diff --git a/app/api/settings/route.ts b/app/api/settings/route.ts
index ed688c5f..5b2f95c1 100644
--- a/app/api/settings/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/settings/route.ts
@@ -53,10 +53,7 @@ export async function GET(request: NextRequest) {
 
   try {
     const settings = await loadUserSettings(username, serverUrl);
-    if (!settings) {
-      return NextResponse.json({ error: 'No settings found' }, { status: 404 });
-    }
-    return NextResponse.json({ settings });
+    return NextResponse.json({ settings: settings || null });
   } catch (error) {
     const message = error instanceof Error ? error.message : 'Unknown error';
     const code = (error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code;
diff --git a/stores/settings-store.ts b/stores/settings-store.ts
index 2631a139..3916b654 100644
--- a/stores/settings-store.ts
+++ b/stores/settings-store.ts
@@ -510,10 +510,14 @@ export const useSettingsStore = create<SettingsState>()(
             },
           });
           if (!res.ok) {
-            syncLog('No server settings found (status', res.status + ')');
+            syncLog('Settings fetch failed (status', res.status + ')');
             return false;
           }
           const { settings } = await res.json();
+          if (!settings) {
+            syncLog('No server settings found yet');
+            return false;
+          }
           if (settings && typeof settings === 'object') {
             isLoadingFromServer = true;
             get().importSettings(JSON.stringify(settings));