diff --git a/backend/app/api/endpoints/admin.py b/backend/app/api/endpoints/admin.py
index eb2d1280..ae606fb5 100644
--- a/backend/app/api/endpoints/admin.py
+++ b/backend/app/api/endpoints/admin.py
@@ -431,10 +431,19 @@ async def create_account(
     current_user: Annotated[User, Depends(require_admin)],
 ):
     """Create a new account without requiring an initial user."""
+    owner_id = None
+    if data.owner_email:
+        result = await db.execute(select(User).where(User.email == data.owner_email.strip()))
+        owner = result.scalar_one_or_none()
+        if not owner:
+            raise HTTPException(status_code=status.HTTP_404_NOT_FOUND, detail=f"No user found with email '{data.owner_email}'")
+        owner_id = owner.id
+
     display_code = await _generate_unique_display_code(db)
     new_account = Account(
         name=data.name.strip(),
         display_code=display_code,
+        owner_id=owner_id,
     )
     db.add(new_account)
     await db.flush()
@@ -448,7 +457,7 @@ async def create_account(
 
     await log_audit(
         db, current_user.id, "account.create_admin", "account", new_account.id,
-        {"name": new_account.name, "plan": data.plan},
+        {"name": new_account.name, "plan": data.plan, "owner_email": data.owner_email},
     )
     await db.commit()
     return await _get_account_detail_payload(new_account.id, db)
diff --git a/backend/app/schemas/admin.py b/backend/app/schemas/admin.py
index fdf5eb6a..fb995d26 100644
--- a/backend/app/schemas/admin.py
+++ b/backend/app/schemas/admin.py
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ class AdminAccountDetailResponse(AdminAccountListItem):
 class AdminAccountCreate(BaseModel):
     name: str = Field(..., min_length=1, max_length=255)
     plan: Literal["free", "pro", "team"] = "free"
+    owner_email: Optional[str] = Field(None, description="Email of an existing user to set as owner")
 
 
 class AdminAccountUpdate(BaseModel):
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/admin/AccountsPage.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/admin/AccountsPage.tsx
index 87acb69e..39eae8f1 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/admin/AccountsPage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/admin/AccountsPage.tsx
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ export function UsersPage() {
   })
   const [inviteLoading, setInviteLoading] = useState(false)
   const [showCreateAccountModal, setShowCreateAccountModal] = useState(false)
-  const [createAccountForm, setCreateAccountForm] = useState({ name: '', plan: 'free' as 'free' | 'pro' | 'team' })
+  const [createAccountForm, setCreateAccountForm] = useState({ name: '', plan: 'free' as 'free' | 'pro' | 'team', owner_email: '' })
   const [createAccountLoading, setCreateAccountLoading] = useState(false)
 
   const fetchAccounts = useCallback(async () => {
@@ -223,13 +223,19 @@ export function UsersPage() {
       const created = await adminApi.createAccount({
         name: createAccountForm.name.trim(),
         plan: createAccountForm.plan,
+        owner_email: createAccountForm.owner_email.trim() || undefined,
       })
       toast.success('Account created')
       setShowCreateAccountModal(false)
-      setCreateAccountForm({ name: '', plan: 'free' })
+      setCreateAccountForm({ name: '', plan: 'free', owner_email: '' })
       navigate(`/admin/accounts/${created.id}`)
-    } catch {
-      toast.error('Failed to create account')
+    } catch (err: unknown) {
+      if (err && typeof err === 'object' && 'response' in err) {
+        const axiosErr = err as { response?: { data?: { detail?: string } } }
+        toast.error(axiosErr.response?.data?.detail || 'Failed to create account')
+      } else {
+        toast.error('Failed to create account')
+      }
     } finally {
       setCreateAccountLoading(false)
     }
@@ -634,6 +640,18 @@ export function UsersPage() {
               <option value="team">Team</option>
             </select>
           </div>
+          <div>
+            <label className="mb-1 block text-sm font-medium text-foreground">
+              Owner Email <span className="text-muted-foreground font-normal">(optional)</span>
+            </label>
+            <Input
+              type="email"
+              value={createAccountForm.owner_email}
+              onChange={(e) => setCreateAccountForm((form) => ({ ...form, owner_email: e.target.value }))}
+              placeholder="owner@example.com"
+            />
+            <p className="mt-1 text-xs text-muted-foreground">Must be an existing user.</p>
+          </div>
         </div>
       </Modal>
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/types/admin.ts b/frontend/src/types/admin.ts
index d8de4f96..33747537 100644
--- a/frontend/src/types/admin.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/types/admin.ts
@@ -114,6 +114,7 @@ export interface AdminAccountDetailResponse extends AdminAccountListItem {
 export interface AdminAccountCreate {
   name: string
   plan: 'free' | 'pro' | 'team'
+  owner_email?: string
 }
 
 export interface AdminAccountUpdate {