diff --git a/ar-aging-app/README.md b/ar-aging-app/README.md
index 990da79..1563305 100644
--- a/ar-aging-app/README.md
+++ b/ar-aging-app/README.md
@@ -48,10 +48,10 @@ Key production behaviors:
   under another name is skipped. A month can never count a file twice.
 - **Login** (`AR_AUTH`) — per-user accounts via `manage.py add-user`; journal review/approval
   and FX confirmations record the signed-in user's verified name.
-- **Password self-service** — users change or recover passwords with a 6-digit code emailed
-  to their account address (Settings, or "Forgot password?" on the login screen). Sent via
-  the company Mail API (`AR_MAIL_API_*`), SMTP fallback; `manage.py set-password` remains
-  the admin override.
+- **Password self-service** — Settings changes the password with the current one; a
+  forgotten password is recovered from the login screen ("Forgot password?") via a 6-digit
+  code emailed to the account address (company Mail API `AR_MAIL_API_*`, SMTP fallback);
+  `manage.py set-password` remains the admin override.
 - **Exchange rates** — "Fetch month-end rates" pulls central-bank rates (Frankfurter, free,
   keyless; `AR_FX_PROVIDER`); fetched rates still require human confirmation (Control C5).
 - **Completed closings are locked** read-only; corrections need an explicit Reopen.
diff --git a/ar-aging-app/backend/app/api/auth.py b/ar-aging-app/backend/app/api/auth.py
index 9362b27..17eed93 100644
--- a/ar-aging-app/backend/app/api/auth.py
+++ b/ar-aging-app/backend/app/api/auth.py
@@ -173,15 +173,14 @@ def _user_from_request(request: Request) -> AuthUser | None:
 async def auth_middleware(request: Request, call_next):
     """Guards every /api/* route except OPEN_PATHS. Registered in api/main.py."""
     path = request.url.path.rstrip("/") or "/"
-    if path.startswith("/api") and path not in OPEN_PATHS:
+    if path.startswith("/api"):
+        # Identity is attached whenever a valid token is present — including on open
+        # paths, so e.g. a signed-in password-code request knows who is asking.
         user = _user_from_request(request)
-        if user is not None:
-            request.state.user = user
-        elif auth_required():
+        request.state.user = user
+        if user is None and path not in OPEN_PATHS and auth_required():
             return JSONResponse({"detail": "Not signed in (or the session expired). "
                                            "Sign in to continue."}, status_code=401)
-        else:
-            request.state.user = None
     return await call_next(request)
 
 
diff --git a/ar-aging-app/frontend/src/pages/Settings.tsx b/ar-aging-app/frontend/src/pages/Settings.tsx
index ed65a54..08b6827 100644
--- a/ar-aging-app/frontend/src/pages/Settings.tsx
+++ b/ar-aging-app/frontend/src/pages/Settings.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { useAuth } from "../auth";
 
 export default function Settings() {
   const { data: health } = useQuery({ queryKey: ["health"], queryFn: api.health });
-  const { user, emailEnabled } = useAuth();
+  const { user } = useAuth();
 
   return (
     <div className="p-6 max-w-3xl mx-auto space-y-6">
@@ -16,9 +16,7 @@ export default function Settings() {
         <p className="text-sm text-subink">Application defaults and security posture.</p>
       </header>
 
-      {user && (emailEnabled
-        ? <ChangePasswordByCode username={user.username} />
-        : <ChangePassword username={user.username} />)}
+      {user && <ChangePassword username={user.username} />}
 
       <Section title="Processing defaults">
         <dl className="divide-y divide-line">
@@ -63,79 +61,6 @@ export default function Settings() {
   );
 }
 
