diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx
index e6b54b5..ad6e49b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/SettingsPage.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { useState } from "react";
+import { useState, useEffect } from "react";
 import { useQuery, useMutation, useQueryClient } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import {
   Settings,
@@ -820,21 +820,24 @@ function ProfileSection() {
   const [jiraApiToken, setJiraApiToken] = useState<string>("");
   const [showToken, setShowToken] = useState(false);
   const [dirty, setDirty] = useState(false);
-  const [initialised, setInitialised] = useState(false);
 
-  // Sync from server on first load
-  if (me && !initialised) {
-    setJiraAccountId(me.jira_account_id ?? "");
-    setJiraEmail(me.jira_email ?? "");
-    setInitialised(true);
-  }
+  // Initialise editable fields from server on first successful load
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (me) {
+      setJiraAccountId(me.jira_account_id ?? "");
+      setJiraEmail(me.jira_email ?? "");
+      // Never pre-fill the token — we only know whether it is set, not its value
+    }
+  // Only run when `me` transitions from undefined → data (i.e., first load)
+  // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [!!me]);
 
   const saveMut = useMutation({
     mutationFn: updateMyPreferences,
     onSuccess: () => {
       qc.invalidateQueries({ queryKey: ["me-prefs"] });
       setDirty(false);
-      setJiraApiToken("");
+      setJiraApiToken(""); // clear token field after save — it's now persisted
       setToast({ msg: "Profile settings saved", type: "success" });
     },
     onError: () => setToast({ msg: "Failed to save", type: "error" }),
@@ -845,9 +848,10 @@ function ProfileSection() {
       jira_account_id: jiraAccountId || null,
       jira_email: jiraEmail || null,
     };
-    // Only send token if user typed something (empty string clears it)
-    if (jiraApiToken !== "") {
-      payload.jira_api_token = jiraApiToken;
+    // Only send token when the user has typed something new
+    // (empty field = "keep current token unchanged")
+    if (jiraApiToken.trim() !== "") {
+      payload.jira_api_token = jiraApiToken.trim();
     }
     saveMut.mutate(payload);
   };
@@ -936,7 +940,7 @@ function ProfileSection() {
                     setJiraApiToken(e.target.value);
                     setDirty(true);
                   }}
-                  placeholder={me?.jira_token_set ? "••••••••••••  (leave blank to keep current)" : "Paste your Atlassian API token"}
+                  placeholder={me?.jira_token_set ? "Leave blank to keep current token" : "Paste your Atlassian API token here"}
                   className="w-full rounded-lg border border-gray-700 bg-gray-800 px-3 py-2 pr-10 text-sm text-gray-200 placeholder-gray-600 focus:border-cyan-500 focus:outline-none"
                 />
                 <button