diff --git a/lib/membership/member.ex b/lib/membership/member.ex
index cebcc5c..650cf43 100644
--- a/lib/membership/member.ex
+++ b/lib/membership/member.ex
@@ -407,8 +407,16 @@ defmodule Mv.Membership.Member do
         actor = Map.get(changeset.context || %{}, :actor)
 
         # Check the current state of the user in the database
-        # Pass actor to ensure proper authorization (User might have policies in future)
-        case Ash.get(Mv.Accounts.User, user_id, actor: actor) do
+        # Check if authorization is disabled in the parent operation's context
+        # Access private context where authorize? flag is stored
+        authorize? =
+          case get_in(changeset.context, [:private, :authorize?]) do
+            false -> false
+            _ -> true
+          end
+
+        # Pass actor and authorize? to ensure proper authorization (User might have policies in future)
+        case Ash.get(Mv.Accounts.User, user_id, actor: actor, authorize?: authorize?) do
           # User is free to be linked
           {:ok, %{member_id: nil}} ->
             :ok
diff --git a/priv/repo/seeds.exs b/priv/repo/seeds.exs
index ccc90f5..91b6fa3 100644
--- a/priv/repo/seeds.exs
+++ b/priv/repo/seeds.exs
@@ -161,24 +161,30 @@ end
 # This handles both existing users (e.g., from OIDC) and newly created users
 case Accounts.User
      |> Ash.Query.filter(email == ^admin_email)
-     |> Ash.read_one(domain: Mv.Accounts) do
+     |> Ash.read_one(domain: Mv.Accounts, authorize?: false) do
   {:ok, existing_admin_user} when not is_nil(existing_admin_user) ->
     # User already exists (e.g., via OIDC) - assign admin role
+    # Use authorize?: false for bootstrap - this is initial setup
     existing_admin_user
     |> Ash.Changeset.for_update(:update, %{})
     |> Ash.Changeset.manage_relationship(:role, admin_role, type: :append_and_remove)
-    |> Ash.update!()
+    |> Ash.update!(authorize?: false)
 
   {:ok, nil} ->
     # User doesn't exist - create admin user with password
-    Accounts.create_user!(%{email: admin_email}, upsert?: true, upsert_identity: :unique_email)
+    # Use authorize?: false for bootstrap - no admin user exists yet to use as actor
+    Accounts.create_user!(%{email: admin_email},
+      upsert?: true,
+      upsert_identity: :unique_email,
+      authorize?: false
+    )
     |> Ash.Changeset.for_update(:admin_set_password, %{password: "testpassword"})
-    |> Ash.update!()
+    |> Ash.update!(authorize?: false)
     |> then(fn user ->
       user
       |> Ash.Changeset.for_update(:update, %{})
       |> Ash.Changeset.manage_relationship(:role, admin_role, type: :append_and_remove)
-      |> Ash.update!()
+      |> Ash.update!(authorize?: false)
     end)
 
   {:error, error} ->
@@ -190,10 +196,10 @@ end
 admin_user_with_role =
   case Accounts.User
        |> Ash.Query.filter(email == ^admin_email)
-       |> Ash.read_one(domain: Mv.Accounts) do
+       |> Ash.read_one(domain: Mv.Accounts, authorize?: false) do
     {:ok, user} when not is_nil(user) ->
       user
-      |> Ash.load!(:role)
+      |> Ash.load!(:role, authorize?: false)
 
     {:ok, nil} ->
       raise "Admin user not found after creation/assignment"
@@ -209,13 +215,14 @@ system_user_email = Mv.Helpers.SystemActor.system_user_email()
 
 case Accounts.User
      |> Ash.Query.filter(email == ^system_user_email)
-     |> Ash.read_one(domain: Mv.Accounts) do
+     |> Ash.read_one(domain: Mv.Accounts, authorize?: false) do
   {:ok, existing_system_user} when not is_nil(existing_system_user) ->
     # System user already exists - ensure it has admin role
+    # Use authorize?: false for bootstrap
     existing_system_user
     |> Ash.Changeset.for_update(:update, %{})
     |> Ash.Changeset.manage_relationship(:role, admin_role, type: :append_and_remove)
-    |> Ash.update!()
+    |> Ash.update!(authorize?: false)
 
   {:ok, nil} ->
     # System user doesn't exist - create it with admin role
@@ -224,13 +231,15 @@ case Accounts.User
     # - No OIDC ID (oidc_id = nil) - prevents OIDC login
     # - This user is ONLY for internal system operations via SystemActor
     # If either hashed_password or oidc_id is set, the user could potentially log in
+    # Use authorize?: false for bootstrap - system user creation happens before system actor exists
     Accounts.create_user!(%{email: system_user_email},
       upsert?: true,
-      upsert_identity: :unique_email
+      upsert_identity: :unique_email,
+      authorize?: false
     )
     |> Ash.Changeset.for_update(:update, %{})
     |> Ash.Changeset.manage_relationship(:role, admin_role, type: :append_and_remove)
-    |> Ash.update!()
+    |> Ash.update!(authorize?: false)
 
   {:error, error} ->
     # Log error but don't fail seeds - SystemActor will fall back to admin user
@@ -397,9 +406,20 @@ additional_users = [
 
 created_users =
   Enum.map(additional_users, fn user_attrs ->
-    Accounts.create_user!(user_attrs, upsert?: true, upsert_identity: :unique_email)
-    |> Ash.Changeset.for_update(:admin_set_password, %{password: "testpassword"})
-    |> Ash.update!()
+    # Use admin user as actor for additional user creation (not bootstrap)
+    user =
+      Accounts.create_user!(user_attrs,
+        upsert?: true,
+        upsert_identity: :unique_email,
+        actor: admin_user_with_role
+      )
+      |> Ash.Changeset.for_update(:admin_set_password, %{password: "testpassword"})
+      |> Ash.update!(actor: admin_user_with_role)
+
+    # Reload user to ensure all fields (including member_id) are loaded
+    Accounts.User
+    |> Ash.Query.filter(id == ^user.id)
+    |> Ash.read_one!(domain: Mv.Accounts, actor: admin_user_with_role)
   end)
 
 # Create members with linked users to demonstrate the 1:1 relationship
@@ -449,11 +469,13 @@ Enum.with_index(linked_members)
   member =
     if user.member_id == nil do
       # User is free, create member and link - use upsert to prevent duplicates
+      # Use authorize?: false for User lookup during relationship management (bootstrap phase)
       Membership.create_member!(
         Map.put(member_attrs_without_fee_type, :user, %{id: user.id}),
         upsert?: true,
         upsert_identity: :unique_email,
-        actor: admin_user_with_role
+        actor: admin_user_with_role,
+        authorize?: false
       )
     else
       # User already has a member, just create the member without linking - use upsert to prevent duplicates