selected.id);
+      await refresh();
+    } catch (err) {
+      setApproveError(err.message || "Could not approve this application.");
+    } finally {
+      setApproving(false);
+    }
+  }
+
   return (
     <div className="panel contract">
       <div className="panelHead">
@@ -166,8 +185,28 @@ export default function ContractPanel({ selected, refresh }) {
           <small>
             {selected?.missing_fields?.length > 0
               ? "The application is missing mandatory placement details — the candidate has been asked for them."
-              : "Only candidates invited to interview receive an agreement."}
+              : selected?.status === "interview"
+                ? "Only candidates invited to interview receive an agreement."
+                : "The AI did not recommend interview. You can still approve this candidate manually."}
           </small>
+
+          {/* Coordinator override: available when the AI stopped short of
+              interview but the mandatory placement details are present. */}
+          {selected?.status !== "interview" &&
+            !(selected?.missing_fields?.length > 0) && (
+              <div className="approveArea">
+                <button
+                  className="primary"
+                  type="button"
+                  onClick={handleApprove}
+                  disabled={approving}
+                >
+                  <Gavel size={16} />{" "}
+                  {approving ? "Approving…" : "Approve & generate contract"}
+                </button>
+                {approveError && <p className="signError">{approveError}</p>}
+              </div>
+            )}
         </div>
       )}
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/services/api.js b/frontend/src/services/api.js
index 62c3f78..6b13a73 100644
--- a/frontend/src/services/api.js
+++ b/frontend/src/services/api.js
@@ -41,6 +41,17 @@ export async function sendContract(applicationId, { to, subject, body }) {
   return res.json();
 }
 
+export async function approveApplication(applicationId) {
+  const res = await fetch(`${API_URL}/applications/by-id/${applicationId}/approve`, {
+    method: "POST",
+  });
+  if (!res.ok) {
+    const detail = await res.json().catch(() => null);
+    throw new Error(detail?.detail || "Could not approve this application.");
+  }
+  return res.json();
+}
+
 export function contractPreviewUrl(applicationId) {
   return `${API_URL}/applications/by-id/${applicationId}/contract-preview`;
 }