diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/bookings/booking-lifecycle-notifier.service.ts b/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/bookings/booking-lifecycle-notifier.service.ts
index 1cef9528c..3809dc086 100644
--- a/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/bookings/booking-lifecycle-notifier.service.ts
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/bookings/booking-lifecycle-notifier.service.ts
@@ -157,13 +157,13 @@ export class BookingLifecycleNotifierService {
     });
   }
 
-  /** Clearance finalized → customer can proceed to request operation. */
+  /** Document approval finalized → customer can proceed to request operation. */
   clearanceReady(b: Booking): void {
     const msg =
-      `Clearance for booking ${b.reference} is complete. ` +
+      `Document approval for booking ${b.reference} is finalized. ` +
       `You can now proceed to request operation from the portal.`;
-    void this.notifyContact(b, msg, 'CLEARANCE READY');
-    this.inApp(b, 'Clearance complete', msg, {
+    void this.notifyContact(b, msg, 'DOCUMENT APPROVAL FINALIZED');
+    this.inApp(b, 'Document approval finalized', msg, {
       type: NotificationType.CLEARANCE_DECISION,
     });
   }
diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/contracts/contract-clearance.service.ts b/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/contracts/contract-clearance.service.ts
index d752d071a..029952f45 100644
--- a/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/contracts/contract-clearance.service.ts
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/contracts/contract-clearance.service.ts
@@ -456,7 +456,7 @@ export class ContractClearanceService {
     const allowed = ['CLEARANCE_UNDER_REVIEW', 'AWAITING_CLEARANCE_DOCUMENTS'];
     if (!allowed.includes(contract.status)) {
       throw new ConflictException(
-        `Cannot finalize clearance on status "${contract.status}".`,
+        `Cannot finalize document approval on status "${contract.status}".`,
       );
     }
   }
diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/bookings/detail/ClearanceReviewSection.tsx b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/bookings/detail/ClearanceReviewSection.tsx
index 3dcf1ea9e..501e074e2 100644
--- a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/bookings/detail/ClearanceReviewSection.tsx
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/bookings/detail/ClearanceReviewSection.tsx
@@ -135,12 +135,14 @@ export function ClearanceReviewSection({
   const finalizeMutation = useMutation({
     mutationFn: () => bookingsService.finalizeClearance(bookingId),
     onSuccess: () => {
-      toast.success("Clearance finalized");
+      toast.success("Document approval finalized");
       refresh();
     },
     onError: (e) =>
       toast.error(
-        e instanceof Error ? e.message : "Could not finalize clearance",
+        e instanceof Error
+          ? e.message
+          : "Could not finalize document approval",
       ),
   });
 
@@ -366,7 +368,7 @@ export function ClearanceReviewSection({
         <Alert color="red" radius="md" icon={<AlertCircle size={16} />}>
           {finalizeMutation.error instanceof Error
             ? finalizeMutation.error.message
-            : "Could not finalize clearance."}
+            : "Could not finalize document approval."}
         </Alert>
       )}
 
@@ -445,7 +447,7 @@ export function ClearanceReviewSection({
               loading={finalizeMutation.isPending}
               onClick={() => finalizeMutation.mutate()}
             >
-              Finalize clearance
+              Finalize document approval
             </Button>
           </Group>
         </Paper>
diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/contracts/ContractClearanceReviewSection.tsx b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/contracts/ContractClearanceReviewSection.tsx
index c85dc0b07..c7d668ade 100644
--- a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/contracts/ContractClearanceReviewSection.tsx
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/contracts/ContractClearanceReviewSection.tsx
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ export interface ContractClearanceReviewSectionProps {
   queriesLocked?: boolean;
   /**
    * ONE_TIME customs contracts use the phased milestone workflow. Hides the
-   * legacy "Finalize clearance" shortcut; booking readiness follows delivery
+   * legacy "Finalize document approval" shortcut; booking readiness follows delivery
    * order (import) or export release.
    */
   phasedCustoms?: boolean;
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@ export function ContractClearanceReviewSection({
         <Alert color="red" radius="md" icon={<AlertCircle size={16} />}>
           {finalizeClearance.error instanceof Error
             ? finalizeClearance.error.message
-            : "Could not finalize clearance."}
+            : "Could not finalize document approval."}
         </Alert>
       )}
 
@@ -482,7 +482,7 @@ export function ContractClearanceReviewSection({
                 })
               }
             >
-              Finalize clearance
+              Finalize document approval
             </Button>
           </Group>
         </Paper>
diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/trainBuilder/BuildTrainModal.tsx b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/trainBuilder/BuildTrainModal.tsx
index 05b4bd546..925ff528d 100644
--- a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/trainBuilder/BuildTrainModal.tsx
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/trainBuilder/BuildTrainModal.tsx
@@ -160,7 +160,8 @@ export default function BuildTrainModal({ opened, onClose, onBuilt }: BuildTrain
             onChange={(value) => setImportTrainNumber(value ?? "")}
             searchable
             clearable
-            nothingFoundMessage="No free run numbers — add more in Dropdown Settings"
+            nothingFoundMessage={importNumbers.emptyMessage}
+            error={importNumbers.settingMissing ? importNumbers.emptyMessage : undefined}
           />
         </Group>
         <Select
diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/trainBuilder/EditTrainDetailsModal.tsx b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/trainBuilder/EditTrainDetailsModal.tsx
index 8eb64d3ef..cd65a568a 100644
--- a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/trainBuilder/EditTrainDetailsModal.tsx
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/trainBuilder/EditTrainDetailsModal.tsx
@@ -105,7 +105,8 @@ const EditTrainDetailsModal = ({ train, onClose }: EditTrainDetailsModalProps) =
             }}
             searchable
             clearable
-            nothingFoundMessage="No free run numbers — add more in Dropdown Settings"
+            nothingFoundMessage={importNumbers.emptyMessage}
+            error={importNumbers.settingMissing ? importNumbers.emptyMessage : undefined}
             radius="md"
           />
           <TextInput
diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/hooks/contracts/useContracts.ts b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/hooks/contracts/useContracts.ts
index 572ad6f8e..306d92536 100644
--- a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/hooks/contracts/useContracts.ts
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/hooks/contracts/useContracts.ts
@@ -348,14 +348,16 @@ export function useContractClearanceMutations(
     onSuccess: () => {
       toast.success(
         selfClear
-          ? "Clearance approved — customer can now book"
-          : "Clearance finalized — ready for booking",
+          ? "Document approval finalized — customer can now book"
+          : "Document approval finalized — ready for booking",
       );
       refresh();
     },
     onError: (e) =>
       toast.error(
-        e instanceof Error ? e.message : "Could not finalize clearance",
+        e instanceof Error
+          ? e.message
+          : "Could not finalize document approval",
       ),
   });
 
diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/hooks/useImportTrainNumberOptions.ts b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/hooks/useImportTrainNumberOptions.ts
index a26e127f3..d2cf2710d 100644
--- a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/hooks/useImportTrainNumberOptions.ts
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/hooks/useImportTrainNumberOptions.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import { useQuery } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import { useMemo } from "react";
 
-import { IMPORT_TRAIN_OPTIONS } from "@/constants/trainRuns";
 import { api } from "@/services/api";
 
 /** Dropdown-settings code holding the admin-managed IMPORT run numbers. */
@@ -14,10 +13,11 @@ export interface ImportTrainNumberOption {
 }
 
 /**
- * Selectable IMPORT run numbers for the Train Builder, sourced from the
- * admin-managed `import_train_numbers` dropdown setting (admins add new runs
- * from the Dropdown Settings editor). Falls back to the legacy hardcoded run
- * list while the setting is missing or has no options.
+ * Selectable IMPORT run numbers for the Train Builder, sourced solely from the
+ * admin-managed `import_train_numbers` dropdown setting — admins add and remove
+ * runs from /dashboard/dropdown-settings and the pickers follow. There is no
+ * hardcoded fallback on purpose: a missing setting must be visible (see
+ * `settingMissing`) rather than masked by stale defaults.
  *
  * Numbers already claimed by an existing train are kept in the list but
  * disabled and tagged "in use". Pass `currentNumber` when editing a train so
@@ -37,14 +37,13 @@ export function useImportTrainNumberOptions(currentNumber?: string | null) {
   );
 
   const options = useMemo<ImportTrainNumberOption[]>(() => {
-    const configured = [...(settingQuery.data?.children ?? [])]
+    const base = [...(settingQuery.data?.children ?? [])]
       .filter((option) => !option.disabled)
       .sort((a, b) => (a.order ?? 0) - (b.order ?? 0))
       .map((option) => ({
         value: option.value,
         label: option.label || option.value,
       }));
-    const base = configured.length ? configured : IMPORT_TRAIN_OPTIONS;
 
     const used = new Set(usedQuery.data?.importTrainNumbers ?? []);
     if (currentNumber) used.delete(currentNumber);
@@ -60,8 +59,16 @@ export function useImportTrainNumberOptions(currentNumber?: string | null) {
     return items;
   }, [settingQuery.data, usedQuery.data, currentNumber]);
 
+  const settingMissing = settingQuery.isError;
+
   return {
     options,
     isLoading: settingQuery.isLoading || usedQuery.isLoading,
+    /** True when the dropdown setting is absent — surfaced instead of silently
+     * falling back, so a broken config is visible rather than looking normal. */
+    settingMissing,
+    emptyMessage: settingMissing
+      ? `Dropdown setting "${IMPORT_TRAIN_NUMBERS_CODE}" is missing — create it in Dropdown Settings`
+      : "No free run numbers — add more in Dropdown Settings",
   };
 }
diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/pages/bookings/DocumentClearanceListPage.tsx b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/pages/bookings/DocumentClearanceListPage.tsx
index 542852a5f..34e659177 100644
--- a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/pages/bookings/DocumentClearanceListPage.tsx
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/pages/bookings/DocumentClearanceListPage.tsx
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ export default function DocumentClearanceListPage({
           subtitle={
             opsMode
               ? "Review the customer's own clearance documents per shipment booking, raise queries, and finalize."
-              : "Review customer documents, raise queries, and finalize clearance for each booking."
+              : "Review customer documents, raise queries, and finalize document approval for each booking."
           }
           meta={statusBadge}
           action={
diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/pages/contracts/ContractClearanceListPage.tsx b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/pages/contracts/ContractClearanceListPage.tsx
index 9cc9919e3..328736f3d 100644
--- a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/pages/contracts/ContractClearanceListPage.tsx
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/pages/contracts/ContractClearanceListPage.tsx
@@ -256,7 +256,7 @@ function StatusBadge({ row }: { row: ClearanceRow }) {
   if (row.ready) {
     return (
       <Tooltip
-        label="Clearance finalized — the customer creates the booking in the portal"
+        label="Document approval finalized — the customer creates the booking in the portal"
         withArrow
       >
         <Badge
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ function StatusBadge({ row }: { row: ClearanceRow }) {
           radius="sm"
           leftSection={<PackageCheck size={12} />}
         >
-          Clearance finalized
+          Documents approved
         </Badge>
       </Tooltip>
     );