diff --git a/app/models/user.ts b/app/models/user.ts
index f44b85f..13d302e 100644
--- a/app/models/user.ts
+++ b/app/models/user.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { eq, inArray, and, or, ilike, sql } from "drizzle-orm";
+import { eq, inArray, and, or, ilike, isNull, sql } from "drizzle-orm";
 import { database } from "~/database/context";
 import * as schema from "~/database/schema";
 import { generateFlagConfig } from "~/lib/flag-generator";
@@ -113,17 +113,21 @@ export async function findUsersPaginated(options: {
   search?: string;
 }): Promise<{ users: User[]; total: number; hasMore: boolean }> {
   const db = database();
-  const searchFilter = options.search
-    ? or(
-        ilike(schema.users.email, `%${options.search}%`),
-        ilike(schema.users.username, `%${options.search}%`),
-        ilike(schema.users.displayName, `%${options.search}%`),
+  const notDeleted = isNull(schema.users.deletedAt);
+  const filter = options.search
+    ? and(
+        notDeleted,
+        or(
+          ilike(schema.users.email, `%${options.search}%`),
+          ilike(schema.users.username, `%${options.search}%`),
+          ilike(schema.users.displayName, `%${options.search}%`),
+        ),
       )
-    : undefined;
+    : notDeleted;
 
   const [users, [{ count }]] = await Promise.all([
     db.query.users.findMany({
-      where: searchFilter,
+      where: filter,
       orderBy: (users, { asc }) => [asc(users.displayName)],
       limit: options.limit,
       offset: options.offset,
@@ -131,7 +135,7 @@ export async function findUsersPaginated(options: {
     db
       .select({ count: sql<number>`count(*)::int` })
       .from(schema.users)
-      .where(searchFilter),
+      .where(filter),
   ]);
   return { users, total: count, hasMore: options.offset + users.length < count };
 }
diff --git a/app/root.tsx b/app/root.tsx
index 7fd76c0..d9dc04d 100644
--- a/app/root.tsx
+++ b/app/root.tsx
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ import logoUrl from "../public/logo.svg?url";
 
 // Paths that should never trigger the onboarding redirect.
 // Trailing-slash entries are matched as prefixes; others require exact match or sub-path.
-const ONBOARDING_EXEMPT = ["/onboarding", "/api/", "/login", "/register", "/check-email", "/forgot-password", "/reset-password"];
+const ONBOARDING_EXEMPT = ["/onboarding", "/api/", "/admin", "/login", "/register", "/check-email", "/forgot-password", "/reset-password"];
 
 export function isOnboardingExempt(pathname: string): boolean {
   return ONBOARDING_EXEMPT.some((p) =>
diff --git a/app/routes/__tests__/root.onboarding-exempt.test.ts b/app/routes/__tests__/root.onboarding-exempt.test.ts
index b0768a8..8df54f4 100644
--- a/app/routes/__tests__/root.onboarding-exempt.test.ts
+++ b/app/routes/__tests__/root.onboarding-exempt.test.ts
@@ -33,6 +33,12 @@ describe("isOnboardingExempt", () => {
     expect(isOnboardingExempt("/loginpage")).toBe(false);
   });
 
+  it("exempts /admin and all sub-paths", () => {
+    expect(isOnboardingExempt("/admin")).toBe(true);
+    expect(isOnboardingExempt("/admin/users")).toBe(true);
+    expect(isOnboardingExempt("/admin/sports-seasons/123")).toBe(true);
+  });
+
   it("does not exempt normal app routes", () => {
     expect(isOnboardingExempt("/")).toBe(false);
     expect(isOnboardingExempt("/leagues/abc")).toBe(false);
diff --git a/app/routes/admin.users.tsx b/app/routes/admin.users.tsx
index 72b67fd..c8c5717 100644
--- a/app/routes/admin.users.tsx
+++ b/app/routes/admin.users.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useState } from "react";
+import { useState, useEffect } from "react";
 import { Form, redirect, useSearchParams } from "react-router";
 import type { Route } from "./+types/admin.users";
 
@@ -48,14 +48,14 @@ export async function loader(args: Route.LoaderArgs) {
   const page = Math.max(0, parseInt(searchParams.get("page") ?? "0", 10) || 0);
   const search = searchParams.get("search") ?? "";
 
-  const { users, total, hasMore } = await findUsersPaginated({
+  const { users, total } = await findUsersPaginated({
     limit: PAGE_SIZE,
     offset: page * PAGE_SIZE,
     search: search || undefined,
   });
 
   const totalPages = Math.ceil(total / PAGE_SIZE);
-  return { users, page, totalPages, total, hasMore, search };
+  return { users, page, totalPages, total, search };
 }
 
 export async function action(args: Route.ActionArgs) {
@@ -107,6 +107,13 @@ export default function AdminUsers({ loaderData, actionData }: Route.ComponentPr
   const [editingId, setEditingId] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [editValue, setEditValue] = useState("");
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (actionData && "success" in actionData && actionData.success) {
+      setEditingId(null);
+      setEditValue("");
+    }
+  }, [actionData]);
+
   function startEdit(userId: string, currentUsername: string | null) {
     setEditingId(userId);
     setEditValue(currentUsername ?? "");
@@ -125,11 +132,9 @@ export default function AdminUsers({ loaderData, actionData }: Route.ComponentPr
 
   return (
     <div className="p-8">
-      <div className="mb-6 flex items-center justify-between">
-        <div>
-          <h1 className="text-2xl font-bold">Users</h1>
-          <p className="text-muted-foreground text-sm mt-1">{total} total users</p>
-        </div>
+      <div className="mb-6">
+        <h1 className="text-2xl font-bold">Users</h1>
+        <p className="text-muted-foreground text-sm mt-1">{total} total users</p>
       </div>
 
       <Card>
@@ -199,7 +204,6 @@ export default function AdminUsers({ loaderData, actionData }: Route.ComponentPr
                               variant="ghost"
                               className="h-7 w-7"
                               title="Save"
-                              onClick={() => setEditingId(null)}
                             >
                               <Check className="h-4 w-4" />
                             </Button>
diff --git a/app/routes/settings.tsx b/app/routes/settings.tsx
index 35c600d..4824c02 100644
--- a/app/routes/settings.tsx
+++ b/app/routes/settings.tsx
@@ -123,17 +123,21 @@ export async function action(args: Route.ActionArgs): Promise<ActionData | Respo
     const timezone = formData.get("timezone") as string | null;
     const timezoneValue = timezone && VALID_TIMEZONES.has(timezone) ? timezone : undefined;
 
-    if (!USERNAME_RE.test(username)) {
-      return { intent: "update-profile", error: "Username must be 3–30 characters and contain only letters, numbers, underscores, or hyphens." };
-    }
-
-    const existing = await findUserByUsername(username);
-    if (existing && existing.id !== session.user.id) {
-      return { intent: "update-profile", error: "That username is already taken." };
+    if (username !== "") {
+      if (!USERNAME_RE.test(username)) {
+        return { intent: "update-profile", error: "Username must be 3–30 characters and contain only letters, numbers, underscores, or hyphens." };
+      }
+      const existing = await findUserByUsername(username);
+      if (existing && existing.id !== session.user.id) {
+        return { intent: "update-profile", error: "That username is already taken." };
+      }
     }
 
     try {
-      await updateUser(session.user.id, { username, timezone: timezoneValue });
+      await updateUser(session.user.id, {
+        ...(username !== "" ? { username } : {}),
+        timezone: timezoneValue,
+      });
     } catch {
       return { intent: "update-profile", error: "That username is already taken." };
     }