diff --git a/apps/portal/src/app/features/licensing/pages/LicenseApplicationPage.tsx b/apps/portal/src/app/features/licensing/pages/LicenseApplicationPage.tsx
index 193eb4dbe..dc82f5e50 100644
--- a/apps/portal/src/app/features/licensing/pages/LicenseApplicationPage.tsx
+++ b/apps/portal/src/app/features/licensing/pages/LicenseApplicationPage.tsx
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ import {
   useGetApplicationQuery,
   useGetAttachmentsQuery,
   useGetLicenseTypeRequirementsQuery,
-  useGetMyApplicationsQuery,
   useGetMyVesselsQuery,
   usePatchSectionMutation,
   useRemoveStaffMutation,
@@ -104,42 +103,25 @@ export function LicenseApplicationPage() {
   const { data: vessels } = useGetMyVesselsQuery();
   const [createApplication] = useCreateApplicationMutation();
   const [appId, setAppId] = useState<string | undefined>(applicationId);
-  // Only fetched to recover from the 409 below — a fresh visit never needs
-  // the applicant's whole application list, so this stays lazy.
-  const { data: myApplications, refetch: fetchMyApplications } =
-    useGetMyApplicationsQuery(undefined, { skip: true });
 
   // Create (or resume) the draft up front, so uploads have a real owner to
   // attach to and nothing is lost if the browser is closed mid-wizard.
+  // For a one-shot registration (e.g. seafarer) already submitted or further
+  // along, the API returns that existing application instead of a new draft —
+  // "Apply" reopens it rather than erroring, the same way it reopens a DRAFT.
   useEffect(() => {
     if (appId || !config) return;
     createApplication({ licenseType: typeCode })
       .unwrap()
       .then((app) => setAppId(app.id))
-      .catch(async (err) => {
-        // A one-shot registration (e.g. seafarer) already has a submitted (or
-        // further along) application — the backend refuses a second one
-        // rather than silently resuming it, unlike an unfinished DRAFT. The
-        // applicant's intent was still "open my registration", so find the
-        // existing one and load it instead of leaving the page stuck on this
-        // toast with nothing to fetch.
-        if (err?.status === 409) {
-          const mine = myApplications ?? (await fetchMyApplications().unwrap());
-          const existing = mine.items.find(
-            (a) => a.licenseTypeId === config.licenseType.id,
-          );
-          if (existing) {
-            setAppId(existing.id);
-            return;
-          }
-        }
+      .catch((err) =>
         notifications.show({
           color: "red",
           title: "Could not start application",
           message: extractErrorMessage(err),
-        });
-      });
-  }, [appId, config, createApplication, typeCode, myApplications, fetchMyApplications]);
+        }),
+      );
+  }, [appId, config, createApplication, typeCode]);
 
   const { data: detail, refetch } = useGetApplicationQuery(appId as string, {
     skip: !appId,