diff --git a/backend/package.json b/backend/package.json
index 40c4374..c9dadab 100644
--- a/backend/package.json
+++ b/backend/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "rosterchirp-backend",
-  "version": "0.12.22",
+  "version": "0.12.23",
   "description": "RosterChirp backend server",
   "main": "src/index.js",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/backend/src/routes/usergroups.js b/backend/src/routes/usergroups.js
index 6d30591..d9d0a15 100644
--- a/backend/src/routes/usergroups.js
+++ b/backend/src/routes/usergroups.js
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ router.patch('/:id', authMiddleware, teamManagerMiddleware, async (req, res) =>
       }
     }
 
-    if (Array.isArray(memberIds) && ug.dm_group_id) {
+    if (Array.isArray(memberIds)) {
       const defaultAdmin = await queryOne(req.schema, 'SELECT id FROM users WHERE is_default_admin=TRUE');
       const newIds   = new Set(memberIds.map(Number).filter(Boolean));
       if (defaultAdmin) newIds.delete(defaultAdmin.id); // default admin cannot be in user groups
@@ -289,32 +289,36 @@ router.patch('/:id', authMiddleware, teamManagerMiddleware, async (req, res) =>
       for (const uid of newIds) {
         if (!currentSet.has(uid)) {
           await exec(req.schema, 'INSERT INTO user_group_members (user_group_id,user_id) VALUES ($1,$2) ON CONFLICT DO NOTHING', [ug.id, uid]);
-          await addUserSilent(req.schema, ug.dm_group_id, uid);
+          if (ug.dm_group_id) await addUserSilent(req.schema, ug.dm_group_id, uid);
           addedUids.push(uid);
         }
       }
       for (const uid of currentSet) {
         if (!newIds.has(uid)) {
           await exec(req.schema, 'DELETE FROM user_group_members WHERE user_group_id=$1 AND user_id=$2', [ug.id, uid]);
-          await exec(req.schema, 'DELETE FROM group_members WHERE group_id=$1 AND user_id=$2', [ug.dm_group_id, uid]);
-          io.in(R(req.schema,'user',uid)).socketsLeave(R(req.schema,'group',ug.dm_group_id));
-          io.to(R(req.schema,'user',uid)).emit('group:deleted', { groupId: ug.dm_group_id });
+          if (ug.dm_group_id) {
+            await exec(req.schema, 'DELETE FROM group_members WHERE group_id=$1 AND user_id=$2', [ug.dm_group_id, uid]);
+            io.in(R(req.schema,'user',uid)).socketsLeave(R(req.schema,'group',ug.dm_group_id));
+            io.to(R(req.schema,'user',uid)).emit('group:deleted', { groupId: ug.dm_group_id });
+          }
           removedUids.push(uid);
         }
       }
 
-      // Notification rule: single user → named message; multiple users → one generic message
-      if (addedUids.length === 1) {
-        const u = await queryOne(req.schema, 'SELECT name,display_name FROM users WHERE id=$1', [addedUids[0]]);
-        await postSysMsg(req.schema, ug.dm_group_id, req.user.id, `${u?.display_name||u?.name||'A user'} has joined the conversation.`);
-      } else if (addedUids.length > 1) {
-        await postSysMsg(req.schema, ug.dm_group_id, req.user.id, `${addedUids.length} new members have joined the conversation.`);
-      }
-      if (removedUids.length === 1) {
-        const u = await queryOne(req.schema, 'SELECT name,display_name FROM users WHERE id=$1', [removedUids[0]]);
-        await postSysMsg(req.schema, ug.dm_group_id, req.user.id, `${u?.display_name||u?.name||'A user'} has been removed from the conversation.`);
-      } else if (removedUids.length > 1) {
-        await postSysMsg(req.schema, ug.dm_group_id, req.user.id, `${removedUids.length} members have been removed from the conversation.`);
+      // Notification rule (only if DM exists): single user → named message; multiple → generic
+      if (ug.dm_group_id) {
+        if (addedUids.length === 1) {
+          const u = await queryOne(req.schema, 'SELECT name,display_name FROM users WHERE id=$1', [addedUids[0]]);
+          await postSysMsg(req.schema, ug.dm_group_id, req.user.id, `${u?.display_name||u?.name||'A user'} has joined the conversation.`);
+        } else if (addedUids.length > 1) {
+          await postSysMsg(req.schema, ug.dm_group_id, req.user.id, `${addedUids.length} new members have joined the conversation.`);
+        }
+        if (removedUids.length === 1) {
+          const u = await queryOne(req.schema, 'SELECT name,display_name FROM users WHERE id=$1', [removedUids[0]]);
+          await postSysMsg(req.schema, ug.dm_group_id, req.user.id, `${u?.display_name||u?.name||'A user'} has been removed from the conversation.`);
+        } else if (removedUids.length > 1) {
+          await postSysMsg(req.schema, ug.dm_group_id, req.user.id, `${removedUids.length} members have been removed from the conversation.`);
+        }
       }
 
       // Propagate to multi-group DMs
diff --git a/build.sh b/build.sh
index de5a669..471c202 100644
--- a/build.sh
+++ b/build.sh
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 # ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 set -euo pipefail
 
-VERSION="${1:-0.12.22}"
+VERSION="${1:-0.12.23}"
 ACTION="${2:-}"
 REGISTRY="${REGISTRY:-}"
 IMAGE_NAME="rosterchirp"
diff --git a/frontend/package.json b/frontend/package.json
index 2414252..a533eaf 100644
--- a/frontend/package.json
+++ b/frontend/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "rosterchirp-frontend",
-  "version": "0.12.22",
+  "version": "0.12.23",
   "private": true,
   "scripts": {
     "dev": "vite",
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/UserManagerPage.jsx b/frontend/src/pages/UserManagerPage.jsx
index 50547d4..9b4b194 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/UserManagerPage.jsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/UserManagerPage.jsx
@@ -173,10 +173,10 @@ function UserForm({ user, userPass, allUserGroups, onDone, onCancel, isMobile, o
         });
         // Sync group memberships: add newly selected, remove deselected
         for (const gId of selectedGroupIds) {
-          if (!origGroupIds.has(gId)) await api.addUserToGroup(gId, user.id).catch(() => {});
+          if (!origGroupIds.has(gId)) await api.addUserToGroup(gId, user.id);
         }
         for (const gId of origGroupIds) {
-          if (!selectedGroupIds.has(gId)) await api.removeUserFromGroup(gId, user.id).catch(() => {});
+          if (!selectedGroupIds.has(gId)) await api.removeUserFromGroup(gId, user.id);
         }
         toast('User updated', 'success');
       } else {
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ function UserForm({ user, userPass, allUserGroups, onDone, onCancel, isMobile, o
         });
         // Add to selected groups
         for (const gId of selectedGroupIds) {
-          await api.addUserToGroup(gId, newUser.id).catch(() => {});
+          await api.addUserToGroup(gId, newUser.id);
         }
         toast('User created', 'success');
       }