@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ describe('SOAController', () => {
     updateDocumentAfterAutoFill: jest.fn(),
     createDocument: jest.fn(),
     ensureSetup: jest.fn(),
+    getSetup: jest.fn(),
     approveDocument: jest.fn(),
     declineDocument: jest.fn(),
     submitForApproval: jest.fn(),
@@ -147,6 +148,27 @@ describe('SOAController', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe('getSetup', () => {
+    const dto = {
+      organizationId: 'org_123',
+      frameworkId: 'fw_1',
+    };
+
+    it('should call soaService.getSetup with dto', async () => {
+      const setupResult = {
+        success: true,
+        configuration: { id: 'cfg_1' },
+        document: { id: 'doc_1' },
+      };
+      mockSOAService.getSetup.mockResolvedValue(setupResult);
+
+      const result = await controller.getSetup(dto as never, 'org_123');
+
+      expect(soaService.getSetup).toHaveBeenCalledWith(dto);
+      expect(result).toEqual(setupResult);
+    });
+  });
+
   describe('approveDocument', () => {
     const dto = {
       documentId: 'doc_1',
 
@@ -342,6 +342,24 @@ export class SOAController {
     return this.soaService.ensureSetup(dto);
   }
 
+  @Post('get-setup')
+  @HttpCode(HttpStatus.OK)
+  @RequirePermission('audit', 'read')
+  @ApiOperation({
+    summary: 'Read SOA configuration and document without creating either',
+  })
+  @ApiConsumes('application/json')
+  @ApiOkResponse({
+    description: 'Setup returned (configuration/document may be null)',
+  })
+  async getSetup(
+    @Body() dto: EnsureSOASetupDto,
+    @OrganizationId() organizationId: string,
+  ) {
+    dto.organizationId = organizationId;
+    return this.soaService.getSetup(dto);
+  }
+
   @Post('approve')
   @HttpCode(HttpStatus.OK)
   @RequirePermission('audit', 'update')
 
@@ -145,6 +145,64 @@ describe('SOAService', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  describe('getSetup', () => {
+    const dto = { frameworkId: 'fw-1', organizationId: 'org-1' };
+
+    it('throws NotFoundException when framework not found', async () => {
+      mockDb.frameworkEditorFramework.findUnique.mockResolvedValue(null);
+      await expect(service.getSetup(dto)).rejects.toThrow(NotFoundException);
+    });
+
+    it('returns success:false for non-ISO 27001 framework', async () => {
+      (
+        mockDb.frameworkEditorFramework.findUnique as jest.Mock
+      ).mockResolvedValue({ id: 'fw-1', name: 'SOC 2' });
+      const result = await service.getSetup(dto);
+      expect(result.success).toBe(false);
+      expect(result.error).toContain('ISO 27001');
+    });
+
+    it('returns nulls without creating when configuration and document are missing', async () => {
+      (
+        mockDb.frameworkEditorFramework.findUnique as jest.Mock
+      ).mockResolvedValue({ id: 'fw-1', name: 'ISO 27001' });
+      (
+        mockDb.sOAFrameworkConfiguration.findFirst as jest.Mock
+      ).mockResolvedValue(null);
+      (mockDb.sOADocument.findFirst as jest.Mock).mockResolvedValue(null);
+
+      const result = await service.getSetup(dto);
+
+      expect(result.success).toBe(true);
+      expect(result.configuration).toBeNull();
+      expect(result.document).toBeNull();
+      expect(mockDb.sOAFrameworkConfiguration.create).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(mockDb.sOADocument.create).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
+    it('returns existing configuration and document without mutating', async () => {
+      const config = { id: 'cfg-1', questions: [{ id: 'q1' }] };
+      const doc = { id: 'doc-1', answers: [] };
+      (
+        mockDb.frameworkEditorFramework.findUnique as jest.Mock
+      ).mockResolvedValue({ id: 'fw-1', name: 'ISO 27001' });
+      (
+        mockDb.sOAFrameworkConfiguration.findFirst as jest.Mock
+      ).mockResolvedValue(config);
+      (mockDb.sOADocument.findFirst as jest.Mock).mockResolvedValue(doc);
+
+      const result = await service.getSetup(dto);
+
+      expect(result).toEqual({
+        success: true,
+        configuration: config,
+        document: doc,
+      });
+      expect(mockDb.sOAFrameworkConfiguration.create).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(mockDb.sOADocument.create).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+  });
+
   describe('approveDocument', () => {
     const dto = { documentId: 'doc-1', organizationId: 'org-1' };
     const userId = 'user-1';
 
