diff --git a/app/api/submit/settings/route.ts b/app/api/submit/settings/route.ts
index 76ef3925..fc5e2786 100644
--- a/app/api/submit/settings/route.ts
+++ b/app/api/submit/settings/route.ts
@@ -128,13 +128,8 @@ export async function POST(req: Request) {
       if (!setting_title) return NextResponse.json({ error: "Missing required: setting_title" }, { status: 400 });
 
       // Derive uploader from the authenticated user (ignore any spoofed value in body)
-      const me = await dxGET<any>("/users/me?fields=username,display_name,first_name,last_name,email", bearer);
-      const uploader =
-      me?.display_name ||
-      me?.username ||
-      [me?.first_name, me?.last_name].filter(Boolean).join(" ") ||
-      me?.email ||
-      "user";
+      const me = await dxGET<any>("/users/me?fields=id,username", bearer);
+      const uploader = me?.username || "user";
 
       // Relations & numerics
       const mat = body?.mat ?? null;
@@ -148,7 +143,7 @@ export async function POST(req: Request) {
       const setting_notes = String(body?.setting_notes || "").trim();
 
       // Fiber-only
-      const laser_soft = target === "settings_fiber" ? body?.laser_soft ?? null : undefined;
+      const laser_soft = body?.laser_soft ?? null;
       const repeat_all = target === "settings_fiber" ? num(body?.repeat_all, null) : undefined;
 
       // Upload / accept existing file ids
@@ -162,6 +157,7 @@ export async function POST(req: Request) {
         const up = await uploadFile(photoFile, (photoFile as File).name, bearer, {
           folderNamePath: folderPathFor(target, "photo"),
                                     title: setting_title,
+  owner: me?.id || null,
         });
         photo_id = up.id;
       }
@@ -197,6 +193,7 @@ export async function POST(req: Request) {
 
         photo: photo_id,
         screen: screen_id ?? null,
+        laser_soft: laser_soft,
 
         mat,
         mat_coat,
@@ -217,7 +214,6 @@ export async function POST(req: Request) {
       };
 
       if (target === "settings_fiber") {
-        payload.laser_soft = laser_soft ?? null;
         payload.repeat_all = repeat_all ?? null;
       }
 
diff --git a/app/settings/co2-galvo/page.tsx b/app/settings/co2-galvo/page.tsx
index a9009834..7630ed49 100644
--- a/app/settings/co2-galvo/page.tsx
+++ b/app/settings/co2-galvo/page.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import Link from "next/link";
 import Image from "next/image";
 
 type Owner = {
+  username?: string | null;
   id?: string | number;
   first_name?: string | null;
   last_name?: string | null;
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ export default function CO2GalvoSettingsPage() {
       "submission_id",
       "setting_title",
       "uploader",
-      "owner.id",
+      "owner.id", "owner.username",
       "owner.first_name",
       "owner.last_name",
       "owner.email",
@@ -64,8 +65,7 @@ export default function CO2GalvoSettingsPage() {
 
   const ownerLabel = (o?: Owner) => {
     if (!o) return "—";
-    const name = [o.first_name, o.last_name].filter(Boolean).join(" ").trim();
-    return name || o.email || "—";
+    return o.username || "—";
   };
 
   const highlight = (text?: string) => {
diff --git a/app/settings/co2-gantry/page.tsx b/app/settings/co2-gantry/page.tsx
index b3517587..367f42ae 100644
--- a/app/settings/co2-gantry/page.tsx
+++ b/app/settings/co2-gantry/page.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import Link from "next/link";
 import Image from "next/image";
 
 type Owner = {
+  username?: string | null;
   id?: string | number;
   first_name?: string | null;
   last_name?: string | null;
@@ -36,7 +37,7 @@ export default function CO2GantrySettingsPage() {
       "submission_id",
       "setting_title",
       "uploader",
-      "owner.id",
+      "owner.id", "owner.username",
       "owner.first_name",
       "owner.last_name",
       "owner.email",
@@ -65,8 +66,7 @@ export default function CO2GantrySettingsPage() {
 
   const ownerLabel = (o?: Owner) => {
     if (!o) return "—";
-    const name = [o.first_name, o.last_name].filter(Boolean).join(" ").trim();
-    return name || o.email || "—";
+    return o.username || "—";
   };
 
   const highlight = (text?: string) => {
diff --git a/app/settings/fiber/page.tsx b/app/settings/fiber/page.tsx
index 260e24db..a1cae2c6 100644
--- a/app/settings/fiber/page.tsx
+++ b/app/settings/fiber/page.tsx
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ export default function FiberSettingsPage() {
       "submission_id",
       "setting_title",
       "uploader",
-      "owner.display_name",
+      "owner.username",
       "owner.first_name",
       "owner.last_name",
       "owner.email",
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ export default function FiberSettingsPage() {
 
   const ownerName = (row: any) => {
     const o = row?.owner || {};
+    return o.username || "—";
+  };
     return (
       o.display_name ||
       [o.first_name, o.last_name].filter(Boolean).join(" ") ||
diff --git a/app/settings/uv/page.tsx b/app/settings/uv/page.tsx
index fe3d7831..cd6e5ea9 100644
--- a/app/settings/uv/page.tsx
+++ b/app/settings/uv/page.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import Link from "next/link";
 import Image from "next/image";
 
 type Owner = {
+  username?: string | null;
   id?: string | number;
   first_name?: string | null;
   last_name?: string | null;
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ export default function UVSettingsPage() {
       "setting_title",
       "uploader",
       // owner (M2O) – minimal, safe fields
-      "owner.id",
+      "owner.id", "owner.username",
       "owner.first_name",
       "owner.last_name",
       "owner.email",
@@ -65,8 +66,7 @@ export default function UVSettingsPage() {
 
   const ownerLabel = (o?: Owner) => {
     if (!o) return "—";
-    const name = [o.first_name, o.last_name].filter(Boolean).join(" ").trim();
-    return name || o.email || "—";
+    return o.username || "—";
   };
 
   const highlight = (text?: string) => {
diff --git a/components/common/OwnerBadge.tsx b/components/common/OwnerBadge.tsx
index 5360c04e..6fca2256 100644
--- a/components/common/OwnerBadge.tsx
+++ b/components/common/OwnerBadge.tsx
@@ -5,13 +5,13 @@ export default function OwnerBadge({
     uploader,
     className = '',
 }: {
-    owner?: { id?: string | number; display_name?: string } | null;
+    owner?: { id?: string | number; username?: string } | null;
     uploader?: string | null;
     className?: string;
 }) {
     const hasOwner = !!owner?.id;
     const label = hasOwner ? 'Owner' : 'Uploader';
-    const name = owner?.display_name ?? uploader ?? '—';
+    const name = owner?.username ?? uploader ?? '—';
 
     return (
         <span