1.8 Regression: "optional" approvals are no longer possible on Core

Summary

As briefly discussed https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ee/merge_requests/9899#note_154951288

Before 11.8 Core/Free users could use the approval interface to add approvals to MR's

Where Starter+ added restrictions related to it: In Core/Free approvals could be added but would never block an MR, and could thus not be enforced. This matches the "no approvals required" state (No approvals are required, as that's a premium feature, but you can still approve)

This has been the case since I convinced the company I'm currently working to start using Gitlab.

Steps to reproduce

  1. Do a simple gitlab-ee install (pre-v11.8), no specific license (=core)

  2. Add a project & create a merge-request for it (ensure any visible approval-related checks are enabled in settings, if available)

  3. Note the possibility to approve, without enforcement

  4. Upgrade above installation to post-https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ee/commit/491cd60c12db3160da3bbde378c9f6071632570f, no longer possible to approve

Example Project

N/A

What is the current regression behavior?

No way to "freely" approve anymore

What is the expected correct behavior?

Approving (without restrictions enforced on the related merge) in Core.

Relevant logs and/or screenshots

Notification of approval (in the Omnibus Mattermost) before our 11.8 upgrade image

Output of checks

All ok & unrelated

Results of GitLab environment info

(note that I did an upgrade to latest before creating this issue to confirm it's still happening, Change happened with 11.8 release, most likely by commit tagged above

Expand for output related to GitLab environment info 
System information
System:
Proxy:          no
Current User:   git
Using RVM:      no
Ruby Version:   2.5.3p105
Gem Version:    2.7.6
Bundler Version:1.16.6
Rake Version:   12.3.2
Redis Version:  3.2.12
Git Version:    2.18.1
Sidekiq Version:5.2.5
Go Version:     unknown


GitLab information
Version:        11.9.1-ee
Revision:       b50dc44
Directory:      /opt/gitlab/embedded/service/gitlab-rails
DB Adapter:     postgresql
DB Version:     9.6.11
URL:            https://gitlab.minit-europe.com
HTTP Clone URL: https://gitlab.minit-europe.com/some-group/some-project.git
SSH Clone URL:  git@gitlab.minit-europe.com:some-group/some-project.git
Elasticsearch:  no
Geo:            no
Using LDAP:     yes
Using Omniauth: yes
Omniauth Providers:


GitLab Shell
Version:        8.7.1
Repository storage paths:
  • default: /var/opt/gitlab/git-data/repositories GitLab Shell path: /opt/gitlab/embedded/service/gitlab-shell Git: /opt/gitlab/embedded/bin/git

Results of GitLab application Check

Expand for output related to the GitLab application check 
(For installations with omnibus-gitlab package run and paste the output of:
sudo gitlab-rake gitlab:check SANITIZE=true)


(For installations from source run and paste the output of:
sudo -u git -H bundle exec rake gitlab:check RAILS_ENV=production SANITIZE=true)


(we will only investigate if the tests are passing)

Possible fixes

(If you can, link to the line of code that might be responsible for the problem) Likely https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ee/commit/491cd60c12db3160da3bbde378c9f6071632570f // https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab-ee/merge_requests/9899