diff --git a/history/2026-09-28-railiance-admin-role.md b/history/2026-09-28-railiance-admin-role.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2c9e75f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/history/2026-09-28-railiance-admin-role.md
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# Railiance admin role — 2026-09-28
+
+Implemented under railiance-telemetry RTEL-WP-0002-T04 and explicit Bernd Worsch
+approval. Directory group `railiance-admins` now maps to the distinct
+`railiance-admin` role and platform tenant. It does not grant platform-operator;
+existing net-kingdom-admins behavior is preserved. All Go tests pass.
+
+A contained identity-provisioner operation verified that `tegwick` has the
+requested notification address and added only that group; other memberships
+were preserved. Signed claim proof awaits issuer rollout and real login.
+No credential value was printed, copied to source or returned to the agent.
+The native directory operation is recorded in telemetry's session evidence.
diff --git a/src/internal/adapters/lldap/adapter.go b/src/internal/adapters/lldap/adapter.go
index 5ac362a..e15cecd 100644
--- a/src/internal/adapters/lldap/adapter.go
+++ b/src/internal/adapters/lldap/adapter.go
@@ -358,8 +358,11 @@ func identityEnvelopeFromGroups(groups []string) (string, []string) {
 	tenants := make(map[string]bool)
 	admins := make(map[string]bool)
 	platformOperator := false
+	railianceAdmin := false
 	for _, group := range groups {
 		switch {
+		case group == "railiance-admins":
+			railianceAdmin = true
 		case group == "net-kingdom-admins":
 			platformOperator = true
 		case strings.HasPrefix(group, "tenant:") && strings.HasSuffix(group, ":users"):
@@ -374,7 +377,16 @@ func identityEnvelopeFromGroups(groups []string) (string, []string) {
 	// platform control-plane identity. Tenant envelopes must never narrow or
 	// ambiguously reinterpret platform authority.
 	if platformOperator {
-		return "tenant:platform", []string{"user", "platform-operator"}
+		roles := []string{"user", "platform-operator"}
+		if railianceAdmin {
+			roles = append(roles, "railiance-admin")
+		}
+		return "tenant:platform", roles
+	}
+	// This explicit directory group grants the named Railiance role only.
+	// It does not imply net-kingdom-admins or platform-operator authority.
+	if railianceAdmin {
+		return "tenant:platform", []string{"user", "railiance-admin"}
 	}
 	if len(tenants) != 1 {
 		return "", []string{}
diff --git a/src/internal/adapters/lldap/railiance_admin_test.go b/src/internal/adapters/lldap/railiance_admin_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d76e938
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/internal/adapters/lldap/railiance_admin_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+package lldap
+
+import (
+	"reflect"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestRailianceAdminGroupIsExplicitAndScoped(t *testing.T) {
+	cases := []struct {
+		groups []string
+		tenant string
+		roles  []string
+	}{
+		{[]string{"railiance-admins"}, "tenant:platform", []string{"user", "railiance-admin"}},
+		{[]string{"net-kingdom-admins"}, "tenant:platform", []string{"user", "platform-operator"}},
+		{[]string{"net-kingdom-admins", "railiance-admins"}, "tenant:platform", []string{"user", "platform-operator", "railiance-admin"}},
+		{[]string{"railiance-admin"}, "", []string{}},
+		{[]string{"tenant:friendly:other:admins"}, "tenant:friendly:other", []string{"user", "tenant-admin"}},
+	}
+	for _, c := range cases {
+		tenant, roles := identityEnvelopeFromGroups(c.groups)
+		if tenant != c.tenant || !reflect.DeepEqual(roles, c.roles) {
+			t.Fatalf("groups %v: got %q %v", c.groups, tenant, roles)
+		}
+	}
+}