diff --git a/backend/app/crud.py b/backend/app/crud.py
index 3866ac4..647229d 100644
--- a/backend/app/crud.py
+++ b/backend/app/crud.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 from uuid import uuid4
 
 from sqlalchemy.orm import Session, joinedload
-from fastapi import HTTPException # <--- Add this at the top with your imports
+from fastapi import HTTPException
 
 from . import logic, models, schemas
 
@@ -28,7 +28,12 @@ def create_tournament(db: Session, data: schemas.TournamentCreate):
         duration=data.duration,
         type=data.type,
     )
-    new_t.teams = [models.Team(name=n) for n in data.teams]
+    
+    new_t.teams = [
+        models.Team(name=nt.name, dropped_out=nt.dropped_out) 
+        for nt in data.teams
+    ]
+    
     new_t.courts = db.query(models.Court).filter(models.Court.id.in_(data.courts)).all()
 
     db.add(new_t)
@@ -160,9 +165,15 @@ def update_tournament_teams(db: Session, tournament_id: str, new_teams: list[sch
         db.delete(team)
     db.flush()
 
-    t.teams = [models.Team(name=nt.name, tournament_id=t.id) for nt in new_teams]
+    t.teams = [
+        models.Team(name=nt.name, tournament_id=t.id, dropped_out=nt.dropped_out) 
+        for nt in new_teams
+    ]
     db.flush()
     _rebuild_structure(db, t)
+    for m in t.matches:
+        logic.check_and_apply_walkover(db, m)
+
     db.commit()
     db.refresh(t)
     return t
diff --git a/backend/app/logic.py b/backend/app/logic.py
index fab8708..24003f0 100644
--- a/backend/app/logic.py
+++ b/backend/app/logic.py
@@ -148,14 +148,34 @@ def update_schedule_times(db: Session, t: models.Tournament):
     court_timers = {c.id: start_of_day for c in all_courts}
     planned_finish_times = {}
     unscheduled: list[models.Match] = []
+    tournament_has_started = {
+        t_item.id: any(m.status == MatchStatus.FINISHED for m in t_item.matches)
+        for t_item in tournaments
+    }
 
     for m in all_matches:
+        is_locked = False
+        t_started = tournament_has_started[m.tournament_id]
+    
         if m.status == MatchStatus.FINISHED and m.start_time and m.court_id:
+            is_locked = True
+            
+        elif m.status == MatchStatus.PENDING and m.start_time and m.court_id:
+            if t_started:
+                is_locked = True
+    
+        elif m.tournament_id != t.id and m.start_time and m.court_id:
+            if t_started:
+                is_locked = True
+
+        if is_locked and m.start_time and m.court_id:
             fin = m.start_time + timedelta(minutes=m.tournament.duration)
             planned_finish_times[m.id] = fin
             if court_timers.get(m.court_id, start_of_day) < fin:
                 court_timers[m.court_id] = fin
         else:
+            m.start_time = None
+            m.court_id = None
             unscheduled.append(m)
 
     tournament_match_counts = {t_item.id: 0 for t_item in tournaments}
diff --git a/backend/app/schemas.py b/backend/app/schemas.py
index a3bfad0..9194086 100644
--- a/backend/app/schemas.py
+++ b/backend/app/schemas.py
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ class TeamSchema(BaseModel):
     model_config = ConfigDict(from_attributes=True)
 
 class TeamUpdate(BaseModel):
-    id: int
+    id: int | str
     name: str
     dropped_out: bool = False
 
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class TournamentCreate(BaseModel):
     type: TournamentTypes
     timestamp: datetime
     duration: int
-    teams: list[str]
+    teams: list[TeamUpdate]
     courts: list[int]
 
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/Forms/TournamentForm.tsx b/frontend/src/components/Forms/TournamentForm.tsx
index 205703f..aaa33a8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/Forms/TournamentForm.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/Forms/TournamentForm.tsx
@@ -169,7 +169,20 @@ export default function TournamentForm({ tournamentId, onSuccess, onDelete }: To
             onSuccess();
         } catch (err: any) {
             console.error("Save error:", err);
-            const msg = err?.response?.data?.detail || err?.detail || err?.message || "An error occurred while saving.";
+            let msg = "An error occurred while saving.";
+            if (err?.response?.data?.detail) {
+                const detail = err.response.data.detail;
+                if (Array.isArray(detail)) {
+                    msg = detail.map((d: any) => `${d.loc[d.loc.length - 1]}: ${d.msg}`).join(' | ');
+                } else if (typeof detail === 'string') {
+                    msg = detail;
+                } else {
+                    msg = JSON.stringify(detail);
+                }
+            } else if (err?.message) {
+                msg = err.message;
+            }
+
             setError(msg);
         } finally {
             setIsSubmitting(false);
@@ -292,26 +305,43 @@ export default function TournamentForm({ tournamentId, onSuccess, onDelete }: To
                                             }`}
                                     />
 
-                                    {hasStarted ? (
-                                        <button
-                                            type="button"
-                                            onClick={() => toggleDropOut(t.id)}
-                                            className={`p-1 rounded transition opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 focus:opacity-100 ${t.dropped_out ? 'text-red-500 bg-red-50 dark:bg-red-900/30 opacity-100' : 'text-zinc-300 hover:text-red-500 hover:bg-red-50 dark:hover:bg-red-900/30'
-                                                }`}
-                                            title={t.dropped_out ? "Restore Team" : "Mark as Dropped Out"}
-                                        >
-                                            <UserMinus size={14} />
-                                        </button>
-                                    ) : (
-                                        <button
-                                            type="button"
-                                            onClick={() => removeTeam(t.id)}
-                                            className="p-1 text-zinc-300 hover:text-red-500 hover:bg-red-50 dark:hover:bg-red-900/30 rounded transition opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 focus:opacity-100"
-                                            title="Remove Team"
-                                        >
-                                            <Trash2 size={14} />
-                                        </button>
-                                    )}
+                                    <div className="flex items-center gap-1">
+                                        {/* 1. If dropped out, ALWAYS show Restore */}
+                                        {t.dropped_out && (
+                                            <button
+                                                type="button"
+                                                onClick={() => toggleDropOut(t.id)}
+                                                className="p-1 rounded text-red-500 bg-red-50 dark:bg-red-900/30 opacity-100 transition focus:opacity-100"
+                                                title="Restore Team"
+                                            >
+                                                <UserMinus size={14} />
+                                            </button>
+                                        )}
+
+                                        {/* 2. If started and active, show Drop Out */}
+                                        {hasStarted && !t.dropped_out && (
+                                            <button
+                                                type="button"
+                                                onClick={() => toggleDropOut(t.id)}
+                                                className="p-1 text-zinc-300 hover:text-red-500 hover:bg-red-50 dark:hover:bg-red-900/30 rounded transition opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 focus:opacity-100"
+                                                title="Mark as Dropped Out"
+                                            >
+                                                <UserMinus size={14} />
+                                            </button>
+                                        )}
+
+                                        {/* 3. If NOT started, ALWAYS allow Deletion */}
+                                        {!hasStarted && (
+                                            <button
+                                                type="button"
+                                                onClick={() => removeTeam(t.id)}
+                                                className="p-1 text-zinc-300 hover:text-red-500 hover:bg-red-50 dark:hover:bg-red-900/30 rounded transition opacity-0 group-hover:opacity-100 focus:opacity-100"
+                                                title="Remove Team entirely"
+                                            >
+                                                <Trash2 size={14} />
+                                            </button>
+                                        )}
+                                    </div>
                                 </div>
                             ))}
                             {teams.length === 0 && (