diff --git a/src/app/admin/page.tsx b/src/app/admin/page.tsx
index a74fa31..b7770bc 100644
--- a/src/app/admin/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/admin/page.tsx
@@ -163,13 +163,14 @@ export default function AdminPage() {
         }
     };
 
-    const handleSaveSettings = async () => {
+    const handleSaveSettings = async (override?: typeof nodeSettings) => {
+        const payload = override ?? nodeSettings;
         setSavingSettings(true);
         try {
             const res = await fetch('/api/admin/node', {
                 method: 'PATCH',
                 headers: { 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
-                body: JSON.stringify(nodeSettings),
+                body: JSON.stringify(payload),
             });
             if (res.ok) {
                 alert('Settings saved!');
@@ -204,10 +205,12 @@ export default function AdminPage() {
                 throw new Error(data.error || 'Upload failed');
             }
 
-            setNodeSettings((prev) => ({
-                ...prev,
+            const nextSettings = {
+                ...nodeSettings,
                 bannerUrl: data.media?.url || data.url,
-            }));
+            };
+            setNodeSettings(nextSettings);
+            await handleSaveSettings(nextSettings);
         } catch (error) {
             console.error('Banner upload failed', error);
             setBannerUploadError('Upload failed. Please try again.');
diff --git a/src/components/RightSidebar.tsx b/src/components/RightSidebar.tsx
index ac4055d..19f288f 100644
--- a/src/components/RightSidebar.tsx
+++ b/src/components/RightSidebar.tsx
@@ -3,21 +3,28 @@
 import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
 
 export function RightSidebar() {
+    const fallbackDescription = process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_NODE_DESCRIPTION || 'A federated social network node.';
     const [nodeInfo, setNodeInfo] = useState({
         name: process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_NODE_NAME || 'Synapsis Node',
-        description: 'A federated social network designed as global communication infrastructure. Signal over noise. Identity that is truly yours.',
+        description: fallbackDescription,
         longDescription: '',
         rules: '',
         bannerUrl: '',
     });
 
     useEffect(() => {
-        fetch('/api/node')
+        fetch('/api/node', { cache: 'no-store' })
             .then(res => res.json())
             .then(data => {
-                if (data.name) {
-                    setNodeInfo(prev => ({ ...prev, ...data }));
-                }
+                setNodeInfo(prev => ({
+                    ...prev,
+                    ...data,
+                    name: data?.name ?? prev.name,
+                    description: data?.description ?? prev.description,
+                    longDescription: data?.longDescription ?? prev.longDescription,
+                    rules: data?.rules ?? prev.rules,
+                    bannerUrl: data?.bannerUrl ?? prev.bannerUrl,
+                }));
             })
             .catch(() => { });
     }, []);