diff --git a/app/Livewire/Admin/Customers.php b/app/Livewire/Admin/Customers.php
index 17fd0e4..fff5c14 100644
--- a/app/Livewire/Admin/Customers.php
+++ b/app/Livewire/Admin/Customers.php
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ class Customers extends Component
                 'plan' => $planKey !== null ? __('billing.plan.'.$planKey) : '—',
                 'mrr' => Number::currency($priceCents / 100, in: 'EUR', locale: $locale),
                 'instance' => $instance->subdomain ?? '—',
+                // Only an instance that exists can hand out an admin login.
+                'instance_uuid' => $instance->uuid ?? null,
                 'closed' => $c->closed_at !== null || $c->status === 'closed',
                 'suspended' => $c->status === 'suspended',
                 'status' => match (true) {
diff --git a/app/Livewire/Admin/InstanceAdminAccess.php b/app/Livewire/Admin/InstanceAdminAccess.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..97053c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/Livewire/Admin/InstanceAdminAccess.php
@@ -0,0 +1,95 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Livewire\Admin;
+
+use App\Models\Instance;
+use App\Provisioning\Jobs\IssueInstanceAdminAccess;
+use App\Services\Wireguard\ConfigHandoff;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Hash;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\RateLimiter;
+use Illuminate\Support\Str;
+use LivewireUI\Modal\ModalComponent;
+
+/**
+ * Administrator access to a customer's Nextcloud.
+ *
+ * Not impersonation: that borrows a portal session. This resets our managed
+ * admin account inside the customer's installation and hands the credentials
+ * over once — the only thing stock Nextcloud offers, and honest about what it
+ * does rather than pretending to be a passwordless jump.
+ *
+ * The operator's own password is required, every time. Taking control of a
+ * customer's installation is not something an unattended browser should be able
+ * to do on its own.
+ */
+class InstanceAdminAccess extends ModalComponent
+{
+    public string $uuid;
+
+    public string $subdomain = '';
+
+    public string $password = '';
+
+    /** Opaque handle; the credentials never enter the component snapshot. */
+    public ?string $token = null;
+
+    public bool $waiting = false;
+
+    public function mount(string $uuid): void
+    {
+        $this->authorize('instances.adminlogin');
+
+        $instance = Instance::query()->where('uuid', $uuid)->firstOrFail();
+        $this->uuid = $uuid;
+        $this->subdomain = $instance->subdomain;
+    }
+
+    public function hydrate(): void
+    {
+        $this->authorize('instances.adminlogin');
+    }
+
+    public function request(): void
+    {
+        $this->authorize('instances.adminlogin');
+        $this->resetErrorBag('password');
+
+        $key = 'instance-admin:'.auth()->id();
+        if (RateLimiter::tooManyAttempts($key, 5)) {
+            $this->addError('password', __('instances.too_many_attempts', ['seconds' => RateLimiter::availableIn($key)]));
+
+            return;
+        }
+
+        if (! Hash::check($this->password, auth()->user()->password)) {
+            RateLimiter::hit($key, 300);
+            $this->addError('password', __('instances.wrong_password'));
+
+            return;
+        }
+
+        RateLimiter::clear($key);
+        $this->reset('password');
+
+        // The reset runs on the provisioning worker — it owns the tunnel. The
+        // token is where it will leave the result.
+        $this->token = Str::random(40);
+        $this->waiting = true;
+
+        IssueInstanceAdminAccess::dispatch($this->uuid, $this->token, (int) auth()->id());
+    }
+
+    public function render()
+    {
+        $payload = null;
+        if ($this->token !== null) {
+            $raw = ConfigHandoff::get($this->token);
+            $payload = $raw === null ? null : json_decode($raw, true);
+        }
+
+        return view('livewire.admin.instance-admin-access', [
+            'credentials' => isset($payload['password']) ? $payload : null,
+            'failed' => isset($payload['error']) ? $payload['error'] : null,
+        ]);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/app/Provisioning/Jobs/IssueInstanceAdminAccess.php b/app/Provisioning/Jobs/IssueInstanceAdminAccess.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..efc0c10
--- /dev/null
+++ b/app/Provisioning/Jobs/IssueInstanceAdminAccess.php
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace App\Provisioning\Jobs;
+
+use App\Models\Instance;
+use App\Services\Proxmox\ProxmoxClient;
+use App\Services\Wireguard\ConfigHandoff;
+use Illuminate\Bus\Queueable;
+use Illuminate\Contracts\Queue\ShouldQueue;
+use Illuminate\Foundation\Bus\Dispatchable;
+use Illuminate\Queue\InteractsWithQueue;
+use Illuminate\Queue\SerializesModels;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Log;
+use Illuminate\Support\Str;
+
+/**
+ * Hands an operator working administrator credentials for a customer's
+ * Nextcloud.
