diff --git a/internal/adapter/templates/templates/components/service/cmd/server/main.go.tmpl b/internal/adapter/templates/templates/components/service/cmd/server/main.go.tmpl
index eb1bfa0..a6d7b8a 100644
--- a/internal/adapter/templates/templates/components/service/cmd/server/main.go.tmpl
+++ b/internal/adapter/templates/templates/components/service/cmd/server/main.go.tmpl
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ func main() {
 		jobQueue, jobReader = setupDBQueue(ctx, cfg, dbPool, sseHub, logger)
 	} else {
 		logger.Info("DATABASE_URL not set — running in standalone mode (in-memory queue + in-process AI)")
-		userRepo = memory.NewUserRepository()
+		userRepo = memory.NewUserRepository(cfg.DevUserEmail, cfg.DevUserPassword)
 		sessionRepo = memory.NewSessionRepository()
 		authCodeRepo = memory.NewAuthCodeRepository()
 		mediaRepo = memory.NewMediaRepository()
diff --git a/internal/adapter/templates/templates/components/service/internal/adapter/memory/user.go.tmpl b/internal/adapter/templates/templates/components/service/internal/adapter/memory/user.go.tmpl
index 5f44651..3d03ae0 100644
--- a/internal/adapter/templates/templates/components/service/internal/adapter/memory/user.go.tmpl
+++ b/internal/adapter/templates/templates/components/service/internal/adapter/memory/user.go.tmpl
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ type UserRepository struct {
 }
 
 // NewUserRepository creates a new in-memory user repository seeded with demo users.
-func NewUserRepository() *UserRepository {
+// If devEmail is non-empty, an additional user is seeded with that email and devPassword
+// so the developer's account survives server restarts without re-registering.
+func NewUserRepository(devEmail, devPassword string) *UserRepository {
 	repo := &UserRepository{
 		users:     make(map[domain.UserID]*domain.User),
 		passwords: make(map[domain.UserID]string),
@@ -37,6 +39,12 @@ func NewUserRepository() *UserRepository {
 	repo.seedUser("usr_test_001", "test@example.com", "Test User", "Password123", []string{"user"})
 	repo.seedUser("usr_admin_001", "admin@example.com", "Admin User", "Admin1234", []string{"admin", "user"})
 
+	// Seed the developer's own account if DEV_USER_EMAIL is configured.
+	// This ensures the email is always registered after restarts without manual re-registration.
+	if devEmail != "" {
+		repo.seedUser("usr_dev_001", devEmail, "Dev User", devPassword, []string{"admin", "user"})
+	}
+
 	return repo
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/adapter/templates/templates/components/service/internal/config/config.go.tmpl b/internal/adapter/templates/templates/components/service/internal/config/config.go.tmpl
index f4f7bc1..184d751 100644
--- a/internal/adapter/templates/templates/components/service/internal/config/config.go.tmpl
+++ b/internal/adapter/templates/templates/components/service/internal/config/config.go.tmpl
@@ -36,6 +36,12 @@ type Config struct {
 	SupportEmail string // SUPPORT_EMAIL, default: NOTIFY_FROM value
 	LogoURL      string // LOGO_URL, default: "" (hides logo area)
 	BrandColor   string // BRAND_COLOR, default: "#6366f1"
+
+	// Dev mode seed user — seeded into the in-memory user store on startup so the
+	// developer's email is always available without re-registering after each restart.
+	// No effect when DATABASE_URL is set (production uses real persistence).
+	DevUserEmail    string // DEV_USER_EMAIL, e.g. "you@example.com"
+	DevUserPassword string // DEV_USER_PASSWORD, default: "DevPassword1"
 }
 
 // Load reads configuration from environment variables.
@@ -68,6 +74,9 @@ func Load() *Config {
 		SupportEmail: getEnvDefault("SUPPORT_EMAIL", notifyFrom),
 		LogoURL:      os.Getenv("LOGO_URL"),
 		BrandColor:   getEnvDefault("BRAND_COLOR", "#6366f1"),
+
+		DevUserEmail:    os.Getenv("DEV_USER_EMAIL"),
+		DevUserPassword: getEnvDefault("DEV_USER_PASSWORD", "DevPassword1"),
 	}
 
 	return cfg