diff --git a/server/src/router/v1/admin/admin.controller.js b/server/src/router/v1/admin/admin.controller.js
index bba3c83..7d24996 100644
--- a/server/src/router/v1/admin/admin.controller.js
+++ b/server/src/router/v1/admin/admin.controller.js
@@ -475,6 +475,13 @@ async function updateUser(req, res) {
     const target = await users.getById(id)
     if (!target) return res.status(404).json({ message: 'Not found' })
 
+    // If the username is changing, make sure no other user already has it —
+    // return 409 rather than letting the DB unique constraint throw a 500.
+    if (req.body.username && req.body.username !== target.username) {
+      const clash = await users.getRawByUsername(req.body.username)
+      if (clash) return res.status(409).json({ message: 'Username already taken' })
+    }
+
     // Don't let the last admin demote themselves out of admin access.
     if (target.role === 'admin' && req.body.role && req.body.role !== 'admin') {
       if ((await users.countAdmins()) <= 1) {
diff --git a/server/src/router/v1/admin/admin.routes.js b/server/src/router/v1/admin/admin.routes.js
index 5e774d6..83de1d6 100644
--- a/server/src/router/v1/admin/admin.routes.js
+++ b/server/src/router/v1/admin/admin.routes.js
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ adminRouter.post(
 adminRouter.put(
   '/users/:id',
   param('id').isInt(),
+  body('username').optional().isString().trim().isLength({ min: 3, max: 32 }),
   body('password').optional().isString().isLength({ min: 8, max: 64 }),
   body('role').optional().isIn(['admin', 'editor']),
   validate,