diff --git a/changelog.d/admin-api-passwordless-accounts.add b/changelog.d/admin-api-passwordless-accounts.add
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f5ea2626f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/admin-api-passwordless-accounts.add
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Allow creating accounts without a password in the AdminAPI
diff --git a/docs/development/API/admin_api.md b/docs/development/API/admin_api.md
index ec58e8c19..5f8a886be 100644
--- a/docs/development/API/admin_api.md
+++ b/docs/development/API/admin_api.md
@@ -80,10 +80,24 @@ The `/api/v1/pleroma/admin/*` path is backwards compatible with `/api/pleroma/ad
     {
       `nickname`,
       `email`,
-      `password`
+      `password` (optional; when provided, must not be empty)
     }
   ]
-- Response: Array of user objects
+- Response: Array of user objects. When a user is created without a `password`, `data`
+  object contains a `password_reset_link` the user can follow to set their own password.
+
+```json
+[
+  {
+    "data": {
+      "nickname": string,
+      "email": string,
+      "password_reset_link": string (optional)
+    },
+    "type": "success"
+  }
+]
+```
 
 ## `POST /api/v1/pleroma/admin/users/follow`
 
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/admin_api/controllers/user_controller.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/admin_api/controllers/user_controller.ex
index 9ac275396..ab8bf73ee 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/admin_api/controllers/user_controller.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/admin_api/controllers/user_controller.ex
@@ -8,13 +8,17 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.AdminAPI.UserController do
   import Pleroma.Web.ControllerHelper,
     only: [fetch_integer_param: 3]
 
+  alias Ecto.Multi
   alias Pleroma.ModerationLog
+  alias Pleroma.PasswordResetToken
   alias Pleroma.User
   alias Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.Builder
   alias Pleroma.Web.ActivityPub.Pipeline
   alias Pleroma.Web.AdminAPI
   alias Pleroma.Web.AdminAPI.Search
+  alias Pleroma.Web.Endpoint
   alias Pleroma.Web.Plugs.OAuthScopesPlug
+  alias Pleroma.Web.Router
 
   @users_page_size 50
 
@@ -148,9 +152,25 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.AdminAPI.UserController do
         } = conn,
         _
       ) do
-    changesets =
+    conn =
+      if Enum.any?(users, fn user -> not Map.has_key?(user, :password) end) do
+        put_private(conn, :skip_idempotency_cache, true)
+      else
+        conn
+      end
+
+    multi =
       users
-      |> Enum.map(fn %{nickname: nickname, email: email, password: password} ->
+      |> Enum.map(fn %{nickname: nickname, email: email} = attrs ->
+        {password, passwordless?} =
+          case Map.fetch(attrs, :password) do
+            {:ok, password} ->
+              {password, false}
+
+            :error ->
+              {:crypto.strong_rand_bytes(16) |> Base.encode64(), true}
+          end
+
         user_data = %{
           nickname: nickname,
           name: nickname,
@@ -160,44 +180,80 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.AdminAPI.UserController do
           bio: "."
         }
 
-        User.register_changeset(%User{}, user_data, need_confirmation: false)
+        {User.register_changeset(%User{}, user_data, confirmed: true), passwordless?}
       end)
-      |> Enum.reduce(Ecto.Multi.new(), fn changeset, multi ->
-        Ecto.Multi.insert(multi, Ecto.UUID.generate(), changeset)
+      |> Enum.reduce(Multi.new(), fn {changeset, passwordless?}, multi ->
+        user_operation = {:user, Ecto.UUID.generate()}
+        multi = Multi.insert(multi, user_operation, changeset)
+
+        if passwordless? do
+          Multi.run(
+            multi,
+            {:password_reset_token, Ecto.UUID.generate()},
+            fn _repo, changes ->
+              changes
+              |> Map.fetch!(user_operation)
+              |> PasswordResetToken.create_token()
+            end
+          )
+        else
+          multi
+        end
       end)
 
