diff --git a/src/app/actions/maintainer/invites.ts b/src/app/actions/maintainer/invites.ts
index db87bfa4..73e99d06 100644
--- a/src/app/actions/maintainer/invites.ts
+++ b/src/app/actions/maintainer/invites.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,184 @@
 'use server';
 
+
+import crypto from 'crypto';
+import { eq, and, gt } from 'drizzle-orm';
+
+import { getDb } from '@/lib/db/client';
+import { invites, githubInstallations, githubInstallationUsers } from '@/lib/db/schema';
+import { requireMaintainer } from '@/lib/action-auth';
+import { sendInviteEmail } from '@/lib/email';
+
+export type Result<T> = { success: true; data: T } | { success: false; error: string };
+
+export type InviteRow = typeof invites.$inferSelect;
+
+/**
+ * Verifies if the authenticated maintainer has access to the target installation
+ */
+async function verifyInstallationAccess(userId: string, installationId: number): Promise<boolean> {
+  const db = getDb();
+  const access = await db
+    .select()
+    .from(githubInstallationUsers)
+    .where(
+      and(
+        eq(githubInstallationUsers.installationId, installationId),
+        eq(githubInstallationUsers.userId, userId),
+      ),
+    )
+    .limit(1);
+
+  return access.length > 0;
+}
+
+/**
+ * 1. Send Invite Action
+ */
+export async function sendInvite(installationId: number, email: string): Promise<Result<void>> {
+  try {
+    const authResult = await requireMaintainer();
+    if (!authResult.ok) {
+      return { success: false, error: 'Unauthorized: Not a valid maintainer session' };
+    }
+
+    const user = authResult.data.user;
+    const db = getDb();
+
+    const hasAccess = await verifyInstallationAccess(user.id, installationId);
+    if (!hasAccess) return { success: false, error: 'Unauthorized installation access' };
+
+    const emailRegex = /^[^\s@]+@[^\s@]+\.[^\s@]+$/;
+    if (!emailRegex.test(email)) return { success: false, error: 'Invalid email format' };
+
+    const existing = await db
+      .select()
+      .from(invites)
+      .where(
+        and(
+          eq(invites.installationId, installationId),
+          eq(invites.email, email),
+          eq(invites.status, 'pending'),
+          gt(invites.expiresAt, new Date()),
+        ),
+      )
+      .limit(1);
+
+    if (existing.length > 0) {
+      return { success: false, error: 'A pending invite already exists for this email' };
+    }
+
+    const token = crypto.randomBytes(32).toString('hex');
+    const sentAt = new Date();
+    const expiresAt = new Date(sentAt.getTime() + 7 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000);
+
+    await db.insert(invites).values({
+      installationId,
+      invitedByUserId: user.id,
+      email,
+      token,
+      status: 'pending',
+      sentAt,
+      expiresAt,
+    });
+
+    const inviteUrl = `${process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL || 'http://localhost:3000'}/invite/${token}`;
+
+    await sendInviteEmail({ to: email, inviteUrl });
+
+    return { success: true, data: undefined };
+  } catch (error: any) {
+    return { success: false, error: error.message || 'Failed to send invite' };
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * 2. Resend Invite Action
+ */
+export async function resendInvite(inviteId: number): Promise<Result<void>> {
+  try {
+    const authResult = await requireMaintainer();
+    if (!authResult.ok) return { success: false, error: 'Unauthorized' };
+    const user = authResult.data.user;
+    const db = getDb();
+
+    const [invite] = await db.select().from(invites).where(eq(invites.id, inviteId)).limit(1);
+    if (!invite) return { success: false, error: 'Invite not found' };
+
+    const hasAccess = await verifyInstallationAccess(user.id, invite.installationId);
+    if (!hasAccess) return { success: false, error: 'Unauthorized installation access' };
+
+    const sentAt = new Date();
+    const expiresAt = new Date(sentAt.getTime() + 7 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000);
+
+    await db
+      .update(invites)
