diff --git a/lib/mv/authorization/actor.ex b/lib/mv/authorization/actor.ex
index 3482043..bfc99ed 100644
--- a/lib/mv/authorization/actor.ex
+++ b/lib/mv/authorization/actor.ex
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 defmodule Mv.Authorization.Actor do
   @moduledoc """
-  Helper functions for ensuring User actors have required data loaded.
+  Helper functions for ensuring User actors have required data loaded
+  and for querying actor capabilities (e.g. admin, permission set).
 
   ## Actor Invariant
 
@@ -27,8 +28,11 @@ defmodule Mv.Authorization.Actor do
         assign(socket, :current_user, user)
       end
 
-      # In tests
-      user = Actor.ensure_loaded(user)
+      # Check if actor is admin (policy checks, validations)
+      if Actor.admin?(actor), do: ...
+
+      # Get permission set name (string or nil)
+      ps_name = Actor.permission_set_name(actor)
 
   ## Security Note
 
@@ -47,6 +51,8 @@ defmodule Mv.Authorization.Actor do
 
   require Logger
 
+  alias Mv.Helpers.SystemActor
+
   @doc """
   Ensures the actor (User) has their `:role` relationship loaded.
 
@@ -96,4 +102,43 @@ defmodule Mv.Authorization.Actor do
         actor
     end
   end
+
+  @doc """
+  Returns the actor's permission set name (string or atom) from their role, or nil.
+
+  Ensures role is loaded (including when role is nil). Supports both atom and
+  string keys for session/socket assigns. Use for capability checks consistent
+  with `ActorIsAdmin` and `HasPermission`.
+  """
+  @spec permission_set_name(Mv.Accounts.User.t() | map() | nil) :: String.t() | atom() | nil
+  def permission_set_name(nil), do: nil
+
+  def permission_set_name(actor) do
+    actor = actor |> ensure_loaded() |> maybe_load_role()
+
+    get_in(actor, [Access.key(:role), Access.key(:permission_set_name)]) ||
+      get_in(actor, [Access.key("role"), Access.key("permission_set_name")])
+  end
+
+  @doc """
+  Returns true if the actor is the system user or has the admin permission set.
+
+  Use for validations and policy checks that require admin capability (e.g.
+  changing a linked member's email). Consistent with `ActorIsAdmin` policy check.
+  """
+  @spec admin?(Mv.Accounts.User.t() | map() | nil) :: boolean()
+  def admin?(nil), do: false
+
+  def admin?(actor) do
+    SystemActor.system_user?(actor) or permission_set_name(actor) in ["admin", :admin]
+  end
+
+  defp maybe_load_role(%Mv.Accounts.User{role: nil} = user) do
+    case Ash.load(user, :role, domain: Mv.Accounts, authorize?: false) do
+      {:ok, loaded} -> loaded
+      _ -> user
+    end
+  end
+
+  defp maybe_load_role(actor), do: actor
 end
diff --git a/lib/mv/authorization/checks/actor_is_admin.ex b/lib/mv/authorization/checks/actor_is_admin.ex
index 2328876..8ab038a 100644
--- a/lib/mv/authorization/checks/actor_is_admin.ex
+++ b/lib/mv/authorization/checks/actor_is_admin.ex
@@ -3,20 +3,15 @@ defmodule Mv.Authorization.Checks.ActorIsAdmin do
   Policy check: true when the actor's role has permission_set_name "admin".
 
   Used to restrict actions (e.g. User.update_user for member link/unlink) to admins only.
+  Delegates to `Mv.Authorization.Actor.admin?/1` for consistency.
   """
   use Ash.Policy.SimpleCheck
 
+  alias Mv.Authorization.Actor
+
   @impl true
   def describe(_opts), do: "actor has admin permission set"
 
   @impl true
-  def match?(nil, _context, _opts), do: false
-
-  def match?(actor, _context, _opts) do
-    ps_name =
-      get_in(actor, [Access.key(:role), Access.key(:permission_set_name)]) ||
-        get_in(actor, [Access.key("role"), Access.key("permission_set_name")])
-
-    ps_name == "admin"
-  end
+  def match?(actor, _context, _opts), do: Actor.admin?(actor)
 end