diff --git a/src/app/(admin)/admin/rounds/[roundId]/page.tsx b/src/app/(admin)/admin/rounds/[roundId]/page.tsx
index 48c79f7..c7e3618 100644
--- a/src/app/(admin)/admin/rounds/[roundId]/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(admin)/admin/rounds/[roundId]/page.tsx
@@ -237,16 +237,24 @@ export default function RoundDetailPage() {
     { enabled: round?.roundType === 'FILTERING', refetchInterval: 5_000 },
   )
 
-  // Initialize config from server once on load (or when round changes externally)
+  // Initialize config from server on load; re-sync after saves
   const serverConfig = useMemo(() => (round?.configJson as Record<string, unknown>) ?? {}, [round?.configJson])
   const configInitialized = useRef(false)
-  if (round && !configInitialized.current) {
-    const roundConfig = (round.configJson as Record<string, unknown>) ?? {}
-    if (Object.keys(config).length === 0 || JSON.stringify(roundConfig) !== JSON.stringify(config)) {
-      setConfig(roundConfig)
+  const savingRef = useRef(false)
+
+  // Sync local config with server: on initial load AND whenever serverConfig
+  // changes after a save completes (so Zod-applied defaults get picked up)
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!round) return
+    if (!configInitialized.current) {
+      configInitialized.current = true
+      setConfig(serverConfig)
+    } else if (!savingRef.current) {
+      // Server changed (e.g. after save invalidation) — re-sync
+      setConfig(serverConfig)
     }
-    configInitialized.current = true
-  }
+  }, [serverConfig, round])
+
   const hasUnsavedConfig = useMemo(
     () => configInitialized.current && JSON.stringify(config) !== JSON.stringify(serverConfig),
     [config, serverConfig],
@@ -255,11 +263,13 @@ export default function RoundDetailPage() {
   // ── Mutations ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
   const updateMutation = trpc.round.update.useMutation({
     onSuccess: () => {
+      savingRef.current = false
       utils.round.getById.invalidate({ id: roundId })
       setAutosaveStatus('saved')
       setTimeout(() => setAutosaveStatus('idle'), 2000)
     },
     onError: (err) => {
+      savingRef.current = false
       setAutosaveStatus('error')
       toast.error(err.message)
     },
@@ -393,23 +403,27 @@ export default function RoundDetailPage() {
   }, [])
 
   const saveConfig = useCallback(() => {
+    savingRef.current = true
     setAutosaveStatus('saving')
     updateMutation.mutate({ id: roundId, configJson: config })
   }, [config, roundId, updateMutation])
 
   // ── Auto-save: debounce config changes and save automatically ────────
+  const configJson = JSON.stringify(config)
+  const serverJson = JSON.stringify(serverConfig)
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!configInitialized.current) return
-    if (JSON.stringify(config) === JSON.stringify(serverConfig)) return
+    if (configJson === serverJson) return
 
     const timer = setTimeout(() => {
+      savingRef.current = true
       setAutosaveStatus('saving')
       updateMutation.mutate({ id: roundId, configJson: config })
     }, 800)
 
     return () => clearTimeout(timer)
     // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
-  }, [config])
+  }, [configJson])
 
   // ── Computed values ────────────────────────────────────────────────────
   const projectCount = round?._count?.projectRoundStates ?? 0