diff --git a/backend/src/controllers/permissionsController.js b/backend/src/controllers/permissionsController.js
index 68c8cf4..e953380 100644
--- a/backend/src/controllers/permissionsController.js
+++ b/backend/src/controllers/permissionsController.js
@@ -203,9 +203,15 @@ function setPermission(req, res) {
     return res.status(400).json({ error: 'Invalid role' });
   if (!ALL_PERMISSIONS.find(p => p.key === permission && p.role === role))
     return res.status(400).json({ error: 'Unknown permission' });
-  db.prepare(
-    'INSERT OR REPLACE INTO role_permissions (role, permission, enabled) VALUES (?, ?, ?)'
-  ).run(role, permission, enabled ? 1 : 0);
+  db.transaction(() => {
+    db.prepare(
+      'INSERT OR REPLACE INTO role_permissions (role, permission, enabled) VALUES (?, ?, ?)'
+    ).run(role, permission, enabled ? 1 : 0);
+    // Invalidate JWTs for all users of that role so the change takes effect immediately
+    db.prepare(
+      'UPDATE users SET token_version = token_version + 1 WHERE role = ?'
+    ).run(role);
+  })();
   res.json({ ok: true });
 }
 
@@ -239,19 +245,19 @@ function getMyPermissions(req, res) {
 /* ── GET /api/permissions/users/:id ──────────────────────────────────── */
 function getUserPermissions(req, res) {
   const uid = Number(req.params.id);
-  const target = require('../db/db').prepare('SELECT id, role FROM users WHERE id = ?').get(uid);
+  const target = db.prepare('SELECT id, role FROM users WHERE id = ?').get(uid);
   if (!target) return res.status(404).json({ error: 'User not found' });
 
   seedDefaults();
   // role-level values
-  const roleRows = require('../db/db').prepare(
+  const roleRows = db.prepare(
     'SELECT permission, enabled FROM role_permissions WHERE role = ?'
   ).all(target.role);
   const roleMap = {};
   for (const r of roleRows) roleMap[r.permission] = r.enabled === 1;
 
   // user-level overrides
-  const userRows = require('../db/db').prepare(
+  const userRows = db.prepare(
     'SELECT permission, enabled FROM user_permissions WHERE user_id = ?'
   ).all(uid);
   const userMap = {};
@@ -274,13 +280,19 @@ function getUserPermissions(req, res) {
 function setUserPermission(req, res) {
   const uid = Number(req.params.id);
   const { permission, enabled } = req.body;
-  const target = require('../db/db').prepare('SELECT role FROM users WHERE id = ?').get(uid);
+  const target = db.prepare('SELECT role FROM users WHERE id = ?').get(uid);
   if (!target) return res.status(404).json({ error: 'User not found' });
   if (!ALL_PERMISSIONS.find(p => p.key === permission && p.role === target.role))
     return res.status(400).json({ error: 'Unknown permission for this role' });
-  require('../db/db').prepare(
-    'INSERT OR REPLACE INTO user_permissions (user_id, permission, enabled) VALUES (?, ?, ?)'
-  ).run(uid, permission, enabled ? 1 : 0);
+  db.transaction(() => {
+    db.prepare(
+      'INSERT OR REPLACE INTO user_permissions (user_id, permission, enabled) VALUES (?, ?, ?)'
+    ).run(uid, permission, enabled ? 1 : 0);
+    // Invalidate existing JWT for this user immediately
+    db.prepare(
+      'UPDATE users SET token_version = token_version + 1 WHERE id = ?'
+    ).run(uid);
+  })();
   res.json({ ok: true });
 }
 
@@ -289,11 +301,11 @@ function resetUserPermissions(req, res) {
   const uid = Number(req.params.id);
   const { permission } = req.body; // optional: reset one key
   if (permission) {
-    require('../db/db').prepare(
+    db.prepare(
       'DELETE FROM user_permissions WHERE user_id = ? AND permission = ?'
     ).run(uid, permission);
   } else {
-    require('../db/db').prepare('DELETE FROM user_permissions WHERE user_id = ?').run(uid);
+    db.prepare('DELETE FROM user_permissions WHERE user_id = ?').run(uid);
   }
   res.json({ ok: true });
 }