diff --git a/datajunction-server/datajunction_server/internal/access/authorization/context.py b/datajunction-server/datajunction_server/internal/access/authorization/context.py
index 5c954be62..468e6de15 100644
--- a/datajunction-server/datajunction_server/internal/access/authorization/context.py
+++ b/datajunction-server/datajunction_server/internal/access/authorization/context.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ class AuthContext:
     username: str
     oauth_provider: Optional[str]
     role_assignments: List[RoleAssignment]  # Direct + groups, flattened
+    is_admin: bool = False
 
     @classmethod
     async def from_user(
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@ async def from_user(
             username=user.username,
             oauth_provider=user.oauth_provider,
             role_assignments=assignments,
+            is_admin=bool(user.is_admin),
         )
 
     @classmethod
diff --git a/datajunction-server/datajunction_server/internal/access/authorization/service.py b/datajunction-server/datajunction_server/internal/access/authorization/service.py
index 6abd28f12..73aabf408 100644
--- a/datajunction-server/datajunction_server/internal/access/authorization/service.py
+++ b/datajunction-server/datajunction_server/internal/access/authorization/service.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 Authorization service implementations for access control.
 """
 
+import logging
 from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
 from datetime import datetime, timezone
 from functools import lru_cache
@@ -22,6 +23,8 @@
     get_settings,
 )
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 settings = get_settings()
 
 
@@ -121,6 +124,22 @@ def authorize(
         Returns:
             Same list of requests with approved=True/False set
         """
+        # Break-glass: admins bypass all RBAC checks. Kept as a single explicit
+        # check (and logged for audit) so the bypass is easy to find and, if
+        # ever needed, to scope down to "admin bypasses grants but still
+        # respects X".
+        if auth_context.is_admin:
+            logger.info(
+                "Admin access bypass: user=%s (id=%s) approved %d request(s): %s",
+                auth_context.username,
+                auth_context.user_id,
+                len(requests),
+                ", ".join(str(request) for request in requests),
+            )
+            return [
+                AccessDecision(request=request, approved=True, reason="admin")
+                for request in requests
+            ]
         return [self._make_decision(auth_context, request) for request in requests]
 
     def _make_decision(
diff --git a/datajunction-server/tests/internal/authorization_test.py b/datajunction-server/tests/internal/authorization_test.py
index 5e2b61b92..f4495d922 100644
--- a/datajunction-server/tests/internal/authorization_test.py
+++ b/datajunction-server/tests/internal/authorization_test.py
@@ -584,6 +584,95 @@ async def test_get_authorization_service_factory(self, mocker):
         assert "passthrough" in str(exc_info.value).lower()
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+class TestAdminBypass:
+    """Tests for the admin break-glass bypass in RBACAuthorizationService."""
+
+    async def test_admin_bypasses_restrictive_policy(self, mocker):
+        """An admin is approved for everything, even under restrictive policy."""
+        mock_settings = mocker.patch(
+            "datajunction_server.internal.access.authorization.service.settings",
+        )
+        mock_settings.default_access_policy = "restrictive"
+
+        service = RBACAuthorizationService()
+        auth_context = AuthContext(
+            user_id=1,
+            username="root",
+            oauth_provider="basic",
+            role_assignments=[],
+            is_admin=True,
+        )
+        requests = [
+            ResourceRequest(
+                verb=ResourceAction.MANAGE,
+                access_object=Resource(
+                    name="anything.at.all",
+                    resource_type=ResourceType.NODE,
+                ),
+            ),
+            ResourceRequest(
+                verb=ResourceAction.WRITE,
+                access_object=Resource(
+                    name="finance",
+                    resource_type=ResourceType.NAMESPACE,
+                ),
+            ),
+        ]
+        decisions = service.authorize(auth_context, requests)
+        assert all(decision.approved for decision in decisions)
+        assert all(decision.reason == "admin" for decision in decisions)
+
+    async def test_non_admin_denied_under_restrictive(self, mocker):
+        """A non-admin with no grants is denied under restrictive policy."""
+        mock_settings = mocker.patch(
+            "datajunction_server.internal.access.authorization.service.settings",
+        )
+        mock_settings.default_access_policy = "restrictive"
+
+        service = RBACAuthorizationService()
+        auth_context = AuthContext(
+            user_id=2,
+            username="bob",
+            oauth_provider="basic",
+            role_assignments=[],
+            is_admin=False,
+        )
+        requests = [
+            ResourceRequest(
+                verb=ResourceAction.WRITE,
+                access_object=Resource(
+                    name="finance.revenue",
+                    resource_type=ResourceType.NODE,
+                ),
+            ),
+        ]
+        decisions = service.authorize(auth_context, requests)
+        assert decisions[0].approved is False
+
+    async def test_auth_context_from_user_carries_is_admin(
+        self,
+        default_user: User,
+        session: AsyncSession,
+    ):
+        """AuthContext.from_user reflects the user's is_admin flag."""
+        admin = User(
+            username="admin-user",
+            kind=PrincipalKind.USER,
+            oauth_provider="basic",
+            is_admin=True,
+        )
+        session.add(admin)
+        await session.commit()
+
+        admin = await get_user(username="admin-user", session=session)
+        auth_context = await AuthContext.from_user(session, admin)
+        assert auth_context.is_admin is True
+
+        non_admin_context = await AuthContext.from_user(session, default_user)
+        assert non_admin_context.is_admin is False
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 class TestGroupBasedPermissions:
     """Tests for group-based role assignments."""