diff --git a/admin/package-lock.json b/admin/package-lock.json
index f4ff924..39903f3 100644
--- a/admin/package-lock.json
+++ b/admin/package-lock.json
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
       "name": "admin",
       "version": "0.1.0",
       "dependencies": {
+        "@types/node-cron": "^3.0.11",
         "argon2": "^0.44.0",
         "bcrypt": "^5.1.1",
         "clsx": "^2.1.1",
@@ -16,6 +17,7 @@
         "jose": "^5.2.0",
         "lucide-react": "^0.344.0",
         "next": "16.2.4",
+        "node-cron": "^4.2.1",
         "pg": "^8.11.3",
         "react": "19.2.4",
         "react-dom": "19.2.4",
@@ -2042,6 +2044,12 @@
         "undici-types": "~6.21.0"
       }
     },
+    "node_modules/@types/node-cron": {
+      "version": "3.0.11",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmmirror.com/@types/node-cron/-/node-cron-3.0.11.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-0ikrnug3/IyneSHqCBeslAhlK2aBfYek1fGo4bP4QnZPmiqSGRK+Oy7ZMisLWkesffJvQ1cqAcBnJC+8+nxIAg==",
+      "license": "MIT"
+    },
     "node_modules/@types/pg": {
       "version": "8.20.0",
       "dev": true,
@@ -5564,6 +5572,15 @@
       "version": "5.1.0",
       "license": "MIT"
     },
+    "node_modules/node-cron": {
+      "version": "4.2.1",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmmirror.com/node-cron/-/node-cron-4.2.1.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-lgimEHPE/QDgFlywTd8yTR61ptugX3Qer29efeyWw2rv259HtGBNn1vZVmp8lB9uo9wC0t/AT4iGqXxia+CJFg==",
+      "license": "ISC",
+      "engines": {
+        "node": ">=6.0.0"
+      }
+    },
     "node_modules/node-exports-info": {
       "version": "1.6.0",
       "dev": true,
diff --git a/admin/package.json b/admin/package.json
index 540bd6f..9d0a27b 100644
--- a/admin/package.json
+++ b/admin/package.json
@@ -5,13 +5,15 @@
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "next dev",
     "build": "next build",
-    "start": "next start",
+    "start": "node server.js",
+    "start:original": "next start",
     "lint": "eslint",
     "db:migrate": "bun --env-file=.env.local src/lib/db/migrate.ts",
     "test": "playwright test",
     "test:ui": "playwright test --ui"
   },
   "dependencies": {
+    "@types/node-cron": "^3.0.11",
     "argon2": "^0.44.0",
     "bcrypt": "^5.1.1",
     "clsx": "^2.1.1",
@@ -20,6 +22,7 @@
     "jose": "^5.2.0",
     "lucide-react": "^0.344.0",
     "next": "16.2.4",
+    "node-cron": "^4.2.1",
     "pg": "^8.11.3",
     "react": "19.2.4",
     "react-dom": "19.2.4",
diff --git a/admin/server.js b/admin/server.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..62740c8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/admin/server.js
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+// Custom Next.js server with daily-report cron auto-start
+const { createServer } = require("http");
+const { parse } = require("url");
+const next = require("next");
+
+const dev = process.env.NODE_ENV !== "production";
+const hostname = "0.0.0.0";
+const port = parseInt(process.env.PORT || "3000", 10);
+
+const app = next({ dev, hostname, port });
+const handle = app.getRequestHandler();
+
+app.prepare().then(async () => {
+  // Start daily report cron before accepting requests
+  try {
+    const { startDailyReportCron } = require("./src/lib/daily-report-cron");
+    startDailyReportCron();
+    console.log("[server] Daily report cron started");
+  } catch (e) {
+    console.warn("[server] Failed to start daily report cron:", e.message);
+  }
+
+  createServer(async (req, res) => {
+    try {
+      const parsedUrl = parse(req.url, true);
+      await handle(req, res, parsedUrl);
+    } catch (err) {
+      console.error("Error occurred handling", req.url, err);
+      res.statusCode = 500;
+      res.end("internal server error");
+    }
+  }).once("error", (err) => {
+    console.error(err);
+    process.exit(1);
+  }).listen(port, () => {
+    console.log(`> Ready on http://${hostname}:${port}`);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/admin/src/app/api/cron-initialize/route.ts b/admin/src/app/api/cron-initialize/route.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8902804
--- /dev/null
+++ b/admin/src/app/api/cron-initialize/route.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+import { NextResponse } from "next/server";
+import { startDailyReportCron } from "@/lib/daily-report-cron";
+
+export const runtime = "nodejs";
+
+// Guard: only start cron once per server instance
+let started = false;
+
+export async function GET() {
+  if (started) {
+    return NextResponse.json({ status: "already_started" });
+  }
+  started = true;
+
+  startDailyReportCron();
+  return NextResponse.json({ status: "started" });
+}
diff --git a/admin/src/lib/daily-report-cron.ts b/admin/src/lib/daily-report-cron.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4efe2c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/admin/src/lib/daily-report-cron.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+/**
+ * Daily report cron scheduler.
+ * Uses node-cron to trigger report generation at midnight UTC every day.
+ * Started once per server instance via /api/cron-initialize.
+ */
+import cron from "node-cron";
+import { query } from "@/lib/db";
+
+// Whether report is currently running (prevents overlap)
+let isRunning = false;
+
+async function runReport() {
+  if (isRunning) {
+    console.log("[daily-report-cron] Previous run still in progress, skipping");
+    return;
+  }
+  isRunning = true;
+  console.log("[daily-report-cron] Starting daily report generation at", new Date().toISOString());
+
+  try {
+    // Verify report is enabled
+    const configRows = await query<{ config_key: string; config_value: string }>(
+      `SELECT config_key, config_value FROM admin_ai_config WHERE config_key = 'report_enabled'`
+    );
+    const enabled = configRows.rows[0]?.config_value === "true";
+    if (!enabled) {
+      console.log("[daily-report-cron] Report disabled, skipping");
+      return;
+    }
+
+    // Call generate endpoint internally (server-side fetch, no auth needed for cron)
+    const baseUrl = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL || `http://localhost:${process.env.PORT || 3000}`;
+    const res = await fetch(`${baseUrl}/api/admin/daily-report/generate`, {
+      method: "POST",
+      headers: {
+        "Content-Type": "application/json",
+        "x-cron-internal": "true", // internal marker, not x-cron-secret
+      },
+    });
+    const data = await res.json().catch(() => ({}));
+    console.log("[daily-report-cron] Result:", res.status, data);
+  } catch (e) {
+    console.error("[daily-report-cron] Error:", e);
+  } finally {
+    isRunning = false;
+  }
+}
+
+let task: ReturnType<typeof cron.schedule> | null = null;
+
+export function startDailyReportCron() {
+  if (task) {
+    console.log("[daily-report-cron] Already started");
+    return;
+  }
+
+  // Run at midnight UTC every day
+  task = cron.schedule("0 0 * * *", runReport, {
+    timezone: "UTC",
+  });
+
+  console.log("[daily-report-cron] Scheduled: daily at 00:00 UTC");
+}
+
+export function stopDailyReportCron() {
+  if (task) {
+    task.stop();
+    task = null;
+    console.log("[daily-report-cron] Stopped");
+  }
+}