diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/warehouses/unload-booking-grn.spec.ts b/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/warehouses/unload-booking-grn.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0835ac862
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/warehouses/unload-booking-grn.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+import { WarehouseInventoryService } from './warehouse-inventory.service';
+import type { UnloadBookingDto } from './dto/unload-booking.dto';
+
+/**
+ * A GRN is the receipt for cargo entering the warehouse, so unloadBooking must
+ * issue one for every direction — import as well as export. It used to mint only
+ * for export, leaving import cargo received with no GRN.
+ */
+function makeService(opts: {
+  tradeDirection: string | null;
+  existing?: { id: string; grnNumber: string | null };
+}) {
+  const created: Record<string, unknown>[] = [];
+  const updated: Array<{ id: string; patch: Record<string, unknown> }> = [];
+
+  const inventoryRepository = {
+    findAll: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue(opts.existing ? [opts.existing] : []),
+    update: jest.fn((id: string, patch: Record<string, unknown>) => {
+      updated.push({ id, patch });
+      return Promise.resolve();
+    }),
+    create: jest.fn((row: Record<string, unknown>) => {
+      created.push(row);
+      return Promise.resolve({ id: 'new-inv', ...row });
+    }),
+  };
+
+  const service = Object.create(WarehouseInventoryService.prototype) as Record<string, unknown>;
+  service.inventoryRepository = inventoryRepository;
+  service.dataSource = {
+    query: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue([{ tradeDirection: opts.tradeDirection }]),
+  };
+  // Location comes straight from the dto in these cases, so pickDefaultLocation
+  // is never reached; findById just echoes what was written.
+  service.findById = jest.fn((id: string) =>
+    Promise.resolve(updated.find((u) => u.id === id)?.patch ?? created[0] ?? { id }),
+  );
+
+  const dto: UnloadBookingDto = {
+    warehouseId: 'w1',
+    yardId: 'y1',
+    zoneId: 'z1',
+  } as UnloadBookingDto;
+
+  return { service: service as unknown as WarehouseInventoryService, dto, created, updated };
+}
+
+describe('unloadBooking — GRN issuance', () => {
+  it('issues an IMPORT GRN when unloading a fresh import booking', async () => {
+    const { service, dto, created } = makeService({ tradeDirection: 'IMPORT' });
+
+    await service.unloadBooking('b-import', dto);
+
+    expect(created[0].grnNumber).toMatch(/^GRN-IMPORT-/);
+  });
+
+  it('still issues an EXPORT GRN', async () => {
+    const { service, dto, created } = makeService({ tradeDirection: 'EXPORT' });
+
+    await service.unloadBooking('b-export', dto);
+
+    expect(created[0].grnNumber).toMatch(/^GRN-EXPORT-/);
+  });
+
+  it('mints a GRN for an existing import row that has none', async () => {
+    const { service, dto, updated } = makeService({
+      tradeDirection: 'IMPORT',
+      existing: { id: 'inv-1', grnNumber: null },
+    });
+
+    await service.unloadBooking('b-import', dto);
+
+    expect(updated[0].patch.grnNumber).toMatch(/^GRN-IMPORT-/);
+  });
+
+  it('does not reissue when the row already has a GRN', async () => {
+    const { service, dto, updated } = makeService({
+      tradeDirection: 'IMPORT',
+      existing: { id: 'inv-1', grnNumber: 'GRN-IMPORT-EXISTING' },
+    });
+
+    await service.unloadBooking('b-import', dto);
+
+    expect(updated[0].patch).not.toHaveProperty('grnNumber');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/warehouses/warehouse-inventory.service.ts b/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/warehouses/warehouse-inventory.service.ts
index 5fe25416f..d05007d8c 100644
--- a/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/warehouses/warehouse-inventory.service.ts
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-api/src/modules/warehouses/warehouse-inventory.service.ts
@@ -1138,14 +1138,15 @@ export class WarehouseInventoryService {
   /** Unload a single arrived booking into a chosen (or default) location. */
   async unloadBooking(bookingId: string, dto: UnloadBookingDto): Promise<WarehouseInventory> {
     const existing = await this.inventoryRepository.findAll({ where: { bookingId } });
-    // EXPORT goods get their GRN on arrival at the warehouse — nothing loads onto
-    // a train without one. Import GRN handling is left untouched.
+    // A GRN is the receipt for cargo entering the warehouse, so every booking
+    // gets one on unload — import as well as export. The direction only decides
+    // the GRN prefix, not whether one is issued.
     const [bookingRow]: Array<{ tradeDirection: string | null }> = await this.dataSource.query(
       `SELECT trade_direction AS "tradeDirection"
          FROM freight.bookings WHERE id = $1 AND deleted_at IS NULL`,
       [bookingId],
     );
-    const isExport = bookingRow?.tradeDirection === 'EXPORT';
+    const grnDirection = bookingRow?.tradeDirection ?? 'WH';
 
