diff --git a/src/components/portal/portal-ticket-detail.tsx b/src/components/portal/portal-ticket-detail.tsx
index b0cb970..c1fb29b 100644
--- a/src/components/portal/portal-ticket-detail.tsx
+++ b/src/components/portal/portal-ticket-detail.tsx
@@ -277,9 +277,14 @@ export function PortalTicketDetail({ ticketId }: PortalTicketDetailProps) {
 
   const viewerId = convexUserId ?? null
   const viewerRole = (role ?? "").toLowerCase()
+  const viewerEmail = (session?.user.email ?? machineContext?.assignedUserEmail ?? "")
+    .trim()
+    .toLowerCase()
   const reopenDeadline = ticket?.reopenDeadline ?? null
-  const isRequester =
-    Boolean(ticket?.requester?.id) && Boolean(viewerId) && ticket?.requester?.id === viewerId
+  const requesterEmail = (ticket?.requester?.email ?? "").trim().toLowerCase()
+  const isRequesterById = Boolean(ticket?.requester?.id && viewerId && ticket.requester.id === viewerId)
+  const isRequesterByEmail = Boolean(viewerEmail && requesterEmail && viewerEmail === requesterEmail)
+  const isRequester = isRequesterById || isRequesterByEmail
   const reopenWindowActive = reopenDeadline ? reopenDeadline > Date.now() : false
   const canReopenTicket =
     !!ticket &&