diff --git a/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/controllers/projects.ts b/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/controllers/projects.ts
index 30376e41..ceee9836 100644
--- a/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/controllers/projects.ts
+++ b/apps/backend/lambdas/projects/controllers/projects.ts
@@ -237,9 +237,9 @@ export const createProject: RouteHandler = async ({ event, auth }) => {
   }
 
   try {
-    // Creating the project and its roster together: a project that saved
-    // without its staff would look complete but fail the form's own
-    // "at least one staff member" rule on the next read.
+    // Creating the project and its roster together so a partial save cannot
+    // leave a project without the staff the caller picked. The roster may be
+    // empty — admins reach every project through `users.is_admin`.
     const inserted = await db.transaction().execute(async (trx) => {
       const row = await trx
         .insertInto('branch.projects')
diff --git a/apps/frontend/src/app/components/ProjectFormModal.tsx b/apps/frontend/src/app/components/ProjectFormModal.tsx
index b12ffe84..e9d740ce 100644
--- a/apps/frontend/src/app/components/ProjectFormModal.tsx
+++ b/apps/frontend/src/app/components/ProjectFormModal.tsx
@@ -85,10 +85,6 @@ function validate(values: ProjectFormValues): FieldErrors {
     }
   }
 
-  if (values.members.length === 0) {
-    errors.members = 'Select AT LEAST 1 staff member for the project';
-  }
-
   return errors;
 }
 
@@ -343,13 +339,10 @@ export default function ProjectFormModal({
 
                 <StaffPicker
                   label="Assigned Staff"
-                  required
                   options={staff}
                   isLoading={staffLoading}
                   value={values.members}
                   onChange={(v) => update('members', v)}
-                  isError={showError('members')}
-                  errorMessage={errors.members}
                   disabled={saving}
                 />
 
diff --git a/apps/frontend/test/components/ProjectFormModal.test.tsx b/apps/frontend/test/components/ProjectFormModal.test.tsx
index a5599b33..b07d9221 100644
--- a/apps/frontend/test/components/ProjectFormModal.test.tsx
+++ b/apps/frontend/test/components/ProjectFormModal.test.tsx
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ describe('ProjectFormModal staff roles', () => {
     ]);
   });
 
-  it('drops a removed member from the roster it saves', async () => {
+  it('saves an empty roster, since admins reach every project anyway', async () => {
     renderEdit();
 
     const list = await screen.findByRole('list', {
@@ -173,11 +173,11 @@ describe('ProjectFormModal staff roles', () => {
 
     fireEvent.click(screen.getByRole('button', { name: 'Save' }));
 
-    expect(
-      await screen.findByText('Select AT LEAST 1 staff member for the project'),
-    ).toBeInTheDocument();
-    expect(
-      mockFetch.mock.calls.some(([, init]) => init?.method === 'PUT'),
-    ).toBe(false);
+    await waitFor(() => {
+      expect(
+        mockFetch.mock.calls.some(([, init]) => init?.method === 'PUT'),
+      ).toBe(true);
+    });
+    expect(savedBody().members).toEqual([]);
   });
 });