diff --git a/app/ui/templates/base/layout.html b/app/ui/templates/base/layout.html
index fa74283..c685ea1 100644
--- a/app/ui/templates/base/layout.html
+++ b/app/ui/templates/base/layout.html
@@ -4,22 +4,22 @@
   <meta charset="utf-8" />
   <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1" />
   {% set __title_user = current_user if current_user is defined else None %}
-  {% set __firm_branding = get_current_firm_branding(request, __title_user) %}
-  <meta name="theme-color" content="{{ __firm_branding.primary_color or '#1e3a8a' }}" />
+  {% set __firm_branding = get_current_firm_branding(request, __title_user)|default(none, true) %}
+  <meta name="theme-color" content="{{ (__firm_branding.primary_color|default('', true)) if __firm_branding else '#1e3a8a' }}" />
   <link rel="manifest" href="/manifest.webmanifest" />
   <meta name="mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes" />
   <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-capable" content="yes" />
   <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-title" content="ARRR ERP" />
   <meta name="apple-mobile-web-app-status-bar-style" content="default" />
   <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/static/pwa/icons/icon-192.png" />
-  {% if __firm_branding.favicon_url %}<link rel="icon" href="{{ __firm_branding.favicon_url }}" />{% endif %}
+  {% if __firm_branding and (__firm_branding.favicon_url|default("", true)) %}<link rel="icon" href="{{ __firm_branding.favicon_url }}" />{% endif %}
   {% set __title_auth = __title_user and request.session.get("otp_verified", False) %}
   {% if __title_auth %}
   {% set __title_firm = get_current_tenant_name(request, __title_user) %}
   {% set __title_branch = get_current_branch_name(request, __title_user) %}
   <title>{{ title or "Workspace" }} | {{ __title_firm }}{% if __title_branch and __title_branch != "-" %} - {{ __title_branch }}{% endif %}</title>
   {% else %}
-  <title>{{ title or "Welcome" }} | {{ __firm_branding.firm_name or "Audit Firm ERP" }}</title>
+  <title>{{ title or "Welcome" }} | {{ (__firm_branding.firm_name|default("", true)) if __firm_branding else "Audit Firm ERP" }}</title>
   {% endif %}
   <script src="https://cdn.tailwindcss.com"></script>
   <script>
@@ -76,11 +76,11 @@
   <link rel="stylesheet" href="/static/css/theme_tokens.css?v=7q-dashboard-align-strong" />
   <style>
     :root {
-      --af-color-brand-500: {{ __firm_branding.primary_color or '#2563eb' }};
-      --af-color-brand-600: {{ __firm_branding.primary_color or '#1d4ed8' }};
-      --af-color-brand-700: {{ __firm_branding.accent_color or '#1e40af' }};
-      --af-color-brand-800: {{ __firm_branding.accent_color or '#1e3a8a' }};
-      --af-color-brand-900: {{ __firm_branding.accent_color or '#172554' }};
+      --af-color-brand-500: {{ (__firm_branding.primary_color|default('', true)) if __firm_branding else '#2563eb' }};
+      --af-color-brand-600: {{ (__firm_branding.primary_color|default('', true)) if __firm_branding else '#1d4ed8' }};
+      --af-color-brand-700: {{ (__firm_branding.accent_color|default('', true)) if __firm_branding else '#1e40af' }};
+      --af-color-brand-800: {{ (__firm_branding.accent_color|default('', true)) if __firm_branding else '#1e3a8a' }};
+      --af-color-brand-900: {{ (__firm_branding.accent_color|default('', true)) if __firm_branding else '#172554' }};
     }
   </style>
 
@@ -111,11 +111,13 @@
   {% set can_view_documents_menu = full_auth and can_view_documents(current_user, ui_perms, ui_roles) and (ui_roles|select("in", document_menu_roles)|list|length > 0) %}
   {% set management_menu_roles = ["System Admin", "Firm Admin", "Partner", "Manager", "Branch Manager"] %}
   {% set can_view_management_menus = full_auth and (ui_roles|select("in", management_menu_roles)|list|length > 0) %}
-  {% set firm_branding = get_current_firm_branding(request, current_user) if full_auth else __firm_branding %}
+  {% set firm_branding = (get_current_firm_branding(request, current_user) if full_auth else __firm_branding)|default(none, true) %}
