diff --git a/backend/scripts/seed_test_users.py b/backend/scripts/seed_test_users.py
index 715bba8d..030c1101 100644
--- a/backend/scripts/seed_test_users.py
+++ b/backend/scripts/seed_test_users.py
@@ -97,7 +97,18 @@ async def main() -> None:
             )
             row = result.first()
             if row:
-                print(f"  [SKIP]  {cfg['email']} already exists")
+                # Backfill email_verified_at for existing rows so older test
+                # users created before this script set the field still bypass
+                # the 7-day verification grace.
+                await conn.execute(
+                    text("""
+                        UPDATE users
+                        SET email_verified_at = COALESCE(email_verified_at, :now)
+                        WHERE email = :email
+                    """),
+                    {"email": cfg["email"], "now": now},
+                )
+                print(f"  [SKIP]  {cfg['email']} already exists (email_verified_at backfilled if null)")
                 if cfg["key"] == "team_admin":
                     team_account_id = row.account_id
                 continue
@@ -130,12 +141,17 @@ async def main() -> None:
 
             # ---- Create User ----
             user_id = uuid.uuid4()
+            # email_verified_at is stamped at seed time so test users bypass the
+            # 7-day verification grace immediately. Without this, fixtures hit
+            # require_verified_email_after_grace once their created_at ages past
+            # 7 days and get walled out of protected routes.
             await conn.execute(
                 text("""
                     INSERT INTO users (id, email, password_hash, name, role, is_super_admin,
-                                       is_team_admin, is_active, account_id, account_role, created_at)
+                                       is_team_admin, is_active, account_id, account_role,
+                                       created_at, email_verified_at)
                     VALUES (:id, :email, :pw, :name, 'engineer', :is_sa, :is_ta, true,
-                            :account_id, :account_role, :now)
+                            :account_id, :account_role, :now, :now)
                 """),
                 {
                     "id": user_id,