diff --git a/app/Policies/CategoryPolicy.php b/app/Policies/CategoryPolicy.php
index 79a0fede1..fccb02a4b 100644
--- a/app/Policies/CategoryPolicy.php
+++ b/app/Policies/CategoryPolicy.php
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ declare(strict_types=1);
 
 namespace App\Policies;
 
-use Illuminate\Foundation\Auth\User;
+use App\Models\User;
 use TeamTeaTime\Forum\Models\Category;
 
 class CategoryPolicy extends \TeamTeaTime\Forum\Policies\CategoryPolicy
@@ -19,57 +19,66 @@ class CategoryPolicy extends \TeamTeaTime\Forum\Policies\CategoryPolicy
 
     public function manageThreads(mixed $user, Category $category): bool
     {
-        return $user->hasRole('Admin');
+        return $this->isAdmin($user);
     }
 
     public function deleteThreads(mixed $user, Category $category): bool
     {
-        return $user->hasRole('Admin');
+        return $this->isAdmin($user);
     }
 
     public function restoreThreads(mixed $user, Category $category): bool
     {
-        return $user->hasRole('Admin');
+        return $this->isAdmin($user);
     }
 
     public function enableThreads(mixed $user, Category $category): bool
     {
-        return $user->hasRole('Admin');
+        return $this->isAdmin($user);
     }
 
     public function moveThreadsFrom(mixed $user, Category $category): bool
     {
-        return $user->hasRole('Admin');
+        return $this->isAdmin($user);
     }
 
     public function moveThreadsTo(mixed $user, Category $category): bool
     {
-        return $user->hasRole('Admin');
+        return $this->isAdmin($user);
     }
 
     public function lockThreads(mixed $user, Category $category): bool
     {
-        return $user->hasRole('Admin');
+        return $this->isAdmin($user);
     }
 
     public function pinThreads(mixed $user, Category $category): bool
     {
-        return $user->hasRole('Admin');
+        return $this->isAdmin($user);
     }
 
     public function view(mixed $user, Category $category): bool
     {
-        return $user->hasAnyRole(['Admin', 'Moderator']);
+        return $this->canViewCategory($user);
     }
 
     public function delete(mixed $user, Category $category): bool
     {
-        return $user->hasRole('Admin');
+        return $this->isAdmin($user);
     }
 
-    public function edit(User $user, Category $category): bool
+    public function edit(mixed $user, Category $category): bool
     {
-        /** @var \App\Models\User $user */
-        return $user->hasRole('Admin');
+        return $this->isAdmin($user);
+    }
+
+    private function isAdmin(mixed $user): bool
+    {
+        return $user instanceof User && $user->hasRole('Admin');
+    }
+
+    private function canViewCategory(mixed $user): bool
+    {
+        return $user instanceof User && $user->hasAnyRole(['Admin', 'Moderator']);
     }
 }
diff --git a/app/Policies/PostPolicy.php b/app/Policies/PostPolicy.php
index c9cbf094a..e6b2c02c8 100644
--- a/app/Policies/PostPolicy.php
+++ b/app/Policies/PostPolicy.php
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ declare(strict_types=1);
 
 namespace App\Policies;
 
+use App\Models\User;
 use TeamTeaTime\Forum\Models\Post;
 
 class PostPolicy extends \TeamTeaTime\Forum\Policies\PostPolicy
@@ -11,18 +12,28 @@ class PostPolicy extends \TeamTeaTime\Forum\Policies\PostPolicy
     public function edit(mixed $user, Post $post): bool
     {
         // Admins can edit any post; users can edit their own
-        return $user->hasRole('Admin') || ($user->getKey() === $post->author_id); // @phpstan-ignore property.notFound
+        return $this->isAdmin($user) || $this->isPostAuthor($user, $post);
     }
 
     public function delete(mixed $user, Post $post): bool
     {
         // Admins can delete any post; users can delete their own
-        return $user->hasRole('Admin') || ($user->getKey() === $post->author_id); // @phpstan-ignore property.notFound
+        return $this->isAdmin($user) || $this->isPostAuthor($user, $post);
     }
 
     public function restore(mixed $user, Post $post): bool
     {
         // Admins can restore any post; users can restore their own
-        return $user->hasRole('Admin') || ($user->getKey() === $post->author_id); // @phpstan-ignore property.notFound
+        return $this->isAdmin($user) || $this->isPostAuthor($user, $post);
+    }
+
+    private function isAdmin(mixed $user): bool
+    {
+        return $user instanceof User && $user->hasRole('Admin');
+    }
+
+    private function isPostAuthor(mixed $user, Post $post): bool
+    {
+        return $user instanceof User && $user->getKey() === $post->author_id;
     }
 }
diff --git a/app/Policies/ThreadPolicy.php b/app/Policies/ThreadPolicy.php
index 54699d4b7..43bd1f6c9 100644
--- a/app/Policies/ThreadPolicy.php
+++ b/app/Policies/ThreadPolicy.php
@@ -4,55 +4,78 @@ declare(strict_types=1);
 
 namespace App\Policies;
 
