diff --git a/src/api/deployments.py b/src/api/deployments.py
index 3cf4aa0..6b67ed2 100644
--- a/src/api/deployments.py
+++ b/src/api/deployments.py
@@ -297,9 +297,11 @@ async def create_deployment(
         Created deployment with status QUEUED
     """
     service = DeploymentService(db)
+    is_admin = UserRole.ADMIN.value in user.get("roles", [])
     deployment = service.create_deployment(
         deployment_data,
-        request_id=request_id
+        request_id=request_id,
+        is_admin=is_admin,
     )
     
     # Convert SQLAlchemy model to response schema
diff --git a/src/services/deployment_service.py b/src/services/deployment_service.py
index 87666c7..1930743 100644
--- a/src/services/deployment_service.py
+++ b/src/services/deployment_service.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ def __init__(self, db: Session):
         self.openstack_repo = OpenstackProjectRepository(db)
         self.log_service = DeploymentLogService(db)
     
-    def create_deployment(self, deployment_data: DeploymentCreate, request_id: Union[str, None] = None) -> Deployment:
+    def create_deployment(self, deployment_data: DeploymentCreate, request_id: Union[str, None] = None, is_admin: bool = False) -> Deployment:
         """Create a new deployment and trigger async deployment task.
         
         Args:
@@ -79,14 +79,20 @@ def create_deployment(self, deployment_data: DeploymentCreate, request_id: Union
                 f"Teacher user not found for Keycloak ID {deployment_data.teacher.id}"
             )
 
-        # Gate: private templates can only be deployed by their owner. Admins
-        # and other lecturers cannot run private templates even if they
+        # Gate: private templates can only be deployed by their owner OR by
+        # an admin. Other lecturers cannot run private templates even if they
         # somehow obtained the template_version_id — that's the whole point of
-        # "private". For public templates the visibility/approval system
-        # already controls who sees the template at all, no extra gate here.
-        if template.visibility != TemplateVisibility.PUBLIC and template.owner_id != teacher_user.id:
+        # "private". Admins are the system-wide bypass for management actions
+        # (delete/edit) and we extend the same trust to running deploys. For
+        # public templates the visibility/approval system already controls
+        # who sees the template at all, no extra gate here.
+        if (
+            template.visibility != TemplateVisibility.PUBLIC
+            and template.owner_id != teacher_user.id
+            and not is_admin
+        ):
             raise ForbiddenException(
-                "Only the template owner can deploy a private template version"
+                "Only the template owner or an admin can deploy a private template version"
             )
 
         # Validate template parameters required by the template version
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_approval_only_for_public.py b/tests/unit/test_approval_only_for_public.py
index 304552a..6b5a416 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_approval_only_for_public.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_approval_only_for_public.py
@@ -326,11 +326,13 @@ def test_other_lecturer_cannot_deploy_private_template(self):
         attacker_user.id = attacker_local
         attacker_user.external_id = attacker_kc
 
-        # Verify the gate logic itself — same expression as deployment_service:86.
-        # If visibility is private AND owner != caller -> forbidden.
+        # Verify the gate logic itself — same expression as deployment_service:
+        # private AND not-owner AND not-admin -> forbidden.
+        is_admin = False
         is_blocked = (
             template.visibility != TemplateVisibility.PUBLIC
             and template.owner_id != attacker_user.id
+            and not is_admin
         )
         assert is_blocked is True
 
@@ -347,9 +349,31 @@ def test_owner_can_deploy_own_private_template(self):
         owner_user.external_id = owner_kc
 
         # Gate evaluates to "not blocked".
+        is_admin = False
         is_blocked = (
             template.visibility != TemplateVisibility.PUBLIC
             and template.owner_id != owner_user.id
+            and not is_admin
+        )
+        assert is_blocked is False
+
+    def test_admin_can_deploy_private_template_of_other_owner(self):
+        """Admins bypass the owner-only gate on private templates — same
+        admin-trust model used for delete/edit elsewhere in the service."""
+        from src.models.user import User
+
+        template = _make_template(
+            TemplateVisibility.PRIVATE, owner_id=str(uuid4()), versions=[]
+        )
+        admin_user = User()
+        admin_user.id = str(uuid4())  # NOT the owner
+        admin_user.external_id = "admin-keycloak-id"
+
+        is_admin = True
+        is_blocked = (
+            template.visibility != TemplateVisibility.PUBLIC
+            and template.owner_id != admin_user.id
+            and not is_admin
         )
         assert is_blocked is False
 
@@ -357,9 +381,11 @@ def test_public_template_gate_does_not_apply(self):
         """For public templates the owner-check is irrelevant; visibility +
         approval drive who can see/deploy what."""
         template = _make_template(TemplateVisibility.PUBLIC, owner_id="someone-else", versions=[])
+        is_admin = False
         is_blocked = (
             template.visibility != TemplateVisibility.PUBLIC
             and template.owner_id != "some-attacker"
+            and not is_admin
         )
         assert is_blocked is False