-    case Pleroma.Repo.transaction(changesets) do
-      {:ok, users_map} ->
-        users =
-          users_map
+    case Pleroma.Repo.transaction(multi) do
+      {:ok, results} ->
+        {users, password_reset_tokens} =
+          results
           |> Map.values()
+          |> Enum.split_with(&match?(%User{}, &1))
+
+        users =
+          users
           |> Enum.map(fn user ->
             {:ok, user} = User.post_register_action(user)
 
             user
           end)
 
+        password_reset_links =
+          Map.new(password_reset_tokens, fn token ->
+            {token.user_id, Router.Helpers.reset_password_url(Endpoint, :reset, token.token)}
+          end)
+
         ModerationLog.insert_log(%{
           actor: admin,
           subjects: users,
           action: "create"
         })
 
-        render(conn, "created_many.json", users: users)
+        render(conn, "created_many.json",
+          users: users,
+          password_reset_links: password_reset_links
+        )
 
-      {:error, id, changeset, _} ->
+      {:error, {:user, _} = id, %Ecto.Changeset{} = changeset, _} ->
         changesets =
-          Enum.map(changesets.operations, fn
+          Enum.flat_map(multi.operations, fn
             {^id, {:changeset, _current_changeset, _}} ->
-              changeset
+              [changeset]
 
-            {_, {:changeset, current_changeset, _}} ->
-              current_changeset
+            {{:user, _}, {:changeset, current_changeset, _}} ->
+              [current_changeset]
+
+            _ ->
+              []
           end)
 
         conn
         |> put_status(:conflict)
         |> render("create_errors.json", changesets: changesets)
+
+      {:error, {:password_reset_token, _}, _reason, _} ->
+        Pleroma.Web.AdminAPI.FallbackController.call(
+          conn,
+          {:password_reset_token_error, :creation_failed}
+        )
     end
   end
 
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/admin_api/views/account_view.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/admin_api/views/account_view.ex
index 280152241..cc715c2a5 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/admin_api/views/account_view.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/admin_api/views/account_view.ex
@@ -88,18 +88,29 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.AdminAPI.AccountView do
     }
   end
 
-  def render("created_many.json", %{users: users}) do
-    render_many(users, AccountView, "created.json", as: :user)
+  def render("created_many.json", %{users: users} = assigns) do
+    password_reset_links = Map.get(assigns, :password_reset_links, %{})
+
+    render_many(users, AccountView, "created.json",
+      as: :user,
+      password_reset_links: password_reset_links
+    )
   end
 
-  def render("created.json", %{user: user}) do
-    %{
-      type: "success",
-      code: 200,
-      data: %{
+  def render("created.json", %{user: user} = assigns) do
+    password_reset_links = Map.get(assigns, :password_reset_links, %{})
+
+    data =
+      %{
         nickname: user.nickname,
         email: user.email
       }
+      |> maybe_put_password_reset_link(Map.get(password_reset_links, user.id))
+
+    %{
+      type: "success",
+      code: 200,
+      data: data
     }
   end
 
@@ -119,6 +130,11 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.AdminAPI.AccountView do
     }
   end
 
+  defp maybe_put_password_reset_link(data, nil), do: data
+
+  defp maybe_put_password_reset_link(data, link),
+    do: Map.put(data, :password_reset_link, link)
+
   def merge_account_views(%User{} = user) do
     MastodonAPI.AccountView.render("show.json", %{user: user, skip_visibility_check: true})
     |> Map.merge(AdminAPI.AccountView.render("show.json", %{user: user}))
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/api_spec/operations/admin/user_operation.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/api_spec/operations/admin/user_operation.ex
index a5179ac39..7c4725f56 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/api_spec/operations/admin/user_operation.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/api_spec/operations/admin/user_operation.ex
@@ -82,8 +82,15 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.ApiSpec.Admin.UserOperation do
                   properties: %{
                     nickname: %Schema{type: :string},
                     email: %Schema{type: :string},
-                    password: %Schema{type: :string}
-                  }
+                    password: %Schema{
+                      type: :string,
+                      description:
+                        "Optional. When omitted, a `password_reset_link` is returned, " <>
+                          "allowing the user to set their own password. When provided, " <>
+                          "it must not be empty."
+                    }
+                  },
+                  required: [:nickname, :email]
                 }
               }
             }
@@ -102,7 +109,8 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.ApiSpec.Admin.UserOperation do
                   type: :object,
                   properties: %{
                     email: %Schema{type: :string, format: :email},
-                    nickname: %Schema{type: :string}
+                    nickname: %Schema{type: :string},
+                    password_reset_link: %Schema{type: :string}
                   }
                 }
               }
diff --git a/lib/pleroma/web/plugs/idempotency_plug.ex b/lib/pleroma/web/plugs/idempotency_plug.ex
index a3b7af869..81983efba 100644
--- a/lib/pleroma/web/plugs/idempotency_plug.ex
+++ b/lib/pleroma/web/plugs/idempotency_plug.ex
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.Plugs.IdempotencyPlug do
   import Phoenix.Controller, only: [json: 2]
   import Plug.Conn
 
