diff --git a/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/BootstrapGsspSecondFactorCommand.php b/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/BootstrapGsspSecondFactorCommand.php
index 66fde3b7..d926c8d7 100644
--- a/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/BootstrapGsspSecondFactorCommand.php
+++ b/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/BootstrapGsspSecondFactorCommand.php
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ public function __invoke(
                 $identity->commonName,
             ),
         );
+        $this->transactionHelper->authorizeConsoleContext();
         $this->transactionHelper->beginTransaction();
         $secondFactorId = Uuid::uuid4()->toString();
 
diff --git a/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/BootstrapIdentityCommand.php b/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/BootstrapIdentityCommand.php
index fede46a4..58d62ab6 100644
--- a/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/BootstrapIdentityCommand.php
+++ b/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/BootstrapIdentityCommand.php
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ public function __invoke(
             return 1;
         }
         try {
+            $this->transactionHelper->authorizeConsoleContext();
             $this->transactionHelper->beginTransaction();
             $output->writeln('<info>Creating a new identity</info>');
             $identity = $this->bootstrapService->createIdentity(
diff --git a/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/BootstrapIdentityWithYubikeySecondFactorCommand.php b/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/BootstrapIdentityWithYubikeySecondFactorCommand.php
index 45d615c9..e6ce0007 100644
--- a/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/BootstrapIdentityWithYubikeySecondFactorCommand.php
+++ b/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/BootstrapIdentityWithYubikeySecondFactorCommand.php
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ public function __invoke(
         $command->secondFactorId = $secondFactorId;
         $command->yubikeyPublicId = $yubikey;
 
+        $this->transactionHelper->authorizeConsoleContext();
         $this->transactionHelper->beginTransaction();
 
         try {
diff --git a/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/BootstrapSmsSecondFactorCommand.php b/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/BootstrapSmsSecondFactorCommand.php
index 0154146d..44390b20 100644
--- a/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/BootstrapSmsSecondFactorCommand.php
+++ b/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/BootstrapSmsSecondFactorCommand.php
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ public function __invoke(#[Argument(description: 'The NameID of the identity to
         $output->writeln(
             sprintf('<comment>Adding a %s SMS token for %s</comment>', $registrationStatus, $identity->commonName),
         );
+        $this->transactionHelper->authorizeConsoleContext();
         $this->transactionHelper->beginTransaction();
         $secondFactorId = Uuid::uuid4()->toString();
 
diff --git a/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/BootstrapYubikeySecondFactorCommand.php b/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/BootstrapYubikeySecondFactorCommand.php
index 9be3326c..c2cd7b93 100644
--- a/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/BootstrapYubikeySecondFactorCommand.php
+++ b/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/BootstrapYubikeySecondFactorCommand.php
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ public function __invoke(
         $output->writeln(
             sprintf('<comment>Adding a %s Yubikey token for %s</comment>', $registrationStatus, $identity->commonName),
         );
+        $this->transactionHelper->authorizeConsoleContext();
         $this->transactionHelper->beginTransaction();
         $secondFactorId = Uuid::uuid4()->toString();
 
diff --git a/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/MigrateSecondFactorCommand.php b/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/MigrateSecondFactorCommand.php
index f1768c0d..cbd7781f 100644
--- a/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/MigrateSecondFactorCommand.php
+++ b/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Console/Command/MigrateSecondFactorCommand.php
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ public function __invoke(
         $targetIdentity = $this->bootstrapService->getIdentityByNameId($targetNameId);
 
         try {
+            $this->transactionHelper->authorizeConsoleContext();
             $this->transactionHelper->beginTransaction();
 
             // Check if target identity should be created
diff --git a/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Resources/config/console_commands.yml b/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Resources/config/console_commands.yml
index d274fc65..14b92d16 100644
--- a/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Resources/config/console_commands.yml
+++ b/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Resources/config/console_commands.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ services:
     arguments:
       - "@surfnet_stepup_middleware_command_handling.pipeline.transaction_aware_pipeline"
       - "@surfnet_stepup_middleware_command_handling.metadata_enricher.actor"
-      - "@security.token_storage"
       - "@surfnet_stepup_middleware_api.repository.identity"
       - "@surfnet_stepup_middleware_api.repository.unverified_second_factor"
       - "@surfnet_stepup_middleware_api.repository.verified_second_factor"
@@ -19,6 +18,7 @@ services:
       - "@surfnet_stepup_middleware_command_handling.pipeline.transaction_aware_pipeline"
       - "@surfnet_stepup_middleware_command_handling.event_bus.buffered"
       - "@surfnet_stepup_middleware_middleware.dbal_connection_helper"
+      - "@security.token_storage"
 
