diff --git a/src/app/api/teams/[teamId]/users/[userId]/route.ts b/src/app/api/teams/[teamId]/users/[userId]/route.ts
index d09af9da6..32d820215 100644
--- a/src/app/api/teams/[teamId]/users/[userId]/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/teams/[teamId]/users/[userId]/route.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { z } from 'zod';
+import { TEAM_ROLE_RANK } from '@/lib/constants';
 import { parseRequest } from '@/lib/request';
 import { badRequest, json, ok, unauthorized } from '@/lib/response';
 import { teamRoleParam } from '@/lib/schema';
@@ -52,6 +53,17 @@ export async function POST(
     return badRequest({ message: 'The User does not exists on this team.' });
   }
 
+  // Server-side rank check: actor must outrank target to modify their role.
+  if (!auth.user.isAdmin) {
+    const actorTeamUser = await getTeamUser(teamId, auth.user.id);
+    const actorRank = TEAM_ROLE_RANK[actorTeamUser?.role] ?? -1;
+    const targetRank = TEAM_ROLE_RANK[teamUser.role] ?? -1;
+
+    if (actorRank <= targetRank) {
+      return unauthorized({ message: 'You do not have permission to modify this user.' });
+    }
+  }
+
   const user = await updateTeamUser(teamUser.id, body);
 
   return json(user);
@@ -79,6 +91,17 @@ export async function DELETE(
     return badRequest({ message: 'The User does not exists on this team.' });
   }
 
+  // Server-side rank check: actor must outrank target to remove them.
+  if (!auth.user.isAdmin && userId !== auth.user.id) {
+    const actorTeamUser = await getTeamUser(teamId, auth.user.id);
+    const actorRank = TEAM_ROLE_RANK[actorTeamUser?.role] ?? -1;
+    const targetRank = TEAM_ROLE_RANK[teamUser.role] ?? -1;
+
+    if (actorRank <= targetRank) {
+      return unauthorized({ message: 'You do not have permission to remove this user.' });
+    }
+  }
+
   await deleteTeamUser(teamId, userId);
 
   return ok();
diff --git a/src/lib/constants.ts b/src/lib/constants.ts
index 6a85c082f..5b0ce277c 100644
--- a/src/lib/constants.ts
+++ b/src/lib/constants.ts
@@ -180,6 +180,13 @@ export const ROLES = {
   teamViewOnly: 'team-view-only',
 } as const;
 
+export const TEAM_ROLE_RANK: Record<string, number> = {
+  [ROLES.teamViewOnly]: 0,
+  [ROLES.teamMember]: 1,
+  [ROLES.teamManager]: 2,
+  [ROLES.teamOwner]: 3,
+} as const;
+
 export const PERMISSIONS = {
   all: 'all',
   websiteCreate: 'website:create',