     let location: DefaultLocation | null =
       dto.warehouseId && dto.yardId && dto.zoneId
@@ -1166,10 +1167,10 @@ export class WarehouseInventoryService {
         zoneId: location.zoneId,
         status: 'RECEIVED',
         arrivedAt,
-        // Export only, and keep an already-issued GRN rather than reissuing.
-        ...(isExport && !existing[0].grnNumber
-          ? { grnNumber: this.generateGrnNumber('EXPORT', bookingId, arrivedAt) }
-          : {}),
+        // Keep an already-issued GRN rather than reissuing; mint one otherwise.
+        ...(existing[0].grnNumber
+          ? {}
+          : { grnNumber: this.generateGrnNumber(grnDirection, bookingId, arrivedAt) }),
         notes: dto.notes ?? existing[0].notes ?? 'Unloaded',
       });
       return this.findById(existing[0].id);
@@ -1184,9 +1185,7 @@ export class WarehouseInventoryService {
       weight: 0,
       status: 'RECEIVED',
       arrivedAt,
-      ...(isExport
-        ? { grnNumber: this.generateGrnNumber('EXPORT', bookingId, arrivedAt) }
-        : {}),
+      grnNumber: this.generateGrnNumber(grnDirection, bookingId, arrivedAt),
       notes: dto.notes ?? 'Unloaded',
     });
     return this.findById(saved.id);
diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/warehouses/WarehouseInfoCard.tsx b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/warehouses/WarehouseInfoCard.tsx
index 6bda9e88d..02f85a3d7 100644
--- a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/warehouses/WarehouseInfoCard.tsx
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/components/warehouses/WarehouseInfoCard.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,19 @@ import { ReceiveInventoryModal } from './ReceiveInventoryModal';
 interface WarehouseInfoCardProps {
   bookingId: string;
   bookingReference?: string;
+  /**
+   * Booking payment status. Export cargo is received into the warehouse only
+   * after the booking is paid — receiving an unpaid booking starts storage and
+   * GRN against cargo the customer has not settled. Optional so existing callers
+   * that do not have the booking to hand keep their current behaviour.
+   */
+  paymentStatus?: string | null;
+  /**
+   * IMPORT | EXPORT | DOMESTIC. The payment gate is export-only: import cargo
+   * arrives OFF a train, so blocking its receive would strand cargo already at
+   * the yard.
+   */
+  tradeDirection?: string | null;
 }
 
 function Row({ label, value }: { label: string; value: React.ReactNode }) {
@@ -28,7 +41,12 @@ function Row({ label, value }: { label: string; value: React.ReactNode }) {
   );
 }
 
-export function WarehouseInfoCard({ bookingId, bookingReference }: WarehouseInfoCardProps) {
+export function WarehouseInfoCard({
+  bookingId,
+  bookingReference,
+  paymentStatus,
+  tradeDirection,
+}: WarehouseInfoCardProps) {
   const [modalOpen, setModalOpen] = useState(false);
   const { data, isLoading } = useQuery(
     api.warehouses.listInventory.queryOptions({ input: { filter: { bookingId } } }),
@@ -46,6 +64,13 @@ export function WarehouseInfoCard({ bookingId, bookingReference }: WarehouseInfo
   const wagon = scheduleView?.wagon;
   const isLoadedOrDispatched =
     latest?.status === 'LOADED' || latest?.status === 'DISPATCHED';
+  // Export only, and only when we were actually told the status — an absent prop
+  // means the caller cannot answer, and guessing "unpaid" would disable a valid
+  // action. Mirrors the server guard on receive().
+  const awaitingPayment =
+    tradeDirection?.toUpperCase() === 'EXPORT' &&
+    paymentStatus != null &&
+    paymentStatus.toUpperCase() !== 'PAID';
 
   return (
     <Card withBorder radius="md" padding="lg">
@@ -127,8 +152,12 @@ export function WarehouseInfoCard({ bookingId, bookingReference }: WarehouseInfo
         )}
 
         <Tooltip
-          label="This booking is already received at the warehouse"
-          disabled={!latest}
+          label={
+            latest
+              ? 'This booking is already received at the warehouse'
+              : 'This booking is not paid yet — cargo can only be received once payment is settled'
+          }
+          disabled={!latest && !awaitingPayment}
           withArrow
         >
           {/* span wrapper so the tooltip still fires on the disabled button */}
@@ -138,7 +167,7 @@ export function WarehouseInfoCard({ bookingId, bookingReference }: WarehouseInfo
               leftSection={<PackagePlus size={16} />}
               onClick={() => setModalOpen(true)}
               fullWidth
-              disabled={Boolean(latest)}
+              disabled={Boolean(latest) || awaitingPayment}
             >
               {latest ? 'Received At Warehouse' : 'Receive At Warehouse'}
             </Button>
diff --git a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/pages/bookings/BookingRequestDetailPage.tsx b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/pages/bookings/BookingRequestDetailPage.tsx
index e8bd568ce..01e2368bd 100644
--- a/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/pages/bookings/BookingRequestDetailPage.tsx
+++ b/apps/edr-freight-web/backoffice/src/pages/bookings/BookingRequestDetailPage.tsx
@@ -260,6 +260,8 @@ export default function BookingRequestDetailPage() {
                   <WarehouseInfoCard
                     bookingId={booking.id}
                     bookingReference={booking.reference}
+                    paymentStatus={booking.paymentStatus}
+                    tradeDirection={booking.tradeDirection}
                   />
                 </Box>
                 <BookingActionsToolbar