-/** Code-based update: a 6-digit code is emailed to the signed-in account, then the new
- *  password is set with it — shown when the server has email configured. */
-function ChangePasswordByCode({ username }: { username: string }) {
-  const [sent, setSent] = useState(false);
-  const [code, setCode] = useState("");
-  const [next, setNext] = useState("");
-  const [repeat, setRepeat] = useState("");
-
-  const send = useMutation({
-    mutationFn: () => api.requestPasswordCode(),
-    onSuccess: () => setSent(true),
-  });
-  const reset = useMutation({
-    mutationFn: () => api.resetPassword(code.trim(), next),
-    onSuccess: () => { setCode(""); setNext(""); setRepeat(""); setSent(false); },
-  });
-
-  const mismatch = repeat.length > 0 && next !== repeat;
-  const ready = code.length === 6 && next.length >= 8 && next === repeat;
-
-  const submit = (e: FormEvent) => {
-    e.preventDefault();
-    if (ready) reset.mutate();
-  };
-
-  return (
-    <Section title="Change my password"
-      subtitle={`A 6-digit code is emailed to ${username} — enter it with your new password.`}>
-      <form onSubmit={submit} className="p-4 space-y-3">
-        <div className="flex items-center gap-3 flex-wrap">
-          <button type="button" className="btn-ghost" disabled={send.isPending}
-            onClick={() => send.mutate()}>
-            {send.isPending ? <Spinner /> : <KeyRound size={15} />}
-            {sent ? "Resend code" : "Email me a code"}
-          </button>
-          {send.isSuccess && <span className="text-xs text-ok">Code sent — check your inbox (valid 10 minutes).</span>}
-          {send.isError && <span className="text-xs text-bad">{(send.error as Error).message}</span>}
-        </div>
-
-        {sent && (
-          <div className="grid grid-cols-1 sm:grid-cols-3 gap-3 items-end">
-            <label className="text-sm">
-              <span className="block text-xs font-medium text-subink mb-1">6-digit code</span>
-              <input className="input num tracking-[0.3em] text-center" inputMode="numeric"
-                maxLength={6} autoFocus placeholder="••••••" value={code}
-                onChange={(e) => setCode(e.target.value.replace(/\D/g, ""))} />
-            </label>
-            <label className="text-sm">
-              <span className="block text-xs font-medium text-subink mb-1">New password (min 8)</span>
-              <input className="input" type="password" autoComplete="new-password"
-                value={next} onChange={(e) => setNext(e.target.value)} />
-            </label>
-            <label className="text-sm">
-              <span className="block text-xs font-medium text-subink mb-1">Repeat new password</span>
-              <input className="input" type="password" autoComplete="new-password"
-                value={repeat} onChange={(e) => setRepeat(e.target.value)} />
-            </label>
-            <div className="sm:col-span-3 flex items-center gap-3 flex-wrap">
-              <button className="btn-primary" type="submit" disabled={!ready || reset.isPending}>
-                {reset.isPending ? <Spinner /> : <KeyRound size={15} />} Update password
-              </button>
-              {mismatch && <span className="text-xs text-bad">Passwords don't match.</span>}
-              {reset.isError && <span className="text-xs text-bad">{(reset.error as Error).message}</span>}
-            </div>
-          </div>
-        )}
-        {reset.isSuccess && !sent &&
-          <p className="text-xs text-ok">Password updated — use it from your next sign-in.</p>}
-      </form>
-    </Section>
-  );
-}
-
 function ChangePassword({ username }: { username: string }) {
   const [current, setCurrent] = useState("");
   const [next, setNext] = useState("");
@@ -156,7 +81,7 @@ function ChangePassword({ username }: { username: string }) {
 
   return (
     <Section title="Change my password"
-      subtitle={`Signed in as ${username}. Forgot the current one? An administrator can reset it on the server (manage.py set-password).`}>
+      subtitle={`Signed in as ${username}. Forgot the current one? Sign out and use "Forgot password?" on the login screen — a code is emailed to you.`}>
       <form onSubmit={submit} className="p-4 grid grid-cols-1 sm:grid-cols-3 gap-3 items-end">
         <label className="text-sm">
           <span className="block text-xs font-medium text-subink mb-1">Current password</span>