diff --git a/src/main/java/world/bentobox/chunkblock/listeners/ChunkClaimListener.java b/src/main/java/world/bentobox/chunkblock/listeners/ChunkClaimListener.java
index 15519e5..3b330e8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/world/bentobox/chunkblock/listeners/ChunkClaimListener.java
+++ b/src/main/java/world/bentobox/chunkblock/listeners/ChunkClaimListener.java
@@ -110,20 +110,14 @@ public void onBorderHit(PlayerInteractEvent e) {
             return;
         }
         Island island = optionalIsland.get();
-        User user = User.getInstance(player);
-        // Who may spend the island's credit is an island setting, owner-only by default
-        if (!island.isAllowed(user, addon.CHUNKBLOCK_CLAIM_CHUNKS)) {
-            denyClaim(user, island);
-            return;
-        }
         ChunkManager cm = addon.getChunkManager();
         // The player must be standing in their own territory, aiming at a locked chunk
         if (cm.isLocked(island, player.getLocation())) {
             return;
         }
         // A click on a block inside unlocked territory is ordinary interaction (mining a
-        // generator, pressing a button...), never a claim gesture — regardless of where
-        // the aim line would end up beyond it.
+        // generator, opening a chest, pressing a button...), never a claim gesture —
+        // regardless of where the aim line would end up beyond it.
         Block clicked = e.getClickedBlock();
         if (clicked != null && cm.isUnlocked(island, clicked.getX() >> 4, clicked.getZ() >> 4)) {
             return;
@@ -138,6 +132,14 @@ public void onBorderHit(PlayerInteractEvent e) {
         if (target == null) {
             return;
         }
+        // Only now that this is genuinely a claim gesture is rank worth raising: who may
+        // spend the island's credit is an island setting, owner-only by default. Checking
+        // any earlier turns every ordinary click into a rank complaint.
+        User user = User.getInstance(player);
+        if (!island.isAllowed(user, addon.CHUNKBLOCK_CLAIM_CHUNKS)) {
+            denyClaim(user, island);
+            return;
+        }
         attemptClaim(user, island, target[0], target[1]);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/world/bentobox/chunkblock/listeners/ChunkClaimListenerTest.java b/src/test/java/world/bentobox/chunkblock/listeners/ChunkClaimListenerTest.java
index 949228c..ab70f0d 100644
--- a/src/test/java/world/bentobox/chunkblock/listeners/ChunkClaimListenerTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/world/bentobox/chunkblock/listeners/ChunkClaimListenerTest.java
@@ -220,6 +220,18 @@ void testMiningOwnBlockNearBorderIsNotAClaim() {
         verify(notifier, never()).notify(any(), any());
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void testUsingABlockInOwnTerritoryNeverRaisesTheRankComplaint() {
+        // Reported bug: a member opening a chest anywhere in the island's own chunks was
+        // told their rank could not claim, because rank was checked before the gesture was
+        // known to be a claim at all.
+        level = 100;
+        when(island.isAllowed(any(User.class), eq(addon.CHUNKBLOCK_CLAIM_CHUNKS))).thenReturn(false);
+        when(island.getRank(any(User.class))).thenReturn(RanksManager.MEMBER_RANK);
+        listener.onBorderHit(hitBlock(Action.RIGHT_CLICK_BLOCK, 14, 8));
+        verify(notifier, never()).notify(any(), any());
+    }
+
     @Test
     void testPunchingBlockInLockedChunkClaimsIt() {
         level = 1;