+      .set({ sentAt, expiresAt, status: 'pending' })
+      .where(eq(invites.id, inviteId));
+
+    const inviteUrl = `${process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL || 'http://localhost:3000'}/invite/${invite.token}`;
+
+    await sendInviteEmail({ to: invite.email, inviteUrl });
+
+    return { success: true, data: undefined };
+  } catch (error: any) {
+    return { success: false, error: error.message || 'Failed to resend invite' };
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * 3. List Pending Invites Action
+ */
+export async function listPendingInvites(installationId: number): Promise<Result<InviteRow[]>> {
+  try {
+    const authResult = await requireMaintainer();
+    if (!authResult.ok) return { success: false, error: 'Unauthorized' };
+    const user = authResult.data.user;
+    const db = getDb();
+
+    const hasAccess = await verifyInstallationAccess(user.id, installationId);
+    if (!hasAccess) return { success: false, error: 'Unauthorized installation access' };
+
+    const rows = await db
+      .select()
+      .from(invites)
+      .where(
+        and(
+          eq(invites.installationId, installationId),
+          eq(invites.status, 'pending'),
+          gt(invites.expiresAt, new Date()),
+        ),
+      );
+
+    return { success: true, data: rows };
+  } catch (error: any) {
+    return { success: false, error: error.message || 'Failed to retrieve pending invites' };
+  }
+}
+
+/**
+ * 4. Revoke Invite Action
+ */
+export async function revokeInvite(inviteId: number): Promise<Result<void>> {
+  try {
+    const authResult = await requireMaintainer();
+    if (!authResult.ok) return { success: false, error: 'Unauthorized' };
+    const user = authResult.data.user;
+    const db = getDb();
+
+    const [invite] = await db.select().from(invites).where(eq(invites.id, inviteId)).limit(1);
+    if (!invite) return { success: false, error: 'Invite not found' };
+
+    const hasAccess = await verifyInstallationAccess(user.id, invite.installationId);
+    if (!hasAccess) return { success: false, error: 'Unauthorized installation access' };
+
+    await db.delete(invites).where(eq(invites.id, inviteId));
+
+    return { success: true, data: undefined };
+  } catch (error: any) {
+    return { success: false, error: error.message || 'Failed to revoke invite' };
+  }
+
 import { ok, err, type Result } from '@/lib/result';
 import { requireMaintainer } from '@/lib/action-auth';
 import { RATE_LIMIT_TIERS } from '@/lib/rate-limit';
diff --git a/src/app/invite/[token]/page.tsx b/src/app/invite/[token]/page.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3073f9fb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/app/invite/[token]/page.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,72 @@
+import { notFound, redirect } from 'next/navigation';
+import { and, eq, gt } from 'drizzle-orm';
+import { getDb } from '@/lib/db/client';
+import { invites, githubInstallationUsers } from '@/lib/db/schema';
+import { requireUser } from '@/lib/action-auth';
+
+interface InvitePageProps {
+  params: {
+    token: string;
+  };
+}
+
+export default async function InviteAcceptPage({ params }: InvitePageProps) {
+  const { token } = params;
+  const db = getDb();
+
+  // 1. Look up the invitation token
+  const [invite] = await db
+    .select()
+    .from(invites)
+    .where(
+      and(
+        eq(invites.token, token),
+        eq(invites.status, 'pending'),
+        gt(invites.expiresAt, new Date()),
+      ),
+    )
+    .limit(1);
+
+  // If token is invalid, modified, or expired, instantly bail out
+  if (!invite) {
+    notFound();
+  }
+
+  // 2. Check the user authentication block
+  const authResult = await requireUser();
+
+  // If user session doesn't exist, route them to login while preserving the return destination
+  if (!authResult.ok) {
+    redirect(`/login?next=/invite/${token}`);
+  }
+
+  const user = authResult.data.user;
+
+  // 3. Atomically update the database tracking rows inside a transaction