   Surfnet\StepupMiddleware\MiddlewareBundle\Console\Command\ReplaySpecificEventsCommand:
     arguments:
diff --git a/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Service/BootstrapCommandService.php b/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Service/BootstrapCommandService.php
index 18f2512e..2a8e27fb 100644
--- a/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Service/BootstrapCommandService.php
+++ b/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Service/BootstrapCommandService.php
@@ -41,8 +41,6 @@
 use Surfnet\StepupMiddleware\CommandHandlingBundle\Identity\Command\VetSecondFactorCommand;
 use Surfnet\StepupMiddleware\CommandHandlingBundle\Pipeline\Pipeline;
 use Surfnet\StepupMiddleware\MiddlewareBundle\Exception\InvalidArgumentException;
-use Symfony\Component\Security\Core\Authentication\Token\Storage\TokenStorageInterface;
-use Symfony\Component\Security\Core\Authentication\Token\TokenInterface;
 
 /**
  * @SuppressWarnings("PHPMD.CouplingBetweenObjects")
@@ -58,7 +56,6 @@ class BootstrapCommandService
     public function __construct(
         private readonly Pipeline $pipeline,
         private readonly MetadataEnricher $enricher,
-        private readonly TokenStorageInterface $tokenStorage,
         private readonly IdentityRepository $identityRepository,
         private readonly UnverifiedSecondFactorRepository $unverifiedSecondFactorRepository,
         private readonly VerifiedSecondFactorRepository $verifiedSecondFactorRepository,
@@ -67,11 +64,6 @@ public function __construct(
     ) {
     }
 
-    public function setToken(TokenInterface $token): void
-    {
-        $this->tokenStorage->setToken($token);
-    }
-
     public function validRegistrationStatus(string $registrationStatus): void
     {
         if (!in_array($registrationStatus, $this->validRegistrationStatuses)) {
diff --git a/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Service/TransactionHelper.php b/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Service/TransactionHelper.php
index 9764ce1e..4f62e2ba 100644
--- a/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Service/TransactionHelper.php
+++ b/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Service/TransactionHelper.php
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@
 use Surfnet\StepupMiddleware\CommandHandlingBundle\Command\AbstractCommand;
 use Surfnet\StepupMiddleware\CommandHandlingBundle\EventHandling\BufferedEventBus;
 use Surfnet\StepupMiddleware\CommandHandlingBundle\Pipeline\Pipeline;
+use Symfony\Component\Security\Core\Authentication\Token\Storage\TokenStorageInterface;
+use Symfony\Component\Security\Core\Authentication\Token\UsernamePasswordToken;
+use Symfony\Component\Security\Core\User\InMemoryUser;
 
 final readonly class TransactionHelper
 {
@@ -28,9 +31,30 @@ public function __construct(
         private Pipeline $pipeline,
         private BufferedEventBus $eventBus,
         private DBALConnectionHelper $connection,
+        private TokenStorageInterface $tokenStorage,
     ) {
     }
 
