diff --git a/gns3server/api/routes/controller/__init__.py b/gns3server/api/routes/controller/__init__.py
index f34d342c3..2891642f9 100644
--- a/gns3server/api/routes/controller/__init__.py
+++ b/gns3server/api/routes/controller/__init__.py
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ from . import roles
 from . import acl
 from . import pools
 from . import privileges
+from . import api_keys
 
 from .dependencies.authentication import get_current_active_user
 
@@ -192,3 +193,9 @@ router.include_router(
     dependencies=[Depends(get_current_active_user)],
     tags=["GNS3 Copilot"]
 )
+
+router.include_router(
+    api_keys.router,
+    dependencies=[Depends(get_current_active_user)],
+    tags=["API Keys"]
+)
diff --git a/gns3server/api/routes/controller/api_keys.py b/gns3server/api/routes/controller/api_keys.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4a6260761
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gns3server/api/routes/controller/api_keys.py
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2026 GNS3 Technologies Inc.
+#
+# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+"""
+API routes for API key management.
+"""
+
+import secrets
+import bcrypt
+from uuid import uuid4, UUID
+
+from fastapi import APIRouter, Depends, status
+
+from gns3server import schemas
+from gns3server.schemas.controller.tokens import TokenData
+from gns3server.db.repositories.api_keys import ApiKeysRepository
+from gns3server.db.repositories.users import UsersRepository
+from .dependencies.database import get_repository
+from .dependencies.authentication import get_current_active_user
+
+import logging
+
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+router = APIRouter(prefix="/access/api-keys", tags=["API Keys"])
+
+API_KEY_PREFIX = "gns3_"
+API_KEY_BYTES = 32  # 256-bit key, results in 64 hex chars
+
+
+def _generate_api_key() -> tuple[str, str, str]:
+    """Generate a new API key.
+
+    Returns:
+        Tuple of (full_key, key_hash, key_prefix)
+    """
+    random_bytes = secrets.token_hex(API_KEY_BYTES)
+    raw_key = API_KEY_PREFIX + random_bytes
+    key_hash = bcrypt.hashpw(raw_key.encode(), bcrypt.gensalt()).decode()
+    key_prefix = raw_key[: len(API_KEY_PREFIX) + 8]  # gns3_ + first 8 hex chars
+    return raw_key, key_hash, key_prefix
+
+
+@router.post(
+    "",
+    status_code=status.HTTP_201_CREATED,
+)
+async def create_api_key(
+    api_key_data: schemas.ApiKeyCreate,
+    current_user: schemas.User = Depends(get_current_active_user),
+    api_keys_repo: ApiKeysRepository = Depends(get_repository(ApiKeysRepository)),
+) -> dict:
+    """Create a new API key. The full key is returned only once."""
+
+    raw_key, key_hash, key_prefix = _generate_api_key()
+    db_key = await api_keys_repo.create_api_key(
+        api_key_id=uuid4(),
+        user_id=current_user.user_id,
+        name=api_key_data.name,
+        key_hash=key_hash,
+        key_prefix=key_prefix,
+    )
+    return {
+        "api_key_id": str(db_key.api_key_id),
+        "api_key": raw_key,
+        "name": db_key.name,
+        "key_prefix": db_key.key_prefix,
+        "created_at": db_key.created_at.isoformat() if db_key.created_at else None,
+    }
+
+
+@router.get("")
+async def list_api_keys(
+    current_user: schemas.User = Depends(get_current_active_user),
+    api_keys_repo: ApiKeysRepository = Depends(get_repository(ApiKeysRepository)),
+) -> list[dict]:
+    """List all API keys for the current user."""
+
+    keys = await api_keys_repo.get_api_keys_by_user(current_user.user_id)
+    return [
+        {
+            "api_key_id": str(k.api_key_id),
+            "name": k.name,
+            "key_prefix": k.key_prefix,
+            "created_at": k.created_at.isoformat() if k.created_at else None,
+            "last_used_at": k.last_used_at.isoformat() if k.last_used_at else None,
+            "revoked": k.revoked,
+        }
+        for k in keys
+    ]
+
+
+@router.delete(
+    "/{api_key_id}",
+    status_code=status.HTTP_204_NO_CONTENT,
+)
+async def revoke_api_key(
+    api_key_id: UUID,
+    current_user: schemas.User = Depends(get_current_active_user),
+    api_keys_repo: ApiKeysRepository = Depends(get_repository(ApiKeysRepository)),
+) -> None:
+    """Revoke an API key (soft delete — sets revoked=True)."""
+
+    key = await api_keys_repo.get_api_key(api_key_id)
+    if not key:
+        from fastapi import HTTPException
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=404, detail="API key not found")
+
+    # Only the key owner can revoke it
+    if key.user_id != current_user.user_id:
+        from fastapi import HTTPException
+        raise HTTPException(status_code=403, detail="Cannot revoke another user's API key")
+
+    await api_keys_repo.revoke_api_key(api_key_id)
diff --git a/gns3server/api/routes/mcp/__init__.py b/gns3server/api/routes/mcp/__init__.py
index cff1ae774..01066209c 100644
--- a/gns3server/api/routes/mcp/__init__.py
+++ b/gns3server/api/routes/mcp/__init__.py
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ import asyncio
 import logging
 import socket
 import uuid
+import bcrypt
 from typing import Any, Annotated
 from urllib.parse import parse_qs
 
