diff --git a/backend/src/main/kotlin/org/loculus/backend/service/submission/SubmissionDatabaseService.kt b/backend/src/main/kotlin/org/loculus/backend/service/submission/SubmissionDatabaseService.kt
index e44eecef8a..8e5e075187 100644
--- a/backend/src/main/kotlin/org/loculus/backend/service/submission/SubmissionDatabaseService.kt
+++ b/backend/src/main/kotlin/org/loculus/backend/service/submission/SubmissionDatabaseService.kt
@@ -949,7 +949,6 @@ class SubmissionDatabaseService(
         accessionPreconditionValidator.validate {
             thatAccessionVersionExists(accessionVersion)
                 .andThatUserIsAllowedToEditSequenceEntries(authenticatedUser)
-                .andThatSequenceEntriesAreInStates(listOf(Status.PROCESSED))
                 .andThatOrganismIs(organism)
         }
 
diff --git a/backend/src/test/kotlin/org/loculus/backend/controller/submission/GetDataToEditEndpointTest.kt b/backend/src/test/kotlin/org/loculus/backend/controller/submission/GetDataToEditEndpointTest.kt
index 4049852a6c..c8a3c99bcb 100644
--- a/backend/src/test/kotlin/org/loculus/backend/controller/submission/GetDataToEditEndpointTest.kt
+++ b/backend/src/test/kotlin/org/loculus/backend/controller/submission/GetDataToEditEndpointTest.kt
@@ -109,24 +109,6 @@ class GetDataToEditEndpointTest(
             )
     }
 
-    @Test
-    fun `WHEN I query a sequence entry that has a wrong state THEN refuses request with unprocessable entity`() {
-        val firstAccession = convenienceClient.prepareDataTo(Status.IN_PROCESSING).first().accession
-
-        client.getSequenceEntryToEdit(
-            accession = firstAccession,
-            version = 1,
-        )
-            .andExpect(status().isUnprocessableEntity)
-            .andExpect(content().contentType(MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON_VALUE))
-            .andExpect(
-                jsonPath("\$.detail").value(
-                    "Accession versions are in not in one of the states " +
-                        "[PROCESSED]: $firstAccession.1 - IN_PROCESSING",
-                ),
-            )
-    }
-
     @Test
     fun `WHEN I try to get data for a sequence entry that I do not own THEN refuses request with forbidden entity`() {
         val firstAccession = convenienceClient.prepareDataTo(Status.PROCESSED, errors = true).first().accession