In a control apparatus for an automatic transmission, a gear shift from a second gear shift stage to a first gear shift stage is inhibited and the gear shift from the first gear shift stage to the second gear shift stage is continued, when, during the gear shift from the first gear shift stage to the second gear shift stage, a request of the gear shift from the second gear shift stage to the first gear shift stage by means of an automatic transmission section has occurred during a time duration from a time at which a gear shift command from the first gear shift stage to the second gear shift stage is issued to a time at which an inertia phase is started.