diff --git a/src/db/db.ts b/src/db/db.ts
index de57268..2c4f6f0 100644
--- a/src/db/db.ts
+++ b/src/db/db.ts
@@ -31,12 +31,25 @@ PRAGMA user_version = 1;`);
 }
 
 const dbVersion = (db.query("PRAGMA user_version").get() as { user_version?: number }).user_version;
+
+// existing migration: add status column to file_names
 if (dbVersion === 0) {
   db.exec("ALTER TABLE file_names ADD COLUMN status TEXT DEFAULT 'not started';");
   db.exec("PRAGMA user_version = 1;");
   console.log("Updated database to version 1.");
 }
 
+/**
+ * Ensure `role` column exists on users table.
+ * This works for both fresh installs and existing DBs, without touching user_version.
+ */
+const userColumns = db.query("PRAGMA table_info(users)").all() as { name: string }[];
+const hasRoleColumn = userColumns.some((col) => col.name === "role");
+if (!hasRoleColumn) {
+  db.exec("ALTER TABLE users ADD COLUMN role TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT 'user';");
+  console.log("Added 'role' column to users table.");
+}
+
 // enable WAL mode
 db.exec("PRAGMA journal_mode = WAL;");
 
diff --git a/src/db/types.ts b/src/db/types.ts
index 4825711..3993b81 100644
--- a/src/db/types.ts
+++ b/src/db/types.ts
@@ -20,4 +20,6 @@ export class User {
   id!: number;
   email!: string;
   password!: string;
+  role!: string; // 'admin' | 'user'
 }
+