diff --git a/supabase/functions/_shared/retryHelper.ts b/supabase/functions/_shared/retryHelper.ts
index 3f256c9d..e0daf56d 100644
--- a/supabase/functions/_shared/retryHelper.ts
+++ b/supabase/functions/_shared/retryHelper.ts
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ export function isRetryableError(error: unknown): boolean {
   
   // HTTP status codes that should be retried
   if (error && typeof error === 'object') {
-    const httpError = error as { status?: number };
+    const httpError = error as { status?: number; code?: string };
     
     // Rate limiting
     if (httpError.status === 429) return true;
@@ -47,6 +47,26 @@ export function isRetryableError(error: unknown): boolean {
   return false;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Check if error is a database deadlock or serialization failure
+ */
+export function isDeadlockError(error: unknown): boolean {
+  if (!error || typeof error !== 'object') return false;
+  
+  const dbError = error as { code?: string; message?: string };
+  
+  // PostgreSQL deadlock error codes
+  if (dbError.code === '40P01') return true; // deadlock_detected
+  if (dbError.code === '40001') return true; // serialization_failure
+  
+  // Check message for deadlock indicators
+  const message = dbError.message?.toLowerCase() || '';
+  if (message.includes('deadlock')) return true;
+  if (message.includes('could not serialize')) return true;
+  
+  return false;
+}
+
 /**
  * Calculate exponential backoff delay with optional jitter
  */
diff --git a/supabase/functions/process-selective-approval/index.ts b/supabase/functions/process-selective-approval/index.ts
index 95a44493..36e3d290 100644
--- a/supabase/functions/process-selective-approval/index.ts
+++ b/supabase/functions/process-selective-approval/index.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { createClient } from "https://esm.sh/@supabase/supabase-js@2.57.4";
 import { createErrorResponse } from "../_shared/errorSanitizer.ts";
 import { edgeLogger, startRequest, endRequest } from "../_shared/logger.ts";
 import { rateLimiters, withRateLimit } from "../_shared/rateLimiter.ts";
+import { withEdgeRetry, isDeadlockError } from "../_shared/retryHelper.ts";
 
 const corsHeaders = {
   'Access-Control-Allow-Origin': '*',
@@ -1071,28 +1072,31 @@ serve(withRateLimit(async (req) => {
     }> = [];
 
     // Process items in order
-    for (const item of sortedItems) {
-      edgeLogger.info('Processing item', { action: 'approval_process_item', itemId: item.id, itemType: item.item_type });
-      
-      // Extract data from relational tables based on item_type (OUTSIDE try-catch)
-      let itemData: any;
-      switch (item.item_type) {
-        case 'park':
-          itemData = {
-            ...(item as any).park_submission,
-            // Merge temp refs for this item
-            ...(tempRefsByItemId.get(item.id) || {})
-          };
-          // DEBUG: Log what columns are present
-          edgeLogger.info('Park item data loaded', {
-            action: 'approval_park_data_debug',
-            itemId: item.id,
-            hasLocationId: !!itemData.location_id,
-            parkSubmissionId: itemData.id,
-            parkSubmissionKeys: Object.keys((item as any).park_submission || {}),
-            requestId: tracking.requestId
-          });
-          break;
+    // Wrap entire approval loop in deadlock retry logic
+    await withEdgeRetry(
+      async () => {
+        for (const item of sortedItems) {
+          edgeLogger.info('Processing item', { action: 'approval_process_item', itemId: item.id, itemType: item.item_type });
+          
+          // Extract data from relational tables based on item_type (OUTSIDE try-catch)
+          let itemData: any;
+          switch (item.item_type) {
+            case 'park':
+              itemData = {
+                ...(item as any).park_submission,
+                // Merge temp refs for this item
+                ...(tempRefsByItemId.get(item.id) || {})
+              };
+              // DEBUG: Log what columns are present
+              edgeLogger.info('Park item data loaded', {
+                action: 'approval_park_data_debug',
+                itemId: item.id,
+                hasLocationId: !!itemData.location_id,
+                parkSubmissionId: itemData.id,
+                parkSubmissionKeys: Object.keys((item as any).park_submission || {}),
+                requestId: tracking.requestId
+              });
+              break;
         case 'ride':
           itemData = {
             ...(item as any).ride_submission,
@@ -1583,6 +1587,18 @@ serve(withRateLimit(async (req) => {
     if (updateError) {
       edgeLogger.error('Failed to update submission status', { action: 'approval_update_status', error: updateError.message, requestId: tracking.requestId });
     }
+      },
+      {
+        maxAttempts: 3,
+        baseDelay: 500,
+        maxDelay: 2000,
+        backoffMultiplier: 2,
+        jitter: true,
+        shouldRetry: isDeadlockError
+      },
+      tracking.requestId,
+      'approval_transaction'
+    );
 
     // Log audit trail for submission action
     try {