diff --git a/client/src/components/admin/ProgramJudgingSection.tsx b/client/src/components/admin/ProgramJudgingSection.tsx
index cfbc4af..607b683 100644
--- a/client/src/components/admin/ProgramJudgingSection.tsx
+++ b/client/src/components/admin/ProgramJudgingSection.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { Fragment, useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useState } from "react";
-import { Loader2, ExternalLink, Lock, Trophy, Plus, ChevronRight, ChevronDown } from "lucide-react";
+import { Loader2, ExternalLink, Lock, Trophy, Plus, ChevronRight, ChevronDown, Play } from "lucide-react";
 import {
   api,
   type AdminAuthArg,
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
 import { prizeTiersFor } from "@/lib/constants";
 import { useToast } from "@/hooks/use-toast";
 import { cn } from "@/lib/utils";
+import { ProjectReviewModal } from "@/components/admin/ProjectReviewModal";
 
 type Draft = { requirements: number; techStack: number; innovation: number; notes: string };
 type Tab = "score" | "results";
@@ -61,6 +62,8 @@ export function ProgramJudgingSection({
 }) {
   const { toast } = useToast();
   const [tab, setTab] = useState<Tab>("score");
+  // The demo currently previewed in the in-app review modal (null = closed).
+  const [review, setReview] = useState<{ url: string; title: string } | null>(null);
   const [view, setView] = useState<ApiJudgeView | null>(null);
   const [board, setBoard] = useState<ApiLeaderboard | null>(null);
   const [drafts, setDrafts] = useState<Record<string, Draft>>({});
@@ -202,7 +205,7 @@ export function ProgramJudgingSection({
     try {
       const auth = await getAuth();
       await api.submitBallot(programSlug, auth);
-      toast({ title: "Scores submitted", description: "Your ballot is locked." });
+      toast({ title: "Scores submitted", description: "Your scores now count. You can still revise and re-save them." });
       await loadSubmissions();
     } catch (e) {
       toast({
@@ -336,9 +339,13 @@ export function ProgramJudgingSection({
             {!s.eligible && (
               <span className="label-hw text-destructive" title="This email is not in the Luma signup list">·NOT IN LUMA</span>
             )}
-            <a href={s.videoUrl} target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" className="label-hw-dim hover:text-display inline-flex items-center gap-1">
-              VIDEO <ExternalLink className="h-3 w-3" />
-            </a>
+            <button
+              type="button"
+              onClick={() => setReview({ url: s.videoUrl, title: s.projectTitle })}
+              className="label-hw-dim hover:text-display inline-flex items-center gap-1"
+            >
+              VIDEO <Play className="h-3 w-3" />
+            </button>
             <a href={s.githubUrl} target="_blank" rel="noreferrer" className="label-hw-dim hover:text-display inline-flex items-center gap-1">
               GITHUB <ExternalLink className="h-3 w-3" />
             </a>
@@ -357,7 +364,6 @@ export function ProgramJudgingSection({
                 type="number"
                 min={0}
                 max={BOUNDS[field]}
-                disabled={locked}
                 value={d[field]}
                 onChange={(e) => setField(s.id, field, e.target.value)}
                 className="w-full font-mono text-[13px] bg-panel-deep border border-hairline text-display px-2 py-1.5 focus:outline-none focus:border-display disabled:opacity-50"
@@ -368,7 +374,6 @@ export function ProgramJudgingSection({
         </div>
         <textarea
           rows={2}
-          disabled={locked}
           value={d.notes}
           placeholder="Notes (optional)"
           onChange={(e) => setField(s.id, "notes", e.target.value)}
@@ -411,8 +416,7 @@ export function ProgramJudgingSection({
           <>
             {locked && (
               <div className="lcd p-2.5 mb-3 flex flex-wrap items-center gap-2">
-                <Lock className="h-3.5 w-3.5 text-display" aria-hidden="true" />
-                <span className="label-hw text-display">SCORES SUBMITTED · LOCKED</span>
+                <span className="label-hw text-display">·SUBMITTED — YOUR SCORES COUNT. YOU CAN STILL REVISE + SAVE.</span>
                 {view.ballotProgress && (
                   <span className="label-hw-dim">
                     · {view.ballotProgress.submitted} of {view.ballotProgress.total} judges in
@@ -467,22 +471,18 @@ export function ProgramJudgingSection({
             ) : (
               <div className="space-y-5">
                 {claimedGroups.map((g) => {
-                  const groupScored = g.subs.every((s) => s.myScore !== null);
                   return (
                     <div key={g.batchNumber} className="space-y-3">
                       <div className="flex items-center justify-between gap-2">
                         <span className="label-hw text-display">·BATCH {g.batchNumber} ({g.subs.length})</span>
-                        {!locked && (
-                          <button
-                            type="button"
-                            onClick={() => saveBatch(g.batchNumber, g.subs)}
-                            disabled={savingBatch === g.batchNumber}
-                            className="font-mono text-[10px] tracking-[0.14em] border border-display bg-display text-shell hover:bg-display-dim disabled:opacity-50 px-3 py-1"
-                          >
-                            {savingBatch === g.batchNumber ? "SAVING…" : "SAVE BATCH"}
-                          </button>
-                        )}
-                        {locked && groupScored && <span className="label-hw-dim">SAVED</span>}
+                        <button
+                          type="button"
+                          onClick={() => saveBatch(g.batchNumber, g.subs)}
+                          disabled={savingBatch === g.batchNumber}
+                          className="font-mono text-[10px] tracking-[0.14em] border border-display bg-display text-shell hover:bg-display-dim disabled:opacity-50 px-3 py-1"
+                        >
+                          {savingBatch === g.batchNumber ? "SAVING…" : "SAVE BATCH"}
+                        </button>
                       </div>
                       {g.subs.map(renderCard)}
                     </div>
@@ -678,6 +678,13 @@ export function ProgramJudgingSection({
           </div>
         </>
       )}
+
+      <ProjectReviewModal
+        open={!!review}
+        url={review?.url ?? null}
+        title={review?.title}
+        onOpenChange={(v) => { if (!v) setReview(null); }}
+      />
     </section>
   );
 }
diff --git a/client/src/components/admin/ProjectReviewModal.tsx b/client/src/components/admin/ProjectReviewModal.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fa48b96
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/components/admin/ProjectReviewModal.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+import { useMemo } from "react";
+import { ExternalLink } from "lucide-react";
+import { Dialog, DialogContent, DialogHeader, DialogTitle } from "@/components/ui/dialog";
+import { detectDemoType, getEmbedUrl } from "@/lib/demoUtils";
+
+/**
+ * In-app demo preview for the judging flow: opens a project's video/demo link in
+ * a modal (embedded iframe via demoUtils) so judges don't pile up browser tabs,
+ * with an "open in new window" escape hatch. GitHub stays a plain new-tab link in
+ * the caller (it refuses iframe embedding via X-Frame-Options).
+ */
+export function ProjectReviewModal({
+  url,
+  title,
+  open,
+  onOpenChange,
+}: {
+  url: string | null;
+  title?: string;
+  open: boolean;
+  onOpenChange: (open: boolean) => void;
+}) {
+  const { isDirectVideo, embedUrl } = useMemo(() => {
+    if (!url) return { isDirectVideo: false, embedUrl: null as string | null };
+    const type = detectDemoType(url);
+    return { isDirectVideo: type === "video", embedUrl: getEmbedUrl(url, type) };
+  }, [url]);
+
+  return (
+    <Dialog open={open} onOpenChange={onOpenChange}>
+      <DialogContent className="sm:max-w-3xl">
+        <DialogHeader>
+          <DialogTitle className="font-mono text-sm tracking-tight pr-8">
+            {title || "PROJECT DEMO"}
+          </DialogTitle>
+        </DialogHeader>
+        <div className="w-full aspect-video bg-panel-deep border border-hairline">
+          {isDirectVideo && url ? (
+            <video src={url} controls className="w-full h-full" />
+          ) : embedUrl ? (
+            <iframe
+              src={embedUrl}
+              title="Project demo"
+              className="w-full h-full"
+              allow="fullscreen; accelerometer; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture"
+              allowFullScreen
+            />
+          ) : (
+            <div className="flex h-full items-center justify-center p-4 text-center">
+              <p className="label-hw-dim">This link can't be previewed inline. Use "open in new window".</p>
+            </div>
+          )}
+        </div>
+        {url && (
+          <div className="flex justify-end">
+            <a
+              href={url}
+              target="_blank"
+              rel="noreferrer"
+              className="label-hw-dim hover:text-display inline-flex items-center gap-1"
+            >
+              OPEN IN NEW WINDOW <ExternalLink className="h-3 w-3" />
+            </a>
+          </div>
+        )}
+      </DialogContent>
+    </Dialog>
+  );
+}
diff --git a/server/api/controllers/__tests__/submission.controller.test.js b/server/api/controllers/__tests__/submission.controller.test.js
index 9d0e11a..8b94c3c 100644
--- a/server/api/controllers/__tests__/submission.controller.test.js
+++ b/server/api/controllers/__tests__/submission.controller.test.js
@@ -174,8 +174,10 @@ describe('SubmissionController.submit (public)', () => {
 });
 
