diff --git a/apps/console/src/pages/organizations/documents/_components/PublishDialog.tsx b/apps/console/src/pages/organizations/documents/_components/PublishDialog.tsx
index 1b979954a..7ba319f9a 100644
--- a/apps/console/src/pages/organizations/documents/_components/PublishDialog.tsx
+++ b/apps/console/src/pages/organizations/documents/_components/PublishDialog.tsx
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ export function PublishDialog({
         input: {
           documentId,
           minor,
-          approverIds: minor ? [] : data.approverIds,
+          approverIds: minor ? null : data.approverIds,
           changelog: data.changelog,
         },
       },
diff --git a/e2e/console/document_version_test.go b/e2e/console/document_version_test.go
index f8685e47b..22764a061 100644
--- a/e2e/console/document_version_test.go
+++ b/e2e/console/document_version_test.go
@@ -190,9 +190,10 @@ func publishMajorDocumentVersion(t *testing.T, owner *testutil.Client, docID str
 		}
 	`, map[string]any{
 		"input": map[string]any{
-			"minor":      false,
-			"documentId": docID,
-			"changelog":  "Major release",
+			"minor":       false,
+			"documentId":  docID,
+			"approverIds": []string{},
+			"changelog":   "Major release",
 		},
 	}, &result)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
@@ -1425,9 +1426,10 @@ func TestDocumentVersion_PublishBlockedWhenPendingApproval(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 		`, map[string]any{
 			"input": map[string]any{
-				"minor":      false,
-				"documentId": docID,
-				"changelog":  "Major release",
+				"minor":       false,
+				"documentId":  docID,
+				"approverIds": []string{},
+				"changelog":   "Major release",
 			},
 		})
 		require.Error(t, err)
@@ -1453,6 +1455,128 @@ func TestDocumentVersion_PublishBlockedWhenPendingApproval(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+// TestDocumentVersion_PublishApproverIDsContract verifies that approver_ids must
+// be an explicit choice when publishing: required for a major version (empty
+// list publishes directly, non-empty requests approval) and rejected for a minor
+// version (which ignores approvers).
+func TestDocumentVersion_PublishApproverIDsContract(t *testing.T) {
+	t.Parallel()
+
+	const publishMutation = `
+		mutation($input: PublishDocumentInput!) {
+			publishDocument(input: $input) {
+				documentVersion { status }
+				approvalQuorum { id }
+			}
+		}
+	`
+
+	type publishResult struct {
+		PublishDocument struct {
+			DocumentVersion struct {
+				Status string `json:"status"`
+			} `json:"documentVersion"`
+			ApprovalQuorum *struct {
+				ID string `json:"id"`
+			} `json:"approvalQuorum"`
+		} `json:"publishDocument"`
+	}
+
+	t.Run("major publish without approver_ids is rejected", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		owner := testutil.NewClient(t, testutil.RoleOwner)
+		docID, _ := createTestDocument(t, owner)
+
+		_, err := owner.Do(publishMutation, map[string]any{
+			"input": map[string]any{
+				"minor":      false,
+				"documentId": docID,
+				"changelog":  "Major release",
+			},
+		})
+		require.Error(t, err)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("major publish with empty approver_ids publishes directly", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		owner := testutil.NewClient(t, testutil.RoleOwner)
+		docID, _ := createTestDocument(t, owner)
+
+		var result publishResult
+
+		err := owner.Execute(publishMutation, map[string]any{
+			"input": map[string]any{
+				"minor":       false,
+				"documentId":  docID,
+				"approverIds": []string{},
+				"changelog":   "Direct major release",
+			},
+		}, &result)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.Equal(t, "PUBLISHED", result.PublishDocument.DocumentVersion.Status)
+		assert.Nil(t, result.PublishDocument.ApprovalQuorum)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("major publish with approver_ids requests approval", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		owner := testutil.NewClient(t, testutil.RoleOwner)
+		docID, _ := createTestDocument(t, owner)
+
+		var result publishResult
+
+		err := owner.Execute(publishMutation, map[string]any{
+			"input": map[string]any{
+				"minor":       false,
+				"documentId":  docID,
+				"approverIds": []string{getOwnerProfileID(t, owner)},
+				"changelog":   "Major release needing approval",
+			},
+		}, &result)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.Equal(t, "PENDING_APPROVAL", result.PublishDocument.DocumentVersion.Status)
+		require.NotNil(t, result.PublishDocument.ApprovalQuorum)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("minor publish without approver_ids is allowed", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		owner := testutil.NewClient(t, testutil.RoleOwner)
+		docID, _ := createTestDocument(t, owner)
+		publishMajorDocumentVersion(t, owner, docID)
+		updateDocumentContent(t, owner, docID, "Updated content for minor")
+
+		var result publishResult
+
+		err := owner.Execute(publishMutation, map[string]any{
+			"input": map[string]any{
+				"minor":      true,
+				"documentId": docID,
+				"changelog":  "Minor release",
+			},
+		}, &result)
+		require.NoError(t, err)
+		assert.Equal(t, "PUBLISHED", result.PublishDocument.DocumentVersion.Status)
+		assert.Nil(t, result.PublishDocument.ApprovalQuorum)
+	})
+
+	t.Run("minor publish with approver_ids is rejected", func(t *testing.T) {
+		t.Parallel()
+		owner := testutil.NewClient(t, testutil.RoleOwner)
+		docID, _ := createTestDocument(t, owner)
+		publishMajorDocumentVersion(t, owner, docID)
+		updateDocumentContent(t, owner, docID, "Updated content for rejected minor")
+
+		_, err := owner.Do(publishMutation, map[string]any{
+			"input": map[string]any{
+				"minor":       true,
+				"documentId":  docID,
+				"approverIds": []string{getOwnerProfileID(t, owner)},
+				"changelog":   "Minor release",
+			},
+		})
+		require.Error(t, err)
+	})
+}
+
 func TestDocument_DefaultApprovers(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Parallel()
 	owner := testutil.NewClient(t, testutil.RoleOwner)
diff --git a/packages/n8n-node/nodes/Probo/actions/document/publish.operation.ts b/packages/n8n-node/nodes/Probo/actions/document/publish.operation.ts
index 1b1979c6b..31c5115d8 100644
--- a/packages/n8n-node/nodes/Probo/actions/document/publish.operation.ts
+++ b/packages/n8n-node/nodes/Probo/actions/document/publish.operation.ts
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ export const description: INodeProperties[] = [
 			},
 		},
 		default: '',
-		description: 'Comma-separated list of approver profile IDs. When provided, an approval is requested instead of publishing immediately.',
+		description: 'Comma-separated list of approver profile IDs. Provide IDs to request approval; leave empty to publish the major version directly without approval.',
 	},
 	{
 		displayName: 'Changelog',
@@ -122,12 +122,14 @@ export async function execute(
 	`;
 
