diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 773204784..3ef559311 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ The format is a modified version of [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.co
 - `Other` - for technical stuff.
 
 ## [Unreleased]
+### Improved
+- Show informative error when trying to add unapproved titles to list on MAL ([@MajorTanya](https://github.com/MajorTanya)) ([#3155](https://github.com/mihonapp/mihon/pull/3155))
 
 ## [v0.19.7] - 2026-03-23
 Same as v0.19.6
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/track/myanimelist/MyAnimeListApi.kt b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/track/myanimelist/MyAnimeListApi.kt
index 7156c2672..9cb79e2ce 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/track/myanimelist/MyAnimeListApi.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/track/myanimelist/MyAnimeListApi.kt
@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@ import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.data.track.myanimelist.dto.MALSearchResult
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.data.track.myanimelist.dto.MALUser
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.network.DELETE
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.network.GET
+import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.network.HttpException
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.network.POST
+import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.network.await
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.network.awaitSuccess
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.network.parseAs
 import eu.kanade.tachiyomi.util.PkceUtil
@@ -122,8 +124,23 @@ class MyAnimeListApi(
                 .put(formBodyBuilder.build())
                 .build()
             with(json) {
-                authClient.newCall(request)
-                    .awaitSuccess()
+                val response = authClient
+                    .newCall(request)
+                    .await()
+
+                if (!response.isSuccessful) {
+                    if (response.body.string().contains("invalid_content")) {
+                        // MAL returns unapproved titles in search but does not allow adding them to the list
+                        // returns 400 with this body: {"message":"Invalid content","error":"invalid_content"}
+                        // These unapproved titles cannot be filtered out in search and are also returned by the
+                        // endpoint we use for id prefix search
+                        throw MALTitleNotApproved()
+                    } else {
+                        throw HttpException(response.code)
+                    }
+                }
+
+                response
                     .parseAs<MALListItemStatus>()
                     .let { parseMangaItem(it, track) }
             }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/track/myanimelist/MyAnimeListInterceptor.kt b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/track/myanimelist/MyAnimeListInterceptor.kt
index 92eca9ca2..ffc77c335 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/track/myanimelist/MyAnimeListInterceptor.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/eu/kanade/tachiyomi/data/track/myanimelist/MyAnimeListInterceptor.kt
@@ -80,5 +80,6 @@ class MyAnimeListInterceptor(private val myanimelist: MyAnimeList) : Interceptor
     }
 }
 
+class MALTitleNotApproved : IOException("MAL: This title can't be added because it is waiting for approval.")
 class MALTokenRefreshFailed : IOException("MAL: Failed to refresh account token")
 class MALTokenExpired : IOException("MAL: Login has expired")