+ *
+ * Nextcloud has no "log in as admin without a password", so this does the only
+ * honest thing stock Nextcloud allows: it rotates OUR managed admin account's
+ * password and hands the new one over once. The customer's own accounts are
+ * untouched.
+ *
+ * Runs on the provisioning queue because that worker owns the tunnel and the
+ * Proxmox credentials; the console has neither.
+ */
+class IssueInstanceAdminAccess implements ShouldQueue
+{
+    use Dispatchable, InteractsWithQueue, Queueable, SerializesModels;
+
+    public int $tries = 1;
+
+    public function __construct(
+        public string $instanceUuid,
+        /** Where to leave the credentials for the console to pick up once. */
+        public string $handoffToken,
+        public int $requestedBy,
+    ) {
+        $this->onConnection('provisioning');
+        $this->onQueue('provisioning');
+    }
+
+    public function handle(ProxmoxClient $proxmox): void
+    {
+        $instance = Instance::query()->with('host')->where('uuid', $this->instanceUuid)->first();
+
+        if ($instance === null || $instance->host === null || blank($instance->nc_admin_ref)) {
+            ConfigHandoff::put(json_encode(['error' => 'unavailable']), $this->handoffToken);
+
+            return;
+        }
+
+        $username = $instance->nc_admin_ref;
+        $password = Str::password(24, symbols: false);
+
+        $result = $proxmox->forHost($instance->host)->guestExec(
+            $instance->host->node ?? 'pve',
+            (int) $instance->vmid,
+            'cd /opt/nextcloud && OC_PASS='.escapeshellarg($password).
+            ' docker compose exec -T -e OC_PASS app php occ user:resetpassword --password-from-env '.
+            escapeshellarg($username),
+        );
+
+        if ((int) ($result['exitcode'] ?? 1) !== 0) {
+            Log::warning('instance admin access failed', [
+                'instance' => $instance->uuid, 'user' => $this->requestedBy,
+            ]);
+            ConfigHandoff::put(json_encode(['error' => 'failed']), $this->handoffToken);
+
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // Auditable on its own: who asked, for which instance, when. The
+        // credentials themselves are never logged.
+        Log::info('instance admin access issued', [
+            'instance' => $instance->uuid, 'user' => $this->requestedBy,
+        ]);
+
+        ConfigHandoff::put(json_encode([
+            'url' => 'https://'.($instance->custom_domain ?: $instance->subdomain.'.'.config('provisioning.dns.zone')),
+            'username' => $username,
+            'password' => $password,
+        ]), $this->handoffToken);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/app/Services/Wireguard/ConfigHandoff.php b/app/Services/Wireguard/ConfigHandoff.php
index 6129d81..e630d97 100644
--- a/app/Services/Wireguard/ConfigHandoff.php
+++ b/app/Services/Wireguard/ConfigHandoff.php
@@ -23,9 +23,10 @@ final class ConfigHandoff
 
     private const TTL_SECONDS = 600;
 
-    public static function put(#[SensitiveParameter] string $plaintext): string
+    /** @param string|null $token reuse a handle the caller already handed out */
+    public static function put(#[SensitiveParameter] string $plaintext, ?string $token = null): string
     {
-        $token = Str::random(40);
+        $token ??= Str::random(40);
         Cache::put(self::PREFIX.$token, $plaintext, self::TTL_SECONDS);
 
         return $token;
diff --git a/database/migrations/2026_07_26_000000_add_instance_admin_capability.php b/database/migrations/2026_07_26_000000_add_instance_admin_capability.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e746a62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/database/migrations/2026_07_26_000000_add_instance_admin_capability.php
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+<?php
+
+use Illuminate\Database\Migrations\Migration;
+use Spatie\Permission\Models\Permission;
+use Spatie\Permission\Models\Role;
+use Spatie\Permission\PermissionRegistrar;
+
+/**
+ * `instances.adminlogin` — obtain administrator credentials for a customer's
+ * Nextcloud. Stronger than impersonation, which only borrows a portal session:
+ * this hands over control of the customer's own installation, so Owner and
+ * Admin only.
