diff --git a/api/src/routes/admin.ts b/api/src/routes/admin.ts
index 4a3b2e6..1fa0fad 100644
--- a/api/src/routes/admin.ts
+++ b/api/src/routes/admin.ts
@@ -611,6 +611,18 @@ router.post("/api/v1/admin/compliance-orders/:order_number/rearm-intake", requir
 
 const WORKER_URL_ADMIN = process.env.WORKER_URL || "http://workers:8090";
 
+// Slugs that actually generate an MCS-150 PDF (mirrors MCS150_FORM_SLUGS in
+// scripts/workers/services/mcs150_update.py). Other admin-assisted DOT services
+// routed to the same handler (UCR, MC authority, audit prep, ETA, etc.) never
+// produce that form, even though the shared filing_status carries a phantom
+// pdf_minio_path.
+const FORM_PRODUCING_SLUGS = new Set<string>([
+  "mcs150-update",
+  "dot-registration",
+  "usdot-reactivation",
+  "dot-full-compliance",
+]);
+
 /** Ask the worker for a presigned (internal minio:9000) GET URL. */
 async function presignInternal(key: string): Promise<string | null> {
   if (!key) return null;
@@ -641,16 +653,24 @@ async function collectOrderDocuments(orderNumber: string): Promise<Array<{ label
 
   // 1. Order row: intake_data filing artifacts + per-order document columns.
   const ord = await pool.query(
-    `SELECT intake_data, engagement_letter_minio_key, rmd_packet_minio_paths
+    `SELECT service_slug, intake_data, engagement_letter_minio_key, rmd_packet_minio_paths
        FROM compliance_orders WHERE order_number = $1`,
     [orderNumber],
   );
   if (ord.rows.length) {
     const o = ord.rows[0];
+    const slug = (o.service_slug as string) || "";
     const intake = (o.intake_data && typeof o.intake_data === "object" ? o.intake_data : {}) as Record<string, any>;
     const fs = (intake.filing_status && typeof intake.filing_status === "object" ? intake.filing_status : {}) as Record<string, any>;
-    add("Prepared filing PDF", fs.pdf_minio_path);
-    add("Attested PDF (faxed)", fs.attested_pdf);
+    // The shared dot-compliance-remediation pipeline seeds a filing_status with a
+    // template pdf_minio_path on EVERY order in a batch, but only services that
+    // actually produce an MCS-150 form ever generate that PDF. For admin-assisted
+    // services (UCR, MC authority, audit prep, etc.) it's a phantom that never
+    // exists, so only surface the prepared-filing artifacts for form producers.
+    if (FORM_PRODUCING_SLUGS.has(slug)) {
+      add("Prepared filing PDF", fs.pdf_minio_path);
+      add("Attested PDF (faxed)", fs.attested_pdf);
+    }
     add("Confirmation screenshot", fs.screenshot_path);
     if (fs.evidence && typeof fs.evidence === "object") {
       for (const [k, v] of Object.entries(fs.evidence as Record<string, any>)) {
diff --git a/site/public/admin/compliance-orders/index.html b/site/public/admin/compliance-orders/index.html
index 9eb946b..4c9abd2 100644
--- a/site/public/admin/compliance-orders/index.html
+++ b/site/public/admin/compliance-orders/index.html
@@ -393,7 +393,7 @@
       try {
         const { documents } = await api("/api/v1/admin/compliance-orders/" + encodeURIComponent(orderNumber) + "/documents");
         if (!documents || !documents.length) {
-          box.innerHTML = '<div class="muted" style="font-size:12px;">No documents on file yet.</div>';
+          box.innerHTML = '<div class="muted" style="font-size:12px;">No documents on file. Admin-assisted services (e.g. UCR, MC authority) are filed manually and have no generated form; form-based filings appear here once intake is complete.</div>';
           return;
         }
         // Stream endpoint takes the JWT via ?token= so it opens in a new tab.