diff --git a/src/components/moderation/ModerationQueue.tsx b/src/components/moderation/ModerationQueue.tsx
index 135086f3..59afff59 100644
--- a/src/components/moderation/ModerationQueue.tsx
+++ b/src/components/moderation/ModerationQueue.tsx
@@ -422,12 +422,12 @@ export const ModerationQueue = forwardRef<ModerationQueueRef>((props, ref) => {
       });
       setSubmissionMemo(newMemoMap);
 
-      // CRM-style frozen queue logic using refs
+      // CRM-style frozen queue logic using admin settings
       const currentRefreshStrategy = refreshStrategyRef.current;
       const currentPreserveInteraction = preserveInteractionRef.current;
       
       if (silent) {
-        // Background polling: ONLY detect NEW submissions, never update existing ones
+        // Background polling: behavior controlled by admin settings
         const currentLoadedIds = loadedIdsRef.current;
         const newSubmissions = moderationItems.filter(item => !currentLoadedIds.has(item.id));
         
@@ -450,8 +450,38 @@ export const ModerationQueue = forwardRef<ModerationQueueRef>((props, ref) => {
           });
         }
         
-        // DON'T update items array during background polling - queue stays frozen
-        console.log('✅ Queue frozen - existing submissions unchanged');
+        // Apply refresh strategy from admin settings
+        switch (currentRefreshStrategy) {
+          case 'notify':
+            // Only show notification count, never modify queue
+            console.log('✅ Queue frozen (notify mode) - existing submissions unchanged');
+            break;
+          
+          case 'merge':
+            // Add new items to end of existing queue
+            if (newSubmissions.length > 0) {
+              setItems(prev => [...prev, ...newSubmissions]);
+              console.log('🔀 Queue merged - added', newSubmissions.length, 'new items');
+            } else {
+              console.log('✅ Queue frozen (merge mode) - no new items to add');
+            }
+            break;
+          
+          case 'replace':
+            // Full refresh: replace entire queue
+            setItems(moderationItems);
+            if (!currentPreserveInteraction) {
+              // Reset interaction state if not preserving
+              setPendingNewItems([]);
+              setNewItemsCount(0);
+            }
+            console.log('🔄 Queue replaced (replace mode) - full refresh with', moderationItems.length, 'items');
+            break;
+          
+          default:
+            // Fallback to frozen behavior
+            console.log('✅ Queue frozen (default) - existing submissions unchanged');
+        }
       } else {
         // Normal fetch: Load all items and reset pending
         setItems(moderationItems);