diff --git a/backend/windmill-api-integration-tests/tests/datatable_roles.rs b/backend/windmill-api-integration-tests/tests/datatable_roles.rs
index a15439455f..08790386a4 100644
--- a/backend/windmill-api-integration-tests/tests/datatable_roles.rs
+++ b/backend/windmill-api-integration-tests/tests/datatable_roles.rs
@@ -1098,22 +1098,25 @@ async fn without_the_enterprise_edition_a_data_table_under_roles_is_refused_a_co
         assert!(err.to_string().contains(ENTERPRISE_REFUSAL), "{err}");
     }
 
-    // Not under roles, it resolves as it always has; naming a role on it is refused.
+    // Not under roles, it resolves as it always has, including when `admin` is named — which every
+    // migration does; naming any other role on it is refused.
     sqlx::query(
         "UPDATE workspace_settings SET datatable = datatable #- '{datatables,main,permissions}'
          WHERE workspace_id = 'test-workspace'",
     )
     .execute(&db)
     .await?;
-    let resolved = get_datatable_resource_from_db(
-        &db,
-        "test-workspace",
-        "main",
-        None,
-        DatatableAccess::NoIdentity,
-    )
-    .await?;
-    assert_eq!(resolved["dbname"], "dt_main", "{resolved}");
+    for role in [None, Some("admin")] {
+        let resolved = get_datatable_resource_from_db(
+            &db,
+            "test-workspace",
+            "main",
+            role,
+            DatatableAccess::NoIdentity,
+        )
+        .await?;
+        assert_eq!(resolved["dbname"], "dt_main", "{resolved}");
+    }
     let err = get_datatable_resource_from_db(
         &db,
         "test-workspace",
diff --git a/backend/windmill-common/src/datatable_roles_oss.rs b/backend/windmill-common/src/datatable_roles_oss.rs
index 98fef4260f..057a739bd4 100644
--- a/backend/windmill-common/src/datatable_roles_oss.rs
+++ b/backend/windmill-common/src/datatable_roles_oss.rs
@@ -163,8 +163,8 @@ mod ce {
         Err(unavailable())
     }
 
-    /// A data table not under roles, asked for no role, is not a role decision and passes, as it
-    /// did before roles existed. Anything else is refused.
+    /// A data table not under roles, asked for no role or for `admin`, is not a role decision and
+    /// passes, as it did before roles existed. Anything else is refused.
     pub(crate) async fn ensure_can_use_datatable_role(
         db: &DB,
         w_id: &str,
@@ -174,7 +174,9 @@ mod ce {
         _context: &str,
     ) -> Result<()> {
         let governing = resolve_governing_datatable(db, w_id, name).await?;
-        if governing.datatable.permissions.is_none() && role.is_none() {
+        if governing.datatable.permissions.is_none()
+            && role.is_none_or(|r| r == crate::datatable_roles::ADMIN_DATATABLE_ROLE)
+        {
             Ok(())
         } else {
             Err(unavailable())
diff --git a/backend/windmill-common/src/workspaces.rs b/backend/windmill-common/src/workspaces.rs
index e8974da0e8..3e8dd0aae5 100644
--- a/backend/windmill-common/src/workspaces.rs
+++ b/backend/windmill-common/src/workspaces.rs
@@ -1664,9 +1664,10 @@ pub async fn get_datatable_resource_from_db(
 ) -> Result<serde_json::Value> {
     let governing = resolve_governing_datatable(db, w_id, name).await?;
     let db_resource = resolve_datatable_connection_unchecked(db, &governing, false).await?;
-    // Not under roles and asked for none: the `admin` connection, as before roles existed, in
-    // every edition. Anything else is a role decision.
-    if governing.datatable.permissions.is_none() && role.is_none() {
+    // Not under roles and asked for none, or for `admin` by name: the `admin` connection, as before
+    // roles existed, in every edition. Anything else is a role decision. Every migration names
+    // `admin` explicitly, so an edition without roles must not treat that as one.
+    if governing.datatable.permissions.is_none() && role.is_none_or(|r| r == ADMIN_DATATABLE_ROLE) {
         return Ok(db_resource);
     }
     crate::datatable_roles_oss::resolve_datatable_role_connection(