diff --git a/routes/chat_routes.py b/routes/chat_routes.py
index 3f7738a..3a94c8c 100644
--- a/routes/chat_routes.py
+++ b/routes/chat_routes.py
@@ -711,6 +711,7 @@ def setup_chat_routes(
                         prior_findings=_prior_findings,
                         prior_urls=_prior_urls,
                         on_complete=_on_research_done,
+                        owner=_user,
                     )
 
                     _heartbeat_counter = 0
diff --git a/tests/test_research_chat_stream_owner.py b/tests/test_research_chat_stream_owner.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..37076b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_research_chat_stream_owner.py
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+"""Verify that research launched from the chat stream passes owner to start_research."""
+
+import ast
+import textwrap
+from pathlib import Path
+
+_CHAT_ROUTES = Path(__file__).resolve().parent.parent / "routes" / "chat_routes.py"
+
+
+def test_chat_stream_start_research_passes_owner():
+    """The start_research call in the chat-stream path must include owner=<user>."""
+    source = _CHAT_ROUTES.read_text(encoding="utf-8")
+    tree = ast.parse(source)
+
+    # Find all calls to *.start_research or start_research
+    calls = []
+    for node in ast.walk(tree):
+        if not isinstance(node, ast.Call):
+            continue
+        func = node.func
+        name = ""
+        if isinstance(func, ast.Attribute):
+            name = func.attr
+        elif isinstance(func, ast.Name):
+            name = func.id
+        if name == "start_research":
+            calls.append(node)
+
+    assert calls, "No start_research calls found in chat_routes.py"
+
+    for call in calls:
+        kwarg_names = [kw.arg for kw in call.keywords]
+        assert "owner" in kwarg_names, (
+            f"start_research call at line {call.lineno} is missing owner= keyword argument"
+        )