diff --git a/frontend/src/model/user.js b/frontend/src/model/user.js
index b5b171c0c..50a956f7b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/model/user.js
+++ b/frontend/src/model/user.js
@@ -224,6 +224,12 @@ export class User extends RestModel {
     return this.Role === "cluster_admin";
   }
 
+  // isInitialAdmin returns true for the built-in super admin created at setup (ID 1).
+  // It is the lockout-recovery operator, so the admin UI locks its privileged controls.
+  isInitialAdmin() {
+    return this.ID === 1;
+  }
+
   // isCurrentUser returns true when this account belongs to the signed-in user.
   // The admin UI uses it to lock fields that would otherwise let an operator
   // lock themselves out (own role, web login, and authentication provider); the
@@ -233,10 +239,6 @@ export class User extends RestModel {
     return !!(current && current.UID && this.UID && current.UID === this.UID);
   }
 
-  requiresPassword() {
-    return !this.AuthProvider || this.AuthProvider === "default" || this.AuthProvider === "local";
-  }
-
   // showsPasswordField reports whether the local password input is shown.
   // OIDC may keep a local password as a fallback; LDAP replaces it; "none" disables auth.
   showsPasswordField() {
@@ -278,14 +280,20 @@ export class User extends RestModel {
     return this.authIdIsDn() ? "Distinguished Name (DN)" : "Subject ID";
   }
 
-  // hasLoginCredential reports whether enough is set for the new account to authenticate.
-  // Covers the gap per-field rules miss: "default" with external auth configured needs a
-  // password, an LDAP directory (username resolves it), or an OIDC Subject ID — else it is inert.
+  // hasLoginCredential reports whether the new account has enough to authenticate.
+  // Gates the Add button independently of lazy field validation, so it must hold on its
+  // own: it requires the credential each provider mandates rather than trusting form state.
   hasLoginCredential() {
-    if (this.AuthProvider !== "default" || !this.showsAuthIdField()) {
-      return true;
+    if (this.passwordIsRequired()) {
+      return !!this.Password;
     }
-    return !!this.Password || $config.ldapEnabled() || !!this.AuthID;
+    if (this.authIdIsRequired()) {
+      return !!this.AuthID;
+    }
+    if (this.AuthProvider === "default" && this.showsAuthIdField()) {
+      return !!this.Password || !!this.AuthID;
+    }
+    return true;
   }
 
   // canEnableLogin reports whether web/API login can be enabled for this account.
diff --git a/frontend/tests/vitest/model/user.test.js b/frontend/tests/vitest/model/user.test.js
index 1ce93b826..ef384e96d 100644
--- a/frontend/tests/vitest/model/user.test.js
+++ b/frontend/tests/vitest/model/user.test.js
@@ -456,6 +456,11 @@ describe("model/user", () => {
       expect(new User({ ID: 2, Name: "b", Role: "cluster_admin" }).isClusterAdmin()).toBe(true);
       expect(new User({ ID: 1, Name: "a", Role: "admin" }).isClusterAdmin()).toBe(false);
     });
+    it("isInitialAdmin is true only for the built-in super admin (ID 1)", () => {
+      expect(new User({ ID: 1, Name: "admin", Role: "admin", SuperAdmin: true }).isInitialAdmin()).toBe(true);
+      expect(new User({ ID: 2, Name: "sven", Role: "admin", SuperAdmin: true }).isInitialAdmin()).toBe(false);
+      expect(new User({ ID: 0, Name: "" }).isInitialAdmin()).toBe(false);
+    });
   });
 
   // Account-dialog auth field gating shared by the Pro and Portal "Add Account"
@@ -516,26 +521,36 @@ describe("model/user", () => {
       expect(new User({ AuthProvider: "ldap" }).authIdFieldLabel()).toBe("Distinguished Name (DN)");
       expect(new User({ AuthProvider: "oidc" }).authIdFieldLabel()).toBe("Subject ID");
     });
-    it("requires at least one credential for default with OIDC-only configured", () => {
-      // No external auth: the per-field password rule already covers it.
-      expect(new User({ AuthProvider: "default" }).hasLoginCredential()).toBe(true);
+    it("requires a local password when one is mandatory, independent of form timing", () => {
+      // "local" always needs a password, so the Add button must stay disabled until it is set.
+      expect(new User({ AuthProvider: "local" }).hasLoginCredential()).toBe(false);
+      expect(new User({ AuthProvider: "local", Password: "secret123" }).hasLoginCredential()).toBe(true);
+      // "default" without external auth behaves like a local account.
+      expect(new User({ AuthProvider: "default" }).hasLoginCredential()).toBe(false);
+      expect(new User({ AuthProvider: "default", Password: "secret123" }).hasLoginCredential()).toBe(true);
+    });
+    it("requires a password or Subject ID for default with OIDC configured", () => {
       setExt({ oidc: { enabled: true } });
-      // default + OIDC only, neither password nor Subject ID → inert, blocked.
+      // default + OIDC, neither password nor Subject ID → inert, blocked.
       expect(new User({ AuthProvider: "default" }).hasLoginCredential()).toBe(false);
       expect(new User({ AuthProvider: "default", Password: "secret123" }).hasLoginCredential()).toBe(true);
       expect(new User({ AuthProvider: "default", AuthID: "sub-123" }).hasLoginCredential()).toBe(true);
     });
-    it("treats the username as sufficient when LDAP can resolve the account", () => {
+    it("requires the AuthID (DN) for default authenticating against LDAP", () => {
       setExt({ ldap: { enabled: true } });
-      // default + LDAP: the username resolves the account via the directory.
-      expect(new User({ AuthProvider: "default" }).hasLoginCredential()).toBe(true);
+      // default + LDAP: a globally enabled directory is not enough; a DN (or password) is required.
+      expect(new User({ AuthProvider: "default" }).hasLoginCredential()).toBe(false);
+      expect(new User({ AuthProvider: "default", AuthID: "cn=jane,dc=example,dc=com" }).hasLoginCredential()).toBe(true);
+      expect(new User({ AuthProvider: "default", Password: "secret123" }).hasLoginCredential()).toBe(true);
       // explicit ldap: a DN is optional, so a username-only account is allowed.
       expect(new User({ AuthProvider: "ldap" }).hasLoginCredential()).toBe(true);
     });
-    it("defers to the per-field rules for non-default providers", () => {
+    it("requires the Subject ID for an explicit OIDC account, independent of form timing", () => {
+      expect(new User({ AuthProvider: "oidc" }).hasLoginCredential()).toBe(false);
+      expect(new User({ AuthProvider: "oidc", AuthID: "sub-123" }).hasLoginCredential()).toBe(true);
+    });
+    it("defers to the per-field rules for the none provider", () => {
       setExt({ oidc: { enabled: true } });
-      expect(new User({ AuthProvider: "local" }).hasLoginCredential()).toBe(true);
-      expect(new User({ AuthProvider: "oidc" }).hasLoginCredential()).toBe(true);
       expect(new User({ AuthProvider: "none" }).hasLoginCredential()).toBe(true);
     });
   });