diff --git a/backend/migrations/0001_init.sql b/backend/migrations/0001_init.sql
index 1e77dda..3bf6c47 100644
--- a/backend/migrations/0001_init.sql
+++ b/backend/migrations/0001_init.sql
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS tenant (
   nwc_url TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
   nwc_error TEXT,
   created_at INTEGER NOT NULL,
-  stripe_customer_id TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
+  stripe_customer_id TEXT NOT NULL,
   stripe_subscription_id TEXT,
   past_due_at INTEGER
 );
diff --git a/backend/src/api.rs b/backend/src/api.rs
index f1b6720..17a6289 100644
--- a/backend/src/api.rs
+++ b/backend/src/api.rs
@@ -370,32 +370,50 @@ async fn get_identity(
     let pubkey = state.api.extract_auth_pubkey(&headers)?;
     let is_admin = state.api.admins.iter().any(|a| a == &pubkey);
 
-    // Only create if tenant doesn't exist yet
-    if let Ok(None) = state.api.query.get_tenant(&pubkey).await {
-        // TODO: Call Stripe API to create a new customer
-        let stripe_customer_id = String::new();
+    // Ensure tenant exists.
+    match state.api.query.get_tenant(&pubkey).await {
+        Ok(Some(_)) => {}
+        Ok(None) => {
+            let stripe_customer_id = match state.api.billing.stripe_create_customer(&pubkey).await {
+                Ok(id) => id,
+                Err(e) => {
+                    return Ok(err(
+                        StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR,
+                        "stripe-customer-create-failed",
+                        &e.to_string(),
+                    ));
+                }
+            };
 
-        let tenant = Tenant {
-            pubkey: pubkey.clone(),
-            nwc_url: String::new(),
-            nwc_error: None,
-            created_at: now_ts(),
-            stripe_customer_id,
-            stripe_subscription_id: None,
-            past_due_at: None,
-        };
+            let tenant = Tenant {
+                pubkey: pubkey.clone(),
+                nwc_url: String::new(),
+                nwc_error: None,
+                created_at: now_ts(),
+                stripe_customer_id,
+                stripe_subscription_id: None,
+                past_due_at: None,
+            };
 
-        match state.api.command.create_tenant(&tenant).await {
-            Ok(()) => {}
-            Err(e) if matches!(map_unique_error(&e), Some("pubkey-exists")) => {}
-            Err(e) => {
-                return Ok(err(
-                    StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR,
-                    "internal",
-                    &e.to_string(),
-                ));
-            }
-        };
+            match state.api.command.create_tenant(&tenant).await {
+                Ok(()) => {}
+                Err(e) if matches!(map_unique_error(&e), Some("pubkey-exists")) => {}
+                Err(e) => {
+                    return Ok(err(
+                        StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR,
+                        "internal",
+                        &e.to_string(),
+                    ));
+                }
+            };
+        }
+        Err(e) => {
+            return Ok(err(
+                StatusCode::INTERNAL_SERVER_ERROR,
+                "internal",
+                &e.to_string(),
+            ));
+        }
     }
 
     Ok(ok(StatusCode::OK, IdentityResponse { pubkey, is_admin }))
diff --git a/backend/src/billing.rs b/backend/src/billing.rs
index a859c3f..a5f60fa 100644
--- a/backend/src/billing.rs
+++ b/backend/src/billing.rs
@@ -56,6 +56,9 @@ impl Billing {
     pub fn new(query: Query, command: Command, robot: Robot) -> Self {
         let nwc_url = std::env::var("NWC_URL").unwrap_or_default();
         let stripe_secret_key = std::env::var("STRIPE_SECRET_KEY").unwrap_or_default();
+        if stripe_secret_key.trim().is_empty() {
+            panic!("missing STRIPE_SECRET_KEY environment variable");
+        }
         let stripe_webhook_secret = std::env::var("STRIPE_WEBHOOK_SECRET").unwrap_or_default();
         let btc_quote_api_base =
             std::env::var("BTC_PRICE_API_BASE").unwrap_or_else(|_| COINBASE_SPOT_API.to_string());
@@ -472,6 +475,33 @@ impl Billing {
         Ok((invoice, tenant))
     }
 
