diff --git a/src/main/java/com/petshop/backend/controller/ChatController.java b/src/main/java/com/petshop/backend/controller/ChatController.java
index 181f1ab9..f503cedf 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/petshop/backend/controller/ChatController.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/petshop/backend/controller/ChatController.java
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import com.petshop.backend.dto.chat.ConversationResponse;
 import com.petshop.backend.dto.chat.MessageRequest;
 import com.petshop.backend.dto.chat.MessageResponse;
 import com.petshop.backend.entity.User;
+import com.petshop.backend.repository.CustomerRepository;
 import com.petshop.backend.repository.UserRepository;
 import com.petshop.backend.service.ChatService;
 import jakarta.validation.Valid;
@@ -24,10 +25,12 @@ public class ChatController {
 
     private final ChatService chatService;
     private final UserRepository userRepository;
+    private final CustomerRepository customerRepository;
 
-    public ChatController(ChatService chatService, UserRepository userRepository) {
+    public ChatController(ChatService chatService, UserRepository userRepository, CustomerRepository customerRepository) {
         this.chatService = chatService;
         this.userRepository = userRepository;
+        this.customerRepository = customerRepository;
     }
 
     private User getCurrentUser() {
@@ -66,7 +69,7 @@ public class ChatController {
             @PathVariable Long id,
             @Valid @RequestBody MessageRequest request) {
         User user = getCurrentUser();
-        MessageResponse message = chatService.sendMessage(id, user.getId(), request);
+        MessageResponse message = chatService.sendMessage(id, user.getId(), user.getRole(), request);
         return ResponseEntity.status(HttpStatus.CREATED).body(message);
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/petshop/backend/service/ChatService.java b/src/main/java/com/petshop/backend/service/ChatService.java
index e7d7ec00..2f7b9d6a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/petshop/backend/service/ChatService.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/petshop/backend/service/ChatService.java
@@ -5,10 +5,12 @@ import com.petshop.backend.dto.chat.ConversationResponse;
 import com.petshop.backend.dto.chat.MessageRequest;
 import com.petshop.backend.dto.chat.MessageResponse;
 import com.petshop.backend.entity.Conversation;
+import com.petshop.backend.entity.Customer;
 import com.petshop.backend.entity.Message;
 import com.petshop.backend.entity.User;
 import com.petshop.backend.exception.ResourceNotFoundException;
 import com.petshop.backend.repository.ConversationRepository;
+import com.petshop.backend.repository.CustomerRepository;
 import com.petshop.backend.repository.MessageRepository;
 import com.petshop.backend.repository.UserRepository;
 import org.springframework.security.access.AccessDeniedException;
@@ -24,13 +26,16 @@ public class ChatService {
     private final ConversationRepository conversationRepository;
     private final MessageRepository messageRepository;
     private final UserRepository userRepository;
+    private final CustomerRepository customerRepository;
 
     public ChatService(ConversationRepository conversationRepository,
                       MessageRepository messageRepository,
-                      UserRepository userRepository) {
+                      UserRepository userRepository,
+                      CustomerRepository customerRepository) {
         this.conversationRepository = conversationRepository;
         this.messageRepository = messageRepository;
         this.userRepository = userRepository;
+        this.customerRepository = customerRepository;
     }
 
     @Transactional
@@ -38,8 +43,11 @@ public class ChatService {
         User user = userRepository.findById(userId)
             .orElseThrow(() -> new ResourceNotFoundException("User not found"));
 
+        Customer customer = customerRepository.findByUserId(userId)
+            .orElseThrow(() -> new ResourceNotFoundException("Customer record not found for user"));
+
         Conversation conversation = new Conversation();
-        conversation.setCustomerId(userId);
+        conversation.setCustomerId(customer.getCustomerId());
         conversation.setStatus(Conversation.ConversationStatus.OPEN);
         conversation = conversationRepository.save(conversation);
 
@@ -57,7 +65,9 @@ public class ChatService {
         List<Conversation> conversations;
 
         if (role == User.Role.CUSTOMER) {
-            conversations = conversationRepository.findByCustomerId(userId);
+            Customer customer = customerRepository.findByUserId(userId)
+                .orElseThrow(() -> new ResourceNotFoundException("Customer record not found for user"));
+            conversations = conversationRepository.findByCustomerId(customer.getCustomerId());
         } else if (role == User.Role.STAFF) {
             conversations = conversationRepository.findByStaffId(userId);
             if (conversations.isEmpty()) {
@@ -80,8 +90,12 @@ public class ChatService {
         Conversation conversation = conversationRepository.findById(conversationId)
             .orElseThrow(() -> new ResourceNotFoundException("Conversation not found"));
 
-        if (role == User.Role.CUSTOMER && !conversation.getCustomerId().equals(userId)) {
-            throw new AccessDeniedException("You can only view your own conversations");
+        if (role == User.Role.CUSTOMER) {
+            Customer customer = customerRepository.findByUserId(userId)
+                .orElseThrow(() -> new ResourceNotFoundException("Customer record not found for user"));
+            if (!conversation.getCustomerId().equals(customer.getCustomerId())) {
+                throw new AccessDeniedException("You can only view your own conversations");
+            }
         }
 
         List<Message> messages = messageRepository.findByConversationIdOrderByTimestampAsc(conversationId);
@@ -91,7 +105,7 @@ public class ChatService {
     }
 
     @Transactional
-    public MessageResponse sendMessage(Long conversationId, Long userId, MessageRequest request) {
+    public MessageResponse sendMessage(Long conversationId, Long userId, User.Role role, MessageRequest request) {
         Conversation conversation = conversationRepository.findById(conversationId)
             .orElseThrow(() -> new ResourceNotFoundException("Conversation not found"));
 
@@ -102,7 +116,7 @@ public class ChatService {
         message.setIsRead(false);
         message = messageRepository.save(message);
 
-        if (conversation.getStaffId() == null && !userId.equals(conversation.getCustomerId())) {
+        if (role == User.Role.STAFF && conversation.getStaffId() == null) {
             conversation.setStaffId(userId);
             conversationRepository.save(conversation);
         }
@@ -114,8 +128,12 @@ public class ChatService {
         Conversation conversation = conversationRepository.findById(conversationId)
             .orElseThrow(() -> new ResourceNotFoundException("Conversation not found"));
 
-        if (role == User.Role.CUSTOMER && !conversation.getCustomerId().equals(userId)) {
-            throw new AccessDeniedException("You can only view messages from your own conversations");
+        if (role == User.Role.CUSTOMER) {
+            Customer customer = customerRepository.findByUserId(userId)
+                .orElseThrow(() -> new ResourceNotFoundException("Customer record not found for user"));
+            if (!conversation.getCustomerId().equals(customer.getCustomerId())) {
+                throw new AccessDeniedException("You can only view messages from your own conversations");
+            }
         }
 
         List<Message> messages = messageRepository.findByConversationIdOrderByTimestampAsc(conversationId);