   {% set current_user_photo_url = get_user_profile_photo_url(current_user) if full_auth else None %}
   {% set current_user_initials = get_user_initials(current_user) if full_auth else "U" %}
-  {% set current_firm_name = firm_branding.firm_name if firm_branding else "Audit Firm ERP" %}
-  {% set current_branch_name = firm_branding.branch_name if firm_branding else "" %}
+  {% set current_firm_name = (firm_branding.firm_name|default("", true)) if firm_branding else "Audit Firm ERP" %}
+  {% if not current_firm_name %}{% set current_firm_name = "Audit Firm ERP" %}{% endif %}
+  {% set current_branch_name = (firm_branding.branch_name|default("", true)) if firm_branding else "" %}
+  {% set current_firm_logo_url = (firm_branding.logo_url|default("", true)) if firm_branding else "" %}
   {% set domain_context = get_domain_context(request) %}
   {% set is_system_admin_user = full_auth and ("System Admin" in ui_roles) %}
   {% set can_manage_local_storage_agent = full_auth and can_view_documents(current_user, ui_perms, ui_roles) and can_upload_documents(current_user, ui_perms, ui_roles) and (ui_roles|select("in", ["Firm Admin", "Partner", "Branch Manager"])|list|length > 0) %}
@@ -130,7 +132,7 @@
     {% if not use_clean_top_nav %}
     <aside class="border-b border-slate-200 bg-slate-900 text-slate-100 lg:min-h-screen lg:border-b-0 lg:border-r lg:border-slate-800">
       <div class="flex items-center gap-3 px-5 py-5">
-        {% if firm_branding.logo_url %}<img src="{{ firm_branding.logo_url }}" alt="{{ current_firm_name }} logo" class="h-11 w-11 rounded-2xl bg-white object-contain p-1 shadow-soft" />{% else %}<div class="flex h-11 w-11 items-center justify-center rounded-2xl bg-brand-500 font-bold text-white shadow-soft">{{ (current_firm_name[:2] if current_firm_name else 'AF')|upper }}</div>{% endif %}
+        {% if current_firm_logo_url %}<img src="{{ current_firm_logo_url }}" alt="{{ current_firm_name }} logo" class="h-11 w-11 rounded-2xl bg-white object-contain p-1 shadow-soft" />{% else %}<div class="flex h-11 w-11 items-center justify-center rounded-2xl bg-brand-500 font-bold text-white shadow-soft">{{ (current_firm_name[:2] if current_firm_name else 'AF')|upper }}</div>{% endif %}
         <div class="min-w-0">
           <div class="truncate text-sm font-semibold tracking-wide">{{ current_firm_name }}</div>
           <div class="truncate text-xs text-slate-400">{% if full_auth %}{{ current_branch_name }}{% if current_branch_name and current_branch_name != "-" %} Branch{% endif %} • Workspace{% elif domain_context.is_resolved %}{{ current_branch_name or 'Domain Workspace' }}{% else %}Secure Practice Workspace{% endif %}</div>
diff --git a/app/ui/templates/components/top_workspace_bar.html b/app/ui/templates/components/top_workspace_bar.html
index 30d5c2a..769386a 100644
--- a/app/ui/templates/components/top_workspace_bar.html
+++ b/app/ui/templates/components/top_workspace_bar.html
@@ -3,8 +3,8 @@
     <div class="rounded-2xl border border-slate-200 bg-white/95 shadow-soft">
       <div class="flex items-center gap-3 px-3 py-2.5 sm:px-4">
         <a href="/workspaces" class="flex min-w-0 items-center gap-3 rounded-xl px-1 py-1 transition hover:bg-slate-50 lg:min-w-[220px]">
-          {% if firm_branding.logo_url %}
-            <img src="{{ firm_branding.logo_url }}" alt="{{ current_firm_name }} logo" class="h-10 w-10 shrink-0 rounded-xl border border-slate-100 bg-white object-contain p-1 shadow-sm" />
+          {% if current_firm_logo_url|default("", true) %}
+            <img src="{{ current_firm_logo_url }}" alt="{{ current_firm_name }} logo" class="h-10 w-10 shrink-0 rounded-xl border border-slate-100 bg-white object-contain p-1 shadow-sm" />
           {% else %}
             <div class="flex h-10 w-10 shrink-0 items-center justify-center rounded-xl bg-brand-600 text-sm font-bold text-white shadow-sm">{{ (current_firm_name[:2] if current_firm_name else 'AF')|upper }}</div>
           {% endif %}