diff --git a/ui/src/components/LayoutShell.tsx b/ui/src/components/LayoutShell.tsx
index c166a16f..a503f673 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/LayoutShell.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/LayoutShell.tsx
@@ -503,30 +503,47 @@ function LayoutContent() {
     navigate('/login');
   }, [logout, navigate]);
 
+  const ADMIN_CATEGORIES = new Set(['user', 'group', 'role']);
+  const ADMIN_TAB_MAP: Record<string, string> = { user: 'users', group: 'groups', role: 'roles' };
+
   const handlePaletteSelect = useCallback((result: any) => {
     if (result.path) {
-      const state: Record<string, unknown> = { sidebarReveal: result.path };
-      if (result.category === 'exchange' || result.category === 'attribute') {
-        const parts = result.path.split('/').filter(Boolean);
-        if (parts.length === 4 && parts[0] === 'exchanges') {
-          state.selectedExchange = {
-            executionId: parts[3],
-            applicationId: parts[1],
-            routeId: parts[2],
-          };
+      if (ADMIN_CATEGORIES.has(result.category)) {
+        const itemId = result.id.split(':').slice(1).join(':');
+        navigate(result.path, {
+          state: { tab: ADMIN_TAB_MAP[result.category], highlight: itemId },
+        });
+      } else {
+        const state: Record<string, unknown> = { sidebarReveal: result.path };
+        if (result.category === 'exchange' || result.category === 'attribute') {
+          const parts = result.path.split('/').filter(Boolean);
+          if (parts.length === 4 && parts[0] === 'exchanges') {
+            state.selectedExchange = {
+              executionId: parts[3],
+              applicationId: parts[1],
+              routeId: parts[2],
+            };
+          }
         }
+        navigate(result.path, { state });
       }
-      navigate(result.path, { state });
     }
     setPaletteOpen(false);
   }, [navigate, setPaletteOpen]);
 
   const handlePaletteSubmit = useCallback((query: string) => {
-    const baseParts = ['/exchanges'];
-    if (scope.appId) baseParts.push(scope.appId);
-    if (scope.routeId) baseParts.push(scope.routeId);
-    navigate(`${baseParts.join('/')}?text=${encodeURIComponent(query)}`);
-  }, [navigate, scope.appId, scope.routeId]);
+    if (isAdminPage) {
+      // Navigate to top result — CommandPalette calls onSelect for the top result
+      // when Enter is pressed, so this is only reached if there are no results.
+      // Navigate to RBAC page as fallback.
+      navigate('/admin/rbac');
+    } else {
+      const baseParts = ['/exchanges'];
+      if (scope.appId) baseParts.push(scope.appId);
+      if (scope.routeId) baseParts.push(scope.routeId);
+      navigate(`${baseParts.join('/')}?text=${encodeURIComponent(query)}`);
+    }
+  }, [isAdminPage, navigate, scope.appId, scope.routeId]);
 
   const handleSidebarNavigate = useCallback((path: string) => {
     const state = { sidebarReveal: path };