diff --git a/doc/api/resources/orders.rst b/doc/api/resources/orders.rst
index 3cfdb92b8a..f914732b07 100644
--- a/doc/api/resources/orders.rst
+++ b/doc/api/resources/orders.rst
@@ -839,6 +839,7 @@ Creating orders
    * ``comment`` (optional)
    * ``custom_followup_at`` (optional)
    * ``checkin_attention`` (optional)
+   * ``require_approval`` (optional)
    * ``invoice_address`` (optional)
 
       * ``company``
diff --git a/src/pretix/api/serializers/order.py b/src/pretix/api/serializers/order.py
index 78991180c0..277575b6a3 100644
--- a/src/pretix/api/serializers/order.py
+++ b/src/pretix/api/serializers/order.py
@@ -935,6 +935,7 @@ class OrderCreateSerializer(I18nAwareModelSerializer):
     force = serializers.BooleanField(default=False, required=False)
     payment_date = serializers.DateTimeField(required=False, allow_null=True)
     send_email = serializers.BooleanField(default=False, required=False)
+    require_approval = serializers.BooleanField(default=False, required=False)
     simulate = serializers.BooleanField(default=False, required=False)
     customer = serializers.SlugRelatedField(slug_field='identifier', queryset=Customer.objects.none(), required=False)
 
@@ -947,7 +948,7 @@ class OrderCreateSerializer(I18nAwareModelSerializer):
         model = Order
         fields = ('code', 'status', 'testmode', 'email', 'phone', 'locale', 'payment_provider', 'fees', 'comment', 'sales_channel',
                   'invoice_address', 'positions', 'checkin_attention', 'payment_info', 'payment_date', 'consume_carts',
-                  'force', 'send_email', 'simulate', 'customer', 'custom_followup_at')
+                  'force', 'send_email', 'simulate', 'customer', 'custom_followup_at', 'require_approval')
 
     def validate_payment_provider(self, pp):
         if pp is None:
@@ -1219,6 +1220,8 @@ class OrderCreateSerializer(I18nAwareModelSerializer):
             order.set_expires(subevents=[p.get('subevent') for p in positions_data])
             order.meta_info = "{}"
             order.total = Decimal('0.00')
+            if validated_data.get('require_approval') is not None:
+                order.require_approval = validated_data['require_approval']
             if simulate:
                 order = WrappedModel(order)
                 order.last_modified = now()
diff --git a/src/pretix/api/views/order.py b/src/pretix/api/views/order.py
index c9d5f042a3..b6700141de 100644
--- a/src/pretix/api/views/order.py
+++ b/src/pretix/api/views/order.py
@@ -646,7 +646,11 @@ class OrderViewSet(viewsets.ModelViewSet):
                     payment and order.total == Decimal('0.00') and order.status == Order.STATUS_PAID and
                     not order.require_approval and payment.provider == "free"
                 )
-                if free_flow:
+                if order.require_approval:
+                    email_template = request.event.settings.mail_text_order_placed_require_approval
+                    log_entry = 'pretix.event.order.email.order_placed_require_approval'
+                    email_attendees = False
+                elif free_flow:
                     email_template = request.event.settings.mail_text_order_free
                     log_entry = 'pretix.event.order.email.order_free'
                     email_attendees = request.event.settings.mail_send_order_free_attendee
diff --git a/src/tests/api/test_orders.py b/src/tests/api/test_orders.py
index 129ff71428..c1cd219cb2 100644
--- a/src/tests/api/test_orders.py
+++ b/src/tests/api/test_orders.py
@@ -1925,6 +1925,28 @@ def test_order_create_autocheckin(token_client, organizer, event, item, quota, q
         assert o.positions.first().checkins.count() == 0
 
 
+@pytest.mark.django_db
+def test_order_create_require_approval(token_client, organizer, event, item, quota, question):
+    res = copy.deepcopy(ORDER_CREATE_PAYLOAD)
+    res['require_approval'] = True
+    res['send_email'] = True
+    res['positions'][0]['item'] = item.pk
+    res['positions'][0]['answers'][0]['question'] = question.pk
+    djmail.outbox = []
+    resp = token_client.post(
+        '/api/v1/organizers/{}/events/{}/orders/'.format(
+            organizer.slug, event.slug
+        ), format='json', data=res
+    )
+    assert resp.status_code == 201
+    with scopes_disabled():
+        o = Order.objects.get(code=resp.data['code'])
+        assert o.require_approval
+    assert len(djmail.outbox) == 1
+    assert djmail.outbox[0].subject == "Your order: {}".format(resp.data['code'])
+    assert "approval" in djmail.outbox[0].body
+
+
 @pytest.mark.django_db
 def test_order_create_invoice_address_optional(token_client, organizer, event, item, quota, question):
     res = copy.deepcopy(ORDER_CREATE_PAYLOAD)