diff --git a/lib/services/leantime-service.ts b/lib/services/leantime-service.ts
index c6c57169..05d16660 100644
--- a/lib/services/leantime-service.ts
+++ b/lib/services/leantime-service.ts
@@ -3,10 +3,12 @@ import axios from 'axios';
 export class LeantimeService {
   private apiUrl: string;
   private apiToken: string;
+  private apiUserId: string | null;
 
   constructor() {
     this.apiUrl = process.env.LEANTIME_API_URL || '';
     this.apiToken = process.env.LEANTIME_TOKEN || '';
+    this.apiUserId = null; // Will be fetched when needed
     console.log('LeantimeService initialized with URL:', this.apiUrl);
   }
   
@@ -224,6 +226,44 @@ export class LeantimeService {
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Get the API user's ID for use in project assignments
+   * This is useful when all other methods of user assignment fail
+   */
+  private async getApiUserId(): Promise<string | null> {
+    if (this.apiUserId) {
+      return this.apiUserId;
+    }
+
+    try {
+      const response = await axios.post(
+        this.getApiEndpoint(),
+        {
+          method: 'leantime.rpc.Auth.getCurrentUser',
+          jsonrpc: '2.0',
+          id: 1
+        },
+        {
+          headers: {
+            'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+            'X-API-Key': this.apiToken
+          }
+        }
+      );
+
+      if (response.data && response.data.result && response.data.result.id) {
+        this.apiUserId = response.data.result.id;
+        console.log(`Found API user ID: ${this.apiUserId}`);
+        return this.apiUserId;
+      }
+
+      return null;
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error('Error getting API user ID:', error);
+      return null;
+    }
+  }
+
   /**
    * Assign mission users to the Leantime project
    * @param projectId The Leantime project ID
@@ -245,6 +285,17 @@ export class LeantimeService {
     
     if (!missionUsers || missionUsers.length === 0) {
       console.log('No users to assign to the project.');
+
+      // Ensure at least the API user is assigned to prevent "Current team member is New API Access" issue
+      console.log('Ensuring API user is assigned to the project to prevent orphaned projects.');
+      const apiUserId = await this.getApiUserId();
+      if (apiUserId) {
+        try {
+          await this.assignApiUserToProject(projectId, apiUserId);
+        } catch (apiUserError) {
+          console.error('Error assigning API user to project:', apiUserError);
+        }
+      }
       return;
     }
     
@@ -278,6 +329,20 @@ export class LeantimeService {
         }
       }
       
+      // If no users were successfully assigned, assign the API user as a fallback
+      if (successCount === 0) {
+        console.log('No users successfully assigned. Adding API user as a fallback.');
+        const apiUserId = await this.getApiUserId();
+        if (apiUserId) {
+          try {
+            await this.assignApiUserToProject(projectId, apiUserId);
+            successCount++;
+          } catch (apiUserError) {
+            console.error('Error assigning API user to project:', apiUserError);
+          }
+        }
+      }
+      
       console.log(`User assignment complete: ${successCount} successful, ${errorCount} failed.`);
       
       if (errorCount > 0) {
@@ -286,10 +351,125 @@ export class LeantimeService {
     } catch (error) {
       console.error('Error assigning users to project:', error);
       console.log(`⚠️ Users will need to be added manually at: ${projectUrl}`);
-      // Continue even if some user assignments fail
+      
+      // Always ensure the API user is assigned as a last resort
+      try {
+        const apiUserId = await this.getApiUserId();
+        if (apiUserId) {
+          await this.assignApiUserToProject(projectId, apiUserId);
+          console.log('API user assigned as fallback to prevent orphaned project.');
+        }
+      } catch (apiUserError) {
+        console.error('Error assigning API user as fallback:', apiUserError);
+      }
     }
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Special method to assign the API user to a project
+   * This uses different approaches to try to ensure success
+   */
+  private async assignApiUserToProject(projectId: number, apiUserId: string): Promise<void> {
+    console.log(`Assigning API user ${apiUserId} to project ${projectId} as admin`);
+    
+    // Try various methods to assign the API user
+
+    // Method 1: Direct API assignment
+    try {
+      const response = await axios.post(
+        this.getApiEndpoint(),
+        {
+          method: 'leantime.rpc.Projects.Projects.addUser',
+          jsonrpc: '2.0',
+          id: 1,
+          params: {
+            projectId: projectId,
+            userId: apiUserId,
+            role: 'admin'  // API user gets admin to ensure full control
+          }
+        },
+        {
+          headers: {
+            'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+            'X-API-Key': this.apiToken
+          }
+        }
+      );
+
+      if (response.data && response.data.result) {
+        console.log(`Successfully assigned API user to project ${projectId}`);
+        return;
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.log('API user assignment method 1 failed, trying next method...');
+    }
+    
+    // Method 2: editUserProjectRelations
+    try {
+      const response = await axios.post(
+        this.getApiEndpoint(),
+        {
+          method: 'leantime.rpc.Projects.editUserProjectRelations',
+          jsonrpc: '2.0',
+          id: 1,
+          params: {
+            action: 'add',
+            userId: apiUserId,
+            projects: [{
+              id: projectId,
+              role: 'admin'
+            }]
+          }
+        },
+        {
+          headers: {
+            'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+            'X-API-Key': this.apiToken
+          }
+        }
+      );
+
+      if (response.data && response.data.result) {
+        console.log(`Successfully assigned API user to project ${projectId} (method 2)`);
+        return;
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.log('API user assignment method 2 failed, trying next method...');
+    }
+    
+    // Method 3: addProjectUser
+    try {
+      const response = await axios.post(
+        this.getApiEndpoint(),
+        {
+          method: 'leantime.rpc.Projects.addProjectUser',
+          jsonrpc: '2.0',
+          id: 1,
+          params: {
+            projectId: projectId,
+            userId: apiUserId,
+            role: 'admin'
+          }
+        },
+        {
+          headers: {
+            'Content-Type': 'application/json',
+            'X-API-Key': this.apiToken
+          }
+        }
+      );
+
+      if (response.data && response.data.result) {
+        console.log(`Successfully assigned API user to project ${projectId} (method 3)`);
+        return;
+      }
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.log('API user assignment method 3 failed.');
+    }
+
+    console.warn(`⚠️ Could not assign API user to project ${projectId}. The project may appear with "New API Access" as the only team member.`);
+  }
+
   /**
    * Assign a user to a project with the specified role
    * @param projectId The Leantime project ID