When the U.S. International Trade Commission handed down an import ban on certain Apple Watch models last week, it was easy to view the decision as another blow in Apple‘s ongoing patent dispute with medical device maker Masimo. But this week, we’re starting to see the ripple effects of that ruling — effects that go beyond halted sales and have now put repairs out of reach for Apple Watch owners.

According to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, Apple has informed its customer service teams that, effective immediately, hardware repairs and whole unit replacements are unavailable for the Apple Watch Series 6 and later models (except the SE). The suspension applies to repairs for devices that are out of warranty. For now, in-warranty repairs are unaffected, though Apple states it will notify customers if and when those repair channels reopen.

The timing couldn’t be worse for Apple as millions of customers unwrap new Apple Watch models this holiday season. The Series 9 and Ultra 2 are currently unavailable for online sales and will vanish from Apple Stores on December 24th due to the import ban. And now, should any issues emerge with those devices in the coming year, customers will have zero recourse with Apple for out-of-warranty service and repairs.

This expands the stakes considerably for Apple as it works to resolve its patent dispute with Masimo. At issue are several Masimo patents related to pulse oximetry that read on key features of Apple Watch models dating back to the Series 6 in 2020. Masimo believes Apple’s infringement relates fundamentally to hardware, while Apple is said to be testing a software update that could address the matter. But with Apple Watches flying off shelves this month, the clock is ticking for Apple to land on an agreeable solution.

In the meantime, Apple Watch owners would be wise to tread extremely carefully with their devices. If your Series 7 develops a cracked screen or starts acting up in a few months, you’ll have little choice but to live with the issues, buy a replacement model, or leave the Apple ecosystem until imports and repairs resume. For a company that has staked so much on creating an ecosystem of interlocking products and services, this loss of customer trust couldn’t be coming at a worse possible time.