 describe('SubmissionController.upsertScore (judge)', () => {
-  it('409s when the judge ballot is already submitted (locked)', async () => {
-    ballotRepo.isSubmitted.mockResolvedValue(true);
+  it('lets a judge re-save a score after submitting (editable, not locked)', async () => {
+    ballotRepo.isSubmitted.mockResolvedValue(true); // already submitted
+    submissionRepo.findById.mockResolvedValue({ id: 's1', programId: 'bitrefill' });
+    scoreRepo.upsert.mockResolvedValue({ id: 'sc1' });
     const req = {
       params: { slug: 'bitrefill', submissionId: 's1' },
       user: { email: 'judge@x.com', programId: 'bitrefill', canJudge: true },
@@ -183,8 +185,10 @@ describe('SubmissionController.upsertScore (judge)', () => {
     };
     const res = mockRes();
     await submissionController.upsertScore(req, res);
-    expect(res.status).toHaveBeenCalledWith(409);
-    expect(scoreRepo.upsert).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(res.status).toHaveBeenCalledWith(200);
+    expect(scoreRepo.upsert).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({ judgeEmail: 'judge@x.com', submissionId: 's1' }),
+    );
   });
 
   it('saves a valid score for the verified judge email (not a body field)', async () => {
@@ -331,12 +335,14 @@ describe('SubmissionController.saveScores (judge bulk)', () => {
     body: { scores },
   });
 