+    pub async fn stripe_create_customer(&self, tenant_pubkey: &str) -> Result<String> {
+        let short_pubkey: String = tenant_pubkey.chars().take(12).collect();
+        let display_name = format!("Caravel tenant {short_pubkey}");
+
+        let resp = self
+            .http
+            .post(format!("{STRIPE_API}/customers"))
+            .bearer_auth(&self.stripe_secret_key)
+            .form(&[
+                ("name", display_name.as_str()),
+                ("metadata[tenant_pubkey]", tenant_pubkey),
+            ])
+            .send()
+            .await?;
+
+        let body: serde_json::Value = resp.error_for_status()?.json().await?;
+        let customer_id = body["id"]
+            .as_str()
+            .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("missing customer id"))?;
+
+        if !customer_id.starts_with("cus_") {
+            return Err(anyhow!("unexpected customer id format"));
+        }
+
+        Ok(customer_id.to_string())
+    }
+
     pub async fn stripe_list_invoices(&self, customer_id: &str) -> Result<serde_json::Value> {
         let resp = self
             .http
@@ -872,3 +902,109 @@ mod tests {
         ));
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use sqlx::SqlitePool;
+    use sqlx::sqlite::{SqliteConnectOptions, SqlitePoolOptions};
+    use std::str::FromStr;
+    use std::sync::{Mutex, OnceLock};
+
+    fn env_lock() -> &'static Mutex<()> {
+        static LOCK: OnceLock<Mutex<()>> = OnceLock::new();
+        LOCK.get_or_init(|| Mutex::new(()))
+    }
+
+    #[allow(unused_unsafe)]
+    fn set_stripe_secret_key(value: Option<&str>) {
+        match value {
+            Some(v) => unsafe { std::env::set_var("STRIPE_SECRET_KEY", v) },
+            None => unsafe { std::env::remove_var("STRIPE_SECRET_KEY") },
+        }
+    }
+
+    struct StripeSecretKeyGuard {
+        previous: Option<String>,
+    }
+
+    impl StripeSecretKeyGuard {
+        fn set(value: Option<&str>) -> Self {
+            let previous = std::env::var("STRIPE_SECRET_KEY").ok();
+            set_stripe_secret_key(value);
+            Self { previous }
+        }
+    }
+
+    impl Drop for StripeSecretKeyGuard {
+        fn drop(&mut self) {
+            set_stripe_secret_key(self.previous.as_deref());
+        }
+    }
+
+    async fn test_pool() -> SqlitePool {
+        let connect_options = SqliteConnectOptions::from_str("sqlite::memory:")
+            .expect("valid sqlite memory url")
+            .create_if_missing(true);
+
+        let pool = SqlitePoolOptions::new()
+            .max_connections(1)
+            .connect_with(connect_options)
+            .await
+            .expect("connect sqlite memory db");
+
+        sqlx::migrate!("./migrations")
+            .run(&pool)
+            .await
+            .expect("run migrations");
+
+        pool
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn billing_new_panics_without_stripe_secret_key() {
+        let _lock = env_lock().lock().expect("acquire env lock");
+        let _env = StripeSecretKeyGuard::set(None);
+
+        let pool = test_pool().await;
+        let query = Query::new(pool.clone());
+        let command = Command::new(pool);
+        let robot = Robot::test_stub();
+
+        let result = std::panic::catch_unwind(std::panic::AssertUnwindSafe(|| {
+            Billing::new(query, command, robot)
+        }));
+
+        let panic_payload = match result {
+            Ok(_) => panic!("constructor should panic when STRIPE_SECRET_KEY is missing"),
+            Err(payload) => payload,
+        };
+        let panic_msg = if let Some(msg) = panic_payload.downcast_ref::<&str>() {
+            (*msg).to_string()
+        } else if let Some(msg) = panic_payload.downcast_ref::<String>() {
+            msg.clone()
+        } else {
+            String::new()
+        };
+
+        assert!(
+            panic_msg.contains("missing STRIPE_SECRET_KEY environment variable"),
+            "unexpected panic: {panic_msg}"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn billing_new_accepts_non_empty_stripe_secret_key() {
+        let _lock = env_lock().lock().expect("acquire env lock");
+        let _env = StripeSecretKeyGuard::set(Some("sk_test_dummy"));
+
+        let pool = test_pool().await;
+        let billing = Billing::new(
+            Query::new(pool.clone()),
+            Command::new(pool),
+            Robot::test_stub(),
+        );
+
+        assert_eq!(billing.stripe_secret_key, "sk_test_dummy");
+    }
+}
diff --git a/backend/src/command.rs b/backend/src/command.rs
index ad23467..031977e 100644
--- a/backend/src/command.rs
+++ b/backend/src/command.rs
@@ -66,6 +66,10 @@ impl Command {
     }
 