+  await db.transaction(async (tx) => {
+    // A. Link profiles.id to the target github_installation_users map table
+    // Adjust permission_level or source strings to match your enum constraints if required
+    await tx
+      .insert(githubInstallationUsers)
+      .values({
+        installationId: invite.installationId,
+        userId: user.id,
+        permissionLevel: 'repo_maintain', // contributor join tier
+        source: 'manual_invite',
+        verifiedAt: new Date(),
+      })
+      .onConflictDoNothing(); // Prevents duplicate primary key assignment crashes
+
+    // B. Mark the invitation token row as accepted
+    await tx
+      .update(invites)
+      .set({
+        status: 'accepted',
+        acceptedAt: new Date(),
+      })
+      .where(eq(invites.id, invite.id));
+  });
+
+  // 4. Send them straight into their new command center layout
+  redirect('/maintainer/contributors');
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/db/schema.ts b/src/lib/db/schema.ts
index d970bfa5..e0e82d2c 100644
--- a/src/lib/db/schema.ts
+++ b/src/lib/db/schema.ts
@@ -644,6 +644,39 @@ export const userChallengeProgress = pgTable(
   }),
 );
 
+// ---------- invites (structured invite system) ----------
+
+export const invites = pgTable(
+  'invites',
+  {
+    id: bigserial('id', { mode: 'number' }).primaryKey(),
+    installationId: bigint('installation_id', { mode: 'number' })
+      .notNull()
+      .references(() => githubInstallations.id, { onDelete: 'cascade' }),
+    invitedByUserId: uuid('invited_by_user_id')
+      .notNull()
+      .references(() => profiles.id),
+    email: text('email').notNull(),
+    token: text('token').notNull().unique(),
+    status: text('status', { enum: ['pending', 'accepted', 'expired'] })
+      .notNull()
+      .default('pending'),
+    sentAt: timestamp('sent_at', { withTimezone: true }).notNull().defaultNow(),
+    acceptedAt: timestamp('accepted_at', { withTimezone: true }),
+    expiresAt: timestamp('expires_at', { withTimezone: true }).notNull(),
+  },
+  (t) => ({
+    // Ensures a unique pending invite per email per organization/installation
+    uniqInstallEmail: uniqueIndex('invites_installation_email_unique').on(
+      t.installationId,
+      t.email,
+    ),
+    installationIdx: index('invites_installation_idx').on(t.installationId),
+    tokenIdx: index('invites_token_idx').on(t.token),
+  }),
+);
+
+
 // ---------- maintainer audit logs ----------
 
 export const maintainerAuditLogs = pgTable(
@@ -685,3 +718,4 @@ export const organizationInvites = pgTable('organization_invites', {
   expiresAt: timestamp('expires_at', { withTimezone: true }).notNull(),
   acceptedAt: timestamp('accepted_at', { withTimezone: true }),
 });
+
diff --git a/src/lib/email.ts b/src/lib/email.ts
index ff09e064..7ba5f1a8 100644
--- a/src/lib/email.ts
+++ b/src/lib/email.ts
@@ -133,6 +133,26 @@ export async function sendWeeklyDigestEmail({
   });
 }
 
+export async function sendInviteEmail({ to, inviteUrl }: { to: string; inviteUrl: string }) {
+  if (!resend) {
+    console.warn('Resend email client not configured. Invite URL:', inviteUrl);
+    return;
+  }
+
+  await resend.emails.send({
+    from: 'MergeShip <noreply@mergeship.com>',
+    to,
+    subject: 'You have been invited to join MergeShip!',
+    html: `
+      <h2>You have been invited as a contributor!</h2>
+      <p>Click the link below to accept the invitation and link your account:</p>
+      <p><a href="${inviteUrl}">${inviteUrl}</a></p>
+      <br />
+      <p style="font-size: 12px; color: #666;">This invitation link will expire in 7 days.</p>
+    `,
+    text: `You have been invited as a contributor!\n\nJoin the project by opening this link: ${inviteUrl}\n\nThis invitation link will expire in 7 days.`,
+
+
 export async function sendOrganizationInviteEmail({
   to,
   inviteLink,
@@ -159,5 +179,6 @@ export async function sendOrganizationInviteEmail({
       <p>Click the link below to accept the invitation:</p>
       <p><a href="${inviteLink}">${inviteLink}</a></p>
     `,
+
   });
 }