diff --git a/machine.go b/machine.go
index 43ec4720..099f7fac 100644
--- a/machine.go
+++ b/machine.go
@@ -945,9 +945,9 @@ func (h *Headscale) EnableAutoApprovedRoutes(machine *Machine) error {
 			continue // Skip routes that are already enabled for the node
 		}
 
-		approved := false
-		routeApprovers, err := h.aclPolicy.AutoApprovers.GetRouteApprovers(advertisedRoute)
-
+		routeApprovers, err := h.aclPolicy.AutoApprovers.GetRouteApprovers(
+			advertisedRoute,
+		)
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Err(err).
 				Str("advertisedRoute", advertisedRoute.String()).
@@ -957,26 +957,22 @@ func (h *Headscale) EnableAutoApprovedRoutes(machine *Machine) error {
 		}
 
 		for _, approvedAlias := range routeApprovers {
+			if approvedAlias == machine.Namespace.Name {
+				approvedRoutes = append(approvedRoutes, advertisedRoute)
+			} else {
+				approvedIps, err := expandAlias(thisMachine, *h.aclPolicy, approvedAlias, h.cfg.OIDC.StripEmaildomain)
+				if err != nil {
+					log.Err(err).
+						Str("alias", approvedAlias).
+						Msg("Failed to expand alias when processing autoApprovers policy")
+					return err
+				}
 
-			approvedIps, err := expandAlias(thisMachine, *h.aclPolicy, approvedAlias, h.cfg.OIDC.StripEmaildomain)
-
-			if err != nil {
-				log.Err(err).
-					Str("alias", approvedAlias).
-					Msg("Failed to expand alias when processing autoApprovers policy")
-				return err
+				// approvedIPs should contain all of machine's IPs if it matches the rule, so check for first
+				if contains(approvedIps, machine.IPAddresses[0].String()) {
+					approvedRoutes = append(approvedRoutes, advertisedRoute)
+				}
 			}
-
-			// approvedIPs should contain all of machine's IPs if it matches the rule, so check for first
-			approved = contains(approvedIps, machine.IPAddresses[0].String())
-
-			if approved {
-				break
-			}
-		}
-
-		if approved {
-			approvedRoutes = append(approvedRoutes, advertisedRoute)
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/machine_test.go b/machine_test.go
index 5da0906f..2c0c91d6 100644
--- a/machine_test.go
+++ b/machine_test.go
@@ -1051,3 +1051,44 @@ func TestHeadscale_GenerateGivenName(t *testing.T) {
 		})
 	}
 }
+
+func (s *Suite) TestAutoApproveRoutes(c *check.C) {
+	err := app.LoadACLPolicy("./tests/acls/acl_policy_autoapprovers.hujson")
+	c.Assert(err, check.IsNil)
+
+	namespace, err := app.CreateNamespace("test")
+	c.Assert(err, check.IsNil)
+
+	pak, err := app.CreatePreAuthKey(namespace.Name, false, false, nil)
+	c.Assert(err, check.IsNil)
+
+	nodeKey := key.NewNode()
+
+	defaultRoute := netaddr.MustParseIPPrefix("0.0.0.0/0")
+	route1 := netaddr.MustParseIPPrefix("10.10.0.0/16")
+	route2 := netaddr.MustParseIPPrefix("10.11.0.0/16")
+
+	machine := Machine{
+		ID:             0,
+		MachineKey:     "foo",
+		NodeKey:        NodePublicKeyStripPrefix(nodeKey.Public()),
+		DiscoKey:       "faa",
+		Hostname:       "test",
+		NamespaceID:    namespace.ID,
+		RegisterMethod: RegisterMethodAuthKey,
+		AuthKeyID:      uint(pak.ID),
+		HostInfo: HostInfo{
+			RequestTags: []string{"tag:exit"},
+			RoutableIPs: []netaddr.IPPrefix{defaultRoute, route1, route2},
+		},
+		IPAddresses: []netaddr.IP{netaddr.MustParseIP("100.64.0.1")},
+	}
+
+	app.db.Save(&machine)
+
+	machine0ByID, err := app.GetMachineByID(0)
+	c.Assert(err, check.IsNil)
+
+	app.EnableAutoApprovedRoutes(machine0ByID)
+	c.Assert(machine0ByID.GetEnabledRoutes(), check.HasLen, 3)
+}
diff --git a/protocol_common_poll.go b/protocol_common_poll.go
index d6a8fff2..37e2dbc7 100644
--- a/protocol_common_poll.go
+++ b/protocol_common_poll.go
@@ -44,10 +44,7 @@ func (h *Headscale) handlePollCommon(
 		}
 
 		// update routes with peer information
-		err = h.EnableAutoApprovedRoutes(machine)
-		if err != nil {
-			//TODO
-		}
+		h.EnableAutoApprovedRoutes(machine)
 	}
 
 	// From Tailscale client:
diff --git a/tests/acls/acl_policy_autoapprovers.hujson b/tests/acls/acl_policy_autoapprovers.hujson
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bf564d88
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/acls/acl_policy_autoapprovers.hujson
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+// This ACL validates autoApprovers support for
+// exit nodes and advertised routes
+
+{
+    "tagOwners": {
+        "tag:exit": ["test"],
+    },
+
+    "groups": {
+        "group:test": ["test"]
+    },
+
+    "acls": [
+        {"action": "accept", "users": ["*"], "ports": ["*:*"]},
+    ],
+
+    "autoApprovers": {
+        "exitNode": ["tag:exit"],
+        "routes": {
+            "10.10.0.0/16": ["group:test"],
+            "10.11.0.0/16": ["test"],
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file