diff --git a/internal/store/context.go b/internal/store/context.go
index 1a5b0d10..12dc8d27 100644
--- a/internal/store/context.go
+++ b/internal/store/context.go
@@ -200,6 +200,25 @@ func SenderIDFromContext(ctx context.Context) string {
 	return ""
 }
 
+// ActorIDFromContext returns the acting principal — the entity performing
+// the action. In group chats (Telegram/Discord) this is the individual
+// sender; in DMs / HTTP / cron it is the same as UserIDFromContext.
+//
+// Use for:
+//   - permission checks (file writers, role gates)
+//   - audit trails (initiated_by, owner_id)
+//   - ownership fields (skill publisher, cron owner)
+//
+// DO NOT use for:
+//   - memory / KG / session scope (use UserIDFromContext / MemoryUserID / KGUserID)
+//   - file-system or per-scope isolation (scope = group principal on purpose)
+func ActorIDFromContext(ctx context.Context) string {
+	if sid := SenderIDFromContext(ctx); sid != "" {
+		return sid
+	}
+	return UserIDFromContext(ctx)
+}
+
 // WithSelfEvolve returns a new context with the self-evolve flag.
 func WithSelfEvolve(ctx context.Context, v bool) context.Context {
 	return context.WithValue(ctx, SelfEvolveKey, v)
diff --git a/internal/store/context_actor_id_test.go b/internal/store/context_actor_id_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..de9bd7c5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/store/context_actor_id_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+package store
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestActorIDFromContext_SenderSetReturnsSender(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := WithUserID(context.Background(), "group:telegram:-100123")
+	ctx = WithSenderID(ctx, "42")
+	if got := ActorIDFromContext(ctx); got != "42" {
+		t.Errorf("sender_set: got %q, want %q", got, "42")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestActorIDFromContext_SenderEmptyFallbackToUser(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := WithUserID(context.Background(), "user-7")
+	if got := ActorIDFromContext(ctx); got != "user-7" {
+		t.Errorf("fallback_to_user: got %q, want %q", got, "user-7")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestActorIDFromContext_BothSetSenderWins(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := WithUserID(context.Background(), "group:discord:G|U")
+	ctx = WithSenderID(ctx, "123456")
+	if got := ActorIDFromContext(ctx); got != "123456" {
+		t.Errorf("both_set_sender_wins: got %q, want %q", got, "123456")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestActorIDFromContext_NeitherSetReturnsEmpty(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	if got := ActorIDFromContext(ctx); got != "" {
+		t.Errorf("neither_set: got %q, want %q", got, "")
+	}
+}
+
+// SenderID with "|" delimiter (Discord guild:user|user format) is returned as-is —
+// ActorIDFromContext is not responsible for numeric split; callers do that themselves
+// (see config_permission_store.go:68 strings.SplitN(senderID, "|", 2)[0]).
+func TestActorIDFromContext_DelimitedSenderReturnedAsIs(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := WithSenderID(context.Background(), "42|extra")
+	if got := ActorIDFromContext(ctx); got != "42|extra" {
+		t.Errorf("delimited_sender_as_is: got %q, want %q", got, "42|extra")
+	}
+}