+ */
+return new class extends Migration
+{
+    public function up(): void
+    {
+        app(PermissionRegistrar::class)->forgetCachedPermissions();
+
+        Permission::findOrCreate('instances.adminlogin', 'web');
+        foreach (['Owner', 'Admin'] as $role) {
+            Role::findOrCreate($role, 'web')->givePermissionTo('instances.adminlogin');
+        }
+
+        app(PermissionRegistrar::class)->forgetCachedPermissions();
+    }
+
+    public function down(): void
+    {
+        app(PermissionRegistrar::class)->forgetCachedPermissions();
+        Permission::query()->where('name', 'instances.adminlogin')->delete();
+        app(PermissionRegistrar::class)->forgetCachedPermissions();
+    }
+};
diff --git a/lang/de/instances.php b/lang/de/instances.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..723c6d0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lang/de/instances.php
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+<?php
+
+return [
+    'admin_title' => 'Administrator-Zugang zu :name',
+    'admin_body' => 'Setzt das Passwort unseres verwalteten Administrator-Kontos in dieser Nextcloud neu und zeigt es einmalig an. Konten des Kunden bleiben unberührt. Zur Bestätigung Ihr eigenes Passwort.',
+    'admin_confirm' => 'Zugang erzeugen',
+    'admin_working' => 'Passwort wird in der Instanz gesetzt …',
+    'admin_ready' => 'Zugangsdaten erzeugt.',
+    'admin_url' => 'Adresse',
+    'admin_user' => 'Benutzer',
+    'admin_password' => 'Passwort',
+    'admin_once' => 'Nur jetzt sichtbar. Beim nächsten Mal wird wieder ein neues Passwort gesetzt.',
+    'admin_failed' => 'Die Instanz hat nicht geantwortet. Läuft die VM und ist der Tunnel aktiv?',
+    'your_password' => 'Ihr Passwort',
+    'wrong_password' => 'Passwort stimmt nicht.',
+    'too_many_attempts' => 'Zu viele Versuche. Bitte in :seconds Sekunden erneut versuchen.',
+    'cancel' => 'Abbrechen',
+    'admin_action' => 'Als Administrator anmelden',
+];
diff --git a/lang/en/instances.php b/lang/en/instances.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..98610cd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lang/en/instances.php
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+<?php
+
+return [
+    'admin_title' => 'Administrator access to :name',
+    'admin_body' => 'Resets the password of our managed administrator account inside this Nextcloud and shows it once. The customer\'s own accounts are untouched. Confirm with your own password.',
+    'admin_confirm' => 'Issue access',
+    'admin_working' => 'Setting the password on the instance …',
+    'admin_ready' => 'Credentials issued.',
+    'admin_url' => 'Address',
+    'admin_user' => 'User',
+    'admin_password' => 'Password',
+    'admin_once' => 'Visible only now. Next time a new password is set again.',
+    'admin_failed' => 'The instance did not answer. Is the VM running and the tunnel up?',
+    'your_password' => 'Your password',
+    'wrong_password' => 'That password is not correct.',
+    'too_many_attempts' => 'Too many attempts. Try again in :seconds seconds.',
+    'cancel' => 'Cancel',
+    'admin_action' => 'Sign in as administrator',
+];
diff --git a/resources/views/livewire/admin/customers.blade.php b/resources/views/livewire/admin/customers.blade.php
index 56c1c98..91e4551 100644
--- a/resources/views/livewire/admin/customers.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/livewire/admin/customers.blade.php
@@ -36,6 +36,17 @@
                                                 {{ $r['suspended'] ? __('admin.reactivate') : __('admin.suspend') }}
                                             </button>
                                         @endunless
+                                        {{-- Impersonation borrows the customer's PORTAL session; this
+                                             is administrator access to their Nextcloud itself. Two
+                                             different things, so two buttons. --}}
