diff --git a/src/libs/PolicyUtils.ts b/src/libs/PolicyUtils.ts
index 5d762f52b6ab2..9e267ef1991ec 100644
--- a/src/libs/PolicyUtils.ts
+++ b/src/libs/PolicyUtils.ts
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ import {hasSynchronizationErrorMessage, isConnectionUnverified} from './actions/
 import {shouldShowQBOReimbursableExportDestinationAccountError} from './actions/connections/QuickbooksOnline';
 import {getCategoryApproverRule} from './CategoryUtils';
 import {convertToBackendAmount} from './CurrencyUtils';
+import Log from './Log';
 import Navigation from './Navigation/Navigation';
 import {isOffline as isOfflineNetworkStore} from './Network/NetworkStore';
 import {formatMemberForList} from './OptionsListUtils';
@@ -1012,18 +1013,51 @@ function getManagerAccountID(policy: OnyxEntry<Policy>, expenseReport: OnyxEntry
     const employeeAccountID = expenseReport?.ownerAccountID ?? CONST.DEFAULT_NUMBER_ID;
     const employeeLogin = getLoginsByAccountIDs([employeeAccountID]).at(0) ?? '';
     const defaultApprover = getDefaultApprover(policy);
+    const approvalWorkflow = getApprovalWorkflow(policy);
 
     // For policy using the optional or basic workflow, the manager is the policy default approver.
-    if (([CONST.POLICY.APPROVAL_MODE.OPTIONAL, CONST.POLICY.APPROVAL_MODE.BASIC] as Array<ValueOf<typeof CONST.POLICY.APPROVAL_MODE>>).includes(getApprovalWorkflow(policy))) {
-        return getAccountIDsByLogins([defaultApprover]).at(0) ?? -1;
+    if (([CONST.POLICY.APPROVAL_MODE.OPTIONAL, CONST.POLICY.APPROVAL_MODE.BASIC] as Array<ValueOf<typeof CONST.POLICY.APPROVAL_MODE>>).includes(approvalWorkflow)) {
+        const managerAccountID = getAccountIDsByLogins([defaultApprover]).at(0) ?? -1;
+        Log.info('[getManagerAccountID] Using default approver for non-advanced workflow', false, {
+            policyID: policy?.id,
+            approvalWorkflow,
+            employeeAccountID,
+            employeeLogin,
+            defaultApprover,
+            policyApprover: policy?.approver,
+            policyOwner: policy?.owner,
+            managerAccountID,
+        });
+        return managerAccountID;
     }
 
     const employee = policy?.employeeList?.[employeeLogin];
     if (!employee && !defaultApprover) {
+        Log.info('[getManagerAccountID] No employee found and no default approver', false, {
+            policyID: policy?.id,
+            employeeAccountID,
+            employeeLogin,
+            employeeListKeys: Object.keys(policy?.employeeList ?? {}),
+            hasPolicy: !!policy,
+        });
         return -1;
     }
 
-    return getAccountIDsByLogins([employee?.submitsTo ?? defaultApprover]).at(0) ?? -1;
+    const submitsTo = employee?.submitsTo ?? defaultApprover;
+    const managerAccountID = getAccountIDsByLogins([submitsTo]).at(0) ?? -1;
+    Log.info('[getManagerAccountID] Resolved manager for advanced workflow', false, {
+        policyID: policy?.id,
+        employeeAccountID,
+        employeeLogin,
+        employeeFound: !!employee,
+        employeeSubmitsTo: employee?.submitsTo,
+        defaultApprover,
+        policyApprover: policy?.approver,
+        policyOwner: policy?.owner,
+        resolvedSubmitsTo: submitsTo,
+        managerAccountID,
+    });
+    return managerAccountID;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1037,9 +1071,26 @@ function getSubmitToAccountID(policy: OnyxEntry<Policy>, expenseReport: OnyxEntr
         ruleApprovers.shift();
     }
     if (ruleApprovers.length > 0 && !isSubmitAndClose(policy)) {
-        return getAccountIDsByLogins([ruleApprovers.at(0) ?? '']).at(0) ?? -1;
-    }
-
+        const ruleApproverAccountID = getAccountIDsByLogins([ruleApprovers.at(0) ?? '']).at(0) ?? -1;
+        Log.info('[getSubmitToAccountID] Using rule approver', false, {
+            policyID: policy?.id,
+            reportID: expenseReport?.reportID,
+            employeeLogin,
+            ruleApprovers,
+            selectedRuleApprover: ruleApprovers.at(0),
+            ruleApproverAccountID,
+        });
+        return ruleApproverAccountID;
+    }
+
+    Log.info('[getSubmitToAccountID] No rule approvers, falling through to getManagerAccountID', false, {
+        policyID: policy?.id,
+        reportID: expenseReport?.reportID,
+        employeeLogin,
+        ruleApproversCount: ruleApprovers.length,
+        isSubmitAndClosePolicy: isSubmitAndClose(policy),
+        reportManagerID: expenseReport?.managerID,
+    });
     return getManagerAccountID(policy, expenseReport);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/libs/actions/IOU/index.ts b/src/libs/actions/IOU/index.ts
index 823e6a08861b0..6fb49bb09647e 100644
--- a/src/libs/actions/IOU/index.ts
+++ b/src/libs/actions/IOU/index.ts
@@ -11107,9 +11107,25 @@ function submitReport(
         });
     }
 
