diff --git a/backend/igny8_core/api/authentication.py b/backend/igny8_core/api/authentication.py
index d010ef01..8ccb864e 100644
--- a/backend/igny8_core/api/authentication.py
+++ b/backend/igny8_core/api/authentication.py
@@ -119,10 +119,18 @@ class APIKeyAuthentication(BaseAuthentication):
             if not site:
                 return None  # API key not found or site inactive
             
-            # Get account and user
+            # Get account and user (prefer owner but gracefully fall back)
             account = site.account
-            user = account.owner  # Use account owner as the authenticated user
+            user = account.owner
+            if not user or not getattr(user, 'is_active', False):
+                # Fall back to any active developer/owner/admin in the account
+                user = account.users.filter(
+                    is_active=True,
+                    role__in=['developer', 'owner', 'admin']
+                ).order_by('role').first() or account.users.filter(is_active=True).first()
             
+            if not user:
+                raise AuthenticationFailed('No active user available for this account.')
             if not user.is_active:
                 raise AuthenticationFailed('User account is disabled.')
             
diff --git a/backend/igny8_core/auth/migrations/0005_account_owner_nullable.py b/backend/igny8_core/auth/migrations/0005_account_owner_nullable.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f5e166b1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/igny8_core/auth/migrations/0005_account_owner_nullable.py
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+from django.db import migrations, models
+import django.db.models.deletion
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+    dependencies = [
+        ('igny8_core_auth', '0004_add_invoice_payment_models'),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name='account',
+            name='owner',
+            field=models.ForeignKey(
+                blank=True,
+                null=True,
+                on_delete=django.db.models.deletion.SET_NULL,
+                related_name='owned_accounts',
+                to='igny8_core_auth.user',
+            ),
+        ),
+    ]
+
diff --git a/backend/igny8_core/auth/models.py b/backend/igny8_core/auth/models.py
index 34a6fab7..af7be4e0 100644
--- a/backend/igny8_core/auth/models.py
+++ b/backend/igny8_core/auth/models.py
@@ -65,7 +65,13 @@ class Account(models.Model):
 
     name = models.CharField(max_length=255)
     slug = models.SlugField(unique=True, max_length=255)
-    owner = models.ForeignKey('igny8_core_auth.User', on_delete=models.PROTECT, related_name='owned_accounts')
+    owner = models.ForeignKey(
+        'igny8_core_auth.User',
+        on_delete=models.SET_NULL,
+        null=True,
+        blank=True,
+        related_name='owned_accounts',
+    )
     stripe_customer_id = models.CharField(max_length=255, blank=True, null=True)
     plan = models.ForeignKey('igny8_core_auth.Plan', on_delete=models.PROTECT, related_name='accounts')
     credits = models.IntegerField(default=0, validators=[MinValueValidator(0)])
diff --git a/backend/igny8_core/business/automation/migrations/0001_initial.py b/backend/igny8_core/business/automation/migrations/0001_initial.py
index 2e0e7dee..2ed1dde6 100644
--- a/backend/igny8_core/business/automation/migrations/0001_initial.py
+++ b/backend/igny8_core/business/automation/migrations/0001_initial.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ class Migration(migrations.Migration):
     initial = True
 
     dependencies = [
-        ('igny8_core_auth', '__latest__'),
+        ('igny8_core_auth', '0004_add_invoice_payment_models'),
     ]
 
     operations = [