diff --git a/apps/auth/src/auth.app.ts b/apps/auth/src/auth.app.ts
index 5b80ac8..cab346b 100644
--- a/apps/auth/src/auth.app.ts
+++ b/apps/auth/src/auth.app.ts
@@ -522,25 +522,30 @@ const app = new Hono<App>()
 		return c.json({ success: true })
 	})
 
-	// Developer role lookup. The role is off by default and only an operator grants
-	// it (via `runx admin grant-developer`, which sets the account's isDeveloper flag).
-	// The same flag also rides in the token's `role` claim (see accountRoles).
+	// Developer role lookup. Returns a bare JSON boolean (the client reads the body as
+	// a bool), and 404s for an unknown player — mirroring the reference API. The role
+	// is off by default and only an operator grants it (via `runx admin grant-developer`,
+	// which sets the account's isDeveloper flag); it also rides in the token's `role`
+	// claim (see accountRoles).
 	.get('/role/developer/:id', async (c) => {
 		const { id } = c.req.param()
 		logger.info('developer role lookup', { id })
 		const accountId = Number.parseInt(id, 10)
 		const account = Number.isNaN(accountId) ? null : await getAccount(c.env.DB, accountId)
-		return c.json({ success: account?.isDeveloper === true })
+		if (!account) return c.body(null, 404)
+		return c.json(account.isDeveloper === true)
 	})
 
-	// Moderator role lookup, mirroring developer. Operator-granted only (via
-	// `runx admin grant-moderator`); the flag also rides in the token's `role` claim.
+	// Moderator role lookup, mirroring developer (bare boolean, 404 for unknown player).
+	// Operator-granted only (via `runx admin grant-moderator`); the flag also rides in
+	// the token's `role` claim.
 	.get('/role/moderator/:id', async (c) => {
 		const { id } = c.req.param()
 		logger.info('moderator role lookup', { id })
 		const accountId = Number.parseInt(id, 10)
 		const account = Number.isNaN(accountId) ? null : await getAccount(c.env.DB, accountId)
-		return c.json({ success: account?.isModerator === true })
+		if (!account) return c.body(null, 404)
+		return c.json(account.isModerator === true)
 	})
 
 export default app
diff --git a/apps/auth/src/test/integration/api.test.ts b/apps/auth/src/test/integration/api.test.ts
index 6fe9066..790c406 100644
--- a/apps/auth/src/test/integration/api.test.ts
+++ b/apps/auth/src/test/integration/api.test.ts
@@ -587,30 +587,37 @@ describe('auth worker routes', () => {
 		expect(await rotate.json()).toEqual({ success: true })
 	})
 
-	test('GET /role/developer/:id does not grant developer', async () => {
+	test('GET /role/developer/:id returns a bare false for an un-flagged account', async () => {
 		const res = await exports.default.fetch(`${ORIGIN}/role/developer/42`)
 		expect(res.status).toBe(200)
-		expect(await res.json()).toEqual({ success: false })
+		expect(await res.json()).toBe(false)
 	})
 
-	test('GET /role/developer/:id grants developer when the account is flagged', async () => {
+	test('GET /role/developer/:id returns a bare true when the account is flagged', async () => {
 		await env.DB.prepare('INSERT OR IGNORE INTO account (data) VALUES (?1)')
 			.bind(JSON.stringify({ accountId: 4242, username: 'DevPlayer', isDeveloper: true }))
 			.run()
 		const res = await exports.default.fetch(`${ORIGIN}/role/developer/4242`)
 		expect(res.status).toBe(200)
-		expect(await res.json()).toEqual({ success: true })
+		expect(await res.json()).toBe(true)
 	})
 
-	test('GET /role/moderator/:id reflects the isModerator flag', async () => {
+	test('GET /role/developer/:id 404s for an unknown player', async () => {
+		const res = await exports.default.fetch(`${ORIGIN}/role/developer/99999`)
+		expect(res.status).toBe(404)
+	})
+
+	test('GET /role/moderator/:id reflects the isModerator flag as a bare boolean', async () => {
 		await env.DB.prepare('INSERT OR IGNORE INTO account (data) VALUES (?1)')
 			.bind(JSON.stringify({ accountId: 4343, username: 'ModPlayer', isModerator: true }))
 			.run()
 		const granted = await exports.default.fetch(`${ORIGIN}/role/moderator/4343`)
-		expect(await granted.json()).toEqual({ success: true })
+		expect(await granted.json()).toBe(true)
 		// An account without the flag (42) is not a moderator.
 		const plain = await exports.default.fetch(`${ORIGIN}/role/moderator/42`)
-		expect(await plain.json()).toEqual({ success: false })
+		expect(await plain.json()).toBe(false)
+		// Unknown player → 404.
+		expect((await exports.default.fetch(`${ORIGIN}/role/moderator/99999`)).status).toBe(404)
 	})
 
 	test('unknown path returns 404', async () => {