diff --git a/Modules/Helpdesk/Models/Ticket.php b/Modules/Helpdesk/Models/Ticket.php
index 6fcd183..c00d075 100644
--- a/Modules/Helpdesk/Models/Ticket.php
+++ b/Modules/Helpdesk/Models/Ticket.php
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ final class Ticket extends Model
 
     protected $table = 'helpdesk_tickets';
 
-    protected $with = ['user'];
+    protected $with = ['user', 'agent'];
 
     /** @var list<string> */
     protected $fillable = [
diff --git a/Modules/Helpdesk/Services/AutomationRuleService.php b/Modules/Helpdesk/Services/AutomationRuleService.php
index 5f7a5de..38594e5 100644
--- a/Modules/Helpdesk/Services/AutomationRuleService.php
+++ b/Modules/Helpdesk/Services/AutomationRuleService.php
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ final class AutomationRuleService
     /** @param array<string, mixed> $context */
     public function apply(Ticket $ticket, array $context = []): Ticket
     {
-        $sender = (string) ($context['sender'] ?? $ticket->owner?->email ?? '');
+        $sender = (string) ($context['sender'] ?? $ticket->user?->email ?? '');
         $mailbox = (string) ($context['mailbox'] ?? '');
 
         AutomationRule::query()
diff --git a/Modules/Helpdesk/Services/CannedResponseRenderer.php b/Modules/Helpdesk/Services/CannedResponseRenderer.php
index 704caba..77387f8 100644
--- a/Modules/Helpdesk/Services/CannedResponseRenderer.php
+++ b/Modules/Helpdesk/Services/CannedResponseRenderer.php
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ final class CannedResponseRenderer
             '{{ ticket.category }}' => (string) ($ticket->category?->name ?? ''),
             '{{ ticket.project }}' => (string) ($ticket->project?->title ?? ''),
             '{{ ticket.team }}' => (string) ($ticket->team?->name ?? ''),
-            '{{ requester.name }}' => (string) ($ticket->owner?->name ?? ''),
+            '{{ requester.name }}' => (string) ($ticket->user?->name ?? ''),
             '{{ agent.name }}' => (string) ($ticket->agent?->name ?? ''),
             '{{ actor.name }}' => (string) ($actor?->name ?? ''),
             '{{ ticket.url }}' => route('helpdesk.tickets.show', ['ticket' => $ticket->getKey()]),
diff --git a/Modules/UserManagement/Console/EnsureAdminCommand.php b/Modules/UserManagement/Console/EnsureAdminCommand.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bea49bd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Modules/UserManagement/Console/EnsureAdminCommand.php
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace Modules\UserManagement\Console;
+
+use App\Models\User;
+use Illuminate\Console\Command;
+
+final class EnsureAdminCommand extends Command
+{
+    protected $signature = 'users:ensure-admin {user=1 : User ID to grant administrator access}';
+
+    protected $description = 'Ensure a user has Helpdesk administrator and agent access';
+
+    public function handle(): int
+    {
+        $user = User::query()->find((int) $this->argument('user'));
+
+        if ($user === null) {
+            $this->error('User not found.');
+
+            return self::FAILURE;
+        }
+
+        $user->forceFill([
+            'helpdesk_admin' => true,
+            'helpdesk_agent' => true,
+        ])->save();
+
+        $this->info("{$user->name} is now a Helpdesk administrator.");
+
+        return self::SUCCESS;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/Modules/UserManagement/Database/Migrations/2026_08_26_081500_ensure_initial_helpdesk_admin.php b/Modules/UserManagement/Database/Migrations/2026_08_26_081500_ensure_initial_helpdesk_admin.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f158430
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Modules/UserManagement/Database/Migrations/2026_08_26_081500_ensure_initial_helpdesk_admin.php
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+use Illuminate\Database\Migrations\Migration;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\DB;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Schema;
+
+return new class extends Migration
+{
+    public function up(): void
+    {
+        if (
+            ! Schema::hasTable('users')
+            || ! Schema::hasColumn('users', 'helpdesk_admin')
+            || ! Schema::hasColumn('users', 'helpdesk_agent')
+        ) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if (DB::table('users')->where('helpdesk_admin', true)->exists()) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        $userId = DB::table('users')->orderBy('id')->value('id');
+
+        if ($userId === null) {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        DB::table('users')->where('id', $userId)->update([
+            'helpdesk_admin' => true,
+            'helpdesk_agent' => true,
+            'updated_at' => now(),
+        ]);
+    }
+
+    public function down(): void
+    {
+        // Never silently remove administrator access.
+    }
+};
diff --git a/Modules/UserManagement/Http/Middleware/EnsureUserManagementAdmin.php b/Modules/UserManagement/Http/Middleware/EnsureUserManagementAdmin.php
index f0aa76b..91d278d 100644
--- a/Modules/UserManagement/Http/Middleware/EnsureUserManagementAdmin.php
+++ b/Modules/UserManagement/Http/Middleware/EnsureUserManagementAdmin.php
@@ -14,14 +14,15 @@ final class EnsureUserManagementAdmin
     {
         $user = $request->user();
 
