diff --git a/internal/api/user.go b/internal/api/user.go
index 0fc2a1b5e..a32b50dc9 100644
--- a/internal/api/user.go
+++ b/internal/api/user.go
@@ -170,12 +170,16 @@ func (a *API) UserUpdate(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) error {
 				if config.Security.UpdatePasswordRequireCurrentPassword {
 					// user may be in a password reset flow, where they do not have a currentPassword
 					isRecoverySession := false
-					for _, claim := range session.AMRClaims {
-						// password recovery flows can be via otp or a magic link, check if the current session
-						// was created with one of those
-						if claim.GetAuthenticationMethod() == "otp" || claim.GetAuthenticationMethod() == "magiclink" {
-							isRecoverySession = true
-							break
+
+					// it is only a recovery session if it was recently created
+					if time.Now().Before(session.CreatedAt.Add(15*time.Minute)) {
+						for _, claim := range session.AMRClaims {
+							// password recovery flows can be via otp or a magic link, check if the current session
+							// was created with one of those
+							if claim.GetAuthenticationMethod() == "otp" || claim.GetAuthenticationMethod() == "magiclink" {
+								isRecoverySession = true
+								break
+							}
 						}
 					}
 					if !isRecoverySession {
@@ -187,7 +191,7 @@ func (a *API) UserUpdate(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) error {
 							return err
 						}
 						if !isCurrentPasswordCorrect {
-							return apierrors.NewBadRequestError(apierrors.ErrorCodeCurrentPasswordMismatch, "Current password required when setting new password.")
+							return apierrors.NewBadRequestError(apierrors.ErrorCodeCurrentPasswordMismatch, "A valid current password required when setting new password.")
 						}
 					}
 				}
diff --git a/internal/api/user_test.go b/internal/api/user_test.go
index 59f8585e2..03edda25c 100644
--- a/internal/api/user_test.go
+++ b/internal/api/user_test.go
@@ -420,6 +420,7 @@ func (ts *UserTestSuite) TestUserUpdatePasswordViaRecovery() {
 		newPassword     string
 		currentPassword string
 		recoveryType    models.AuthenticationMethod
+		staleSession    bool
 		expected        expected
 	}{
 		{
@@ -440,6 +441,20 @@ func (ts *UserTestSuite) TestUserUpdatePasswordViaRecovery() {
 			recoveryType: models.EmailChange,
 			expected:     expected{code: http.StatusBadRequest, isAuthenticated: true},
 		},
+		{
+			desc:         "Current password not required for recent OTP recovery session (within 15 minutes)",
+			newPassword:  "newpassword789",
+			recoveryType: models.OTP,
+			staleSession: false,
+			expected:     expected{code: http.StatusOK, isAuthenticated: true},
+		},
+		{
+			desc:         "Current password required for stale OTP recovery session (older than 15 minutes)",
+			newPassword:  "newpassword789",
+			recoveryType: models.OTP,
+			staleSession: true,
+			expected:     expected{code: http.StatusBadRequest, isAuthenticated: true},
+		},
 	}
 
 	for _, c := range cases {
@@ -454,6 +469,14 @@ func (ts *UserTestSuite) TestUserUpdatePasswordViaRecovery() {
 			// Add AMR claim to session to simulate recovery flow
 			require.NoError(ts.T(), models.AddClaimToSession(ts.API.db, session.ID, c.recoveryType))
 
+			if c.staleSession {
+				require.NoError(ts.T(), ts.API.db.RawQuery(
+					"update "+session.TableName()+" set created_at = ? where id = ?",
+					time.Now().Add(-20*time.Minute),
+					session.ID).Exec(),
+				)
+			}
+
 			// Reload session with AMR claims
 			session, err = models.FindSessionByID(ts.API.db, session.ID, true)
 			require.NoError(ts.T(), err)