+  alias Pleroma.Config
+
   @behaviour Plug
 
   @cachex Pleroma.Config.get([:cachex, :provider], Cachex)
@@ -27,9 +29,11 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.Plugs.IdempotencyPlug do
   def call(conn, _), do: conn
 
   def process_request(conn, key) do
-    case @cachex.get(:idempotency_cache, key) do
+    cache_key = {conn.method, conn.request_path, actor_key(conn), key}
+
+    case @cachex.get(:idempotency_cache, cache_key) do
       {:ok, nil} ->
-        cache_resposnse(conn, key)
+        cache_resposnse(conn, key, cache_key)
 
       {:ok, record} ->
         send_cached(conn, key, record)
@@ -39,18 +43,48 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.Plugs.IdempotencyPlug do
     end
   end
 
-  defp cache_resposnse(conn, key) do
-    register_before_send(conn, fn conn ->
-      [request_id] = get_resp_header(conn, "x-request-id")
-      content_type = get_content_type(conn)
+  defp cache_resposnse(conn, key, cache_key) do
+    register_before_send(conn, &maybe_cache_response(&1, key, cache_key))
+  end
 
-      record = {request_id, content_type, conn.status, conn.resp_body}
-      {:ok, _} = @cachex.put(:idempotency_cache, key, record)
+  defp maybe_cache_response(
+         %{private: %{skip_idempotency_cache: true}} = conn,
+         _key,
+         _cache_key
+       ),
+       do: conn
 
-      conn
-      |> put_resp_header("idempotency-key", key)
-      |> put_resp_header("x-original-request-id", request_id)
-    end)
+  defp maybe_cache_response(conn, key, cache_key) do
+    [request_id] = get_resp_header(conn, "x-request-id")
+    content_type = get_content_type(conn)
+
+    record = {request_id, content_type, conn.status, conn.resp_body}
+    {:ok, _} = @cachex.put(:idempotency_cache, cache_key, record)
+
+    conn
+    |> put_resp_header("idempotency-key", key)
+    |> put_resp_header("x-original-request-id", request_id)
+  end
+
+  defp actor_key(%{assigns: assigns}) do
+    {principal_key(assigns), token_key(assigns[:token]), staff_privileges()}
+  end
+
+  defp principal_key(%{user: %{id: id} = user}) do
+    {:user, id, Map.get(user, :is_admin), Map.get(user, :is_moderator)}
+  end
+
+  defp principal_key(%{app: %{id: id}}), do: {:app, id}
+  defp principal_key(_assigns), do: nil
+
+  defp token_key(%{id: id} = token), do: {id, token |> Map.get(:scopes, []) |> Enum.sort()}
+  defp token_key(_token), do: nil
+
+  defp staff_privileges do
+    {
+      Config.get([:instance, :admin_privileges], []) |> Enum.sort(),
+      Config.get([:instance, :moderator_privileges], []) |> Enum.sort()
+    }
   end
 
   defp send_cached(conn, key, record) do
diff --git a/test/pleroma/web/admin_api/controllers/user_controller_test.exs b/test/pleroma/web/admin_api/controllers/user_controller_test.exs
index 0e5650285..764f5e01f 100644
--- a/test/pleroma/web/admin_api/controllers/user_controller_test.exs
+++ b/test/pleroma/web/admin_api/controllers/user_controller_test.exs
@@ -176,6 +176,183 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.AdminAPI.UserControllerTest do
       assert ["lain", "lain2"] -- Enum.map(log_entry.data["subjects"], & &1["nickname"]) == []
     end
 