+    const submitToAccountID = getSubmitToAccountID(policy, expenseReport);
+    const managerAccountIDParam = submitToAccountID ?? expenseReport.managerID;
+    Log.info('[submitReport] Submitting report with approval chain diagnostic', false, {
+        reportID: expenseReport.reportID,
+        policyID: expenseReport.policyID,
+        reportOwnerAccountID: expenseReport.ownerAccountID,
+        reportExistingManagerID: expenseReport.managerID,
+        getSubmitToAccountIDResult: submitToAccountID,
+        managerAccountIDSentToAPI: managerAccountIDParam,
+        optimisticManagerID: managerID,
+        approvalChainFromGetApprovalChain: approvalChain,
+        policyApprovalMode: policy?.approvalMode,
+        policyOwner: policy?.owner,
+        policyApprover: policy?.approver,
+        isDEWPolicy,
+    });
     const parameters: SubmitReportParams = {
         reportID: expenseReport.reportID,
-        managerAccountID: getSubmitToAccountID(policy, expenseReport) ?? expenseReport.managerID,
+        managerAccountID: managerAccountIDParam,
         reportActionID: optimisticSubmittedReportAction.reportActionID,
     };
 
diff --git a/src/libs/actions/Search.ts b/src/libs/actions/Search.ts
index edf493de02ba0..8be0a395f651f 100644
--- a/src/libs/actions/Search.ts
+++ b/src/libs/actions/Search.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import {getCommandURL} from '@libs/ApiUtils';
 import {convertToDisplayString} from '@libs/CurrencyUtils';
 import {getMicroSecondOnyxErrorWithTranslationKey} from '@libs/ErrorUtils';
 import fileDownload from '@libs/fileDownload';
+import Log from '@libs/Log';
 import isSearchTopmostFullScreenRoute from '@libs/Navigation/helpers/isSearchTopmostFullScreenRoute';
 import Navigation, {navigationRef} from '@libs/Navigation/Navigation';
 import type {SearchFullscreenNavigatorParamList} from '@libs/Navigation/types';
@@ -559,9 +560,24 @@ function submitMoneyRequestOnSearch(hash: number, reportList: Report[], policy:
     ];
 
     const report = (reportList.at(0) ?? {}) as Report;
+    const policyForReport = policy.at(0);
+    const submitToAccountID = getSubmitToAccountID(policyForReport, report);
+    const managerAccountIDParam = submitToAccountID ?? report?.managerID;
+    Log.info('[submitMoneyRequestOnSearch] Submitting report with approval chain diagnostic', false, {
+        reportID: report.reportID,
+        reportOwnerAccountID: report.ownerAccountID,
+        reportExistingManagerID: report.managerID,
+        getSubmitToAccountIDResult: submitToAccountID,
+        managerAccountIDSentToAPI: managerAccountIDParam,
+        hasPolicyData: !!policyForReport,
+        policyID: policyForReport?.id,
+        policyApprovalMode: policyForReport?.approvalMode,
+        policyOwner: policyForReport?.owner,
+        policyApprover: policyForReport?.approver,
+    });
     const parameters: SubmitReportParams = {
         reportID: report.reportID,
-        managerAccountID: getSubmitToAccountID(policy.at(0), report) ?? report?.managerID,
+        managerAccountID: managerAccountIDParam,
         reportActionID: rand64(),
     };