diff --git a/packages/server/src/routes/users.ts b/packages/server/src/routes/users.ts
index b1fd04c5..b51fc6e1 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/routes/users.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/routes/users.ts
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ export async function userRoutes(app: FastifyInstance): Promise<void> {
       if (profileUpdatedAt !== undefined && typeof profileUpdatedAt === 'number') {
         const currentUser = db.select().from(schema.users).where(eq(schema.users.id, request.userId)).get();
         if (currentUser) {
-          const storedTs = currentUser.profileUpdatedAt ?? currentUser.createdAt;
+          const storedTs = currentUser.profileUpdatedAt ?? 0;
           if (profileUpdatedAt < storedTs) {
             // Incoming data is older — return current state without updating
             return reply.code(200).send(sanitizeUser(currentUser, true));
diff --git a/packages/server/src/utils/sanitize.ts b/packages/server/src/utils/sanitize.ts
index 7340fd55..a325479a 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/utils/sanitize.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/utils/sanitize.ts
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ export function sanitizeUser(row: typeof schema.users.$inferSelect, isSelf = fal
     customStatus: row.customStatus,
     isAdmin: row.isAdmin === 1,
     discoverable: row.discoverable !== 0,
-    profileUpdatedAt: row.profileUpdatedAt ?? row.createdAt,
+    profileUpdatedAt: row.profileUpdatedAt ?? 0,
     createdAt: row.createdAt,
     homeInstance: row.homeInstance ?? null,
     homeUserId: row.homeUserId ?? null,