@@ -319,6 +319,47 @@ export class SOAService {
     return { success: true, configuration, document };
   }
 
+  async getSetup(dto: EnsureSOASetupDto) {
+    const framework = await db.frameworkEditorFramework.findUnique({
+      where: { id: dto.frameworkId },
+    });
+
+    if (!framework) {
+      throw new NotFoundException('Framework not found');
+    }
+
+    const isISO27001 = ISO27001_FRAMEWORK_NAMES.includes(framework.name);
+
+    if (!isISO27001) {
+      return {
+        success: false,
+        error: 'Only ISO 27001 framework is currently supported',
+        configuration: null,
+        document: null,
+      };
+    }
+
+    const configuration = await db.sOAFrameworkConfiguration.findFirst({
+      where: {
+        frameworkId: dto.frameworkId,
+        isLatest: true,
+      },
+    });
+
+    const document = await db.sOADocument.findFirst({
+      where: {
+        frameworkId: dto.frameworkId,
+        organizationId: dto.organizationId,
+        isLatest: true,
+      },
+      include: {
+        answers: { where: { isLatestAnswer: true } },
+      },
+    });
+
+    return { success: true, configuration, document };
+  }
+
   async approveDocument(dto: ApproveSOADocumentDto, userId: string) {
     const member = await this.validateOwnerOrAdmin(dto.organizationId, userId);
 
 
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import {
   Text,
 } from '@trycompai/design-system';
 import { api } from '@/lib/api-client';
+import { usePermissions } from '@/hooks/use-permissions';
 import Link from 'next/link';
 import { useMemo } from 'react';
 import useSWR from 'swr';
@@ -94,9 +95,13 @@ export function SOAOverviewCard({
   iso27001FrameworkId,
 }: SOAOverviewCardProps) {
   const form = STATEMENT_OF_APPLICABILITY_FORM;
+  const { hasPermission } = usePermissions();
+  const soaEndpoint = hasPermission('audit', 'create')
+    ? '/v1/soa/ensure-setup'
+    : '/v1/soa/get-setup';
   const { data: soaSetupResponse, error: soaSetupError, isLoading: isLoadingSOASetup } =
     useSWR<SOASetupResponse>(
-    ['/v1/soa/ensure-setup', organizationId, iso27001FrameworkId],
+    [soaEndpoint, organizationId, iso27001FrameworkId],
     async ([endpoint, orgId, frameworkId]: readonly [string, string, string]) => {
       const response = await api.post<SOASetupResponse>(endpoint, {
         organizationId: orgId,
 
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ import { useState, useTransition } from 'react';
 import { toast } from 'sonner';
 import { Loader2, ShieldCheck } from 'lucide-react';
 import { SOAFrameworkTable } from './SOAFrameworkTable';
-import { ensureSOASetup } from '../hooks/useSOADocument';
+import { ensureSOASetup, getSOASetup } from '../hooks/useSOADocument';
+import { usePermissions } from '@/hooks/use-permissions';
 import type { FrameworkWithSOAData } from '../types';
 
 interface SOAFrameworkTabsProps {
@@ -23,6 +24,8 @@ export function SOAFrameworkTabs({ frameworksWithSOAData, organizationId }: SOAF
   const [frameworkData, setFrameworkData] = useState<Map<string, typeof frameworksWithSOAData[0]>>(
     new Map(frameworksWithSOAData.map((fw) => [fw.frameworkId, fw]))
   );
+  const { hasPermission } = usePermissions();
+  const canCreateSetup = hasPermission('audit', 'create');
 