+    test "Admin-created users bypass account confirmation", %{conn: conn} do
+      clear_config([:instance, :account_activation_required], true)
+
+      conn
+      |> put_req_header("accept", "application/json")
+      |> put_req_header("content-type", "application/json")
+      |> post("/api/pleroma/admin/users", %{
+        "users" => [
+          %{"nickname" => "lain", "email" => "lain@example.org", "password" => "test"}
+        ]
+      })
+      |> json_response_and_validate_schema(200)
+
+      assert User.get_by_nickname("lain").is_confirmed
+    end
+
+    test "Creating without a password returns a password reset link", %{conn: conn} do
+      accounts =
+        conn
+        |> put_req_header("accept", "application/json")
+        |> put_req_header("content-type", "application/json")
+        |> post("/api/pleroma/admin/users", %{
+          "users" => [
+            %{
+              "nickname" => "lain",
+              "email" => "lain@example.org"
+            },
+            %{
+              "nickname" => "lain2",
+              "email" => "lain2@example.org",
+              "password" => "dupa.8"
+            }
+          ]
+        })
+        |> json_response_and_validate_schema(200)
+        |> Map.new(fn account -> {account["data"]["nickname"], account} end)
+
+      account1 = accounts["lain"]
+      account2 = accounts["lain2"]
+
+      assert account1["type"] == "success"
+      assert %{"password_reset_link" => link} = account1["data"]
+      assert link =~ "/api/v1/pleroma/password_reset/"
+
+      assert account2["type"] == "success"
+      refute Map.has_key?(account2["data"], "password_reset_link")
+    end
+
+    test "Explicit empty passwords return a conflict", %{conn: conn} do
+      conn =
+        conn
+        |> put_req_header("accept", "application/json")
+        |> put_req_header("content-type", "application/json")
+        |> post("/api/pleroma/admin/users", %{
+          "users" => [
+            %{"nickname" => "lain", "email" => "lain@example.org", "password" => ""}
+          ]
+        })
+
+      assert [%{"error" => "password can't be blank"}] = json_response(conn, 409)
+      refute User.get_by_nickname("lain")
+    end
+
+    test "Password reset token failures roll back the user batch", %{conn: conn} do
+      idempotency_key = Ecto.UUID.generate()
+
+      request = fn conn ->
+        conn
+        |> put_req_header("accept", "application/json")
+        |> put_req_header("content-type", "application/json")
+        |> put_req_header("idempotency-key", idempotency_key)
+        |> post("/api/pleroma/admin/users", %{
+          "users" => [
+            %{"nickname" => "lain", "email" => "lain@example.org"},
+            %{"nickname" => "lain2", "email" => "lain2@example.org"}
+          ]
+        })
+      end
+
+      with_mock Pleroma.PasswordResetToken, [:passthrough],
+        create_token: fn user ->
+          if user.nickname == "lain2" do
+            {:error, :forced}
+          else
+            result = passthrough([user])
+            send(self(), {:token_created, user.nickname})
+            result
+          end
+        end do
+        conn = request.(conn)
+
