diff --git a/apps/admin/src/contexts/AuthContext.tsx b/apps/admin/src/contexts/AuthContext.tsx
index 443d703..288e2dc 100644
--- a/apps/admin/src/contexts/AuthContext.tsx
+++ b/apps/admin/src/contexts/AuthContext.tsx
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ export const PERMISSION_KEYS = {
     VIEW_RESPONSES: 'view_responses',
     VIEW_ACTIVITY: 'view_activity',
     MANAGE_FEEDBACK: 'manage_feedback',
+    GIFT_PREMIUM: 'gift_premium',
     // System permissions
     MANAGE_CODES: 'manage_codes',
     MANAGE_ADMINS: 'manage_admins',
@@ -42,6 +43,7 @@ export const PERMISSION_METADATA: Record<PermissionKey, { label: string; descrip
     [PERMISSION_KEYS.VIEW_RESPONSES]: { label: 'Can view responses', description: 'View user question responses', group: 'users' },
     [PERMISSION_KEYS.VIEW_ACTIVITY]: { label: 'Can view activity', description: 'View user activity feed (responses, matches, messages, signups)', group: 'users' },
     [PERMISSION_KEYS.MANAGE_FEEDBACK]: { label: 'Can manage feedback', description: 'View and respond to user feedback', group: 'users' },
+    [PERMISSION_KEYS.GIFT_PREMIUM]: { label: 'Can gift premium', description: 'Manually upgrade users to premium status', group: 'users' },
     [PERMISSION_KEYS.MANAGE_CODES]: { label: 'Can manage redemption codes', description: 'Create and view redemption codes', group: 'system' },
     [PERMISSION_KEYS.MANAGE_ADMINS]: { label: 'Can manage admins', description: 'Add/remove admin users and change permissions', group: 'system' },
     [PERMISSION_KEYS.MANAGE_AI_CONFIG]: { label: 'Can manage AI settings', description: 'Configure AI models, API keys, and council mode', group: 'system' },
diff --git a/apps/admin/src/pages/users/UserDetailPage.tsx b/apps/admin/src/pages/users/UserDetailPage.tsx
index a141094..e980cf4 100644
--- a/apps/admin/src/pages/users/UserDetailPage.tsx
+++ b/apps/admin/src/pages/users/UserDetailPage.tsx
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ export function UserDetailPage() {
                         <h1 className="text-2xl font-bold">{profile.name || 'Unnamed User'}</h1>
                         <RealtimeStatusIndicator status={profileStatus === 'SUBSCRIBED' && responsesStatus === 'SUBSCRIBED' ? 'SUBSCRIBED' : profileStatus} showLabel />
                         {profile.is_premium && <Badge className="bg-amber-500"><Crown className="h-3 w-3 mr-1" />Premium</Badge>}
-                        {!profile.is_premium && <Dialog open={upgradeOpen} onOpenChange={setUpgradeOpen}><DialogTrigger asChild><Button size="sm" variant="outline" className="ml-2 gap-1 h-7"><Gift className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />Gift Premium</Button></DialogTrigger><DialogContent><DialogHeader><DialogTitle>Gift Premium Access</DialogTitle><DialogDescription>Manually upgrade this user to premium status.</DialogDescription></DialogHeader><div className="grid gap-4 py-4"><div className="grid gap-2"><Label htmlFor="expiry-type">Duration</Label><Select value={expiryType} onValueChange={setExpiryType}><SelectTrigger id="expiry-type"><SelectValue placeholder="Select duration" /></SelectTrigger><SelectContent><SelectItem value="forever">Lifetime (No Expiry)</SelectItem><SelectItem value="1_month">1 Month</SelectItem><SelectItem value="1_year">1 Year</SelectItem><SelectItem value="custom">Custom Date</SelectItem></SelectContent></Select></div>{expiryType === 'custom' && (<div className="grid gap-2"><Label htmlFor="custom-date">Expiry Date</Label><Input id="custom-date" type="datetime-local" value={customDate} onChange={(e) => setCustomDate(e.target.value)} /></div>)}</div><DialogFooter><Button variant="outline" onClick={() => setUpgradeOpen(false)}>Cancel</Button><Button onClick={handleUpgrade} disabled={upgrading}>{upgrading ? 'Upgrading...' : 'Confirm Upgrade'}</Button></DialogFooter></DialogContent></Dialog>}
+                        {!profile.is_premium && hasPermission(PERMISSION_KEYS.GIFT_PREMIUM) && <Dialog open={upgradeOpen} onOpenChange={setUpgradeOpen}><DialogTrigger asChild><Button size="sm" variant="outline" className="ml-2 gap-1 h-7"><Gift className="h-3.5 w-3.5" />Gift Premium</Button></DialogTrigger><DialogContent><DialogHeader><DialogTitle>Gift Premium Access</DialogTitle><DialogDescription>Manually upgrade this user to premium status.</DialogDescription></DialogHeader><div className="grid gap-4 py-4"><div className="grid gap-2"><Label htmlFor="expiry-type">Duration</Label><Select value={expiryType} onValueChange={setExpiryType}><SelectTrigger id="expiry-type"><SelectValue placeholder="Select duration" /></SelectTrigger><SelectContent><SelectItem value="forever">Lifetime (No Expiry)</SelectItem><SelectItem value="1_month">1 Month</SelectItem><SelectItem value="1_year">1 Year</SelectItem><SelectItem value="custom">Custom Date</SelectItem></SelectContent></Select></div>{expiryType === 'custom' && (<div className="grid gap-2"><Label htmlFor="custom-date">Expiry Date</Label><Input id="custom-date" type="datetime-local" value={customDate} onChange={(e) => setCustomDate(e.target.value)} /></div>)}</div><DialogFooter><Button variant="outline" onClick={() => setUpgradeOpen(false)}>Cancel</Button><Button onClick={handleUpgrade} disabled={upgrading}>{upgrading ? 'Upgrading...' : 'Confirm Upgrade'}</Button></DialogFooter></DialogContent></Dialog>}
                     </div>
                     <p className="text-muted-foreground mb-4">{profile.email || 'No email'}</p>
                     <div className="flex gap-6 text-sm">