diff --git a/src/app/(frontend)/account/actions.ts b/src/app/(frontend)/account/actions.ts
index 0849011..5f9d519 100644
--- a/src/app/(frontend)/account/actions.ts
+++ b/src/app/(frontend)/account/actions.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 "use server";
 
 import config from "@payload-config";
+import { isPayloadUser } from "@/utils/access-control/isPayloadUser";
 import { getPayload } from "payload";
 import { emitGameEvent } from "@/utils/event-log/emit";
 import { EventTypes } from "@/utils/event-log/eventTypes";
@@ -23,7 +24,7 @@ async function authenticate() {
   const hdrs = await headers();
   const { user } = await payload.auth({ headers: hdrs, canSetHeaders: false });
 
-  if (!user) {
+  if (!isPayloadUser(user)) {
     throw new Error("Unauthorized");
   }
 
diff --git a/src/app/(frontend)/helpdesk/actions.ts b/src/app/(frontend)/helpdesk/actions.ts
index 1487767..71377ba 100644
--- a/src/app/(frontend)/helpdesk/actions.ts
+++ b/src/app/(frontend)/helpdesk/actions.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 "use server";
 
 import config from "@payload-config";
+import { isPayloadUser } from "@/utils/access-control/isPayloadUser";
 import { getPayload } from "payload";
 import type { Ticket } from "@/payload-types";
 import { hasPermission } from "@/utils/access-control/hasPermission";
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ async function authenticate() {
   const hdrs = await headers();
   const { user } = await payload.auth({ headers: hdrs, canSetHeaders: false });
 
-  if (!user) {
+  if (!isPayloadUser(user)) {
     throw new Error("Unauthorized");
   }
 
diff --git a/src/app/(frontend)/layout.tsx b/src/app/(frontend)/layout.tsx
index 8bce916..ef40b39 100644
--- a/src/app/(frontend)/layout.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(frontend)/layout.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { SidebarInset, SidebarProvider } from "@/components/ui/sidebar";
 import { AppSidebar } from "@/components/frontend/blocks/AppSidebar";
 import { getPayload } from "payload";
 import config from "@payload-config";
+import { isPayloadUser } from "@/utils/access-control/isPayloadUser";
 import { headers as nextHeaders } from "next/headers";
 import { SiteHeader } from "@/components/frontend/SiteHeader";
 import { Metadata } from "next";
@@ -50,7 +51,8 @@ export default async function RootLayout(props: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
 
   const payloadConfig = await config;
   const payload = await getPayload({ config });
-  const { user } = await payload.auth({ headers, canSetHeaders: false });
+  const { user: authUser } = await payload.auth({ headers, canSetHeaders: false });
+  const user = isPayloadUser(authUser) ? authUser : null;
   const impersonating = (await cookies()).has(IMPERSONATION_ACTIVE_COOKIE);
 
   let xpLevel: ResolvedLevel = {
diff --git a/src/app/(frontend)/locker/actions.ts b/src/app/(frontend)/locker/actions.ts
index 0c20d18..cd4314e 100644
--- a/src/app/(frontend)/locker/actions.ts
+++ b/src/app/(frontend)/locker/actions.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 "use server";
 
 import config from "@payload-config";
+import { isPayloadUser } from "@/utils/access-control/isPayloadUser";
 import { getPayload } from "payload";
 import type { Asset, Loadout, LockerStorage, User } from "@/payload-types";
 import { hasPermission } from "@/utils/access-control/hasPermission";
@@ -39,7 +40,7 @@ async function authenticate() {
   const hdrs = await headers();
   const { user } = await payload.auth({ headers: hdrs, canSetHeaders: false });
 
