src/app/admin/dashboard/page.tsx

@@ -113,7 +113,8 @@ export default function AdminDashboardPage() {
   }
 
   const scope: "global" | "branch" = selectedBranchId === "ALL" ? "global" : "branch";
-  const showNoBranchesNudge = me.role === "SUPER_ADMIN" && branchesLoaded && branches.length === 0;
+  // The operator's own business is a placeholder; don't nudge it to set up branches.
+  const showNoBranchesNudge = me.role === "SUPER_ADMIN" && !me.isPlatformAdmin && branchesLoaded && branches.length === 0;
 
   return (
     <main className="min-h-screen bg-sand-50 pb-12">
@@ -130,7 +131,10 @@ export default function AdminDashboardPage() {
                 ? `${me.branchName} Dashboard`
                 : "Branch Dashboard"}
             </h1>
-            <p className="mt-1 text-xs text-sand-200/60">{me.name}</p>
+            <p className="mt-1 text-xs text-sand-200/60">
+              {me.name}
+              {me.isPlatformAdmin && " · Platform operator"}
+            </p>
             <div className="mt-2">
               <AccountLinks />
             </div>

src/app/api/auth/login/route.ts

@@ -167,7 +167,9 @@ export async function POST(req: NextRequest) {
       phoneNumber: user.phoneNumber,
       email: user.email,
     },
-    redirectTo: user.role === "DELIVERY" ? "/terminal" : "/admin/dashboard",
+    // Platform operators start on the console for every business, not on
+    // their own (placeholder) business's dashboard.
+    redirectTo: isPlatformAdmin(user) ? "/platform" : user.role === "DELIVERY" ? "/terminal" : "/admin/dashboard",
     isPlatformAdmin: isPlatformAdmin(user),
   });
 

src/app/page.tsx

@@ -12,7 +12,9 @@ export default function RootPage() {
     (async () => {
       try {
         const result = await apiFetch<{ user: AuthUser }>("/api/auth/me");
-        if (result.user.role === "DELIVERY") {
+        if (result.user.isPlatformAdmin) {
+          router.replace("/platform");
+        } else if (result.user.role === "DELIVERY") {
           router.replace("/terminal");
         } else {
           router.replace("/admin/dashboard");

tests/account.test.ts

@@ -132,3 +132,16 @@ describe("moving staff between branches", () => {
     expect((await move(t.owner, t.branchB)).status).toBe(404);
   });
 });
+
+describe("where sign-in lands", () => {
+  it("sends the platform operator to the platform console, owners to the dashboard, cashiers to the till", async () => {
+    const t = await makeTenant();
+    await Promise.all([setPassword(t.owner, "owner-pass"), setPassword(t.cashierA, "cashier-pass")]);
+    expect((await json(await signIn(t.owner, "owner-pass"))).body.redirectTo).toBe("/admin/dashboard");
+    expect((await json(await signIn(t.cashierA, "cashier-pass"))).body.redirectTo).toBe("/terminal");
+
+    await db(() => User.updateOne({ _id: t.owner.id }, { email: "operator@aquaflow.test", platformAdmin: true }));
+    const operator = { ...t.owner, email: "operator@aquaflow.test" };
+    expect((await json(await signIn(operator, "owner-pass"))).body.redirectTo).toBe("/platform");
+  });
+});