diff --git a/e2e_test.go b/e2e_test.go
index ae9df87..a25516e 100644
--- a/e2e_test.go
+++ b/e2e_test.go
@@ -943,4 +943,48 @@ func TestE2E(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 		})
 	})
+
+	t.Run("Namespace_ExplicitCreate", func(t *testing.T) {
+		nsDir, err := os.MkdirTemp("", "ax-ns-*")
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		defer os.RemoveAll(nsDir)
+		if err := exec.Command("cp", "./ax", filepath.Join(nsDir, "ax")).Run(); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		env := &testEnv{t: t, dir: nsDir, user: "testuser"}
+		env.mustAx("init")
+
+		// Explicitly create a namespace node via --type namespace.
+		nsNode := env.parseNode(env.mustAx("add", "myworkspace", "--type", "namespace", "--json"))
+
+		// The namespace should be in its own namespace (self-reference).
+		if !nsNode.HasRelation("in_namespace", nsNode.ID) {
+			t.Errorf("expected namespace to have in_namespace pointing to itself, got relations: %v", nsNode.Relations)
+		}
+
+		// The creator should have write access to the new namespace.
+		users := env.parseNodes(env.mustAx("list", "--type", "user", "--json"))
+		var userNode *NodeResponse
+		for i := range users {
+			if users[i].Title == "testuser" {
+				userNode = &users[i]
+				break
+			}
+		}
+		if userNode == nil {
+			t.Fatal("could not find testuser node")
+		}
+		if !userNode.HasRelation("has_write_access", nsNode.ID) {
+			t.Errorf("expected creator to have has_write_access to new namespace, got relations: %v", userNode.Relations)
+		}
+
+		// Nodes added to the new namespace should be accessible.
+		env.mustAx("add", "task in workspace", "--namespace", "myworkspace", "--json")
+		listed := env.parseNodes(env.mustAx("list", "--namespace", "myworkspace", "--json"))
+		if len(listed) == 0 {
+			t.Error("expected to list nodes in newly created namespace")
+		}
+	})
 }
diff --git a/service/node_service_impl.go b/service/node_service_impl.go
index 5be4152..dd27153 100644
--- a/service/node_service_impl.go
+++ b/service/node_service_impl.go
@@ -328,6 +328,30 @@ func (s *nodeServiceImpl) Add(input AddInput) (*models.Node, error) {
 			}
 		}
 
+		// Namespace bootstrap: when creating a namespace node directly, apply the
+		// same setup as ensureNamespace — self in_namespace and creator write access.
+		if tmp.GetProperty("type") == "namespace" {
+			if !hasNamespace {
+				// Replace the default namespace rel (user's ns) with self-reference.
+				userNsID, _ := s.resolveIDByNameAndType(st, s.userID, "namespace")
+				if userNsID != "" {
+					if err := st.RemoveRel(id, string(models.RelInNamespace), userNsID); err != nil {
+						return err
+					}
+				}
+				if err := st.AddRel(id, string(models.RelInNamespace), id); err != nil {
+					return err
+				}
+			}
+			creatorID, err := s.resolveUserRef(st, s.userID)
+			if err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+			if err := st.AddRel(creatorID, string(models.RelHasWriteAccess), id); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+
 		return nil
 	})
 	if err != nil {