@@ -43,9 +44,16 @@ from pydantic import Field
 from mcp.server.fastmcp import FastMCP
 from mcp.server.transport_security import TransportSecuritySettings
 
+from sqlalchemy import select
+from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
+
 from gns3server.config import Config
+from gns3server.services.authentication import AuthService
+import gns3server.db.models as models
 from gns3server.services import auth_service
 from gns3server.utils.request_utils import extract_client_info
+from gns3server.db.repositories.api_keys import ApiKeysRepository
+from gns3server.db.repositories.users import UsersRepository
 from .projects import (
     list_projects_handler, get_project_handler, create_project_handler,
     delete_project_handler, open_project_handler, close_project_handler,
@@ -111,6 +119,9 @@ from .drawings import (
 
 log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
+# Database engine reference — set during register_starlette_routes
+_db_engine = None
+
 
 # ── Server ready state ────────────────────────────────────────────────
 # Tracks whether GNS3 server has completed initialization.
@@ -176,13 +187,40 @@ _jwt_token_var: contextvars.ContextVar[str | None] = contextvars.ContextVar(
 
 # ── Token validation ──────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-async def _validate_token(token: str) -> bool:
-    """Return True if token is a valid GNS3 JWT."""
+async def _resolve_token(token: str) -> str | None:
+    """Validate a token (JWT or API key) and return the effective JWT to use.
+
+    For JWT tokens, returns the token as-is.
+    For API keys, validates against the database and returns a fresh short-lived JWT.
+
+    Returns None if the token is invalid.
+    """
+    # Try JWT first
     try:
         auth_service.get_username_from_token(token)
-        return True
+        return token
     except Exception:
-        return False
+        pass
+
+    # Try API key
+    if token.startswith("gns3_") and _db_engine is not None:
+        try:
+            async with AsyncSession(_db_engine, expire_on_commit=False) as db_session:
+                repo = ApiKeysRepository(db_session)
+                query = select(models.ApiKey).where(models.ApiKey.revoked == False)
+                result = await db_session.execute(query)
+                for db_key in result.scalars().all():
+                    if bcrypt.checkpw(token.encode(), db_key.key_hash.encode()):
+                        await repo.update_last_used(db_key.api_key_id)
+                        user_repo = UsersRepository(db_session)
+                        user = await user_repo.get_user(db_key.user_id)
+                        if user:
+                            svc = AuthService()
+                            return svc.create_access_token(user.username, expires_in=5)
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+
+    return None
 
