diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.json b/.release-please-manifest.json
index c3f14639..41ea87d7 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.json
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {
-  ".": "1.2.0"
+  ".": "1.2.1"
 }
diff --git a/.release-please-manifest.staging.json b/.release-please-manifest.staging.json
index c3f14639..41ea87d7 100644
--- a/.release-please-manifest.staging.json
+++ b/.release-please-manifest.staging.json
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
 {
-  ".": "1.2.0"
+  ".": "1.2.1"
 }
diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index bde249a4..0d377e43 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [1.2.1](https://github.com/DataIntegrationGroup/OcotilloAPI/compare/v1.2.0...v1.2.1) (2026-07-29)
+
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+* **api/asset:** update access from admin to editor ([3bed220](https://github.com/DataIntegrationGroup/OcotilloAPI/commit/3bed220a84b129bc65fbb4b97441c35e518f7414))
+
 ## [1.2.0](https://github.com/DataIntegrationGroup/OcotilloAPI/compare/v1.1.5...v1.2.0) (2026-07-22)
 
 
diff --git a/api/asset.py b/api/asset.py
index f3261f39..ded2cd68 100644
--- a/api/asset.py
+++ b/api/asset.py
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@
 from core.dependencies import (
     session_dependency,
     viewer_dependency,
-    admin_dependency,
     editor_dependency,
 )
 from db import Thing
@@ -141,7 +140,7 @@ def database_error_handler(payload: CreateAsset, error: ProgrammingError) -> Non
     status_code=HTTP_201_CREATED,
 )
 async def upload_asset(
-    user: admin_dependency,
+    user: editor_dependency,
     bucket=Depends(get_storage_bucket),
     file: UploadFile = File(...),
 ) -> dict:
@@ -171,7 +170,7 @@ async def upload_asset(
 
 @router.post("/upload-and-record", status_code=HTTP_201_CREATED)
 async def upload_and_record_asset(
-    user: admin_dependency,
+    user: editor_dependency,
     session: session_dependency,
     bucket=Depends(get_storage_bucket),
     file: UploadFile = File(...),
@@ -188,7 +187,7 @@ async def upload_and_record_asset(
     returned instead of creating a duplicate.
 
     Args:
-        user: Authenticated admin user performing the upload.
+        user: Authenticated editor user performing the upload.
         session: Active database session.
         bucket: GCS storage bucket resolved via dependency injection.
         file: The file to upload. Accepted MIME types: JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP,
@@ -384,10 +383,10 @@ async def upload_and_record_asset(
 
 @router.post("", status_code=HTTP_201_CREATED)
 async def add_asset(
-    user: admin_dependency,
+    user: editor_dependency,
     session: session_dependency,
     asset_data: CreateAsset,
-) -> AssetResponse:
+) -> AssetResponse | None:
 
     try:
         data = asset_data.model_dump()
@@ -446,7 +445,7 @@ async def add_asset(
 async def list_assets(
     user: viewer_dependency,
     session: session_dependency,
-    thing_id: int = None,
+    thing_id: int | None = None,
 ) -> CustomPage[AssetResponse]:
     """
     List all assets or assets associated with a specific thing.
@@ -579,7 +578,7 @@ async def update_asset(
 
 @router.delete("/{asset_id}", status_code=HTTP_204_NO_CONTENT)
 async def delete_asset(
-    asset_id: int, session: session_dependency, user: admin_dependency
+    asset_id: int, session: session_dependency, user: editor_dependency
 ):
     return model_deleter(session, Asset, asset_id, user=user)
 
@@ -589,7 +588,7 @@ async def delete_asset(
     status_code=HTTP_204_NO_CONTENT,
 )
 async def remove_asset(
-    user: admin_dependency,
+    user: editor_dependency,
     asset_id: int,
     session: session_dependency,
     bucket=Depends(get_storage_bucket),
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 61cc5f45..49954c90 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [project]
 name = "OcotilloAPI"
-version = "1.2.0"
+version = "1.2.1"
 description = "FastAPI backend and CLI for managing Ocotillo groundwater locations, wells, assets, and bulk water-level data transfers."
 readme = "README.md"
 requires-python = ">=3.13"
diff --git a/uv.lock b/uv.lock
index b3a366f5..0e08832c 100644
--- a/uv.lock
+++ b/uv.lock
@@ -2105,7 +2105,7 @@ wheels = [
 
 [[package]]
 name = "ocotilloapi"
-version = "1.2.0"
+version = "1.2.1"
 source = { editable = "." }
 dependencies = [
     { name = "aiofiles" },