diff --git a/src/channels/web/static/app.js b/src/channels/web/static/app.js
index 7892d4e6..9683bcce 100644
--- a/src/channels/web/static/app.js
+++ b/src/channels/web/static/app.js
@@ -2213,7 +2213,6 @@ function switchTab(tab) {
   if (tab === 'memory') loadMemoryTree();
   if (tab === 'jobs') loadJobs();
   if (tab === 'routines') loadRoutines();
-  if (tab === 'users') loadUsers();
   if (tab === 'logs') applyLogFilters();
   if (tab === 'settings') {
     loadSettingsSubtab(currentSettingsSubtab);
@@ -5044,7 +5043,7 @@ document.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
   // Mod+1-5: switch tabs
   if (mod && e.key >= '1' && e.key <= '5') {
     e.preventDefault();
-    const tabs = ['chat', 'memory', 'jobs', 'routines', 'users', 'settings'];
+    const tabs = ['chat', 'memory', 'jobs', 'routines', 'settings'];
     const idx = parseInt(e.key) - 1;
     if (tabs[idx]) switchTab(tabs[idx]);
     return;
@@ -5139,6 +5138,7 @@ function loadSettingsSubtab(subtab) {
   else if (subtab === 'extensions') { loadExtensions(); startPairingPoll(); }
   else if (subtab === 'mcp') loadMcpServers();
   else if (subtab === 'skills') loadSkills();
+  else if (subtab === 'users') loadUsers();
   if (subtab !== 'extensions' && subtab !== 'channels') stopPairingPoll();
 }
 
diff --git a/src/channels/web/static/index.html b/src/channels/web/static/index.html
index 4192ccc9..3a1370cb 100644
--- a/src/channels/web/static/index.html
+++ b/src/channels/web/static/index.html
@@ -97,7 +97,6 @@
       <button data-tab="memory" data-i18n="tab.memory">Memory</button>
       <button data-tab="jobs" data-i18n="tab.jobs">Jobs</button>
       <button data-tab="routines" data-i18n="tab.routines">Routines</button>
-      <button data-tab="users" data-i18n="tab.users">Users</button>
       <button data-tab="settings" data-i18n="tab.settings">Settings</button>
       <div class="spacer"></div>
 
@@ -283,31 +282,6 @@
       </div>
     </div>
 
-    <!-- Users Tab (admin) -->
-    <div class="tab-panel" id="tab-users">
-      <div class="users-container">
-        <div class="users-header">
-          <h3>User Management</h3>
-          <button id="users-create-btn" class="btn-primary">+ New User</button>
-        </div>
-        <div id="users-create-form" style="display:none" class="users-form">
-          <input type="text" id="user-display-name" placeholder="Display name" />
-          <input type="email" id="user-email" placeholder="Email (optional)" />
-          <select id="user-role"><option value="member">Member</option><option value="admin">Admin</option></select>
-          <button id="users-create-submit" class="btn-primary">Create</button>
-          <button id="users-create-cancel" class="btn-secondary">Cancel</button>
-        </div>
-        <div id="users-token-result" style="display:none" class="users-token-banner"></div>
-        <table class="routines-table" id="users-table">
-          <thead><tr>
-            <th>ID</th><th>Display Name</th><th>Email</th><th>Role</th><th>Status</th><th>Created</th><th>Actions</th>
-          </tr></thead>
-          <tbody id="users-tbody"></tbody>
-        </table>
-        <div id="users-empty" class="empty-state" style="display:none">No users found. Create the first user to get started.</div>
-      </div>
-    </div>
-
     <!-- Settings Tab -->
     <div class="tab-panel" id="tab-settings">
       <div class="settings-layout">
@@ -319,6 +293,7 @@
           <button class="settings-subtab" data-settings-subtab="extensions" data-i18n="tab.extensions">Extensions</button>
           <button class="settings-subtab" data-settings-subtab="mcp" data-i18n="settings.mcp">MCP</button>
           <button class="settings-subtab" data-settings-subtab="skills" data-i18n="tab.skills">Skills</button>
+          <button class="settings-subtab" data-settings-subtab="users" data-i18n="settings.users">Users</button>
           <button class="settings-theme-toggle" id="settings-theme-toggle" data-i18n="theme.tooltipSystem" title="Toggle theme">Theme</button>
         </div>
         <div class="settings-content">
@@ -416,6 +391,29 @@
               </div>
             </div>
           </div>
+          <div class="settings-subpanel" id="settings-users">
+            <div class="users-container">
+              <div class="users-header">
+                <h3>User Management</h3>
+                <button id="users-create-btn" class="btn-primary">+ New User</button>
+              </div>
+              <div id="users-create-form" style="display:none" class="users-form">
+                <input type="text" id="user-display-name" placeholder="Display name" />
+                <input type="email" id="user-email" placeholder="Email (optional)" />
+                <select id="user-role"><option value="member">Member</option><option value="admin">Admin</option></select>
+                <button id="users-create-submit" class="btn-primary">Create</button>
+                <button id="users-create-cancel" class="btn-secondary">Cancel</button>
+              </div>
+              <div id="users-token-result" style="display:none" class="users-token-banner"></div>
+              <table class="routines-table" id="users-table">
+                <thead><tr>
+                  <th>ID</th><th>Display Name</th><th>Email</th><th>Role</th><th>Status</th><th>Created</th><th>Actions</th>
+                </tr></thead>
+                <tbody id="users-tbody"></tbody>
+              </table>
+              <div id="users-empty" class="empty-state" style="display:none">No users found. Create the first user to get started.</div>
+            </div>
+          </div>
         </div>
       </div>
     </div>
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 8dfbfd48..d5ddc8ef 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -631,6 +631,50 @@ async fn async_main() -> anyhow::Result<()> {
         if let Some(ref d) = components.db {
             gw = gw.with_store(Arc::clone(d));
             gw = gw.with_db_auth(Arc::clone(d));
+
+            // Bootstrap: create the first admin user from single-user config
+            // so the owner appears in the Users admin panel immediately.
+            if let Ok(false) = d.has_any_users().await {
+                let now = chrono::Utc::now();
+                let user = ironclaw::db::UserRecord {
+                    id: gw_config.user_id.clone(),
+                    email: None,
+                    display_name: gw_config.user_id.clone(),
+                    status: "active".to_string(),
+                    role: "admin".to_string(),
+                    created_at: now,
+                    updated_at: now,
+                    last_login_at: None,
+                    created_by: None,
+                    metadata: serde_json::json!({"source": "bootstrap"}),
+                };
+                if let Err(e) = d.create_user(&user).await {
+                    tracing::warn!("Failed to bootstrap admin user: {}", e);
+                } else {
+                    // Also create an API token from the gateway auth token so
+                    // DB-backed auth works for the bootstrapped user.
+                    let auth_token = gw.auth_token();
+                    if !auth_token.is_empty() {
+                        use ironclaw::channels::web::auth::hash_token;
+                        let hash = hash_token(auth_token);
+                        let prefix = if auth_token.len() >= 8 {
+                            &auth_token[..8]
+                        } else {
+                            auth_token
+                        };
+                        if let Err(e) = d
+                            .create_api_token(&gw_config.user_id, "bootstrap", &hash, prefix, None)
+                            .await
+                        {
+                            tracing::warn!("Failed to create bootstrap token: {}", e);
+                        }
+                    }
+                    tracing::info!(
+                        user_id = gw_config.user_id,
+                        "Bootstrapped admin user from gateway config"
+                    );
+                }
+            }
         }
         if let Some(ref jm) = container_job_manager {
             gw = gw.with_job_manager(Arc::clone(jm));