-  if (!user) {
+  if (!isPayloadUser(user)) {
     throw new Error("Unauthorized");
   }
 
diff --git a/src/app/(frontend)/locker/page.tsx b/src/app/(frontend)/locker/page.tsx
index 9e390e8..b7be829 100644
--- a/src/app/(frontend)/locker/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(frontend)/locker/page.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import config from "@payload-config";
+import { isPayloadUser } from "@/utils/access-control/isPayloadUser";
 import { getPayload } from "payload";
 import { headers as nextHeaders } from "next/headers";
 import type { Asset, Loadout, LockerStorage } from "@/payload-types";
@@ -13,10 +14,11 @@ export const metadata = {
 
 export default async function LockerPage() {
   const payload = await getPayload({ config });
-  const { user } = await payload.auth({
+  const { user: authUser } = await payload.auth({
     headers: await nextHeaders(),
     canSetHeaders: false,
   });
+  const user = isPayloadUser(authUser) ? authUser : null;
 
   const userId = user?.id as number;
   const locker = await ensureLockerStorage(payload, userId);
diff --git a/src/app/(frontend)/logistics/banking/actions.ts b/src/app/(frontend)/logistics/banking/actions.ts
index aaf249a..5597ed4 100644
--- a/src/app/(frontend)/logistics/banking/actions.ts
+++ b/src/app/(frontend)/logistics/banking/actions.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 "use server";
 
 import config from "@payload-config";
+import { isPayloadUser } from "@/utils/access-control/isPayloadUser";
 import { getPayload } from "payload";
 import type { User } from "@/payload-types";
 import { hasPermission } from "@/utils/access-control/hasPermission";
@@ -31,7 +32,7 @@ async function authenticate() {
     canSetHeaders: false,
   });
 
-  if (!user) {
+  if (!isPayloadUser(user)) {
     throw new Error("Unauthorized");
   }
 
diff --git a/src/app/(frontend)/logistics/banking/page.tsx b/src/app/(frontend)/logistics/banking/page.tsx
index cdebf8b..395110f 100644
--- a/src/app/(frontend)/logistics/banking/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(frontend)/logistics/banking/page.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import config from "@payload-config";
+import { isPayloadUser } from "@/utils/access-control/isPayloadUser";
 import { getPayload } from "payload";
 import { headers as nextHeaders } from "next/headers";
 import type { BankAccount, BankTransaction, Faction, Resource } from "@/payload-types";
@@ -13,10 +14,11 @@ export const metadata = {
 
 export default async function BankingPage() {
   const payload = await getPayload({ config });
-  const { user } = await payload.auth({
+  const { user: authUser } = await payload.auth({
     headers: await nextHeaders(),
     canSetHeaders: false,
   });
+  const user = isPayloadUser(authUser) ? authUser : null;
 
   const accountsRes = await payload.find({
     collection: "bank-accounts",
diff --git a/src/app/(frontend)/logistics/market/actions.ts b/src/app/(frontend)/logistics/market/actions.ts
index e1cc99c..db7792a 100644
--- a/src/app/(frontend)/logistics/market/actions.ts
+++ b/src/app/(frontend)/logistics/market/actions.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 "use server";
 
 import config from "@payload-config";
+import { isPayloadUser } from "@/utils/access-control/isPayloadUser";
 import { getPayload } from "payload";
 import type { Asset, LockerStorage, MarketListing, MarketNegotiation, User } from "@/payload-types";
 import { hasPermission } from "@/utils/access-control/hasPermission";
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ async function authenticate() {
   const hdrs = await headers();
   const { user } = await payload.auth({ headers: hdrs, canSetHeaders: false });
 
-  if (!user) {
+  if (!isPayloadUser(user)) {
     throw new Error("Unauthorized");
   }
 
diff --git a/src/app/(frontend)/roster/page.tsx b/src/app/(frontend)/roster/page.tsx
index dfc1d50..65a62ec 100644
--- a/src/app/(frontend)/roster/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(frontend)/roster/page.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import config from "@payload-config";
+import { isPayloadUser } from "@/utils/access-control/isPayloadUser";
 import { getPayload } from "payload";
 import { headers as nextHeaders } from "next/headers";
 import type { Media, Rank, User } from "@/payload-types";
@@ -34,7 +35,8 @@ export type RosterAssignment = {
 export default async function RosterPage() {
   const headers = await nextHeaders();
   const payload = await getPayload({ config });
-  const { user: currentUser } = await payload.auth({ headers, canSetHeaders: false });
+  const { user: authUser } = await payload.auth({ headers, canSetHeaders: false });
+  const currentUser = isPayloadUser(authUser) ? authUser : null;
 
