diff --git a/lib/membership/member.ex b/lib/membership/member.ex
index 114814a..074f7e4 100644
--- a/lib/membership/member.ex
+++ b/lib/membership/member.ex
@@ -545,40 +545,48 @@ defmodule Mv.Membership.Member do
       end
     end
 
-    # Validate member fields that are marked as required in settings or by Vereinfacht
+    # Validate member fields that are marked as required in settings or by Vereinfacht.
+    # When settings cannot be loaded, we still enforce email + Vereinfacht-required fields.
     validate fn changeset, _context ->
-      case Mv.Membership.get_settings() do
-        {:ok, settings} ->
-          required_config = settings.member_field_required || %{}
-          normalized = VisibilityConfig.normalize(required_config)
-          vereinfacht_required? = Mv.Config.vereinfacht_configured?()
+      vereinfacht_required? = Mv.Config.vereinfacht_configured?()
+
+      required_fields =
+        case Mv.Membership.get_settings() do
+          {:ok, settings} ->
+            required_config = settings.member_field_required || %{}
+            normalized = VisibilityConfig.normalize(required_config)
 
-          required_fields =
             Enum.filter(Mv.Constants.member_fields(), fn field ->
               field == :email ||
                 (vereinfacht_required? && Mv.Constants.vereinfacht_required_field?(field)) ||
                 Map.get(normalized, field, false)
             end)
 
-          missing =
-            Enum.filter(required_fields, fn field ->
-              value = Ash.Changeset.get_attribute(changeset, field)
-              not member_field_value_present?(field, value)
+          {:error, reason} ->
+            Logger.warning(
+              "Member required-fields validation: could not load settings (#{inspect(reason)}). " <>
+                "Enforcing only email and Vereinfacht-required fields."
+            )
+
+            Enum.filter(Mv.Constants.member_fields(), fn field ->
+              field == :email ||
+                (vereinfacht_required? && Mv.Constants.vereinfacht_required_field?(field))
             end)
+        end
 
-          if Enum.empty?(missing) do
-            :ok
-          else
-            # Return first missing field error (Ash shows one at a time per field)
-            field = hd(missing)
+      missing =
+        Enum.filter(required_fields, fn field ->
+          value = Ash.Changeset.get_attribute(changeset, field)
+          not member_field_value_present?(field, value)
+        end)
 
-            {:error,
-             field: field, message: Gettext.dgettext(MvWeb.Gettext, "default", "can't be blank")}
-          end
+      if Enum.empty?(missing) do
+        :ok
+      else
+        field = hd(missing)
 
-        {:error, _} ->
-          # If settings cannot be loaded, skip this validation (e.g. bootstrap)
-          :ok
+        {:error,
+         field: field, message: Gettext.dgettext(MvWeb.Gettext, "default", "can't be blank")}
       end
     end
   end