diff --git a/src/app/admin/settings/user/page.tsx b/src/app/admin/settings/user/page.tsx
index 0ac37c5..cd8ebfb 100644
--- a/src/app/admin/settings/user/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/admin/settings/user/page.tsx
@@ -40,16 +40,22 @@ export default function UserProfilePage() {
     register,
     handleSubmit,
     reset,
-    formState: { errors },
+    formState: { errors, isDirty },
   } = useForm<UserProfileFormValues>({
     resolver: zodResolver(userProfileSchema),
+    defaultValues: {
+      name: "",
+      email: "",
+      password: "",
+      confirmPassword: ""
+    }
   });
 
   useEffect(() => {
     async function fetchUser() {
       const user = await getUser();
       if (user) {
-        reset({ name: user.name, email: user.email });
+        reset({ name: user.name, email: user.email, password: "", confirmPassword: "" });
       }
     }
     fetchUser();
@@ -68,7 +74,7 @@ export default function UserProfilePage() {
           title: "Profile Updated",
           description: "Your profile has been updated successfully.",
         });
-        // Clear password fields after successful submission
+        // Clear password fields and reset dirty state after successful submission
         reset({ ...data, password: '', confirmPassword: '' });
       } else {
         toast({
@@ -112,7 +118,7 @@ export default function UserProfilePage() {
           </div>
         </CardContent>
         <CardFooter className="flex justify-end">
-          <Button type="submit" disabled={isSaving}>
+          <Button type="submit" disabled={isSaving || !isDirty}>
             {isSaving ? 'Saving...' : 'Save Changes'}
           </Button>
         </CardFooter>
diff --git a/src/lib/actions/user.ts b/src/lib/actions/user.ts
index f1ce3f9..b3fe113 100644
--- a/src/lib/actions/user.ts
+++ b/src/lib/actions/user.ts
@@ -32,18 +32,20 @@ export async function updateUser(
 ): Promise<{ success: boolean; error?: string }> {
   const session = await getSession();
   if (!session?.userId) {
-    return { success: false, error: 'Not authenticated' };
+    return { success: false, error: 'Not authenticated. Please log in again.' };
   }
 
   const validated = UserUpdateSchema.safeParse(data);
   if (!validated.success) {
-    return { success: false, error: 'Invalid data' };
+    const errors = validated.error.flatten().fieldErrors;
+    const firstError = Object.values(errors)[0]?.[0] ?? 'Invalid data provided.';
+    return { success: false, error: firstError };
   }
 
   const { name, email, password } = validated.data;
 
   try {
-    if (password && password.length > 0) {
+    if (password && password.trim().length > 0) {
       // In a real application, hash the password
       const stmt = db.prepare(
         'UPDATE users SET name = ?, email = ?, password = ? WHERE id = ?'
@@ -59,6 +61,6 @@ export async function updateUser(
      if (error.code === 'SQLITE_CONSTRAINT_UNIQUE') {
       return { success: false, error: 'Email already in use.' };
     }
-    return { success: false, error: 'Failed to update user profile.' };
+    return { success: false, error: 'Failed to update user profile due to a server error.' };
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/lib/auth.ts b/src/lib/auth.ts
index 3972054..a78b1f9 100644
--- a/src/lib/auth.ts
+++ b/src/lib/auth.ts
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ export async function signIn(formData: FormData) {
         name: user.name,
       };
 
+      // Set the session cookie
       cookies().set('session', JSON.stringify(sessionData), {
         httpOnly: true,
         secure: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'production',
@@ -55,18 +56,23 @@ export async function signOut() {
 }
 
 export async function getSession() {
-  const cookieStore = cookies();
-  const sessionCookie = cookieStore.get('session');
+  const sessionCookie = cookies().get('session');
 
-  if (!sessionCookie) {
+  if (!sessionCookie?.value) {
     return null;
   }
+  
   try {
     const session = JSON.parse(sessionCookie.value);
-    return session;
+    // Basic validation to ensure the session object has expected properties
+    if (session && typeof session === 'object' && session.userId) {
+       return session as User & { isLoggedIn: boolean; userId: number };
+    }
+    return null;
   } catch (error) {
     console.error('Failed to parse session cookie:', error);
+    // If parsing fails, the cookie is invalid. Clear it.
+    cookies().delete('session');
     return null;
   }
-}
-
+}
\ No newline at end of file