diff --git a/src/components/moderation/ModerationQueue.tsx b/src/components/moderation/ModerationQueue.tsx
index 3b0107fa..1e83ff81 100644
--- a/src/components/moderation/ModerationQueue.tsx
+++ b/src/components/moderation/ModerationQueue.tsx
@@ -445,7 +445,6 @@ export const ModerationQueue = forwardRef<ModerationQueueRef>((props, ref) => {
         }
         
         // STEP 4: Update submission status
-        const { data: { user } } = await supabase.auth.getUser();
         const { error: updateError } = await supabase
           .from('content_submissions')
           .update({ 
@@ -482,7 +481,6 @@ export const ModerationQueue = forwardRef<ModerationQueueRef>((props, ref) => {
       };
 
       // Get current user ID for reviewer tracking
-      const { data: { user } } = await supabase.auth.getUser();
       if (user) {
         updateData[reviewerField] = user.id;
       }
diff --git a/src/components/moderation/SubmissionReviewManager.tsx b/src/components/moderation/SubmissionReviewManager.tsx
index ca913461..25c09477 100644
--- a/src/components/moderation/SubmissionReviewManager.tsx
+++ b/src/components/moderation/SubmissionReviewManager.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
 import { useToast } from '@/hooks/use-toast';
 import { useUserRole } from '@/hooks/useUserRole';
+import { useAuth } from '@/hooks/useAuth';
 import { 
   fetchSubmissionItems, 
   buildDependencyTree, 
@@ -48,6 +49,7 @@ export function SubmissionReviewManager({
   
   const { toast } = useToast();
   const { isAdmin, isSuperuser } = useUserRole();
+  const { user } = useAuth();
   const isMobile = useIsMobile();
   const Container = isMobile ? Sheet : Dialog;
 
@@ -116,10 +118,19 @@ export function SubmissionReviewManager({
   };
 
   const handleApprove = async () => {
+    if (!user?.id) {
+      toast({
+        title: 'Authentication Required',
+        description: 'You must be logged in to approve items',
+        variant: 'destructive',
+      });
+      return;
+    }
+
     setLoading(true);
     try {
       const selectedItems = items.filter(item => selectedItemIds.has(item.id));
-      await approveSubmissionItems(selectedItems, 'current-user-id'); // TODO: Get from auth
+      await approveSubmissionItems(selectedItems, user.id);
       
       toast({
         title: 'Success',
@@ -162,9 +173,18 @@ export function SubmissionReviewManager({
   };
 
   const handleEscalate = async (reason: string) => {
+    if (!user?.id) {
+      toast({
+        title: 'Authentication Required',
+        description: 'You must be logged in to escalate submissions',
+        variant: 'destructive',
+      });
+      return;
+    }
+
     setLoading(true);
     try {
-      await escalateSubmission(submissionId, reason, 'current-user-id'); // TODO: Get from auth
+      await escalateSubmission(submissionId, reason, user.id);
       
       toast({
         title: 'Escalated',
diff --git a/src/lib/submissionItemsService.ts b/src/lib/submissionItemsService.ts
index ddf2033f..73efdaec 100644
--- a/src/lib/submissionItemsService.ts
+++ b/src/lib/submissionItemsService.ts
@@ -154,6 +154,10 @@ export async function approveSubmissionItems(
   items: SubmissionItemWithDeps[],
   userId: string
 ): Promise<void> {
+  if (!userId) {
+    throw new Error('User authentication required to approve items');
+  }
+
   // Sort by dependency order (parents first)
   const sortedItems = topologicalSort(items);
   
@@ -285,6 +289,10 @@ export async function escalateSubmission(
   reason: string,
   userId: string
 ): Promise<void> {
+  if (!userId) {
+    throw new Error('User authentication required to escalate submission');
+  }
+
   const { error } = await supabase
     .from('content_submissions')
     .update({