diff --git a/app/plugins/CoreEnroller/src/Controller/AttributeCollectorsController.php b/app/plugins/CoreEnroller/src/Controller/AttributeCollectorsController.php
index e9640bd71..7f9397fa9 100644
--- a/app/plugins/CoreEnroller/src/Controller/AttributeCollectorsController.php
+++ b/app/plugins/CoreEnroller/src/Controller/AttributeCollectorsController.php
@@ -60,6 +60,8 @@ public function dispatch(string $id) {
           attributes: array_diff_key($this->request->getData(), ['petition_id' => true, 'token' => true])
         );
 
+        $this->persistPetitionCouIdFromCollectedAttributes((int)$petition->id);
+
         // On success, indicate the step is completed and generate a redirect
         // to the next step
 
@@ -100,4 +102,51 @@ public function dispatch(string $id) {
 
     $this->render('/Standard/dispatch');
   }
+
+  /**
+   * If the Attribute Collector collected a COU for later context (eg approvals),
+   * persist Petition.cou_id during dispatch (not during finalization).
+   *
+   * @since  COmanage Registry v5.2.0
+   * @param  int $petitionId
+   * @return void
+   */
+  protected function persistPetitionCouIdFromCollectedAttributes(int $petitionId): void {
+    $petitionAttributesTable = $this->AttributeCollectors
+      ->EnrollmentAttributes
+      ->PetitionAttributes;
+
+    // Fetch all petition attributes + enrollment attribute data
+    $attrs = $petitionAttributesTable
+      ->find()
+      ->where(['PetitionAttributes.petition_id' => $petitionId])
+      ->contain(['EnrollmentAttributes'])
+      ->toArray();
+
+    // Find the first "cou_id" with a non-empty value
+    // NOTE: Attribute Collector configuration can include multiple COU attributes/values, but the
+    // Petition record has only a single `cou_id` column. By convention/assumption we therefore
+    // select the first non-empty collected `cou_id` and ignore any additional values.
+    $couAttr = null;
+    foreach ($attrs as $pa) {
+      if (
+        !empty($pa->enrollment_attribute)
+        && ($pa->enrollment_attribute->attribute ?? null) === 'cou_id'
+        && ($pa->value ?? null) !== null
+        && ($pa->value ?? null) !== ''
+      ) {
+        $couAttr = $pa;
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+
+    if(!$couAttr) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    $petitionsTable = $this->fetchTable('Petitions');
+    $petition = $petitionsTable->get($petitionId);
+    $petition->cou_id = (int)$couAttr->value;
+    $petitionsTable->saveOrFail($petition);
+  }
 }