diff --git a/src/psyc/cockpit/static/cockpit.css b/src/psyc/cockpit/static/cockpit.css
index ab7bf35..0d75f10 100644
--- a/src/psyc/cockpit/static/cockpit.css
+++ b/src/psyc/cockpit/static/cockpit.css
@@ -471,3 +471,61 @@ tr.sev-low .sev-badge { color: var(--muted); }
 .enroll-card .gate-qr { width: 130px; height: 130px; }
 .enroll-body h3 { margin: 0 0 6px; font-size: 15px; }
 .enroll-body p { margin: 0; font-size: 13px; color: var(--muted); }
+
+/* ── admin in the topbar (announced, not hidden) ────────────── */
+.nav-admin {
+  display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 6px;
+  margin-left: 18px; padding: 4px 10px;
+  color: var(--accent) !important;
+  background: rgba(30, 200, 255, 0.08);
+  border: 1px solid color-mix(in oklab, var(--accent) 35%, var(--border));
+  border-radius: 6px;
+  text-shadow: 0 0 8px var(--accent-glow);
+}
+.nav-admin:hover { background: rgba(30, 200, 255, 0.16); border-color: var(--accent); text-decoration: none; }
+
+.admin-chip {
+  display: inline-flex; align-items: stretch; margin-left: 14px;
+  font-family: var(--font-display); font-size: 11px; letter-spacing: 0.12em;
+  border: 1px solid var(--accent);
+  border-radius: 6px; overflow: hidden;
+  background: linear-gradient(180deg, rgba(30,200,255,0.12), rgba(30,200,255,0.02));
+  box-shadow: 0 0 0 0 var(--accent-glow);
+  animation: admin-chip-in 0.55s cubic-bezier(.2,1.4,.4,1), admin-chip-glow 3.2s ease-in-out 0.6s infinite;
+}
+.admin-chip-body, .admin-chip-lock {
+  display: inline-flex; align-items: center; gap: 7px;
+  padding: 4px 10px; color: var(--accent) !important;
+  text-decoration: none;
+}
+.admin-chip-body { padding-right: 8px; }
+.admin-chip-body:hover { background: rgba(30,200,255,0.15); text-decoration: none; }
+.admin-chip-dot {
+  width: 8px; height: 8px; border-radius: 50%;
+  background: var(--green); box-shadow: 0 0 10px var(--green);
+  animation: admin-dot-blink 1.6s ease-in-out infinite;
+}
+.admin-chip-label { text-transform: uppercase; font-weight: 600; }
+.admin-chip-lock {
+  border-left: 1px solid color-mix(in oklab, var(--accent) 35%, var(--border));
+  font-size: 13px; padding: 4px 10px;
+  background: rgba(0,0,0,0.18);
+}
+.admin-chip-lock:hover { background: rgba(248,113,113,0.18); color: var(--red) !important; }
+
+@keyframes admin-chip-in {
+  0%   { opacity: 0; transform: translateY(-8px) scale(0.92); box-shadow: 0 0 0 0 var(--accent); }
+  60%  { opacity: 1; transform: translateY(0) scale(1.05); box-shadow: 0 0 24px var(--accent); }
+  100% { opacity: 1; transform: scale(1); box-shadow: 0 0 12px var(--accent-glow); }
+}
+@keyframes admin-chip-glow {
+  0%,100% { box-shadow: 0 0 8px rgba(30,200,255,0.25); }
+  50%     { box-shadow: 0 0 18px rgba(30,200,255,0.55); }
+}
+@keyframes admin-dot-blink {
+  0%,80%,100% { opacity: 1; }
+  90%         { opacity: 0.35; }
+}
+@media (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce) {
+  .admin-chip, .admin-chip-dot { animation: none; }
+}
diff --git a/src/psyc/cockpit/templates/admin.html b/src/psyc/cockpit/templates/admin.html
index 63ab66a..0c2872d 100644
--- a/src/psyc/cockpit/templates/admin.html
+++ b/src/psyc/cockpit/templates/admin.html
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 <section class="panel">
   <div class="panel-head">
     <h1>Admin Control Center</h1>
-    <span class="count">{% if who %}signed in as <strong>{{ who }}</strong> · {% endif %}<a href="/admin/logout" class="lg-sub">lock ⏻</a></span>
+    <span class="count">{{ members|length }} member{{ '' if members|length == 1 else 's' }} enrolled</span>
   </div>
   <p class="page-intro">The secured zone — TOTP-gated, hidden from the nav. Manage who can get in here, and (next) watch the live infrastructure.</p>
   <div class="verdict verdict-clean">✓ Admin session active — expires after 60 min idle.</div>
diff --git a/src/psyc/cockpit/templates/base.html b/src/psyc/cockpit/templates/base.html
index 2a23032..77d50e9 100644
--- a/src/psyc/cockpit/templates/base.html
+++ b/src/psyc/cockpit/templates/base.html
@@ -23,7 +23,27 @@
       <a href="/queue">Queue</a>
       <a href="/ledger">Ledger</a>
       <a href="/train">Trainline</a>
+      {% if request.session.get('admin_who') %}
+      <a href="/admin" class="nav-admin" title="Admin control center">
+        <svg viewBox="0 0 24 24" width="14" height="14" aria-hidden="true" style="vertical-align:-2px;">
+          <path d="M12 2 L20 5 V12 C20 17 16.5 20.5 12 22 C7.5 20.5 4 17 4 12 V5 Z"
+                fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.8" stroke-linejoin="round"/>
+          <circle cx="12" cy="11" r="2.4" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" stroke-width="1.8"/>
+          <rect x="11" y="12.5" width="2" height="4" rx="1" fill="currentColor"/>
+        </svg>
+        Admin
+      </a>
+      {% endif %}
     </nav>
+    {% if request.session.get('admin_who') %}
+    <span class="admin-chip" title="Admin session · click to manage">
+      <a href="/admin" class="admin-chip-body">
+        <span class="admin-chip-dot"></span>
+        <span class="admin-chip-label">ADMIN · {{ request.session.get('admin_who') }}</span>
+      </a>
+      <a href="/admin/logout" class="admin-chip-lock" title="Lock the admin zone (sign out)" aria-label="lock">⏻</a>
+    </span>
+    {% endif %}
     <span class="model-status" id="model-status" data-state="checking" title="checking…">
       <span class="model-status-dot"></span><span class="model-status-text">model</span>
     </span>