diff --git a/app/routes/__tests__/settings.test.ts b/app/routes/__tests__/settings.test.ts
index da286d2..660dcca 100644
--- a/app/routes/__tests__/settings.test.ts
+++ b/app/routes/__tests__/settings.test.ts
@@ -22,9 +22,21 @@ vi.mock("~/models/account", () => ({ findLinkedAccountsByUserId: vi.fn() }));
 vi.mock("~/models/team", () => ({ findTeamsByOwnerId: vi.fn(), removeTeamOwner: vi.fn() }));
 vi.mock("~/models/commissioner", () => ({ removeAllCommissionersByUserId: vi.fn() }));
 
-import { loader } from "../settings";
+import { loader, shouldRevalidate } from "../settings";
 import { auth } from "~/lib/auth.server";
 
+type RevalidateArgs = Parameters<typeof shouldRevalidate>[0];
+
+function revalidateArgs(overrides: Partial<RevalidateArgs>): RevalidateArgs {
+  return {
+    currentParams: {},
+    nextParams: {},
+    formMethod: undefined,
+    defaultShouldRevalidate: true,
+    ...overrides,
+  } as unknown as RevalidateArgs;
+}
+
 type LoaderArgs = Parameters<typeof loader>[0];
 
 function loaderArgs(section?: string): LoaderArgs {
@@ -54,3 +66,37 @@ describe("/settings loader section handling", () => {
     expect(auth.api.getSession).toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
 });
+
+describe("/settings shouldRevalidate", () => {
+  it("skips revalidation when only the section param changes", () => {
+    expect(
+      shouldRevalidate(
+        revalidateArgs({ currentParams: { section: "profile" }, nextParams: { section: "account" } })
+      )
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+
+  it("revalidates after a mutation regardless of section", () => {
+    expect(
+      shouldRevalidate(
+        revalidateArgs({
+          currentParams: { section: "profile" },
+          nextParams: { section: "account" },
+          formMethod: "POST",
+        })
+      )
+    ).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("defers to the default when the section is unchanged", () => {
+    expect(
+      shouldRevalidate(
+        revalidateArgs({
+          currentParams: { section: "account" },
+          nextParams: { section: "account" },
+          defaultShouldRevalidate: true,
+        })
+      )
+    ).toBe(true);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/app/routes/settings.tsx b/app/routes/settings.tsx
index d680b65..99cebd1 100644
--- a/app/routes/settings.tsx
+++ b/app/routes/settings.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { redirect } from "react-router";
+import { redirect, type ShouldRevalidateFunctionArgs } from "react-router";
 import { Bell, Key, Lock, Shield, User } from "lucide-react";
 import { auth } from "~/lib/auth.server";
 import { findUserById, findUserByUsername, isUserInActiveDraft, updateUser, anonymizeUserAccount, USERNAME_RE } from "~/models/user";
@@ -56,6 +56,20 @@ export function meta(): Route.MetaDescriptors {
   return [{ title: "Settings - Brackt" }];
 }
 
+export function shouldRevalidate({
+  currentParams,
+  nextParams,
+  formMethod,
+  defaultShouldRevalidate,
+}: ShouldRevalidateFunctionArgs) {
+  // Mutations (profile/avatar/notification updates) must refresh loader data.
+  if (formMethod && formMethod !== "GET") return true;
+  // Switching sections only changes the path param, and the loader payload is the
+  // same for every section, so don't refetch user/draft status/linked accounts.
+  if (currentParams.section !== nextParams.section) return false;
+  return defaultShouldRevalidate;
+}
+
 export async function loader(args: Route.LoaderArgs) {
   const section = args.params.section;
   if (section && !(VALID_SECTION_IDS as Set<string>).has(section)) {