+                                        @if ($r['instance_uuid'] && auth()->user()?->can('instances.adminlogin'))
+                                            <button type="button" title="{{ __('instances.admin_action') }}"
+                                                    x-on:click="$dispatch('openModal', { component: 'admin.instance-admin-access', arguments: { uuid: '{{ $r['instance_uuid'] }}' } })"
+                                                    class="inline-flex items-center gap-1.5 rounded-md border border-line px-3 py-1.5 text-xs font-semibold text-body hover:border-accent-border hover:text-accent-text">
+                                                <x-ui.icon name="shield" class="size-3.5" />
+                                                {{ __('instances.admin_action') }}
+                                            </button>
+                                        @endif
                                         <form method="POST" action="{{ route('admin.impersonate', $r['uuid']) }}" class="inline">
                                             @csrf
                                             <button type="submit"
diff --git a/resources/views/livewire/admin/instance-admin-access.blade.php b/resources/views/livewire/admin/instance-admin-access.blade.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9370fb5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/resources/views/livewire/admin/instance-admin-access.blade.php
@@ -0,0 +1,54 @@
+<div class="p-6" @if ($waiting && ! $credentials && ! $failed) wire:poll.2s @endif>
+    <h3 class="text-base font-semibold text-ink">{{ __('instances.admin_title', ['name' => $subdomain]) }}</h3>
+
+    @if ($credentials)
+        <p class="mt-1 text-sm text-muted">{{ __('instances.admin_ready') }}</p>
+
+        <dl class="mt-4 space-y-2 rounded-lg border border-line bg-surface-2 p-4 text-sm">
+            <div class="flex justify-between gap-4">
+                <dt class="text-muted">{{ __('instances.admin_url') }}</dt>
+                <dd><a href="{{ $credentials['url'] }}" target="_blank" rel="noopener"
+                       class="font-mono text-accent-text hover:underline">{{ $credentials['url'] }}</a></dd>
+            </div>
+            <div class="flex justify-between gap-4">
+                <dt class="text-muted">{{ __('instances.admin_user') }}</dt>
+                <dd class="font-mono text-body">{{ $credentials['username'] }}</dd>
+            </div>
+            <div class="flex justify-between gap-4">
+                <dt class="text-muted">{{ __('instances.admin_password') }}</dt>
+                <dd class="font-mono text-body">{{ $credentials['password'] }}</dd>
+            </div>
+        </dl>
+
+        <p class="mt-3 text-xs text-faint">{{ __('instances.admin_once') }}</p>
+
+        <div class="mt-5 flex justify-end">
+            <x-ui.button variant="secondary" x-on:click="Livewire.dispatch('closeModal')">{{ __('common.close') }}</x-ui.button>
+        </div>
+    @elseif ($failed)
+        <p class="mt-2 rounded-lg border border-danger-border bg-danger-bg p-3 text-sm text-body">
+            {{ __('instances.admin_failed') }}
+        </p>
+        <div class="mt-5 flex justify-end">
+            <x-ui.button variant="secondary" x-on:click="Livewire.dispatch('closeModal')">{{ __('common.close') }}</x-ui.button>
+        </div>
+    @elseif ($waiting)
+        <div class="mt-6 flex items-center gap-3 text-sm text-muted">
+            <span class="size-2 animate-pulse rounded-pill bg-accent" aria-hidden="true"></span>
+            {{ __('instances.admin_working') }}
+        </div>
+    @else
+        <p class="mt-1 text-sm text-muted">{{ __('instances.admin_body') }}</p>
+
+        <form wire:submit="request" class="mt-4 space-y-3">
+            <x-ui.input name="password" type="password" wire:model="password"
+                        :label="__('instances.your_password')" autocomplete="current-password" />
+            <div class="flex justify-end gap-2">
