diff --git a/webui/src/pages/Settings.jsx b/webui/src/pages/Settings.jsx
index 115e62f..654cc97 100644
--- a/webui/src/pages/Settings.jsx
+++ b/webui/src/pages/Settings.jsx
@@ -432,6 +432,7 @@ function Settings() {
   // identity
   const [identity, setIdentity] = useState({ cell_name: '', domain: '', ip_range: '' });
   const [identityDirty, setIdentityDirty] = useState(false);
+  const [loadedCellName, setLoadedCellName] = useState('');
 
   // DDNS
   const [domainMode, setDomainMode] = useState('lan');
@@ -475,6 +476,7 @@ function Settings() {
         domain: cfg.domain || '',
         ip_range: cfg.ip_range || '',
       });
+      setLoadedCellName(cfg.cell_name || '');
       setIdentityDirty(false);
       setDomainMode(cfg.domain_mode || 'lan');
       setDomainName(cfg.domain_name || '');
@@ -545,6 +547,7 @@ function Settings() {
     try {
       const res = await cellAPI.updateConfig(identity);
       setIdentityDirty(false);
+      setLoadedCellName(identity.cell_name);
       draftConfig?.setDirty('identity', false);
       if (res.data.warnings?.length) res.data.warnings.forEach((w) => toast(w, 'warning'));
       // Refresh to get updated domain_name after DDNS registration
@@ -687,10 +690,15 @@ function Settings() {
   useEffect(() => {
     if (!identityDirty) return;
     if (ipRangeError || cellNameError || domainError) return;
-    if (domainMode === 'pic_ngo' && (picAvail === 'taken' || picAvail === 'checking')) return;
+    // In pic_ngo mode, if the cell name differs from what was last saved/loaded,
+    // wait for the availability check to reach a terminal state before saving.
+    // 'available' and 'unreachable' are terminal; null/'checking'/'taken' are not.
+    if (domainMode === 'pic_ngo' && identity.cell_name !== loadedCellName) {
+      if (picAvail !== 'available' && picAvail !== 'unreachable') return;
+    }
     const timer = setTimeout(() => saveIdentityRef.current(), 800);
     return () => clearTimeout(timer);
-  }, [identity, identityDirty, ipRangeError, cellNameError, domainError, domainMode, picAvail]); // eslint-disable-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [identity, identityDirty, ipRangeError, cellNameError, domainError, domainMode, picAvail, loadedCellName]); // eslint-disable-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const timers = SERVICE_DEFS