-  it('409s when the ballot is locked', async () => {
-    ballotRepo.isSubmitted.mockResolvedValue(true);
+  it('lets a judge bulk re-save after submitting (editable, not locked)', async () => {
+    ballotRepo.isSubmitted.mockResolvedValue(true); // already submitted
+    submissionRepo.listByProgramId.mockResolvedValue([{ id: 's1' }]);
+    scoreRepo.upsertMany.mockResolvedValue([{ id: 'a' }]);
     const res = mockRes();
     await submissionController.saveScores(baseReq([{ submissionId: 's1', requirements: 1, techStack: 1, innovation: 1 }]), res);
-    expect(res.status).toHaveBeenCalledWith(409);
-    expect(submissionRepo.listByProgramId).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(res.status).toHaveBeenCalledWith(200);
+    expect(scoreRepo.upsertMany).toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 
   it('400s an unknown submission in the batch', async () => {
diff --git a/server/api/controllers/submission.controller.js b/server/api/controllers/submission.controller.js
index c5cc127..41f20be 100644
--- a/server/api/controllers/submission.controller.js
+++ b/server/api/controllers/submission.controller.js
@@ -177,14 +177,9 @@ class SubmissionController {
       const judgeEmail = judgeIdentity(req);
       const { submissionId } = req.params;
 
-      // Locked once the judge has submitted their ballot (reopen is iteration 2).
-      if (await programJudgeBallotRepository.isSubmitted(programId, judgeEmail)) {
-        return res.status(409).json({
-          status: 'error',
-          message: 'Your scores are submitted and locked. Ask an admin to reopen them to edit.',
-        });
-      }
-
+      // A judge can revise their own scores at any time, including after
+      // submitting — the leaderboard (submitted ballots only) reflects the
+      // latest values. Submitting is "count me in", not a freeze.
       const submission = await programSubmissionRepository.findById(submissionId);
       if (!submission || submission.programId !== programId) {
         return res.status(404).json({ status: 'error', message: 'Submission not found' });
@@ -277,13 +272,8 @@ class SubmissionController {
       if (!programId) return res.status(404).json({ status: 'error', message: 'Program not found' });
       const judgeEmail = judgeIdentity(req);
 
-      if (await programJudgeBallotRepository.isSubmitted(programId, judgeEmail)) {
-        return res.status(409).json({
-          status: 'error',
-          message: 'Your scores are submitted and locked. Ask an admin to reopen them to edit.',
-        });
-      }
-
+      // Editable after submit too: a judge may re-save (revise) their own
+      // scores anytime; submitted ballots still count and reflect the latest.
       const scores = req.body?.scores;
       if (!Array.isArray(scores) || scores.length === 0) {
         return res.status(400).json({ status: 'error', message: 'scores must be a non-empty array' });
diff --git a/server/sim/SIMULATION_REPORT.md b/server/sim/SIMULATION_REPORT.md
index 491a088..ed272f8 100644
--- a/server/sim/SIMULATION_REPORT.md
+++ b/server/sim/SIMULATION_REPORT.md
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ Supabase fake.
 15. Winner selection is platform-admin only: a per-program admin is rejected (403).
 16. Platform admin assigned prizes: Aurora Pay 500 EUR, Nimbus Wallet 200 EUR, Comet Bridge 100 EUR (Bitrefill giftcards).
 17. Results published: public page shows all 3 submissions, winners first, with no Luma email exposed.
-18. After submitting, a judge can no longer edit scores (409, locked).
+18. After submitting, a judge can still revise and re-save scores (200); the submitted ballot reflects the latest values.
 
 ## What works
 
diff --git a/server/sim/__tests__/judging-journey.test.js b/server/sim/__tests__/judging-journey.test.js
index 0caedca..fe67571 100644
--- a/server/sim/__tests__/judging-journey.test.js
+++ b/server/sim/__tests__/judging-journey.test.js
@@ -441,12 +441,12 @@ describe('Bitrefill judging — basic user journeys', () => {
     expect((await publicResults()).body.data.published).toBe(false);
   });
 
-  it('locks a judge ballot after submission (no edits, 409)', async () => {
+  it('lets a judge revise scores after submitting (editable, not locked)', async () => {
     const j = judge(JUDGES[0]);
     const subs = (await j.list()).body.data.submissions;
     const r = await j.score(subs[0].id, { requirements: 0, techStack: 0, innovation: 0 });
-    expect(r.status).toBe(409);
-    note('After submitting, a judge can no longer edit scores (409, locked).');
+    expect(r.status).toBe(200);
+    note('After submitting, a judge can still revise and re-save scores (200); the submitted ballot reflects the latest values.');
   });
 });