-        $allowed = $user !== null && (
-            (method_exists($user, 'isHelpdeskAdmin') && $user->isHelpdeskAdmin())
-            || (method_exists($user, 'isAdmin') && $user->isAdmin())
-            || (bool) ($user->helpdesk_admin ?? false)
+        abort_unless(
+            $user !== null
+            && (
+                (bool) ($user->helpdesk_admin ?? false)
+                || (method_exists($user, 'isHelpdeskAdmin') && $user->isHelpdeskAdmin())
+            ),
+            403
         );
 
-        abort_unless($allowed, 403);
-
         return $next($request);
     }
 }
diff --git a/Modules/UserManagement/Providers/UserManagementServiceProvider.php b/Modules/UserManagement/Providers/UserManagementServiceProvider.php
index 5abe93a..9f108c2 100644
--- a/Modules/UserManagement/Providers/UserManagementServiceProvider.php
+++ b/Modules/UserManagement/Providers/UserManagementServiceProvider.php
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ declare(strict_types=1);
 namespace Modules\UserManagement\Providers;
 
 use Illuminate\Support\ServiceProvider;
+use Modules\UserManagement\Console\EnsureAdminCommand;
 
 final class UserManagementServiceProvider extends ServiceProvider
 {
@@ -12,4 +13,15 @@ final class UserManagementServiceProvider extends ServiceProvider
     {
         $this->app->register(RouteServiceProvider::class);
     }
+
+    public function boot(): void
+    {
+        $this->loadMigrationsFrom(module_path('UserManagement', 'Database/Migrations'));
+
+        if ($this->app->runningInConsole()) {
+            $this->commands([
+                EnsureAdminCommand::class,
+            ]);
+        }
+    }
 }
diff --git a/resources/themes/backend/views/layouts/app/sidebar.blade.php b/resources/themes/backend/views/layouts/app/sidebar.blade.php
index 19b1fdc..989ca13 100644
--- a/resources/themes/backend/views/layouts/app/sidebar.blade.php
+++ b/resources/themes/backend/views/layouts/app/sidebar.blade.php
@@ -4,10 +4,10 @@
 <body class="hd-app-body">
 @php
     $user = auth()->user();
-    $isAdmin =
-        (bool) ($user?->helpdesk_admin ?? false)
-        || ($user && method_exists($user, 'isHelpdeskAdmin') && $user->isHelpdeskAdmin())
-        || ($user && method_exists($user, 'isAdmin') && $user->isAdmin());
+    $isAdmin = $user !== null && (
+        (bool) ($user->helpdesk_admin ?? false)
+        || (method_exists($user, 'isHelpdeskAdmin') && $user->isHelpdeskAdmin())
+    );
     $roleLabel = $isAdmin ? 'Administrator' : ((method_exists($user, 'isHelpdeskAgent') && $user->isHelpdeskAgent()) || (bool) ($user->helpdesk_agent ?? false) ? 'Agent' : 'User');
 @endphp
 <div class="hd-app-shell" data-hd-shell>