diff --git a/handle_settings.go b/handle_settings.go
index 2c39223..9021368 100644
--- a/handle_settings.go
+++ b/handle_settings.go
@@ -80,57 +80,62 @@ func (app *App) handleUpdateSettings(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 }
 
 func (app *App) handleResetAttendees(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-	result, err := app.db.Exec(`DELETE FROM attendees`)
+	ts := now()
+	result, err := app.db.Exec(`UPDATE attendees SET deleted_at=?, updated_at=? WHERE deleted_at IS NULL`, ts, ts)
 	if err != nil {
 		writeError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
 	n, _ := result.RowsAffected()
-
 	writeJSON(w, map[string]any{"deleted": n})
 }
 
 func (app *App) handleResetVolunteers(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-	result, err := app.db.Exec(`DELETE FROM volunteers`)
+	ts := now()
+	result, err := app.db.Exec(`UPDATE volunteers SET deleted_at=?, updated_at=? WHERE deleted_at IS NULL`, ts, ts)
 	if err != nil {
 		writeError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
 	n, _ := result.RowsAffected()
-
 	writeJSON(w, map[string]any{"deleted": n})
 }
 
 func (app *App) handleResetShifts(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-	result, err := app.db.Exec(`DELETE FROM shifts`)
+	ts := now()
+	result, err := app.db.Exec(`UPDATE shifts SET deleted_at=?, updated_at=? WHERE deleted_at IS NULL`, ts, ts)
 	if err != nil {
 		writeError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
 	n, _ := result.RowsAffected()
-
+	// Also soft-delete orphaned volunteer_shifts
+	app.db.Exec(`UPDATE volunteer_shifts SET deleted_at=?, updated_at=? WHERE deleted_at IS NULL AND shift_id IN (SELECT id FROM shifts WHERE deleted_at IS NOT NULL)`, ts, ts)
 	writeJSON(w, map[string]any{"deleted": n})
 }
 
 func (app *App) handleResetDepartments(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-	result, err := app.db.Exec(`DELETE FROM departments`)
+	ts := now()
+	// Soft-delete shifts in these departments first (so sync picks them up)
+	app.db.Exec(`UPDATE volunteer_shifts SET deleted_at=?, updated_at=? WHERE deleted_at IS NULL AND shift_id IN (SELECT id FROM shifts WHERE department_id IN (SELECT id FROM departments WHERE deleted_at IS NULL))`, ts, ts)
+	app.db.Exec(`UPDATE shifts SET deleted_at=?, updated_at=? WHERE deleted_at IS NULL AND department_id IN (SELECT id FROM departments WHERE deleted_at IS NULL)`, ts, ts)
+	result, err := app.db.Exec(`UPDATE departments SET deleted_at=?, updated_at=? WHERE deleted_at IS NULL`, ts, ts)
 	if err != nil {
 		writeError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
 	n, _ := result.RowsAffected()
-
 	writeJSON(w, map[string]any{"deleted": n})
 }
 
 func (app *App) handleResetVolunteerShifts(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
-	result, err := app.db.Exec(`DELETE FROM volunteer_shifts`)
+	ts := now()
+	result, err := app.db.Exec(`UPDATE volunteer_shifts SET deleted_at=?, updated_at=? WHERE deleted_at IS NULL`, ts, ts)
 	if err != nil {
 		writeError(w, err.Error(), http.StatusInternalServerError)
 		return
 	}
 	n, _ := result.RowsAffected()
-
 	writeJSON(w, map[string]any{"deleted": n})
 }