diff --git a/apps/manager/src/app/api/auth/login/route.ts b/apps/manager/src/app/api/auth/login/route.ts
index fe96a48b3..83addbb86 100644
--- a/apps/manager/src/app/api/auth/login/route.ts
+++ b/apps/manager/src/app/api/auth/login/route.ts
@@ -68,13 +68,18 @@ export async function POST(request: Request) {
   }
 
   const cookieStore = await cookies()
-  cookieStore.set("strapi-jwt", jwt, {
-    httpOnly: true,
+  const cookieOpts = {
     secure: process.env.NODE_ENV === "production",
-    sameSite: "lax",
+    sameSite: "lax" as const,
     path: "/",
     maxAge: 60 * 60 * 24 * 7, // 7 days
-  })
+  }
+  cookieStore.set("strapi-jwt", jwt, { ...cookieOpts, httpOnly: true })
+  cookieStore.set(
+    "manager-user",
+    JSON.stringify({ username: user.username, email: user.email }),
+    cookieOpts,
+  )
 
   return NextResponse.json({
     user: { id: user.id, email: user.email, role: user.role?.name },
diff --git a/apps/manager/src/app/api/auth/logout/route.ts b/apps/manager/src/app/api/auth/logout/route.ts
index 045577984..9c6a29935 100644
--- a/apps/manager/src/app/api/auth/logout/route.ts
+++ b/apps/manager/src/app/api/auth/logout/route.ts
@@ -4,5 +4,6 @@ import { NextResponse } from "next/server"
 export async function POST() {
   const cookieStore = await cookies()
   cookieStore.delete("strapi-jwt")
+  cookieStore.delete("manager-user")
   return NextResponse.json({ success: true })
 }
diff --git a/apps/manager/src/app/dashboard/layout.tsx b/apps/manager/src/app/dashboard/layout.tsx
index 7b0acf3d7..9e8b3e3d3 100644
--- a/apps/manager/src/app/dashboard/layout.tsx
+++ b/apps/manager/src/app/dashboard/layout.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import type { Metadata } from "next"
+import { cookies } from "next/headers"
+import { redirect } from "next/navigation"
 import { DashboardNav } from "@/features/nav/dashboard-nav"
-import { requireAuth } from "@/lib/require-auth"
 
 export const metadata: Metadata = {
   title: "Dashboard — VideoForge Manager",
@@ -11,7 +12,27 @@ export default async function DashboardLayout({
 }: {
   children: React.ReactNode
 }) {
-  const user = await requireAuth()
+  const cookieStore = await cookies()
+  const jwt = cookieStore.get("strapi-jwt")?.value
+  if (!jwt) {
+    redirect("/login")
+  }
+
+  // Read display-only user info from cookie set at login.
+  // No Strapi call — avoids spurious logouts from transient upstream failures.
+  const raw = cookieStore.get("manager-user")?.value
+  let user = { username: "User", email: "" }
+  if (raw) {
+    try {
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(raw) as { username?: string; email?: string }
+      user = {
+        username: parsed.username ?? "User",
+        email: parsed.email ?? "",
+      }
+    } catch {
+      // Corrupted cookie — use defaults, don't block the page
+    }
+  }
 
   return (
     <main className="dashboard-main">
diff --git a/apps/manager/src/lib/require-auth.ts b/apps/manager/src/lib/require-auth.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 482eaaa59..000000000
--- a/apps/manager/src/lib/require-auth.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,25 +0,0 @@
-// Server component authentication guard.
-// Validates the Strapi JWT signature via /api/users/me and ensures the Manager role.
-// Redirects to /login if authentication fails.
-
-import { cookies } from "next/headers"
-import { redirect } from "next/navigation"
-import { verifyStrapiJwtWithRole } from "@/lib/auth"
-
-type AuthUser = { username: string; email: string }
-
-export async function requireAuth(): Promise<AuthUser> {
-  const cookieStore = await cookies()
-  const jwt = cookieStore.get("strapi-jwt")?.value
-
-  if (!jwt) {
-    redirect("/login")
-  }
-
-  const user = await verifyStrapiJwtWithRole(jwt)
-  if (!user || user.role?.name !== "Manager") {
-    redirect("/login")
-  }
-
-  return { username: user.username, email: user.email }
-}