diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 5f73c21..2528736 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -138,6 +138,35 @@ plus light regex on `create_table_query` (`TO` target) and `engine_full`
 empty). Graph math is pure in `src/core/schema-graph.js` (100%-covered); the SVG is
 the same dagre-laid-out renderer the pipeline graph uses.
 
+### Required grants
+
+Every introspection read is **best-effort**: a denied or missing `system.*` table
+degrades the affected layer instead of failing the graph, so the lineage view works
+even for low-privilege users. The graph draws with **no extra grants** — the implicit
+`SELECT` that `SHOW TABLES` / `SHOW COLUMNS` give over `system.tables` /
+`system.columns` is enough (and those rows are already filtered to the databases the
+user can otherwise access). What you grant only buys *fidelity*:
+
+| To get… | the role needs | if denied (default) |
+|---|---|---|
+| the graph itself + node cards | `SHOW TABLES`, `SHOW COLUMNS` (→ implicit `SELECT ON system.tables` / `system.columns`) | required — without these there's nothing to draw |
+| dictionary (`dict`) lineage edges | `SELECT ON system.dictionaries` | no dictionary edges; the rest of the graph still draws |
+| skip-index badges on the rich cards | `SELECT ON system.data_skipping_indices` | cards show the engine/rows/bytes header without the skip line |
+| per-partition rows in the node detail pane | `SELECT ON system.parts` | detail pane shows columns/keys/DDL but no partition breakdown |
+
+So for full, **no-degrade** schema mode, grant the three optional `SELECT`s above to
+the role your users log in as, e.g.:
+
+```sql
+GRANT SELECT ON system.dictionaries          TO <role>;
+GRANT SELECT ON system.data_skipping_indices TO <role>;
+GRANT SELECT ON system.parts                 TO <role>;
+```
+
+These are metadata-only and stay row-filtered to the databases the role can already
+read; DDL secrets remain masked unless the role separately holds
+`displaySecretsInShowAndSelect`.
+
 ## Saved queries & the Library
 
 Queries you save (★ **Save** next to Run, or `⌘S`) land in the sidebar **★ Library**
diff --git a/src/net/ch-client.js b/src/net/ch-client.js
index 2bdf12a..00a9c3d 100644
--- a/src/net/ch-client.js
+++ b/src/net/ch-client.js
@@ -149,8 +149,9 @@ export async function loadSchemaLineage(ctx, focus) {
     + 'partition_key, sorting_key, primary_key, sampling_key';
   const tablesJson = await queryJson(ctx, `SELECT ${cols} FROM system.tables WHERE database = ${sqlString(db)} ORDER BY name`);
   const tables = tablesJson.data || [];
-  const dictsJson = await queryJson(ctx, `SELECT database, name, source FROM system.dictionaries WHERE database = ${sqlString(db)}`);
-  const dictionaries = dictsJson.data || [];
+  // Best-effort: a denied/missing system.dictionaries (low-priv users lack
+  // SELECT on it) must degrade to no dictionary edges, never abort the graph.
+  const dictionaries = await tryQueryData(ctx, `SELECT database, name, source FROM system.dictionaries WHERE database = ${sqlString(db)}`) || [];
   // Robust source extraction for views/MVs: let ClickHouse parse the SELECT.
   await Promise.all(tables.map(async (t) => {
     if (!t.as_select || (t.engine !== 'View' && t.engine !== 'MaterializedView')) return;
diff --git a/tests/unit/ch-client.test.js b/tests/unit/ch-client.test.js
index b12291c..d3ec742 100644
--- a/tests/unit/ch-client.test.js
+++ b/tests/unit/ch-client.test.js
@@ -359,6 +359,17 @@ describe('loadSchemaLineage', () => {
     const out = await loadSchemaLineage(ctx, { kind: 'db', db: 'lin' });
     expect(out.tables[0].astTables).toBeUndefined();
   });
+  it('tolerates a denied system.dictionaries (degrades to no dictionary edges, graph still loads)', async () => {
+    const ctx = ctxWith((url, init) => {
+      const sql = init.body;
+      // Low-priv users (e.g. the demo role) lack SELECT on system.dictionaries.
+      if (/system\.dictionaries/.test(sql)) return jsonResp('DB::Exception: demo: Not enough privileges. ... grant SELECT ON system.dictionaries. (ACCESS_DENIED)', false, 500);
+      return jsonResp({ data: [{ database: 'lin', name: 'events', engine: 'MergeTree', as_select: '' }] });
+    });
+    const out = await loadSchemaLineage(ctx, { kind: 'db', db: 'lin' });
+    expect(out.tables).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(out.dictionaries).toEqual([]);
+  });
   it('includes the card metadata columns in the scoped tables query', async () => {
     const seen = [];
     const ctx = ctxWith((url, init) => {