diff --git a/apps/server/src/core/acadenice/rbac/services/seed.service.ts b/apps/server/src/core/acadenice/rbac/services/seed.service.ts
index 37c2ac03..bf5a171e 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/core/acadenice/rbac/services/seed.service.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/core/acadenice/rbac/services/seed.service.ts
@@ -7,12 +7,19 @@ import { InjectKysely } from 'nestjs-kysely';
 import { sql } from 'kysely';
 import { KyselyDB } from '@docmost/db/types/kysely.types';
 import { AcadeniceRoleRepo } from '../repos/role.repo';
+import { AcadeniceUserRoleRepo } from '../repos/user-role.repo';
 import { PermissionKey } from '../permissions-catalog';
 
 interface SystemRoleSpec {
   name: string;
   description: string;
   permissions: PermissionKey[];
+  /**
+   * If true, the seed REPLACES the role's permissions on every boot, even
+   * when the role already has perms in DB. Used for roles whose default set
+   * evolves with the product (e.g. Member after the OSS opening of v1.x).
+   */
+  forceResync?: boolean;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -92,18 +99,44 @@ const SYSTEM_ROLES: ReadonlyArray<SystemRoleSpec> = [
   },
   {
     name: 'Member',
-    description: 'Read content and upload attachments.',
+    description:
+      'Default role: full content authoring (pages, tables, templates, comments). Admin actions reserved to Owner/Admin roles.',
+    forceResync: true,
     permissions: [
+      // Pages — full CRUD + share by page (Outline-style granular access)
       'pages:read',
+      'pages:write',
+      'pages:delete',
+      'pages:share',
+      // Spaces — create + edit (visibility public/private + member mgmt)
       'space:read',
+      'space:create',
+      'space:write',
+      'space:invite',
+      // Tables — full CRUD via bridge (every user can spin up databases)
+      'tables:list',
+      'tables:create',
+      'tables:write',
+      'tables:delete',
       'rows:read',
+      'rows:write',
+      'rows:delete',
+      // Attachments
       'attachments:upload',
-      // R3.6 — Members can browse templates
+      'attachments:delete',
+      // Templates — read + create + manage own
       'templates:read',
-      // R4.2 — Members can create and edit sync blocks
+      'templates:create',
+      'templates:manage',
+      // Comments — full participation (resolve included)
+      'comments:read',
+      'comments:write',
+      'comments:resolve',
+      // Sync blocks
       'sync_blocks:create',
       'sync_blocks:edit',
-      // R4.3 — Members can use the Web Clipper
+      'sync_blocks:delete',
+      // Web Clipper
       'clipper:use',
     ],
   },
@@ -125,6 +158,7 @@ export class AcadeniceRbacSeedService implements OnModuleInit {
   constructor(
     @InjectKysely() private readonly db: KyselyDB,
     private readonly roleRepo: AcadeniceRoleRepo,
+    private readonly userRoleRepo: AcadeniceUserRoleRepo,
   ) {}
 
   async onModuleInit(): Promise<void> {
@@ -178,11 +212,44 @@ export class AcadeniceRbacSeedService implements OnModuleInit {
       }
 
       const existingPerms = await this.roleRepo.listPermissions(role.id);
-      if (existingPerms.length === 0) {
-        // First time we see this role : install the canonical permission set.
+      if (existingPerms.length === 0 || spec.forceResync) {
+        // Install the canonical permission set. forceResync=true ALWAYS
+        // overrides existing perms — used for roles whose default contract
+        // changes between releases (e.g. Member after OSS-opening). Local
+        // customisations on a forceResync role are not supported by design;
+        // create a custom role instead.
         await this.roleRepo.replacePermissions(role.id, [...spec.permissions]);
       }
-      // If existingPerms.length > 0 we keep the admin's customisations intact.
+      // For non-forceResync roles with existing perms, we preserve them.
+    }
+
+    // Ensure every workspace member has at least one Acadenice role assigned.
+    // Without this the permission guards return an empty permission set,
+    // making the entire UI 403 silently. Workspace owners (users.role='owner')
+    // get the Owner role; everyone else gets Member as a sane default.
+    await this.assignDefaultUserRoles(workspaceId);
+  }
+
+  private async assignDefaultUserRoles(workspaceId: string): Promise<void> {
+    const ownerRole = await this.roleRepo.findByName(workspaceId, 'Owner');
+    const memberRole = await this.roleRepo.findByName(workspaceId, 'Member');
+    if (!ownerRole || !memberRole) return;
+
+    const users = await sql<{ id: string; role: string }>`
+      SELECT id, role FROM users
+      WHERE workspace_id = ${workspaceId} AND deleted_at IS NULL
+    `.execute(this.db);
+
+    for (const u of users.rows) {
+      const existing = await this.userRoleRepo.listForUser(u.id, workspaceId);
+      if (existing.length > 0) continue;
+      const targetRoleId = u.role === 'owner' ? ownerRole.id : memberRole.id;
+      await this.userRoleRepo.assign({
+        userId: u.id,
+        roleId: targetRoleId,
+        workspaceId,
+        assignedBy: null,
+      });
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/apps/server/src/core/acadenice/rbac/spec/seed.service.spec.ts b/apps/server/src/core/acadenice/rbac/spec/seed.service.spec.ts
index 7b9d73d0..9f0dc749 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/core/acadenice/rbac/spec/seed.service.spec.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/core/acadenice/rbac/spec/seed.service.spec.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { AcadeniceRbacSeedService } from '../services/seed.service';
 import { AcadeniceRoleRepo } from '../repos/role.repo';
+import { AcadeniceUserRoleRepo } from '../repos/user-role.repo';
 
 /**
  * The seed service uses kysely's `sql` template tag through `InjectKysely()`
@@ -9,10 +10,12 @@ import { AcadeniceRoleRepo } from '../repos/role.repo';
 describe('AcadeniceRbacSeedService.seedWorkspace', () => {
   let seedService: AcadeniceRbacSeedService;
   let roleRepo: jest.Mocked<Partial<AcadeniceRoleRepo>>;
-  // Stub the kysely DB — only `sql\`...\`.execute(this.db)` calls the DB and
-  // seedWorkspace doesn't use it directly (only seedAllWorkspaces does). We
-  // pass an arbitrary placeholder.
-  const fakeDb: any = {};
+  let userRoleRepo: jest.Mocked<Partial<AcadeniceUserRoleRepo>>;
+  // Stub the kysely DB. seedWorkspace itself runs a `sql\`...\`.execute(db)`
+  // for the default-role assignment loop, so the stub responds with no users.
+  const fakeDb: any = {
+    execute: jest.fn().mockResolvedValue({ rows: [] }),
+  };
 
   beforeEach(() => {
     roleRepo = {
@@ -21,9 +24,14 @@ describe('AcadeniceRbacSeedService.seedWorkspace', () => {
       listPermissions: jest.fn(),
       replacePermissions: jest.fn(),
     };
+    userRoleRepo = {
+      listForUser: jest.fn(),
+      assign: jest.fn(),
+    };
     seedService = new AcadeniceRbacSeedService(
       fakeDb,
       roleRepo as unknown as AcadeniceRoleRepo,
+      userRoleRepo as unknown as AcadeniceUserRoleRepo,
     );
   });