+                <x-ui.button variant="secondary" type="button" x-on:click="Livewire.dispatch('closeModal')">{{ __('instances.cancel') }}</x-ui.button>
+                <x-ui.button variant="primary" type="submit" wire:loading.attr="disabled">
+                    <x-ui.icon name="unlock" class="size-4" />{{ __('instances.admin_confirm') }}
+                </x-ui.button>
+            </div>
+        </form>
+    @endif
+</div>
diff --git a/tests/Feature/Admin/InstanceAdminAccessTest.php b/tests/Feature/Admin/InstanceAdminAccessTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..eb962c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Feature/Admin/InstanceAdminAccessTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+<?php
+
+use App\Livewire\Admin\InstanceAdminAccess;
+use App\Models\Instance;
+use App\Provisioning\Jobs\IssueInstanceAdminAccess;
+use App\Services\Proxmox\FakeProxmoxClient;
+use App\Services\Proxmox\ProxmoxClient;
+use App\Services\Wireguard\ConfigHandoff;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Hash;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Queue;
+
+function adminAccessInstance(): Instance
+{
+    return Instance::factory()->create([
+        'host_id' => App\Models\Host::factory()->active()->create()->id,
+        'vmid' => 1042,
+        'nc_admin_ref' => 'admin',
+        'subdomain' => 'kanzlei-berger',
+        'status' => 'active',
+    ]);
+}
+
+it('is offered only to operators who may take over an installation', function () {
+    $instance = adminAccessInstance();
+
+    foreach (['Support', 'Billing', 'Read-only', 'Developer'] as $role) {
+        Livewire\Livewire::actingAs(operator($role))
+            ->test(InstanceAdminAccess::class, ['uuid' => $instance->uuid])
+            ->assertForbidden();
+    }
+
+    Livewire\Livewire::actingAs(operator('Owner'))
+        ->test(InstanceAdminAccess::class, ['uuid' => $instance->uuid])
+        ->assertOk();
+});
+
+it('asks for the operator password before touching the instance', function () {
+    Queue::fake();
+    $instance = adminAccessInstance();
+    $owner = operator('Owner');
+    $owner->forceFill(['password' => Hash::make('geheim-1234')])->save();
+
+    $modal = Livewire\Livewire::actingAs($owner)
+        ->test(InstanceAdminAccess::class, ['uuid' => $instance->uuid])
+        ->set('password', 'falsch')
+        ->call('request')
+        ->assertHasErrors('password');
+
+    Queue::assertNothingPushed();
+
+    $modal->set('password', 'geheim-1234')->call('request')->assertHasNoErrors();
+    Queue::assertPushed(IssueInstanceAdminAccess::class);
+});
+
+it('resets our managed admin account and hands the credentials over once', function () {
+    $pve = new FakeProxmoxClient;
+    app()->instance(ProxmoxClient::class, $pve);
+    $instance = adminAccessInstance();
+    $token = 'handoff-token-for-the-test';
+
+    (new IssueInstanceAdminAccess($instance->uuid, $token, 1))->handle($pve);
+
+    $payload = json_decode(ConfigHandoff::get($token), true);
+    expect($payload['username'])->toBe('admin')
+        ->and($payload['password'])->toHaveLength(24)
+        ->and($payload['url'])->toContain('kanzlei-berger');
+
+    // The password is handed over, never written to the instance record.
+    expect($instance->fresh()->getAttributes())->not->toContain($payload['password']);
+});
+
+it('reports a silent instance instead of pretending it worked', function () {
+    $pve = new class extends FakeProxmoxClient
+    {
+        public function guestExec(string $node, int $vmid, string $command): array
+        {
+            return ['exitcode' => 1, 'out-data' => 'connection refused'];
+        }
+    };
+    app()->instance(ProxmoxClient::class, $pve);
+    $instance = adminAccessInstance();
+    $token = 'handoff-failure';
+
+    (new IssueInstanceAdminAccess($instance->uuid, $token, 1))->handle($pve);
+
+    expect(json_decode(ConfigHandoff::get($token), true))->toBe(['error' => 'failed']);
+});