+use App\Models\User;
 use TeamTeaTime\Forum\Models\Thread;
 
 class ThreadPolicy extends \TeamTeaTime\Forum\Policies\ThreadPolicy
 {
     public function view(mixed $user, Thread $thread): bool
     {
-        // Everyone (including Admin) can view by default
-        return parent::view($user, $thread);
+        // Guests can still view threads, but all mutating actions require auth.
+        return $user === null || parent::view($user, $thread);
     }
 
     public function rename(mixed $user, Thread $thread): bool
     {
         // Admins can rename any thread; users can rename their own
-        return $user->hasRole('Admin') || ($user->getKey() === $thread->author_id); // @phpstan-ignore property.notFound
+        return $this->isAdmin($user) || $this->isThreadAuthor($user, $thread);
     }
 
     public function reply(mixed $user, Thread $thread): bool
     {
+        if (! $user instanceof User) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
         // Admins can reply even if locked; otherwise respect lock state
-        return $user->hasRole('Admin') || (! $thread->locked);
+        return $this->isAdmin($user) || (! $thread->locked);
     }
 
     public function replyWithoutApproval(mixed $user, Thread $thread): bool
     {
         // Admins can reply to unapproved threads; otherwise only thread author
-        return $user->hasRole('Admin') || ($user->getKey() === $thread->author_id); // @phpstan-ignore property.notFound
+        return $this->isAdmin($user) || $this->isThreadAuthor($user, $thread);
     }
 
     public function delete(mixed $user, Thread $thread): bool
     {
         // Admins can delete any thread; users can delete their own
-        return $user->hasRole('Admin') || ($user->getKey() === $thread->author_id); // @phpstan-ignore property.notFound
+        return $this->isAdmin($user) || $this->isThreadAuthor($user, $thread);
     }
 
     public function restore(mixed $user, Thread $thread): bool
     {
         // Admins can restore any thread; users can restore their own
-        return $user->hasRole('Admin') || ($user->getKey() === $thread->author_id); // @phpstan-ignore property.notFound
+        return $this->isAdmin($user) || $this->isThreadAuthor($user, $thread);
     }
 
     public function deletePosts(mixed $user, Thread $thread): bool
     {
+        if (! $user instanceof User) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
         // Admins can delete posts in any thread; otherwise fall back to default (true)
-        return $user->hasRole('Admin') || parent::deletePosts($user, $thread);
+        return $this->isAdmin($user) || parent::deletePosts($user, $thread);
     }
 
     public function restorePosts(mixed $user, Thread $thread): bool
     {
+        if (! $user instanceof User) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
         // Admins can restore posts in any thread; otherwise fall back to default (true)
-        return $user->hasRole('Admin') || parent::restorePosts($user, $thread);
+        return $this->isAdmin($user) || parent::restorePosts($user, $thread);
+    }
+
+    private function isAdmin(mixed $user): bool
+    {
+        return $user instanceof User && $user->hasRole('Admin');
+    }
+
+    private function isThreadAuthor(mixed $user, Thread $thread): bool
+    {
+        return $user instanceof User && $user->getKey() === $thread->author_id;
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/Unit/Policies/ForumGuestPolicyTest.php b/tests/Unit/Policies/ForumGuestPolicyTest.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..41b4a115a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Unit/Policies/ForumGuestPolicyTest.php
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace Tests\Unit\Policies;
+
+use App\Policies\CategoryPolicy;
+use App\Policies\PostPolicy;
+use App\Policies\ThreadPolicy;
+use TeamTeaTime\Forum\Models\Category;
+use TeamTeaTime\Forum\Models\Post;
+use TeamTeaTime\Forum\Models\Thread;
+use Tests\TestCase;
+
+final class ForumGuestPolicyTest extends TestCase
+{
+    public function test_guest_category_actions_are_denied_without_throwing(): void
+    {
+        $policy = new CategoryPolicy;
+        $category = new Category;
+
+        $this->assertFalse($policy->manageThreads(null, $category));
+        $this->assertFalse($policy->deleteThreads(null, $category));
+        $this->assertFalse($policy->restoreThreads(null, $category));
+        $this->assertFalse($policy->lockThreads(null, $category));
+        $this->assertFalse($policy->pinThreads(null, $category));
+        $this->assertFalse($policy->moveThreadsFrom(null, $category));
+        $this->assertFalse($policy->view(null, $category));
+    }
+
+    public function test_guest_thread_actions_are_denied_but_threads_remain_viewable(): void
+    {
+        $policy = new ThreadPolicy;
+        $thread = new Thread([
+            'author_id' => 1,
+            'locked' => false,
+        ]);
+
+        $this->assertTrue($policy->view(null, $thread));
+        $this->assertFalse($policy->rename(null, $thread));
+        $this->assertFalse($policy->reply(null, $thread));
+        $this->assertFalse($policy->replyWithoutApproval(null, $thread));
+        $this->assertFalse($policy->delete(null, $thread));
+        $this->assertFalse($policy->restore(null, $thread));
+        $this->assertFalse($policy->deletePosts(null, $thread));
+        $this->assertFalse($policy->restorePosts(null, $thread));
+    }
+
+    public function test_guest_post_actions_are_denied_without_throwing(): void
+    {
+        $policy = new PostPolicy;
+        $post = new Post([
+            'author_id' => 1,
+        ]);
+
+        $this->assertFalse($policy->edit(null, $post));
+        $this->assertFalse($policy->delete(null, $post));
+        $this->assertFalse($policy->restore(null, $post));
+    }
+}