diff --git a/src/client/Transport.ts b/src/client/Transport.ts
index c1307af69..e5311e165 100644
--- a/src/client/Transport.ts
+++ b/src/client/Transport.ts
@@ -640,7 +640,7 @@ export class Transport {
   private onSendKickPlayerIntent(event: SendKickPlayerIntentEvent) {
     this.sendIntent({
       type: "kick_player",
-      target: event.target,
+      targetClientID: event.target,
     });
   }
 
diff --git a/src/core/Schemas.ts b/src/core/Schemas.ts
index eeccfd94c..4884103df 100644
--- a/src/core/Schemas.ts
+++ b/src/core/Schemas.ts
@@ -477,7 +477,11 @@ export const MarkDisconnectedIntentSchema = z.object({
 
 export const KickPlayerIntentSchema = z.object({
   type: z.literal("kick_player"),
-  target: ID,
+  // Either a live clientID (lobby / in-game kick) OR an account publicID, for
+  // callers that identify a player by account rather than per-session clientID;
+  // the server resolves the publicID to the live clientID. Exactly one is set.
+  targetClientID: ID.optional(),
+  targetPublicID: ID.optional(),
 });
 
 export const TogglePauseIntentSchema = z.object({
diff --git a/src/server/GameServer.ts b/src/server/GameServer.ts
index 43b7b5d55..8ad31145c 100644
--- a/src/server/GameServer.ts
+++ b/src/server/GameServer.ts
@@ -265,7 +265,19 @@ export class GameServer {
             error: "only the lobby creator or an admin can kick players",
           };
         }
-        if (stamped.clientID === stamped.target) {
+        // Resolve the target to a live clientID: an explicit clientID, or an
+        // account publicId matched against the connected clients (for callers
+        // that know the account but not the per-session clientID).
+        let target = stamped.targetClientID;
+        if (target === undefined && stamped.targetPublicID !== undefined) {
+          target = this.activeClients.find(
+            (c) => c.publicId === stamped.targetPublicID,
+          )?.clientID;
+        }
+        if (target === undefined) {
+          return { status: 404, error: "no matching player to kick" };
+        }
+        if (stamped.clientID === target) {
           return { status: 400, error: "cannot kick yourself" };
         }
         const reason =
@@ -274,12 +286,12 @@ export class GameServer {
             : KICK_REASON_LOBBY_CREATOR;
         this.log.info("player kicked", {
           kicker: stamped.clientID,
-          target: stamped.target,
+          target,
           isAdmin: actor.isAdmin,
           isAdminBot: actor.isAdminBot,
           gameID: this.id,
         });
-        this.kickClient(stamped.target, reason);
+        this.kickClient(target, reason);
         return { status: 200 };
       }
 
diff --git a/tests/server/AdminBotIntent.test.ts b/tests/server/AdminBotIntent.test.ts
index 421955feb..232d18a1a 100644
--- a/tests/server/AdminBotIntent.test.ts
+++ b/tests/server/AdminBotIntent.test.ts
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ describe("GameServer.handleIntent (admin bot)", () => {
       const spy = vi.spyOn(game, "kickClient");
       const result = apply(game, {
         type: "kick_player",
-        target: "abcdABCD",
+        targetClientID: "abcdABCD",
       } as any);
       expect(result.status).toBe(200);
       expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledWith("abcdABCD", expect.any(String));
@@ -126,10 +126,35 @@ describe("GameServer.handleIntent (admin bot)", () => {
       expect(
         apply(game, {
           type: "kick_player",
-          target: "abcdABCD",
+          targetClientID: "abcdABCD",
         } as any).status,
       ).toBe(403);
     });
+
+    it("resolves a publicID target to the connected client's clientID", () => {
+      const game = makeGame();
+      (game as any).activeClients.push({
+        clientID: "liveCID1",
+        publicId: "pubABCD1",
+      });
+      const spy = vi.spyOn(game, "kickClient");
+      const result = apply(game, {
+        type: "kick_player",
+        targetPublicID: "pubABCD1",
+      } as any);
+      expect(result.status).toBe(200);
+      expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledWith("liveCID1", expect.any(String));
+    });
+
+    it("404s when no connected client matches the publicID", () => {
+      const game = makeGame();
+      expect(
+        apply(game, {
+          type: "kick_player",
+          targetPublicID: "nobodyXX",
+        } as any).status,
+      ).toBe(404);
+    });
   });
 
   describe("toggle_pause", () => {
diff --git a/tests/server/KickPlayerAuthorization.test.ts b/tests/server/KickPlayerAuthorization.test.ts
index 9dc04a1c0..fcea94d9d 100644
--- a/tests/server/KickPlayerAuthorization.test.ts
+++ b/tests/server/KickPlayerAuthorization.test.ts
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ describe("GameServer - kick_player authorization", () => {
       "message",
       JSON.stringify({
         type: "intent",
-        intent: { type: "kick_player", target },
+        intent: { type: "kick_player", targetClientID: target },
       }),
     );
   }