diff --git a/app/Http/Middleware/ResolveWorkspace.php b/app/Http/Middleware/ResolveWorkspace.php
index ac5c34d..a93c371 100644
--- a/app/Http/Middleware/ResolveWorkspace.php
+++ b/app/Http/Middleware/ResolveWorkspace.php
@@ -20,7 +20,9 @@ class ResolveWorkspace
 
         // 404 instead of 403 — don't leak existence across workspace boundaries
         $user = $request->user();
-        if (! $user || ! $user->workspaceMemberships()->where('workspace_id', $workspace->id)->exists()) {
+        $isMember = $user && $user->workspaceMemberships()->where('workspace_id', $workspace->id)->exists();
+        $isOwner = $user && $workspace->owner_id === $user->id;
+        if (! $isMember && ! $isOwner) {
             abort(404);
         }
 
diff --git a/database/seeders/DemoDataSeeder.php b/database/seeders/DemoDataSeeder.php
index e1271ba..0035418 100644
--- a/database/seeders/DemoDataSeeder.php
+++ b/database/seeders/DemoDataSeeder.php
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ namespace Database\Seeders;
 use App\Domains\Analytics\Models\Click;
 use App\Domains\Link\Models\Link;
 use App\Domains\Workspace\Models\Workspace;
+use App\Domains\Workspace\Models\WorkspaceMember;
 use App\Models\User;
 use Illuminate\Database\Seeder;
 use Illuminate\Support\Carbon;
@@ -24,6 +25,13 @@ class DemoDataSeeder extends Seeder
             ]
         );
 
+        // Ensure owner has a membership record and default workspace set
+        WorkspaceMember::firstOrCreate(
+            ['workspace_id' => $workspace->id, 'user_id' => $user->id],
+            ['role' => 'owner', 'joined_at' => now()]
+        );
+        $user->updateQuietly(['default_workspace_id' => $workspace->id]);
+
         $this->command->info("Workspace: {$workspace->name} ({$workspace->ulid})");
 
         $slugs = ['nimuli', 'get-started', 'pricing', 'blog', 'docs', 'github', 'twitter', 'linkedin', 'youtube', 'discord', 'product', 'api', 'signup', 'login-link', 'partner', 'careers', 'press', 'legal', 'status', 'support'];