+        assert json_response(conn, 500) == %{"error" => "Something went wrong"}
+      end
+
+      assert_received {:token_created, "lain"}
+      refute User.get_by_nickname("lain")
+      refute User.get_by_nickname("lain2")
+      assert Repo.aggregate(Pleroma.PasswordResetToken, :count) == 0
+
+      assert [_account1, _account2] = conn |> request.() |> json_response(200)
+    end
+
+    test "Password reset links are not cached by idempotency key", %{conn: conn} do
+      idempotency_key = Ecto.UUID.generate()
+
+      request = fn conn ->
+        conn
+        |> put_req_header("accept", "application/json")
+        |> put_req_header("content-type", "application/json")
+        |> put_req_header("idempotency-key", idempotency_key)
+        |> post("/api/pleroma/admin/users", %{
+          "users" => [%{"nickname" => "lain", "email" => "lain@example.org"}]
+        })
+      end
+
+      assert [%{"data" => %{"password_reset_link" => _link}}] =
+               conn |> request.() |> json_response(200)
+
+      second_conn = request.(conn)
+
+      assert [_error] = json_response(second_conn, 409)
+      refute get_resp_header(second_conn, "idempotent-replayed") == ["true"]
+    end
+
+    test "Explicit-password responses remain idempotent", %{conn: conn} do
+      idempotency_key = Ecto.UUID.generate()
+
+      request = fn conn ->
+        conn
+        |> put_req_header("accept", "application/json")
+        |> put_req_header("content-type", "application/json")
+        |> put_req_header("idempotency-key", idempotency_key)
+        |> post("/api/pleroma/admin/users", %{
+          "users" => [
+            %{"nickname" => "lain", "email" => "lain@example.org", "password" => "test"}
+          ]
+        })
+      end
+
+      assert [_account] = conn |> request.() |> json_response(200)
+
+      second_conn = request.(conn)
+
+      assert [_account] = json_response(second_conn, 200)
+      assert get_resp_header(second_conn, "idempotent-replayed") == ["true"]
+    end
+
+    test "Duplicate nicknames in a batch return a conflict", %{conn: conn} do
+      conn =
+        conn
+        |> put_req_header("accept", "application/json")
+        |> put_req_header("content-type", "application/json")
+        |> post("/api/pleroma/admin/users", %{
+          "users" => [
+            %{"nickname" => "lain", "email" => "lain1@example.org", "password" => "test"},
+            %{"nickname" => "lain", "email" => "lain2@example.org", "password" => "test"}
+          ]
+        })
+
+      assert [_first, _second] = json_response(conn, 409)
+      refute User.get_by_nickname("lain")
+    end
+
+    test "Blank nicknames return a conflict", %{conn: conn} do
+      conn =
+        conn
+        |> put_req_header("accept", "application/json")
+        |> put_req_header("content-type", "application/json")
+        |> post("/api/pleroma/admin/users", %{
+          "users" => [
+            %{"nickname" => "", "email" => "lain@example.org", "password" => "test"}
+          ]
+        })
+
+      assert [%{"error" => "nickname can't be blank"}] = json_response(conn, 409)
+    end
+
     test "Cannot create user with existing email", %{conn: conn} do
       user = insert(:user)
 