     pub async fn create_tenant(&self, tenant: &Tenant) -> Result<()> {
+        if tenant.stripe_customer_id.trim().is_empty() {
+            anyhow::bail!("stripe_customer_id is required");
+        }
+
         let mut tx = self.pool.begin().await?;
 
         sqlx::query(
@@ -205,7 +209,8 @@ impl Command {
             .execute(&mut *tx)
             .await?;
 
-        let activity = Self::insert_activity(&mut tx, activity_type, "relay", relay_id).await?;
+        let activity =
+            Self::insert_activity(&mut tx, "deactivate_relay", "relay", &relay_id).await?;
 
         tx.commit().await?;
         self.emit(activity);
@@ -327,3 +332,56 @@ impl Command {
         Ok(())
     }
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::*;
+    use sqlx::SqlitePool;
+    use sqlx::sqlite::{SqliteConnectOptions, SqlitePoolOptions};
+    use std::str::FromStr;
+
+    async fn test_pool() -> SqlitePool {
+        let connect_options = SqliteConnectOptions::from_str("sqlite::memory:")
+            .expect("valid sqlite memory url")
+            .create_if_missing(true);
+
+        let pool = SqlitePoolOptions::new()
+            .max_connections(1)
+            .connect_with(connect_options)
+            .await
+            .expect("connect sqlite memory db");
+
+        sqlx::migrate!("./migrations")
+            .run(&pool)
+            .await
+            .expect("run migrations");
+
+        pool
+    }
+
+    #[tokio::test]
+    async fn create_tenant_rejects_empty_stripe_customer_id() {
+        let pool = test_pool().await;
+        let command = Command::new(pool);
+
+        let tenant = Tenant {
+            pubkey: "tenant_pubkey".to_string(),
+            nwc_url: String::new(),
+            nwc_error: None,
+            created_at: 0,
+            stripe_customer_id: "   ".to_string(),
+            stripe_subscription_id: None,
+            past_due_at: None,
+        };
+
+        let err = command
+            .create_tenant(&tenant)
+            .await
+            .expect_err("empty customer id must be rejected");
+
+        assert!(
+            err.to_string().contains("stripe_customer_id is required"),
+            "unexpected error: {err}"
+        );
+    }
+}
diff --git a/backend/src/robot.rs b/backend/src/robot.rs
index e002a31..e8195db 100644
--- a/backend/src/robot.rs
+++ b/backend/src/robot.rs
@@ -254,3 +254,23 @@ async fn set_cached(
         },
     );
 }
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+impl Robot {
+    pub fn test_stub() -> Self {
+        let keys = Keys::generate();
+        let client = Client::new(keys);
+
+        Self {
+            secret: String::new(),
+            name: String::new(),
+            description: String::new(),
+            picture: String::new(),
+            outbox_client: client.clone(),
+            indexer_client: client.clone(),
+            messaging_client: client,
+            outbox_cache: std::sync::Arc::new(Mutex::new(HashMap::new())),
+            dm_cache: std::sync::Arc::new(Mutex::new(HashMap::new())),
+        }
+    }
+}