diff --git a/cms/.env.example b/cms/.env.example
index 7aee52b..32349a9 100644
--- a/cms/.env.example
+++ b/cms/.env.example
@@ -3,3 +3,7 @@ DATABASE_URL=postgresql://payload:payload_dev@postgres:5432/payload_cms
 
 # Secret key for Payload (generate a random string for production)
 PAYLOAD_SECRET=your-secret-here
+
+# Initial admin/user credentials
+SEED_USER_EMAIL=
+SEED_USER_PASSWORD=
diff --git a/cms/package.json b/cms/package.json
index f2e7074..29b5468 100644
--- a/cms/package.json
+++ b/cms/package.json
@@ -15,7 +15,10 @@
     "start": "cross-env NODE_OPTIONS=--no-deprecation next start",
     "test": "pnpm run test:int && pnpm run test:e2e",
     "test:e2e": "cross-env NODE_OPTIONS=\"--no-deprecation --import=tsx/esm\" playwright test --config=playwright.config.ts",
-    "test:int": "cross-env NODE_OPTIONS=--no-deprecation vitest run --config ./vitest.config.mts"
+    "test:int": "cross-env NODE_OPTIONS=--no-deprecation vitest run --config ./vitest.config.mts",
+    "seed": "tsx --env-file=.env src/seed.ts",
+    "migrate": "payload migrate",
+    "migrate:create": "payload migrate:create"
   },
   "dependencies": {
     "@payloadcms/next": "3.84.1",
diff --git a/cms/src/seed.ts b/cms/src/seed.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..478791f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/cms/src/seed.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+import payload from 'payload'
+import config from './payload.config'
+
+const seed = async () => {
+  await payload.init({ config })
+
+  const existing = await payload.find({
+    collection: 'users',
+    where: { email: { equals: process.env.SEED_USER_EMAIL } },
+  })
+
+  if (existing.totalDocs > 0) {
+    console.log('User already exists, skipping seed')
+    process.exit(0)
+  }
+
+  await payload.create({
+    collection: 'users',
+    data: {
+      email: process.env.SEED_USER_EMAIL!,
+      password: process.env.SEED_USER_PASSWORD!,
+    },
+  })
+
+  console.log('User created')
+  process.exit(0)
+}
+
+seed().catch((err) => {
+  console.error(err)
+  process.exit(1)
+})