diff --git a/.changeset/user-field-picker.md b/.changeset/user-field-picker.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..55dc8b99a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/user-field-picker.md
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+---
+'@object-ui/fields': minor
+---
+
+feat(fields): wire the `user` field picker to a real `sys_user` search
+
+The `user`/`owner` field widgets previously rendered a placeholder ("User
+selection component requires integration with user management system") and the
+form-type map fell through to `field:text`, so a `user` field rendered as a
+plain text input.
+
+`UserField` now **delegates to the shared `LookupField`** with the reference
+fixed to `sys_user` — reusing the existing debounced candidate search, the
+record-picker dialog, and id resolution — so selecting a person works the same
+way as any lookup, with zero bespoke data plumbing. `mapFieldTypeToFormType`
+now maps `user`/`owner` to `field:user`/`field:owner`, satisfying the existing
+`field-type-coverage` regression guard (which already listed both but had no
+mapping wired — the widget map and cell renderers were registered, the form-type
+map was the missing link). Table-cell display continues to use `UserCellRenderer`
+(avatars/initials).
+
+Pairs with the framework `user` field type (a lookup specialized to `sys_user`).
diff --git a/packages/fields/src/index.tsx b/packages/fields/src/index.tsx
index 7a87ed5de..cb76e2d17 100644
--- a/packages/fields/src/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/fields/src/index.tsx
@@ -1656,6 +1656,11 @@ export function mapFieldTypeToFormType(fieldType: string): string {
     lookup: 'field:lookup',
     master_detail: 'field:master_detail',
     tree: 'field:lookup', // hierarchical reference — pick the parent via a lookup
+    // `user` is a lookup specialized to sys_user; `owner` mirrors it (record
+    // ownership). Both render via the UserField person-picker (delegates to the
+    // lookup picker). Without these they would fall through to `field:text`.
+    user: 'field:user',
+    owner: 'field:owner',
 
     // Contact fields
     email: 'field:email',
diff --git a/packages/fields/src/widgets/UserField.tsx b/packages/fields/src/widgets/UserField.tsx
index 2b42889a0..96f48ac93 100644
--- a/packages/fields/src/widgets/UserField.tsx
+++ b/packages/fields/src/widgets/UserField.tsx
@@ -1,88 +1,39 @@
 import React from 'react';
-import { Avatar, AvatarFallback, Badge, EmptyValue } from '@object-ui/components';
-import { X } from 'lucide-react';
 import { FieldWidgetProps } from './types';
+import { LookupField } from './LookupField';
 
 /**
- * UserField - User/Owner selector field
- * Allows selecting one or multiple users
+ * UserField — person picker for the `user` field type.
+ *
+ * `user` is a lookup specialized to the `sys_user` system object (see framework
+ * "lookup → sys_user" specialization). Rather than re-implement candidate search,
+ * the searchable picker, the record-picker dialog and id resolution, this widget
+ * **delegates to the shared {@link LookupField}** with the reference fixed to
+ * `sys_user`. The author writes `Field.user({ multiple })`; we normalise the field
+ * metadata so the lookup machinery targets users with a sensible display field.
+ *
+ * Table-cell display (avatars / initials) is handled separately by
+ * `UserCellRenderer`; this is the form/editor widget.
  */
-export function UserField({ value, onChange, field, readonly, ...props }: FieldWidgetProps<any>) {
-  const userField = (field || (props as any).schema) as any;
-  const multiple = userField?.multiple || false;
+export function UserField(props: FieldWidgetProps<any>) {
+  const raw = (props.field || (props as any).schema) as any;
 
-  if (readonly) {
-    if (!value) return <EmptyValue />;
-    
-    const users = Array.isArray(value) ? value : [value];
-    return (
-      <div className="flex -space-x-2">
-        {users.slice(0, 3).map((user: any, idx: number) => {
-          const name = user.name || user.username || 'User';
-          const initials = name.split(' ').map((n: string) => n[0]).join('').toUpperCase().slice(0, 2);
-          
-          return (
-            <Avatar key={idx} className="size-8 border-2 border-white" title={name}>
-              <AvatarFallback className="bg-blue-500 text-white text-xs">
-                {initials}
-              </AvatarFallback>
-            </Avatar>
-          );
-        })}
-        {users.length > 3 && (
-          <Avatar className="size-8 border-2 border-white">
-            <AvatarFallback className="bg-gray-200 text-gray-600 text-xs">
-              +{users.length - 3}
-            </AvatarFallback>
-          </Avatar>
-        )}
-      </div>
-    );
-  }
+  // The objectSchema field metadata may live directly on `field`, or nested at
+  // `field.field` when rendered via the createFieldRenderer wrapper — mirror the
+  // unwrap LookupField itself performs.
+  const metaIsNested = raw?.field && typeof raw.field === 'object'
+    && ('reference' in raw.field || 'reference_to' in raw.field || 'type' in raw.field);
+  const meta = metaIsNested ? raw.field : raw;
 
-  const users = value ? (Array.isArray(value) ? value : [value]) : [];
-
-  const handleRemove = (index: number) => {
-    if (multiple) {
-      const newUsers = users.filter((_: any, i: number) => i !== index);
-      onChange(newUsers.length > 0 ? newUsers : null);
-    } else {
-      onChange(null);
-    }
+  // Ensure the picker always targets sys_user (even if the author omitted an
+  // explicit reference) and presents user names by default.
+  const normalized = {
+    ...(meta || {}),
+    reference: meta?.reference || meta?.reference_to || 'sys_user',
+    display_field: meta?.display_field || meta?.displayField || meta?.reference_field || 'name',
   };
 
-  return (
-    <div className={props.className}>
-      {users.length > 0 && (
-        <div className="flex flex-wrap gap-2 mb-2">
-          {users.map((user: any, idx: number) => {
-            const name = user.name || user.username || 'User';
-            const initials = name.split(' ').map((n: string) => n[0]).join('').toUpperCase().slice(0, 2);
-            
-            return (
-              <Badge key={idx} variant="outline" className="gap-2 pr-1">
-                <Avatar className="size-5">
-                  <AvatarFallback className="bg-blue-500 text-white text-xs">
-                    {initials}
-                  </AvatarFallback>
-                </Avatar>
-                <span className="text-sm">{name}</span>
-                <button
-                  type="button"
-                  onClick={() => handleRemove(idx)}
-                  className="ml-1 rounded-full hover:bg-gray-200 p-0.5"
-                >
-                  <X className="size-3" />
-                </button>
-              </Badge>
-            );
-          })}
-        </div>
-      )}
-      
-      <div className="text-sm text-gray-500 italic">
-        User selection component requires integration with user management system
-      </div>
-    </div>
-  );
+  const fieldProp = metaIsNested ? { ...raw, field: normalized } : normalized;
+
+  return <LookupField {...(props as any)} field={fieldProp} />;
 }