diff --git a/test/pleroma/web/plugs/idempotency_plug_test.exs b/test/pleroma/web/plugs/idempotency_plug_test.exs
index 3b0131596..cc7580ca2 100644
--- a/test/pleroma/web/plugs/idempotency_plug_test.exs
+++ b/test/pleroma/web/plugs/idempotency_plug_test.exs
@@ -70,6 +70,139 @@ defmodule Pleroma.Web.Plugs.IdempotencyPlugTest do
     assert [^key] = Conn.get_resp_header(conn, "idempotency-key")
   end
 
+  test "does not cache responses marked as sensitive" do
+    key = Ecto.UUID.generate()
+
+    :post
+    |> conn("/cofe")
+    |> put_req_header("idempotency-key", key)
+    |> Conn.put_resp_header("x-request-id", "sensitive-request")
+    |> Conn.put_resp_content_type("application/json")
+    |> IdempotencyPlug.call([])
+    |> Conn.put_private(:skip_idempotency_cache, true)
+    |> Conn.send_resp(200, "secret")
+
+    conn =
+      :post
+      |> conn("/cofe")
+      |> put_req_header("idempotency-key", key)
+      |> Conn.put_resp_header("x-request-id", "second-request")
+      |> Conn.put_resp_content_type("application/json")
+      |> IdempotencyPlug.call([])
+
+    refute conn.halted
+    refute conn.resp_body
+  end
+
+  test "does not replay legacy unscoped cache entries" do
+    key = Ecto.UUID.generate()
+    record = {"legacy-request", "application/json", 200, "secret"}
+    assert {:ok, true} = Cachex.put(:idempotency_cache, key, record)
+
+    conn =
+      :post
+      |> conn("/cofe")
+      |> put_req_header("idempotency-key", key)
+      |> Conn.put_resp_header("x-request-id", "new-request")
+      |> Conn.put_resp_content_type("application/json")
+      |> IdempotencyPlug.call([])
+
+    refute conn.halted
+    refute conn.resp_body
+  end
+
+  test "scopes cached responses to the route and authenticated actor" do
+    key = Ecto.UUID.generate()
+
+    :post
+    |> conn("/cofe")
+    |> Conn.assign(:user, %{id: "user-one", is_admin: false, is_moderator: false})
+    |> put_req_header("idempotency-key", key)
+    |> Conn.put_resp_header("x-request-id", "original-request")
+    |> Conn.put_resp_content_type("application/json")
+    |> IdempotencyPlug.call([])
+    |> Conn.send_resp(200, "one")
+
+    for {path, user} <- [
+          {"/tea", %{id: "user-one", is_admin: false, is_moderator: false}},
+          {"/cofe", %{id: "user-two", is_admin: false, is_moderator: false}},
+          {"/cofe", %{id: "user-one", is_admin: true, is_moderator: false}}
+        ] do
+      conn =
+        :post
+        |> conn(path)
+        |> Conn.assign(:user, user)
+        |> put_req_header("idempotency-key", key)
+        |> Conn.put_resp_header("x-request-id", Ecto.UUID.generate())
+        |> Conn.put_resp_content_type("application/json")
+        |> IdempotencyPlug.call([])
+
+      refute conn.halted
+      refute conn.resp_body
+    end
+  end
+
+  test "scopes cached responses to the OAuth application and token" do
+    key = Ecto.UUID.generate()
+
+    :post
+    |> conn("/cofe")
+    |> Conn.assign(:app, %{id: "app-one"})
+    |> Conn.assign(:token, %{id: "token-one", scopes: ["write"]})
+    |> put_req_header("idempotency-key", key)
+    |> Conn.put_resp_header("x-request-id", "original-request")
+    |> Conn.put_resp_content_type("application/json")
+    |> IdempotencyPlug.call([])
+    |> Conn.send_resp(200, "one")
+
+    for {app, token} <- [
+          {%{id: "app-two"}, %{id: "token-two", scopes: ["write"]}},
+          {%{id: "app-one"}, %{id: "token-two", scopes: ["write"]}},
+          {%{id: "app-one"}, %{id: "token-one", scopes: ["read"]}}
+        ] do
+      conn =
+        :post
+        |> conn("/cofe")
+        |> Conn.assign(:app, app)
+        |> Conn.assign(:token, token)
+        |> put_req_header("idempotency-key", key)
+        |> Conn.put_resp_header("x-request-id", Ecto.UUID.generate())
+        |> Conn.put_resp_content_type("application/json")
+        |> IdempotencyPlug.call([])
+
+      refute conn.halted
+      refute conn.resp_body
+    end
+  end
+
+  test "scopes cached responses to configured staff privileges" do
+    key = Ecto.UUID.generate()
+    clear_config([:instance, :admin_privileges], [:users_delete])
+
+    :post
+    |> conn("/cofe")
+    |> Conn.assign(:user, %{id: "admin", is_admin: true, is_moderator: false})
+    |> put_req_header("idempotency-key", key)
+    |> Conn.put_resp_header("x-request-id", "original-request")
+    |> Conn.put_resp_content_type("application/json")
+    |> IdempotencyPlug.call([])
+    |> Conn.send_resp(200, "one")
+
+    clear_config([:instance, :admin_privileges], [])
+
+    conn =
+      :post
+      |> conn("/cofe")
+      |> Conn.assign(:user, %{id: "admin", is_admin: true, is_moderator: false})
+      |> put_req_header("idempotency-key", key)
+      |> Conn.put_resp_header("x-request-id", "second-request")
+      |> Conn.put_resp_content_type("application/json")
+      |> IdempotencyPlug.call([])
+
+    refute conn.halted
+    refute conn.resp_body
+  end
+
   test "passes conn downstream if idempotency is not present in headers" do
     orig_request_id = "test4"
     body = "testing"