diff --git a/src/routes/profiles.ts b/src/routes/profiles.ts
index 582972d..9b564d3 100644
--- a/src/routes/profiles.ts
+++ b/src/routes/profiles.ts
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ const profileJsonSchema = {
     followsCount: { type: 'number' as const },
     atprotoPostsCount: { type: 'number' as const },
     hasBlueskyProfile: { type: 'boolean' as const },
+    accountCreatedAt: { type: ['string', 'null'] as const, format: 'date-time' as const },
     communityCount: { type: 'number' as const },
     activity: {
       type: 'object' as const,
@@ -416,6 +417,7 @@ export function profileRoutes(): FastifyPluginCallback {
           followsCount: user.followsCount,
           atprotoPostsCount: user.atprotoPostsCount,
           hasBlueskyProfile: user.hasBlueskyProfile,
+          accountCreatedAt: user.accountCreatedAt?.toISOString() ?? null,
           communityCount,
           activity: scopedActivity ?? globalActivity,
           labels,
diff --git a/src/setup/service.ts b/src/setup/service.ts
index d990794..1149c21 100644
--- a/src/setup/service.ts
+++ b/src/setup/service.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { eq, sql } from 'drizzle-orm'
 import { communitySettings } from '../db/schema/community-settings.js'
+import { users } from '../db/schema/users.js'
 import type { Database } from '../db/index.js'
 import { encrypt } from '../lib/encryption.js'
 import type { Logger } from '../lib/logger.js'
@@ -182,6 +183,10 @@ export function createSetupService(
         return { alreadyInitialized: true }
       }
 
+      // Promote the initializing user to admin in the users table
+      await db.update(users).set({ role: 'admin' }).where(eq(users.did, did))
+      logger.info({ did }, 'User promoted to admin role')
+
       const finalName = row.communityName
       logger.info({ did, communityName: finalName }, 'Community initialized')
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/routes/profiles.test.ts b/tests/unit/routes/profiles.test.ts
index dc403b2..2fc9696 100644
--- a/tests/unit/routes/profiles.test.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/routes/profiles.test.ts
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ function sampleUserRow(overrides?: Record<string, unknown>) {
     lastActiveAt: new Date(TEST_NOW),
     declaredAge: null,
     maturityPref: 'safe',
+    accountCreatedAt: null,
     followersCount: 0,
     followsCount: 0,
     atprotoPostsCount: 0,
@@ -341,6 +342,51 @@ describe('profile routes', () => {
       expect(body.communityCount).toBe(1)
     })
 
+    it('includes accountCreatedAt when user has one', async () => {
+      const accountCreatedAt = new Date('2024-06-15T10:30:00.000Z')
+      selectChain.where.mockResolvedValueOnce([sampleUserRow({ accountCreatedAt })])
+      // topic count, reply count, reactions on topics, reactions on replies, votes on topics, votes on replies
+      selectChain.where.mockResolvedValueOnce([{ count: 0 }])
+      selectChain.where.mockResolvedValueOnce([{ count: 0 }])
+      selectChain.where.mockResolvedValueOnce([{ count: 0 }])
+      selectChain.where.mockResolvedValueOnce([{ count: 0 }])
+      selectChain.where.mockResolvedValueOnce([{ count: 0 }])
+      selectChain.where.mockResolvedValueOnce([{ count: 0 }])
+      // communityCount
+      selectDistinctChain.where.mockResolvedValueOnce([])
+      selectDistinctChain.where.mockResolvedValueOnce([])
+
+      const response = await app.inject({
+        method: 'GET',
+        url: `/api/users/${TEST_HANDLE}`,
+      })
+
+      expect(response.statusCode).toBe(200)
+      const body = response.json<{ accountCreatedAt: string | null }>()
+      expect(body.accountCreatedAt).toBe('2024-06-15T10:30:00.000Z')
+    })
+
+    it('returns null accountCreatedAt when user has none', async () => {
+      selectChain.where.mockResolvedValueOnce([sampleUserRow({ accountCreatedAt: null })])
+      selectChain.where.mockResolvedValueOnce([{ count: 0 }])
+      selectChain.where.mockResolvedValueOnce([{ count: 0 }])
+      selectChain.where.mockResolvedValueOnce([{ count: 0 }])
+      selectChain.where.mockResolvedValueOnce([{ count: 0 }])
+      selectChain.where.mockResolvedValueOnce([{ count: 0 }])
+      selectChain.where.mockResolvedValueOnce([{ count: 0 }])
+      selectDistinctChain.where.mockResolvedValueOnce([])
+      selectDistinctChain.where.mockResolvedValueOnce([])
+
+      const response = await app.inject({
+        method: 'GET',
+        url: `/api/users/${TEST_HANDLE}`,
+      })
+
+      expect(response.statusCode).toBe(200)
+      const body = response.json<{ accountCreatedAt: string | null }>()
+      expect(body.accountCreatedAt).toBeNull()
+    })
+
     it('returns null for bannerUrl and bio when not set', async () => {
       selectChain.where.mockResolvedValueOnce([sampleUserRow({ bannerUrl: null, bio: null })])
       selectChain.where.mockResolvedValueOnce([{ count: 0 }])
diff --git a/tests/unit/setup/service.test.ts b/tests/unit/setup/service.test.ts
index d75c94d..13f5844 100644
--- a/tests/unit/setup/service.test.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/setup/service.test.ts
@@ -33,8 +33,17 @@ function createMockDb() {
     values: valuesFn,
   })
 
+  // Update chain: db.update().set().where() -> Promise<unknown[]>
+  const whereUpdateFn = vi.fn<() => Promise<unknown[]>>().mockResolvedValue([])
+  const setFn = vi.fn<() => { where: typeof whereUpdateFn }>().mockReturnValue({
+    where: whereUpdateFn,
+  })
+  const updateFn = vi.fn<() => { set: typeof setFn }>().mockReturnValue({
+    set: setFn,
+  })
+
   return {
-    db: { select: selectFn, insert: insertFn },
+    db: { select: selectFn, insert: insertFn, update: updateFn },
     mocks: {
       selectFn,
       fromFn,
@@ -43,6 +52,9 @@ function createMockDb() {
       valuesFn,
       onConflictDoUpdateFn,
       returningFn,
+      updateFn,
+      setFn,
+      whereUpdateFn,
     },
   }
 }
@@ -256,6 +268,33 @@ describe('SetupService', () => {
 
       expect(mockPlcDidService.generateDid).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
     })
+
+    it('promotes initializing user to admin role in users table', async () => {
+      mocks.returningFn.mockResolvedValueOnce([
+        { communityName: 'Test Forum', communityDid: null },
+      ])
+
+      const result = await service.initialize({
+        did: TEST_DID,
+        communityName: 'Test Forum',
+      })
+
+      expect(result).toStrictEqual({
+        initialized: true,
+        adminDid: TEST_DID,
+        communityName: 'Test Forum',
+      })
+      expect(mocks.updateFn).toHaveBeenCalledOnce()
+    })
+
+    it('does not promote user when community is already initialized', async () => {
+      mocks.returningFn.mockResolvedValueOnce([])
+
+      const result = await service.initialize({ did: TEST_DID })
+
+      expect(result).toStrictEqual({ alreadyInitialized: true })
+      expect(mocks.updateFn).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+    })
   })
 
   // =========================================================================