+    /**
+     * Console commands run without an authenticated security token. Commands processed through the
+     * pipeline (including ones triggered internally by event processors, e.g. institution
+     * configuration bootstrapping) are checked by the AuthorizingStage, so bootstrap console commands
+     * that need to authorize such internally-triggered commands must call this explicitly. Limited to
+     * ROLE_SS, ROLE_RA and ROLE_MANAGEMENT: the identity/vetting/configuration commands the bootstrap
+     * console commands dispatch through this pipeline. ROLE_DEPROVISION is deliberately excluded,
+     * nothing in these flows needs it. Guarded to CLI only, so this can never grant privileges to an
+     * HTTP request even if called from a context that shouldn't.
+     */
+    public function authorizeConsoleContext(): void
+    {
+        if (PHP_SAPI === 'cli' && $this->tokenStorage->getToken() === null) {
+            $roles = ['ROLE_SS', 'ROLE_RA', 'ROLE_MANAGEMENT'];
+            $this->tokenStorage->setToken(
+                new UsernamePasswordToken(new InMemoryUser('console', null, $roles), 'api', $roles),
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
     public function beginTransaction(): void
     {
         $this->connection->beginTransaction();
diff --git a/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Tests/Service/TransactionHelperTest.php b/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Tests/Service/TransactionHelperTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..19c9fe62
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Surfnet/StepupMiddleware/MiddlewareBundle/Tests/Service/TransactionHelperTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,99 @@
+<?php
+
+/**
+ * Copyright 2026 SURFnet bv
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * You may obtain a copy of the License at
+ *
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+
+namespace Surfnet\StepupMiddleware\MiddlewareBundle\Tests\Service;
+
+use Mockery as m;
+use Mockery\Adapter\Phpunit\MockeryPHPUnitIntegration;
+use Mockery\MockInterface;
+use PHPUnit\Framework\Attributes\Test;
+use PHPUnit\Framework\TestCase;
+use Surfnet\StepupMiddleware\CommandHandlingBundle\EventHandling\BufferedEventBus;
+use Surfnet\StepupMiddleware\CommandHandlingBundle\Pipeline\Pipeline;
+use Surfnet\StepupMiddleware\MiddlewareBundle\Service\DBALConnectionHelper;
+use Surfnet\StepupMiddleware\MiddlewareBundle\Service\TransactionHelper;
+use Symfony\Component\Security\Core\Authentication\Token\Storage\TokenStorageInterface;
+use Symfony\Component\Security\Core\Authentication\Token\TokenInterface;
+
+class TransactionHelperTest extends TestCase
+{
+    use MockeryPHPUnitIntegration;
+
+    private Pipeline&MockInterface $pipeline;
+
+    private BufferedEventBus&MockInterface $eventBus;
+
+    private DBALConnectionHelper&MockInterface $connection;
+
+    private TokenStorageInterface&MockInterface $tokenStorage;
+
+    private TransactionHelper $transactionHelper;
+
+    public function setUp(): void
+    {
+        $this->pipeline = m::mock(Pipeline::class);
+        $this->eventBus = m::mock(BufferedEventBus::class);
+        $this->connection = m::mock(DBALConnectionHelper::class);
+        $this->tokenStorage = m::mock(TokenStorageInterface::class);
+
+        $this->transactionHelper = new TransactionHelper(
+            $this->pipeline,
+            $this->eventBus,
+            $this->connection,
+            $this->tokenStorage,
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[Test]
+    public function authorize_console_context_sets_a_console_token_with_the_bootstrap_roles_when_none_is_present(): void
+    {
+        $this->tokenStorage->shouldReceive('getToken')->once()->andReturn(null);
+        $this->tokenStorage->shouldReceive('setToken')
+            ->once()
+            ->with(m::on(function (TokenInterface $token): bool {
+                $roles = $token->getRoleNames();
+                sort($roles);
+
+                return $roles === ['ROLE_MANAGEMENT', 'ROLE_RA', 'ROLE_SS'];
+            }));
+
+        $this->transactionHelper->authorizeConsoleContext();
+    }
+
+    #[Test]
+    public function authorize_console_context_does_not_overwrite_an_existing_token(): void
+    {
+        $existingToken = m::mock(TokenInterface::class);
+
+        $this->tokenStorage->shouldReceive('getToken')->once()->andReturn($existingToken);
+        $this->tokenStorage->shouldNotReceive('setToken');
+
+        $this->transactionHelper->authorizeConsoleContext();
+    }
+
+    #[Test]
+    public function begin_transaction_does_not_touch_the_token_storage(): void
+    {
+        $this->tokenStorage->shouldNotReceive('getToken');
+        $this->tokenStorage->shouldNotReceive('setToken');
+
+        $this->connection->shouldReceive('beginTransaction')->once();
+
+        $this->transactionHelper->beginTransaction();
+    }
+}