diff --git a/main.lua b/main.lua
index a04d9fb..0d41289 100644
--- a/main.lua
+++ b/main.lua
@@ -1520,7 +1520,14 @@ function Bookhoard:_doGetProgress(interactive)
             sync_text = T(_("Sync to page %1 of %2 from server?"), target_page, total)
         end
 
-        if self_older then
+        -- The forward/backward strategies gate AUTOMATIC sync only. A manual
+        -- pull is an explicit "take me to the server position", so honoring
+        -- sync_backward=DISABLE here silently swallowed it (no prompt, no
+        -- message, no navigation) whenever the server sat behind this device.
+        if interactive then
+            self:syncToProgress(nav_target, server_percentage)
+            self:_showSyncedMessage()
+        elseif self_older then
             if self.settings.sync_forward == SYNC_STRATEGY.SILENT then
                 self:syncToProgress(nav_target, server_percentage)
                 self:_showSyncedMessage()