 
 # ── Server URL helper ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -1305,11 +1343,16 @@ def _make_auth_wrapper(inner_app):
                 tokens = params.get("token", [])
                 if tokens:
                     token = tokens[0]
-            if not token or not await _validate_token(token):
+            if not token:
                 response = Response("Missing or invalid token", status_code=401)
                 await response(scope, receive, send)
                 return
-            _jwt_token_var.set(token)
+            resolved = await _resolve_token(token)
+            if not resolved:
+                response = Response("Missing or invalid token", status_code=401)
+                await response(scope, receive, send)
+                return
+            _jwt_token_var.set(resolved)
         await inner_app(scope, receive, send)
 
     return auth_wrapper
@@ -1335,6 +1378,8 @@ async def mcp_root():
 
 def register_starlette_routes(app):
     """Mount MCP transports on the FastAPI app."""
+    global _db_engine
+    _db_engine = getattr(app.state, "_db_engine", None)
     sse_app = _make_auth_wrapper(mcp.sse_app(mount_path=""))
     app.mount("/v3/mcp/transport", sse_app, name="mcp-sse")
     log.info("MCP SSE server mounted at /v3/mcp/transport")
diff --git a/gns3server/db/models/__init__.py b/gns3server/db/models/__init__.py
index 5e7afb07b..cd538b80d 100644
--- a/gns3server/db/models/__init__.py
+++ b/gns3server/db/models/__init__.py
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ from .computes import Compute
 from .images import Image
 from .pools import Resource, ResourcePool
 from .llm_model_configs import LLMModelConfig
+from .api_keys import ApiKey
 from .templates import (
     Template,
     CloudTemplate,
diff --git a/gns3server/db/models/api_keys.py b/gns3server/db/models/api_keys.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b43ecf5f2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gns3server/db/models/api_keys.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2026 GNS3 Technologies Inc.
+#
+# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+from sqlalchemy import Column, String, Boolean, DateTime, ForeignKey, func
+
+from .base import BaseTable, GUID
+
+
+class ApiKey(BaseTable):
+
+    __tablename__ = "api_keys"
+
+    api_key_id = Column(GUID, primary_key=True)
+    user_id = Column(GUID, ForeignKey("users.user_id", ondelete="CASCADE"), nullable=False, index=True)
+    name = Column(String(128), nullable=False)
+    key_hash = Column(String(128), nullable=False)
+    key_prefix = Column(String(8), nullable=False)
+    last_used_at = Column(DateTime, nullable=True)
+    created_at = Column(DateTime, server_default=func.current_timestamp(), nullable=False)
+    revoked = Column(Boolean, default=False, nullable=False)
diff --git a/gns3server/db/repositories/api_keys.py b/gns3server/db/repositories/api_keys.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8b635565a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gns3server/db/repositories/api_keys.py
@@ -0,0 +1,94 @@
+#
+# Copyright (C) 2026 GNS3 Technologies Inc.
+#
+# This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+# the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
+# (at your option) any later version.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+# along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+
+from uuid import UUID
+from typing import Optional, List
+from datetime import datetime, timezone
+from sqlalchemy import select, update, delete, func
+from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
+from sqlalchemy.orm import selectinload
+
+from .base import BaseRepository
+import gns3server.db.models as models
+
+import logging
+
+log = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+class ApiKeysRepository(BaseRepository):
+
+    def __init__(self, db_session: AsyncSession) -> None:
+        super().__init__(db_session)
+
+    async def create_api_key(
+        self, api_key_id: UUID, user_id: UUID, name: str, key_hash: str, key_prefix: str
+    ) -> models.ApiKey:
+        db_api_key = models.ApiKey(
+            api_key_id=api_key_id,
+            user_id=user_id,
+            name=name,
+            key_hash=key_hash,
+            key_prefix=key_prefix,