 	const input: Record<string, unknown> = { documentId, minor, changelog };
-	if (!minor && approverIdsRaw) {
-		const approverIds = approverIdsRaw
+	if (!minor) {
+		// A major publish must set approverIds explicitly: an empty list publishes
+		// directly without approval, a non-empty list requests approval. It must be
+		// omitted for a minor publish, which ignores approvers.
+		input.approverIds = approverIdsRaw
 			.split(',')
 			.map(id => id.trim())
 			.filter(Boolean);
-		if (approverIds.length > 0) input.approverIds = approverIds;
 	}
 
 	const responseData = await proboApiRequest.call(this, query, { input });
diff --git a/pkg/probo/document_service.go b/pkg/probo/document_service.go
index b8932a306..6bf5a5b76 100644
--- a/pkg/probo/document_service.go
+++ b/pkg/probo/document_service.go
@@ -184,6 +184,27 @@ func (req *PublishDocumentRequest) Validate() error {
 	})
 	v.Check(req.Changelog, "changelog", validator.Required(), validator.SafeText(5000))
 
+	// approver_ids must be an explicit choice for a major publish (an empty list
+	// publishes directly without approval, a non-empty list requests approval)
+	// and must be omitted for a minor publish, which ignores approvers.
+	if req.Minor && req.ApproverIDs != nil {
+		v.Check(req.ApproverIDs, "approver_ids", func(any) *validator.ValidationError {
+			return &validator.ValidationError{
+				Code:    validator.ErrorCodeCustom,
+				Message: "must not be set when publishing a minor version",
+			}
+		})
+	}
+
+	if !req.Minor && req.ApproverIDs == nil {
+		v.Check(req.ApproverIDs, "approver_ids", func(any) *validator.ValidationError {
+			return &validator.ValidationError{
+				Code:    validator.ErrorCodeCustom,
+				Message: "must be set when publishing a major version: provide approver profile IDs to request approval, or an empty list to publish directly without approval",
+			}
+		})
+	}
+
 	return v.Error()
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/server/api/mcp/v1/specification.yaml b/pkg/server/api/mcp/v1/specification.yaml
index d4193e56e..348b70670 100644
--- a/pkg/server/api/mcp/v1/specification.yaml
+++ b/pkg/server/api/mcp/v1/specification.yaml
@@ -6305,12 +6305,12 @@ components:
           description: Document ID
         minor:
           type: boolean
-          description: When true, publish the draft as a minor version and ignore approver_ids. When false, publish as a new major version; if approver_ids are provided, an approval is requested instead.
+          description: When true, publish the draft as a minor version; approver_ids must be omitted. When false, publish as a new major version; approver_ids is required (a non-empty list requests approval, an empty list publishes directly without approval).
         approver_ids:
           type: array
           items:
             $ref: "#/components/schemas/GID"
-          description: Approver profile IDs (ignored when minor is true)
+          description: "Approver profile IDs. Required when minor is false: pass a non-empty list to request approval (approvers receive an email notification), or an empty list to publish directly without approval. Must be omitted when minor is true."
         changelog:
           type: string
           description: Changelog for this version