diff --git a/backend/src/routes/leaves.js b/backend/src/routes/leaves.js
index 483a2c2..f4cb208 100644
--- a/backend/src/routes/leaves.js
+++ b/backend/src/routes/leaves.js
@@ -5,10 +5,8 @@ import { PrtLeave } from '../models/PrtLeave.js';
 import { User } from '../models/User.js';
 import { toLeaveDto } from '../utils/serialize.js';
 import { toYmd, ymdToDate } from '../services/schedule.js';
-import { Cohort } from '../models/Cohort.js';
-import { findSubstitutes, openLeaveReassignment } from '../services/matching.js';
 import { notifyLeaveDecision } from '../services/notify.js';
-import { pushApprovedLeaveSessions } from '../services/programSessions.js';
+import { shiftApprovedLeaveSessions } from '../services/programSessions.js';
 
 const objectId = Joi.string().hex().length(24);
 
@@ -136,24 +134,13 @@ export function leaveRoutes(server) {
       leave.reviewedBy = creds.user._id;
       leave.reviewedAt = new Date();
       await leave.save();
-      let substitutes = [];
-      let pushResult = null;
+      let shiftResult = null;
       if (leave.status === 'approved') {
-        const startYmd = toYmd(leave.startDate);
-        const endYmd = toYmd(leave.endDate);
-        const cohorts = await Cohort.find({
-          virtualPrt: leave.user._id,
-          status: { $in: ['confirmed', 'active'] },
-        });
-        substitutes = await findSubstitutes({ excludePrtId: leave.user._id });
-        pushResult = await pushApprovedLeaveSessions(leave.user._id, startYmd, endYmd, {
-          substitutePrtId: request.payload.substitutePrtId || undefined,
-        });
-        if (!request.payload.substitutePrtId) {
-          for (const cohort of cohorts) {
-            await openLeaveReassignment(cohort, leave.user._id);
-          }
-        }
+        shiftResult = await shiftApprovedLeaveSessions(
+          leave.user._id,
+          toYmd(leave.startDate),
+          toYmd(leave.endDate),
+        );
       }
       await notifyLeaveDecision({
         prt: leave.user,
@@ -164,9 +151,7 @@ export function leaveRoutes(server) {
       await leave.populate('reviewedBy', 'firstName lastName email');
       return {
         leave: toLeaveDto(leave),
-        substitutes,
-        pushed: pushResult?.pushed?.length || 0,
-        covered: request.payload.substitutePrtId ? (pushResult?.affected?.length || 0) : 0,
+        shifted: shiftResult?.shifted?.length || 0,
       };
     },
   });
diff --git a/backend/src/services/programSessions.js b/backend/src/services/programSessions.js
index 707c7bc..35ae1ed 100644
--- a/backend/src/services/programSessions.js
+++ b/backend/src/services/programSessions.js
@@ -354,30 +354,59 @@ export async function pushSessionsOnDate(ymd, reason, { prtId, notifyAdmins = fa
   return results;
 }
 
-export async function pushApprovedLeaveSessions(prtId, startYmd, endYmd, { substitutePrtId } = {}) {
-  const sessions = await CohortSession.find({
-    date: { $gte: startYmd, $lte: endYmd },
-    status: 'scheduled',
-  });
-  const affected = [];
-  for (const session of sessions) {
-    const cohort = await Cohort.findById(session.cohort);
-    if (!cohort || !isLiveCohortStatus(cohort.status)) continue;
-    if (String(cohort.virtualPrt) !== String(prtId)) continue;
-    affected.push({ session, cohort });
-  }
-  if (substitutePrtId) {
-    for (const { session } of affected) {
-      session.coverPrt = substitutePrtId;
-      await session.save();
+// Slides scheduled sessions off approved leave. Earlier meetings stay, and the meeting count stays the same.
+export async function shiftApprovedLeaveSessions(prtId, startYmd, endYmd) {
+  const settings = await getAppSettings();
+  if (settings.skipPrtLeave === false) return { shifted: [] };
+  const cohorts = await Cohort.find({
+    virtualPrt: prtId,
+    status: { $in: ['confirmed', 'active'] },
+  }).populate('virtualPrt', 'firstName lastName email google');
+  const shifted = [];
+  for (const cohort of cohorts) {
+    const sessions = await CohortSession.find({ cohort: cohort._id }).sort({ date: 1, index: 1 });
+    const hit = sessions.find((session) => (
+      session.status === 'scheduled' && session.date >= startYmd && session.date <= endYmd
+    ));
+    if (!hit) continue;
+    const tail = sessions.filter((session) => session.status === 'scheduled' && session.date >= hit.date);
+    if (!tail.length) continue;
+    const weekdays = await scheduleWeekdays(cohort.scheduleId);
+    const blocked = new Set(
+      sessions.filter((session) => session.status === 'completed').map((session) => session.date),
+    );
+    const dates = await collectSessionDates(hit.date, cohort, tail.length, weekdays, blocked);
+    if (!dates.length) continue;
+    const fromDate = tail[0].date;
+    const toDate = dates[0];
+    const count = Math.min(tail.length, dates.length);
+    let changed = false;
+    for (let i = count - 1; i >= 0; i -= 1) { // later dates move first so two rows never share a date
+      if (tail[i].date === dates[i]) continue;
+      tail[i].date = dates[i];
+      await tail[i].save();
+      changed = true;
     }
-    return { affected: affected.map(({ session }) => session), pushed: [] };
+    if (!changed) continue;
+    const updated = await CohortSession.find({ cohort: cohort._id }).sort({ index: 1 });
+    await syncExistingMeetSeries(cohort, updated);
+    const admins = await adminUsers();
+    await notifySessionPushed({
+      prt: cohort.virtualPrt,
+      admins,
+      cohort,
+      fromDate,
+      toDate,
+      reason: 'Approved PRT leave',
+    });
+    const { notifyGroupSessionChange } = await import('./whatsapp.js');
+    await notifyGroupSessionChange(
+      cohort._id,
+      `The ${fromDate} session for ${cohort.name} was Approved PRT leave. The replacement date is ${toDate}.`,
+    );
+    shifted.push({ cohortId: String(cohort._id), fromDate, toDate });
   }
-  const pushed = [];
-  for (const { session } of affected) {
-    pushed.push(await pushSession(session, 'Approved PRT leave', { notifyAdmins: true }));
-  }
-  return { affected: affected.map(({ session }) => session), pushed };
+  return { shifted };
 }
 
 async function applyMeetToSessions(sessions, event, slot) {
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/virtualpr/leaves/index.jsx b/frontend/src/views/virtualpr/leaves/index.jsx
index 04b0e74..9e0f344 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/virtualpr/leaves/index.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/views/virtualpr/leaves/index.jsx
@@ -76,9 +76,7 @@ export default function LeavesPage() {
           {canPickPrt && (row.original.status || 'pending') === 'pending' ? (
             <>
               <Button size="sm" variant="success" onClick={async () => {
-                const substitutes = await api('/api/matching/substitutes');
-                const pick = window.prompt(`Approve leave. Optional substitute PRT id (leave blank to queue/push):\n${(substitutes.items || []).map((item) => `${item.firstName} ${item.lastName} = ${item.id}`).join('\n')}`);
-                await api(`/api/leaves/${row.original.id}/review`, { method: 'POST', body: { status: 'approved', substitutePrtId: pick || null } });
+                await api(`/api/leaves/${row.original.id}/review`, { method: 'POST', body: { status: 'approved' } });
                 await load();
               }}>Approve</Button>
               <Button size="sm" variant="outline-danger" onClick={async () => {