+        )
+        self._db_session.add(db_api_key)
+        await self._db_session.commit()
+        await self._db_session.refresh(db_api_key)
+        return db_api_key
+
+    async def get_api_key(self, api_key_id: UUID) -> Optional[models.ApiKey]:
+        query = select(models.ApiKey).where(models.ApiKey.api_key_id == api_key_id)
+        result = await self._db_session.execute(query)
+        return result.scalars().first()
+
+    async def get_api_keys_by_user(self, user_id: UUID) -> List[models.ApiKey]:
+        query = (
+            select(models.ApiKey)
+            .where(models.ApiKey.user_id == user_id)
+            .order_by(models.ApiKey.created_at.desc())
+        )
+        result = await self._db_session.execute(query)
+        return list(result.scalars().all())
+
+    async def get_api_key_by_hash(self, key_hash: str) -> Optional[models.ApiKey]:
+        query = select(models.ApiKey).where(models.ApiKey.key_hash == key_hash)
+        result = await self._db_session.execute(query)
+        return result.scalars().first()
+
+    async def update_last_used(self, api_key_id: UUID) -> None:
+        query = (
+            update(models.ApiKey)
+            .where(models.ApiKey.api_key_id == api_key_id)
+            .values(last_used_at=func.now())
+        )
+        await self._db_session.execute(query)
+        await self._db_session.commit()
+
+    async def revoke_api_key(self, api_key_id: UUID) -> bool:
+        query = (
+            update(models.ApiKey)
+            .where(models.ApiKey.api_key_id == api_key_id)
+            .values(revoked=True)
+        )
+        result = await self._db_session.execute(query)
+        await self._db_session.commit()
+        return result.rowcount > 0
+
+    async def delete_api_key(self, api_key_id: UUID) -> bool:
+        query = delete(models.ApiKey).where(models.ApiKey.api_key_id == api_key_id)
+        result = await self._db_session.execute(query)
+        await self._db_session.commit()
+        return result.rowcount > 0
diff --git a/gns3server/db_migrations/versions/f0b0de2a9_add_api_keys_table.py b/gns3server/db_migrations/versions/f0b0de2a9_add_api_keys_table.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5c438678e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gns3server/db_migrations/versions/f0b0de2a9_add_api_keys_table.py
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+"""add api_keys table
+
+Revision ID: f0b0de2a9
+Revises: a8829e6c069b
+Create Date: 2026-06-11 10:00:00.000000
+
+"""
+from alembic import op
+import sqlalchemy as sa
+import gns3server.db.models.base as models
+
+# revision identifiers, used by Alembic.
+revision = 'f0b0de2a9'
+down_revision = 'a8829e6c069b'
+branch_labels = None
+depends_on = None
+
+
+def upgrade() -> None:
+
+    op.create_table(
+        'api_keys',
+        sa.Column('api_key_id', models.GUID(), nullable=False),
+        sa.Column('user_id', models.GUID(), nullable=False),
+        sa.Column('name', sa.String(128), nullable=False),
+        sa.Column('key_hash', sa.String(128), nullable=False),
+        sa.Column('key_prefix', sa.String(8), nullable=False),
+        sa.Column('last_used_at', sa.DateTime(), nullable=True),
+        sa.Column('created_at', sa.DateTime(), server_default=sa.func.current_timestamp(), nullable=False),
+        sa.Column('revoked', sa.Boolean(), default=False, nullable=False),
+        sa.ForeignKeyConstraint(['user_id'], ['users.user_id'], ondelete='CASCADE'),
+        sa.PrimaryKeyConstraint('api_key_id'),
+    )
+    op.create_index('ix_api_keys_user_id', 'api_keys', ['user_id'])
+    op.create_index('ix_api_keys_key_hash', 'api_keys', ['key_hash'])
+
+
+def downgrade() -> None:
+
+    op.drop_index('ix_api_keys_key_hash', table_name='api_keys')
+    op.drop_index('ix_api_keys_user_id', table_name='api_keys')
+    op.drop_table('api_keys')
diff --git a/gns3server/schemas/controller/tokens.py b/gns3server/schemas/controller/tokens.py
index 86c1a9377..e36a1d35c 100644
--- a/gns3server/schemas/controller/tokens.py
+++ b/gns3server/schemas/controller/tokens.py
@@ -28,3 +28,9 @@ class TokenData(BaseModel):
 
     username: Optional[str] = None
     token_version: int = 0
+
+
+class ApiKeyCreate(BaseModel):
+    """Schema for creating a new API key."""
+
+    name: str