diff --git a/frontend/src/components/FleetView/NodeCard.tsx b/frontend/src/components/FleetView/NodeCard.tsx
index ed864119..818b3e9c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/FleetView/NodeCard.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/FleetView/NodeCard.tsx
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import { apiFetch } from '@/lib/api';
 import { toast } from '@/components/ui/toast-store';
 import { formatVersion } from '@/lib/version';
 import { useAuth } from '@/context/AuthContext';
-import { useLicense } from '@/context/LicenseContext';
 import { useNodes, type Node } from '@/context/NodeContext';
 import { cordonNode, uncordonNode } from '@/lib/nodesApi';
 import { UpdateStatusBadge } from './UpdateStatusBadge';
@@ -77,15 +76,13 @@ export function NodeCard({ node, onNavigate, onOpenNetworking, networkingSignal,
     const [cordonSubmitting, setCordonSubmitting] = useState(false);
 
     const { isAdmin, can } = useAuth();
-    const { isPaid } = useLicense();
     const { nodes: registryNodes } = useNodes();
     const registryNode = registryNodes.find(n => n.id === node.id);
     const isLastLocal = registryNode?.type === 'local' && registryNodes.filter(n => n.type === 'local').length <= 1;
     const canEdit = Boolean(isAdmin && onEdit && registryNode);
     const canDelete = Boolean(isAdmin && onDelete && registryNode && !registryNode.is_default && !isLastLocal);
-    // Cordon requires the paid tier AND node:manage, matching the backend guard
-    // (requirePermission('node:manage','node',id) + requirePaid).
-    const canCordon = isPaid && can('node:manage', 'node', String(node.id));
+    // Cordon is permission-gated only (node:manage), matching the backend route guard.
+    const canCordon = can('node:manage', 'node', String(node.id));
     const nodeMuteActions = useNodeMuteActions(
         node.id,
         node.name,
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/FleetView/__tests__/NodeCard.test.tsx b/frontend/src/components/FleetView/__tests__/NodeCard.test.tsx
index 94ce2185..a94ee6ee 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/FleetView/__tests__/NodeCard.test.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/FleetView/__tests__/NodeCard.test.tsx
@@ -2,11 +2,9 @@ import { describe, it, expect, beforeEach, afterEach, vi } from 'vitest';
 import { render, screen } from '@testing-library/react';
 import userEvent from '@testing-library/user-event';
 
-const useLicenseMock = vi.fn();
 const useAuthMock = vi.fn();
 const useNodesMock = vi.fn();
 
-vi.mock('@/context/LicenseContext', () => ({ useLicense: () => useLicenseMock() }));
 vi.mock('@/context/AuthContext', () => ({ useAuth: () => useAuthMock() }));
 vi.mock('@/context/NodeContext', () => ({ useNodes: () => useNodesMock() }));
 vi.mock('@/lib/api', () => ({ apiFetch: vi.fn() }));
@@ -36,7 +34,6 @@ function baseProps(node: FleetNode) {
 beforeEach(() => {
   useNodesMock.mockReturnValue({ nodes: [], hasCapability: vi.fn(() => false) });
   useAuthMock.mockReturnValue({ isAdmin: true, can: vi.fn(() => true) });
-  useLicenseMock.mockReturnValue({ isPaid: false });
 });
 afterEach(() => vi.clearAllMocks());
 
@@ -55,31 +52,9 @@ describe('NodeCard', () => {
     expect(screen.queryByText('Running')).not.toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
-  it('hides the actions menu for a free-tier user', () => {
-    useLicenseMock.mockReturnValue({ isPaid: false });
-    render(<NodeCard {...baseProps(onlineNode())} />);
-    expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Node actions' })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
-  });
-
-  it('hides the actions menu for a Community admin with node:manage when cordon requires Admiral', () => {
-    useLicenseMock.mockReturnValue({ isPaid: false });
-    render(<NodeCard {...baseProps(onlineNode())} />);
-    // Cordon is Admiral-only; without edit/delete props, no menu items are available to Community.
-    expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Node actions' })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
-  });
-
-  it('exposes the actions menu (cordon entry point) for a paid admin', () => {
-    useLicenseMock.mockReturnValue({ isPaid: true });
-    render(<NodeCard {...baseProps(onlineNode())} />);
-    // With no edit/delete affordances wired, the menu renders iff cordon is
-    // allowed: isPaid && can('node:manage'). The admin's can() returns true.
-    expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Node actions' })).toBeInTheDocument();
-  });
-
-  it('exposes the cordon control for an Admiral node-admin via the node:manage permission', async () => {
+  it('exposes the actions menu and Cordon node for a user with node:manage', async () => {
     const can = vi.fn((action: string) => action === 'node:manage');
     useAuthMock.mockReturnValue({ isAdmin: false, can });
-    useLicenseMock.mockReturnValue({ isPaid: true });
     render(<NodeCard {...baseProps(onlineNode())} />);
 
     await userEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Node actions' }));
@@ -87,18 +62,15 @@ describe('NodeCard', () => {
     expect(can).toHaveBeenCalledWith('node:manage', 'node', '2');
   });
 
-  it('hides the cordon control from a paid user lacking node:manage', () => {
+  it('hides the cordon control from a user lacking node:manage', () => {
     useAuthMock.mockReturnValue({ isAdmin: false, can: vi.fn(() => false) });
-    useLicenseMock.mockReturnValue({ isPaid: true });
     render(<NodeCard {...baseProps(onlineNode())} />);
-    // The paid tier alone must not surface cordon to a deployer/viewer/auditor.
     expect(screen.queryByRole('button', { name: 'Node actions' })).not.toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
   it('shows Uncordon when the node is already cordoned', async () => {
     const can = vi.fn((action: string) => action === 'node:manage');
     useAuthMock.mockReturnValue({ isAdmin: false, can });
-    useLicenseMock.mockReturnValue({ isPaid: true });
     render(<NodeCard {...baseProps({ ...onlineNode(), cordoned: true, cordoned_reason: 'patching' })} />);
 
     await userEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Node actions' }));
@@ -111,13 +83,13 @@ describe('NodeCard', () => {
   };
 
   it('renders the update button for an admin when an update is available', () => {
-    useAuthMock.mockReturnValue({ isAdmin: true });
+    useAuthMock.mockReturnValue({ isAdmin: true, can: vi.fn(() => true) });
     render(<NodeCard {...baseProps(onlineNode())} updateStatus={updateAvailableStatus} onUpdate={vi.fn()} />);
     expect(screen.getByRole('button', { name: /Update/ })).toBeInTheDocument();
   });
 
   it('hides the update button and shows Pinned when updateBlocked', () => {
-    useAuthMock.mockReturnValue({ isAdmin: true });
+    useAuthMock.mockReturnValue({ isAdmin: true, can: vi.fn(() => true) });
     render(
       <NodeCard
         {...baseProps(onlineNode())}