diff --git a/.pullapprove.yml b/.pullapprove.yml
index 15dfd30242..2e537542e5 100644
--- a/.pullapprove.yml
+++ b/.pullapprove.yml
@@ -75,12 +75,14 @@ meta:
   # By checking the number of active/pending/rejected groups when these are excluded, we can determine
   # if any other groups are matched.
   #
+  # Note: Because all inactive groups start as pending, we are only checking pending and rejected active groups.
+  #
   # Also note that the ordering of groups matters in this file. The only groups visible to the current
   # one are those that appear above it.
   no-groups-above-this-pending: &no-groups-above-this-pending
-    len(groups.pending.exclude("required-minimum-review").exclude("global-approvers").exclude("global-docs-approvers")) == 0
+    len(groups.active.pending.exclude("required-minimum-review").exclude("global-approvers").exclude("global-docs-approvers")) == 0
   no-groups-above-this-rejected: &no-groups-above-this-rejected
-    len(groups.rejected.exclude("required-minimum-review").exclude("global-approvers").exclude("global-docs-approvers")) == 0
+    len(groups.active.rejected.exclude("required-minimum-review").exclude("global-approvers").exclude("global-docs-approvers")) == 0
   no-groups-above-this-active: &no-groups-above-this-active
     len(groups.active.exclude("required-minimum-review").exclude("global-approvers").exclude("global-docs-approvers")) == 0