diff --git a/changes/28502-api-only-user-backend b/changes/28502-api-only-user-backend
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..69fba61e2a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changes/28502-api-only-user-backend
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- Added whether user is api_only to backend activity details
diff --git a/server/datastore/mysql/activities.go b/server/datastore/mysql/activities.go
index 80da10d82e..ab7d981659 100644
--- a/server/datastore/mysql/activities.go
+++ b/server/datastore/mysql/activities.go
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ func (ds *Datastore) ListActivities(ctx context.Context, opt fleet.ListActivitie
 
 	if len(lookup) != 0 {
 		usersQ := `
-			SELECT u.id, u.name, u.gravatar_url, u.email
+			SELECT u.id, u.name, u.gravatar_url, u.email, u.api_only
 			FROM users u
 			WHERE id IN (?)
 		`
@@ -233,6 +233,7 @@ func (ds *Datastore) ListActivities(ctx context.Context, opt fleet.ListActivitie
 			Name        string `db:"name"`
 			GravatarUrl string `db:"gravatar_url"`
 			Email       string `db:"email"`
+			APIOnly     bool   `db:"api_only"`
 		}
 
 		err = sqlx.SelectContext(ctx, ds.reader(ctx), &usersR, usersQ, usersArgs...)
@@ -249,11 +250,13 @@ func (ds *Datastore) ListActivities(ctx context.Context, opt fleet.ListActivitie
 			email := r.Email
 			gravatar := r.GravatarUrl
 			name := r.Name
+			apiOnly := r.APIOnly
 
 			for _, idx := range entries {
 				activities[idx].ActorEmail = &email
 				activities[idx].ActorGravatar = &gravatar
 				activities[idx].ActorFullName = &name
+				activities[idx].ActorAPIOnly = &apiOnly
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -314,6 +317,7 @@ func (ds *Datastore) ListHostUpcomingActivities(ctx context.Context, hostID uint
 			ua.execution_id as uuid,
 			IF(ua.fleet_initiated, 'Fleet', COALESCE(u.name, ua.payload->>'$.user.name')) as name,
 			u.id as user_id,
+			u.api_only as api_only,
 			COALESCE(u.gravatar_url, ua.payload->>'$.user.gravatar_url') as gravatar_url,
 			COALESCE(u.email, ua.payload->>'$.user.email') as user_email,
 			:ran_script_type as activity_type,
@@ -353,6 +357,7 @@ func (ds *Datastore) ListHostUpcomingActivities(ctx context.Context, hostID uint
 			ua.execution_id as uuid,
 			IF(ua.fleet_initiated, 'Fleet', COALESCE(u.name, ua.payload->>'$.user.name')) AS name,
 			ua.user_id as user_id,
+			u.api_only as api_only,
 			COALESCE(u.gravatar_url, ua.payload->>'$.user.gravatar_url') as gravatar_url,
 			COALESCE(u.email, ua.payload->>'$.user.email') as user_email,
 			:installed_software_type as activity_type,
@@ -394,6 +399,7 @@ func (ds *Datastore) ListHostUpcomingActivities(ctx context.Context, hostID uint
 			ua.execution_id as uuid,
 			IF(ua.fleet_initiated, 'Fleet', COALESCE(u.name, ua.payload->>'$.user.name')) AS name,
 			ua.user_id as user_id,
+			u.api_only as api_only,
 			COALESCE(u.gravatar_url, ua.payload->>'$.user.gravatar_url') as gravatar_url,
 			COALESCE(u.email, ua.payload->>'$.user.email') as user_email,
 			:uninstalled_software_type as activity_type,
@@ -433,6 +439,7 @@ func (ds *Datastore) ListHostUpcomingActivities(ctx context.Context, hostID uint
 			ua.execution_id AS uuid,
 			IF(ua.fleet_initiated, 'Fleet', COALESCE(u.name, ua.payload->>'$.user.name')) AS name,
 			u.id AS user_id,
+			u.api_only as api_only,
 			COALESCE(u.gravatar_url, ua.payload->>'$.user.gravatar_url') as gravatar_url,
 			COALESCE(u.email, ua.payload->>'$.user.email') as user_email,
 			:installed_app_store_app_type AS activity_type,
@@ -474,6 +481,7 @@ func (ds *Datastore) ListHostUpcomingActivities(ctx context.Context, hostID uint
 			user_id,
 			gravatar_url,
 			user_email,
+			api_only,
 			activity_type,
 			created_at,
 			details,
@@ -522,6 +530,7 @@ func (ds *Datastore) ListHostPastActivities(ctx context.Context, hostID uint, op
 		u.gravatar_url as gravatar_url,
 		a.created_at as created_at,
 		u.id as user_id,
+		u.api_only as api_only,
 		a.fleet_initiated as fleet_initiated
 	FROM
 		host_activities ha
diff --git a/server/datastore/mysql/activities_test.go b/server/datastore/mysql/activities_test.go
index d0622fd14a..1c764bddb2 100644
--- a/server/datastore/mysql/activities_test.go
+++ b/server/datastore/mysql/activities_test.go
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ func testActivityUsernameChange(t *testing.T, ds *Datastore) {
 		Name:        "fullname",
 		Email:       "email@asd.com",
 		GravatarURL: "http://asd.com",
+		APIOnly:     true,
 		GlobalRole:  ptr.String(fleet.RoleObserver),
 	}
 	_, err := ds.NewUser(context.Background(), u)
@@ -126,6 +127,7 @@ func testActivityUsernameChange(t *testing.T, ds *Datastore) {
 	assert.Equal(t, "newname", *activities[0].ActorFullName)
 	assert.Equal(t, "http://asd.com", *activities[0].ActorGravatar)
 	assert.Equal(t, "email@asd.com", *activities[0].ActorEmail)
+	assert.Equal(t, true, *activities[0].ActorAPIOnly)
 
 	err = ds.DeleteUser(context.Background(), u.ID)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
diff --git a/server/fleet/activities.go b/server/fleet/activities.go
index c6a723ae70..4bab001475 100644
--- a/server/fleet/activities.go
+++ b/server/fleet/activities.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ type Activity struct {
 	ActorID        *uint            `json:"actor_id,omitempty" db:"user_id"`
 	ActorGravatar  *string          `json:"actor_gravatar,omitempty" db:"gravatar_url"`
 	ActorEmail     *string          `json:"actor_email,omitempty" db:"user_email"`
+	ActorAPIOnly   *bool            `json:"actor_api_only,omitempty" db:"api_only"`
 	Type           string           `json:"type" db:"activity_type"`
 	Details        *json.RawMessage `json:"details" db:"details"`
 	Streamed       *bool            `json:"-" db:"streamed"`