diff --git a/backend/internal/database/db.go b/backend/internal/database/db.go
index 6e86641..68dcf13 100644
--- a/backend/internal/database/db.go
+++ b/backend/internal/database/db.go
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import (
 type Database interface {
 	AddUser(username string, password string) error
 	RemoveUser(username string) error
+	PromoteToAdmin(username string) error
 	GetUserId(username string) (int, error)
 	AddProject(name string, description string, username string) error
 	Migrate(dirname string) error
@@ -30,6 +31,7 @@ var scripts embed.FS
 
 const userInsert = "INSERT INTO users (username, password) VALUES (?, ?)"
 const projectInsert = "INSERT INTO projects (name, description, user_id) SELECT ?, ?, id FROM users WHERE username = ?"
+const promoteToAdmin = "INSERT INTO site_admin (admin_id) SELECT id FROM users WHERE username = ?"
 
 // DbConnect connects to the database
 func DbConnect(dbpath string) Database {
@@ -60,6 +62,11 @@ func (d *Db) RemoveUser(username string) error {
 	return err
 }
 
+func (d *Db) PromoteToAdmin(username string) error {
+	_, err := d.Exec(promoteToAdmin, username)
+	return err
+}
+
 func (d *Db) GetUserId(username string) (int, error) {
 	var id int
 	err := d.Get(&id, "SELECT id FROM users WHERE username = ?", username)
diff --git a/backend/internal/database/db_test.go b/backend/internal/database/db_test.go
index 6830668..7c7c003 100644
--- a/backend/internal/database/db_test.go
+++ b/backend/internal/database/db_test.go
@@ -74,3 +74,20 @@ func TestDbRemoveUser(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("RemoveUser failed:", err)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestPromoteToAdmin(t *testing.T) {
+	db, err := setupState()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error("setupState failed:", err)
+	}
+
+	err = db.AddUser("test", "password")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error("AddUser failed:", err)
+	}
+
+	err = db.PromoteToAdmin("test")
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error("PromoteToAdmin failed:", err)
+	}
+}