diff --git a/crates/picloud/tests/authz.rs b/crates/picloud/tests/authz.rs
index 282cbd2..4b0f1a6 100644
--- a/crates/picloud/tests/authz.rs
+++ b/crates/picloud/tests/authz.rs
@@ -1042,6 +1042,7 @@ async fn member_app_admin_can_manage_members(pool: PgPool) {
 #[sqlx::test(migrations = "../manager-core/migrations")]
 async fn membership_makes_app_appear_in_members_app_list(pool: PgPool) {
     let s = boot(pool).await;
+    let owner_token = login_token(&s.server, "owner", "owner-pw").await;
 
     let bob = seed_user(&s.pool, "bob", "bob-pw", InstanceRole::Member).await;
     let bob_token = login_token(&s.server, "bob", "bob-pw").await;
@@ -1058,8 +1059,12 @@ async fn membership_makes_app_appear_in_members_app_list(pool: PgPool) {
         "bob has no memberships → empty apps list"
     );
 
+    // Grant via the public POST endpoint — exercises the full
+    // round-trip the dashboard goes through, not just the repo seam.
+    let r = add_member(&s.server, &owner_token, "default", bob, AppRole::Viewer).await;
+    r.assert_status(axum::http::StatusCode::CREATED);
+
     // After grant: bob sees the default app.
-    grant_membership(&s.pool, bob, s.default_app, AppRole::Viewer).await;
     let r = s
         .server
         .get("/api/v1/admin/apps")
@@ -1070,3 +1075,25 @@ async fn membership_makes_app_appear_in_members_app_list(pool: PgPool) {
     assert_eq!(apps.len(), 1);
     assert_eq!(apps[0]["slug"], "default");
 }
+
+#[ignore = "needs DATABASE_URL pointing at a running Postgres"]
+#[sqlx::test(migrations = "../manager-core/migrations")]
+async fn add_member_with_missing_user_id_is_rejected(pool: PgPool) {
+    let s = boot(pool).await;
+    let owner_token = login_token(&s.server, "owner", "owner-pw").await;
+
+    // Body missing `user_id` — Axum's Json extractor produces a 4xx
+    // before our handler runs. Pinning the status to keep the contract
+    // honest if anyone ever swaps the extractor.
+    let r = s
+        .server
+        .post("/api/v1/admin/apps/default/members")
+        .add_header("authorization", format!("Bearer {owner_token}"))
+        .json(&json!({ "role": "viewer" }))
+        .await;
+    let status = r.status_code().as_u16();
+    assert!(
+        (400..500).contains(&status),
+        "malformed body should produce a 4xx, got {status}"
+    );
+}