diff --git a/apps/backend/src/repositories/worker-platform-repo.test.ts b/apps/backend/src/repositories/worker-platform-repo.test.ts
index 17669e2f..90c07db8 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/repositories/worker-platform-repo.test.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/repositories/worker-platform-repo.test.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 import assert from 'node:assert/strict'
 import test from 'node:test'
 
-import { resolveOutstandingDepositAmount } from './worker-platform/index.js'
+import {
+  resolveOutstandingDepositAmount,
+  shouldApplyAutomaticWorkerLevel,
+} from './worker-platform/index.js'
 
 test('resolveOutstandingDepositAmount deducts released and deducted history', () => {
   assert.equal(
@@ -25,3 +28,33 @@ test('resolveOutstandingDepositAmount never returns a negative deposit', () => {
   )
   assert.equal(resolveOutstandingDepositAmount(null), 0)
 })
+
+test('automatic worker level changes only move to a higher threshold', () => {
+  assert.equal(
+    shouldApplyAutomaticWorkerLevel({
+      currentLevelId: 5,
+      currentThreshold: 100,
+      candidateLevelId: 1,
+      candidateThreshold: 0,
+    }),
+    false,
+  )
+  assert.equal(
+    shouldApplyAutomaticWorkerLevel({
+      currentLevelId: 1,
+      currentThreshold: 0,
+      candidateLevelId: 2,
+      candidateThreshold: 10,
+    }),
+    true,
+  )
+  assert.equal(
+    shouldApplyAutomaticWorkerLevel({
+      currentLevelId: 2,
+      currentThreshold: 10,
+      candidateLevelId: 3,
+      candidateThreshold: 10,
+    }),
+    false,
+  )
+})
diff --git a/apps/backend/src/repositories/worker-platform/worker-repo.ts b/apps/backend/src/repositories/worker-platform/worker-repo.ts
index 03006011..d662aa87 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/repositories/worker-platform/worker-repo.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/repositories/worker-platform/worker-repo.ts
@@ -762,6 +762,27 @@ export async function maybeUpgradeWorkerLevelWithClient(
   workerId: number,
   now: string,
 ): Promise<WorkerUserRow | null> {
+  const current = await client.query<{
+    id: number
+    level_id: number | null
+    upgrade_threshold: number | null
+  }>(
+    `
+      SELECT
+        wu.id,
+        wu.level_id,
+        COALESCE((wl.permission_json->>'upgradeThreshold')::int, 0) AS upgrade_threshold
+      FROM worker_users wu
+      LEFT JOIN worker_levels wl ON wl.id = wu.level_id
+      WHERE wu.id = $1
+      LIMIT 1
+      FOR UPDATE OF wu
+    `,
+    [workerId],
+  )
+  const currentRow = current.rows[0]
+  if (!currentRow) return null
+
   const acceptedResult = await client.query<{ total: number }>(
     `
       SELECT
@@ -776,9 +797,14 @@ export async function maybeUpgradeWorkerLevelWithClient(
   )
   const acceptedCount = Number(acceptedResult.rows[0]?.total || 0)
 
-  const nextLevelResult = await client.query<{ id: number }>(
+  const nextLevelResult = await client.query<{
+    id: number
+    upgrade_threshold: number
+  }>(
     `
-      SELECT id
+      SELECT
+        id,
+        COALESCE((permission_json->>'upgradeThreshold')::int, 0) AS upgrade_threshold
       FROM worker_levels
       WHERE status = 'active'
         AND COALESCE((permission_json->>'upgradeThreshold')::int, 0) <= $1
@@ -787,15 +813,19 @@ export async function maybeUpgradeWorkerLevelWithClient(
     `,
     [acceptedCount],
   )
-  const nextLevelId = Number(nextLevelResult.rows[0]?.id || 0)
+  const nextLevel = nextLevelResult.rows[0]
+  const nextLevelId = Number(nextLevel?.id || 0)
   if (!nextLevelId) return null
-
-  const current = await client.query<{ id: number; level_id: number | null }>(
-    'SELECT id, level_id FROM worker_users WHERE id = $1 LIMIT 1',
-    [workerId],
-  )
-  const currentRow = current.rows[0]
-  if (!currentRow || Number(currentRow.level_id || 0) === nextLevelId) return null
+  if (
+    !shouldApplyAutomaticWorkerLevel({
+      currentLevelId: currentRow.level_id,
+      currentThreshold: Number(currentRow.upgrade_threshold || 0),
+      candidateLevelId: nextLevelId,
+      candidateThreshold: Number(nextLevel?.upgrade_threshold || 0),
+    })
+  ) {
+    return null
+  }
 
   await client.query(
     'UPDATE worker_users SET level_id = $1, updated_at = $2 WHERE id = $3',
@@ -818,6 +848,17 @@ export async function maybeUpgradeWorkerLevelWithClient(
   return getWorkerUserByIdWithClient(client, workerId)
 }
 
+export function shouldApplyAutomaticWorkerLevel(input: {
+  currentLevelId: number | null
+  currentThreshold: number
+  candidateLevelId: number
+  candidateThreshold: number
+}) {
+  if (!input.currentLevelId) return true
+  if (Number(input.currentLevelId) === Number(input.candidateLevelId)) return false
+  return Number(input.candidateThreshold) > Number(input.currentThreshold)
+}
+
 async function getWorkerUserByIdWithClient(
   client: PoolClient,
   workerId: number | string,
diff --git a/apps/backend/src/services/worker-platform/admin-service.ts b/apps/backend/src/services/worker-platform/admin-service.ts
index 8002f3fd..f6be33d1 100644
--- a/apps/backend/src/services/worker-platform/admin-service.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/src/services/worker-platform/admin-service.ts
@@ -147,6 +147,7 @@ export async function deleteAdminWorkCategory(categoryId: number | string) {
 export async function saveAdminWorkerLevel(payload: JsonObject = {}) {
   const now = nowIso()
   const levelKey = String(payload.levelKey || payload.level_key || '').trim() || DEFAULT_LEVEL_KEY
+  const existingLevel = await getWorkerLevelByKey(levelKey)
   const name = String(payload.name || '').trim() || DEFAULT_LEVEL_NAME
   const permissions = {
     depositFreeAmount: normalizeAmountFen(
@@ -160,7 +161,7 @@ export async function saveAdminWorkerLevel(payload: JsonObject = {}) {
   const level = await upsertWorkerLevel({
     levelKey,
     name,
-    sortOrder: normalizeInteger(payload.sortOrder, 100),
+    sortOrder: normalizeInteger(payload.sortOrder, Number(existingLevel?.sort_order || 100)),
     status: String(payload.status || 'active').trim() === 'disabled' ? 'disabled' : 'active',
     permissionJson: JSON.stringify(permissions),
     now,