diff --git a/components/forms/SettingsSubmit.tsx b/components/forms/SettingsSubmit.tsx
index 63128473..182f11c5 100644
--- a/components/forms/SettingsSubmit.tsx
+++ b/components/forms/SettingsSubmit.tsx
@@ -227,8 +227,7 @@ function toDirectusData(target: Target, full: any) {
   for (const k of Object.keys(full)) {
     if (!allow.has(k)) continue;
     const v = full[k];
-    // Avoid sending empty strings to Directus (common cause of "required" confusion)
-    if (v === "") continue;
+    if (v === "") continue; // avoid empty strings confusing required validation
     out[k] = v;
   }
   return out;
@@ -804,8 +803,12 @@ export default function SettingsSubmit(props: CreateProps | EditProps) {
             target_slug,
             ...meta,
             data: directusData,
+            // 🔑 Compat for API route validators that expect top-level title
+            setting_title: directusData.setting_title,
           })
         );
+        // 🔑 Also add a flat field for extreme route handlers that read form fields directly
+        form.set("setting_title", String(directusData.setting_title || ""));
         if (photoFile) form.set("photo", photoFile, photoFile.name || "photo");
         if (screenFile) form.set("screen", screenFile, screenFile.name || "screen");
 
@@ -820,6 +823,8 @@ export default function SettingsSubmit(props: CreateProps | EditProps) {
             target_slug,
             ...meta,
             data: directusData,
+            // 🔑 Compat for API route validators
+            setting_title: directusData.setting_title,
           }),
           credentials: "include",
         });