   const [profileRes, assignmentRes] = await Promise.all([
     payload.find({
diff --git a/src/app/api/realtime/presence/route.ts b/src/app/api/realtime/presence/route.ts
index e747f3d..9681a88 100644
--- a/src/app/api/realtime/presence/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/realtime/presence/route.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { NextRequest, NextResponse } from "next/server";
 import config from "@payload-config";
+import { isPayloadUser } from "@/utils/access-control/isPayloadUser";
 import { getPayload } from "payload";
 import { removePresence, touchPresence } from "@/lib/realtime/presence";
 
@@ -20,7 +21,7 @@ export async function POST(req: NextRequest) {
   const channel = channelFrom(req);
   if (!channel) return NextResponse.json({ ok: false, error: "Invalid channel." }, { status: 400 });
   const { user } = await authenticate(req);
-  if (!user) return NextResponse.json({ ok: false }, { status: 401 });
+  if (!isPayloadUser(user)) return NextResponse.json({ ok: false }, { status: 401 });
   touchPresence(channel, {
     id: user.id as number,
     name: user.payloadDisplayName || user.username || `Pilot #${user.id}`,
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@ export async function DELETE(req: NextRequest) {
   const channel = channelFrom(req);
   if (!channel) return NextResponse.json({ ok: false, error: "Invalid channel." }, { status: 400 });
   const { user } = await authenticate(req);
-  if (!user) return NextResponse.json({ ok: false }, { status: 401 });
+  if (!isPayloadUser(user)) return NextResponse.json({ ok: false }, { status: 401 });
   removePresence(channel, user.id as number);
   return NextResponse.json({ ok: true });
 }
diff --git a/src/collections/intelligence/Technologies.ts b/src/collections/intelligence/Technologies.ts
index 9bc88cd..180e65e 100644
--- a/src/collections/intelligence/Technologies.ts
+++ b/src/collections/intelligence/Technologies.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { CollectionConfig } from "payload";
 import { requirePermission } from "@/utils/access-control/hasPermission";
+import { isPayloadUser } from "@/utils/access-control/isPayloadUser";
 
 export const Technologies: CollectionConfig = {
   slug: "technologies",
@@ -32,7 +33,9 @@ export const Technologies: CollectionConfig = {
       ],
       defaultValue: "in_progress",
       filterOptions: ({ options, req }) => {
-        const roles = (req.user?.roles as string[] | undefined) ?? [];
+        const roles = isPayloadUser(req.user)
+          ? ((req.user.roles as string[] | undefined) ?? [])
+          : [];
         const canReadAll = roles.includes("admin") || roles.includes("developer");
         if (canReadAll) return options;
         return options.filter((option) =>
diff --git a/src/utils/access-control/hasRoles.ts b/src/utils/access-control/hasRoles.ts
index a3edce4..2908a69 100644
--- a/src/utils/access-control/hasRoles.ts
+++ b/src/utils/access-control/hasRoles.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
-import { User } from "@/payload-types";
+import { PayloadMcpApiKey, User } from "@/payload-types";
 
-export default function hasRoles(roles: NonNullable<User["roles"]>, user: User | null | undefined) {
-  if (!user) return false;
+export default function hasRoles(
+  roles: NonNullable<User["roles"]>,
+  user: User | PayloadMcpApiKey | null | undefined,
+) {
+  if (!user || user.collection !== "users") return false;
 
   return roles.some((role) => user.roles?.some((urole) => urole === role || urole === "developer"));
 }
diff --git a/src/utils/access-control/isPayloadUser.ts b/src/utils/access-control/isPayloadUser.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..188f960
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/access-control/isPayloadUser.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+import type { PayloadMcpApiKey, User } from "@/payload-types";
+
+export function isPayloadUser(user: User | PayloadMcpApiKey | null | undefined): user is User {
+  return !!user && user.collection === "users";
+}