diff --git a/docs/deleting_teams.md b/docs/deleting_teams.md
index 368b31829..beaf800cb 100644
--- a/docs/deleting_teams.md
+++ b/docs/deleting_teams.md
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ have to perform the following operations:
    with owner B.
 2. Owner B visits the URL generated by owner A, and confirms the delete request.
 
+Both participants must be human users. Service accounts cannot request or confirm
+team deletion, even when assigned the Team owner role.
+
 Once a delete request is confirmed it **cannot** be aborted.
 
 Since a team has many external resources (GitHub team, GCP project, CDN bucket, ...) the deletion process is
diff --git a/integration_tests/confirm_team_deletion.lua b/integration_tests/confirm_team_deletion.lua
index b3b9486c6..0a7859deb 100644
--- a/integration_tests/confirm_team_deletion.lua
+++ b/integration_tests/confirm_team_deletion.lua
@@ -4,6 +4,9 @@ local user2 = User.new()
 
 team:addOwner(user1, user2)
 
+local serviceAccount = ServiceAccount.new("team-owner", team:slug())
+serviceAccount:assignRole("Team owner")
+
 Test.gql("Create delete key", function(t)
 	t.addHeader("x-user-email", user1:email())
 
@@ -56,6 +59,50 @@ Test.gql("Confirm team deletion with the same user", function(t)
 	}
 end)
 
+Test.gql("Service account owner cannot confirm team deletion", function(t)
+	t.addHeader("authorization", "Bearer " .. serviceAccount:token())
+
+	t.query(string.format([[
+		mutation {
+			confirmTeamDeletion(input: {
+				slug: "%s"
+				key: "%s"
+			}) {
+				deletionStarted
+			}
+		}
+	]], team:slug(), State.key))
+
+	t.check {
+		data = Null,
+		errors = {
+			{
+				locations = NotNull(),
+				message = "You are authenticated, but your account is not authorized to perform this action.",
+				path = { "confirmTeamDeletion" },
+			},
+		},
+	}
+end)
+
+Test.sql("Rejected service account confirmation leaves deletion pending", function(t)
+	t.queryRow([[
+		SELECT
+			team_delete_keys.confirmed_at,
+			teams.delete_key_confirmed_at,
+			(SELECT COUNT(*) FROM activity_log_entries WHERE team_slug = $2 AND action = 'CONFIRM_DELETE_KEY') AS activity_count
+		FROM team_delete_keys
+		JOIN teams ON teams.slug = team_delete_keys.team_slug
+		WHERE team_delete_keys.key = $1
+	]], State.key, team:slug())
+
+	t.check {
+		confirmed_at = Null,
+		delete_key_confirmed_at = Null,
+		activity_count = 0,
+	}
+end)
+
 Test.gql("Confirm team deletion", function(t)
 	t.addHeader("x-user-email", user2:email())
 
diff --git a/integration_tests/request_team_deletion.lua b/integration_tests/request_team_deletion.lua
index 8152dd340..55768a456 100644
--- a/integration_tests/request_team_deletion.lua
+++ b/integration_tests/request_team_deletion.lua
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ local user = User.new("Authenticated User", "auth@example.com", "auth-external-i
 team:addOwner(user)
 
 local otherUser = User.new("Other User", "other@example.com", "other")
+local serviceAccount = ServiceAccount.new("team-owner", team:slug())
+serviceAccount:assignRole("Team owner")
 
 local deleteKey = Helper.SQLQueryRow([[
 	INSERT INTO team_delete_keys (
@@ -14,6 +16,42 @@ local deleteKey = Helper.SQLQueryRow([[
 	) RETURNING key::TEXT;
 ]], team:slug(), otherUser:email())
 
+Test.gql("Service account owner cannot request team deletion", function(t)
+	t.addHeader("authorization", "Bearer " .. serviceAccount:token())
+
+	t.query(string.format([[
+		mutation {
+			requestTeamDeletion(input: { slug: "%s" }) {
+				key { key }
+			}
+		}
+	]], team:slug()))
+
+	t.check {
+		data = Null,
+		errors = {
+			{
+				locations = NotNull(),
+				message = "You are authenticated, but your account is not authorized to perform this action.",
+				path = { "requestTeamDeletion" },
+			},
+		},
+	}
+end)
+
+Test.sql("Rejected service account request creates no key or activity log", function(t)
+	t.queryRow([[
+		SELECT
+			(SELECT COUNT(*) FROM team_delete_keys WHERE team_slug = $1) AS key_count,
+			(SELECT COUNT(*) FROM activity_log_entries WHERE team_slug = $1 AND action = 'CREATE_DELETE_KEY') AS activity_count
+	]], team:slug())
+
+	t.check {
+		key_count = 1,
+		activity_count = 0,
+	}
+end)
+
 Test.gql("Request team deletion", function(t)
 	t.addHeader("x-user-email", user:email())
 
diff --git a/internal/auth/authz/authz_test.go b/internal/auth/authz/authz_test.go
index 5a8a9591c..d62e5dbe8 100644
--- a/internal/auth/authz/authz_test.go
+++ b/internal/auth/authz/authz_test.go
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package authz_test
 
 import (
 	"context"
+	"errors"
 	"testing"
 
 	"github.com/google/go-cmp/cmp"
@@ -34,3 +35,13 @@ func TestContextWithUser(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("diff: -want +got\n%s", diff)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestCanDeleteTeamRejectsServiceAccounts(t *testing.T) {
+	actor := authz.NewMockAuthenticatedUser(t)
+	actor.EXPECT().IsServiceAccount().Return(true).Once()
+
+	ctx := authz.ContextWithActor(context.Background(), actor, nil)
+	if err := authz.CanDeleteTeam(ctx, "some-team"); !errors.Is(err, authz.ErrUnauthorized) {
+		t.Fatalf("expected unauthorized error, got %v", err)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/auth/authz/queries.go b/internal/auth/authz/queries.go
index e9df53b29..b62feb0b2 100644
--- a/internal/auth/authz/queries.go
+++ b/internal/auth/authz/queries.go
@@ -265,6 +265,10 @@ func CanUpdateTeamMetadata(ctx context.Context, teamSlug slug.Slug) error {
 }
 
 func CanDeleteTeam(ctx context.Context, teamSlug slug.Slug) error {
+	if ActorFromContext(ctx).User.IsServiceAccount() {
+		return ErrUnauthorized
+	}
+
 	return requireTeamAuthorization(ctx, teamSlug, "teams:delete")
 }