   // Set active tab to first supported framework with data, or first framework
   const getInitialTab = () => {
@@ -55,7 +58,9 @@ export function SOAFrameworkTabs({ frameworksWithSOAData, organizationId }: SOAF
 
     startTransition(async () => {
       try {
-        const result = await ensureSOASetup({ frameworkId, organizationId });
+        const result = canCreateSetup
+          ? await ensureSOASetup({ frameworkId, organizationId })
+          : await getSOASetup({ frameworkId, organizationId });
 
         if (result.error) {
           toast.error(result.error);
@@ -160,8 +165,15 @@ export function SOAFrameworkTabs({ frameworksWithSOAData, organizationId }: SOAF
                 organizationId={organizationId}
               />
             ) : (
-              <div className="flex items-center justify-center py-12">
-                <Loader2 className="h-6 w-6 animate-spin text-muted-foreground" />
+              <div className="flex flex-col items-center justify-center gap-2 py-12 text-center rounded-lg border">
+                <p className="text-muted-foreground">
+                  Statement of Applicability has not been set up yet.
+                </p>
+                <p className="text-xs text-muted-foreground">
+                  {canCreateSetup
+                    ? 'Switch tabs or refresh to retry creating the setup.'
+                    : 'Ask an admin to start the Statement of Applicability for this framework.'}
+                </p>
               </div>
             )}
           </TabsContent>
 
@@ -215,25 +215,35 @@ export async function createSOADocument(params: {
   return response.data.data;
 }
 
-/** Standalone helper: ensure SOA setup for a framework */
-export async function ensureSOASetup(params: {
-  frameworkId: string;
-  organizationId: string;
-}): Promise<{
+type SOASetupResult = {
   success: boolean;
   configuration?: Record<string, unknown> | null;
   document?: Record<string, unknown> | null;
   error?: string;
-}> {
-  const response = await api.post<{
-    success: boolean;
-    configuration?: Record<string, unknown> | null;
-    document?: Record<string, unknown> | null;
-    error?: string;
-  }>('/v1/soa/ensure-setup', params);
+};
+
+/** Standalone helper: ensure SOA setup for a framework (creates if missing). */
+export async function ensureSOASetup(params: {
+  frameworkId: string;
+  organizationId: string;
+}): Promise<SOASetupResult> {
+  const response = await api.post<SOASetupResult>('/v1/soa/ensure-setup', params);
 
   if (response.error) throw new Error(response.error || 'Failed to setup SOA');
   if (!response.data) throw new Error('Failed to setup SOA');
 
   return response.data;
 }
+
+/** Standalone helper: read SOA setup for a framework without creating anything. */
+export async function getSOASetup(params: {
+  frameworkId: string;
+  organizationId: string;
+}): Promise<SOASetupResult> {
+  const response = await api.post<SOASetupResult>('/v1/soa/get-setup', params);
+
+  if (response.error) throw new Error(response.error || 'Failed to load SOA');
+  if (!response.data) throw new Error('Failed to load SOA');
+
+  return response.data;
+}
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { serverApi } from '@/lib/api-server';
-import { parseRolesString } from '@/lib/permissions';
+import { hasPermission, parseRolesString } from '@/lib/permissions';
+import { resolveCurrentUserPermissions } from '@/lib/permissions.server';
 import { auth } from '@/utils/auth';
 import { Breadcrumb, PageLayout } from '@trycompai/design-system';
 import { headers } from 'next/headers';
@@ -90,12 +91,19 @@ export default async function StatementOfApplicabilityPage({
     try {
       const { frameworkId, framework } = isoFrameworkInstance;
 
+      const userPermissions = await resolveCurrentUserPermissions(organizationId);
+      const canCreateSetup =
+        !!userPermissions && hasPermission(userPermissions, 'audit', 'create');
+      const setupEndpoint = canCreateSetup
+        ? '/v1/soa/ensure-setup'
+        : '/v1/soa/get-setup';
+
       const setupResult = await serverApi.post<{
         success: boolean;
         error?: string;
         configuration: Record<string, unknown> | null;
         document: Record<string, unknown> | null;
-      }>('/v1/soa/ensure-setup', { frameworkId, organizationId });
+      }>(setupEndpoint, { frameworkId, organizationId });
 
       const setupData = setupResult.data;
       if (!setupData?.success) {