diff --git a/web/src/components/CurrencyInput.tsx b/web/src/components/CurrencyInput.tsx
index c8184d7..daa494b 100644
--- a/web/src/components/CurrencyInput.tsx
+++ b/web/src/components/CurrencyInput.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import React from "react";
+import React, { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 
 type BaseProps = Omit<
   React.InputHTMLAttributes<HTMLInputElement>,
@@ -39,21 +39,32 @@ export default function CurrencyInput({
 
   if ("valueCents" in rest) {
     const { valueCents, onChange, ...inputProps } = rest as CentsProps;
+    const [display, setDisplay] = useState<string>("");
+
+    // keep display in sync when valueCents prop changes externally
+    useEffect(() => {
+      const asNumber = (valueCents ?? 0) / 100;
+      setDisplay(Number.isFinite(asNumber) ? asNumber.toString() : "");
+    }, [valueCents]);
+
     const handleChange = (e: React.ChangeEvent<HTMLInputElement>) => {
       const formatted = formatString(e.target.value);
-      const parsed = Number.parseFloat(formatted || "0");
-      onChange(Number.isFinite(parsed) ? Math.round(parsed * 100) : 0);
+      setDisplay(formatted);
+      const parsed = Number.parseFloat(formatted);
+      if (Number.isFinite(parsed)) {
+        onChange(Math.round(parsed * 100));
+      }
     };
-    const displayValue = (valueCents ?? 0) / 100;
-    const value = Number.isFinite(displayValue) ? displayValue.toString() : "";
+
     return (
       <input
         {...inputProps}
         className={mergedClass}
         inputMode="decimal"
         placeholder={placeholder}
-        value={value}
+        value={display}
         onChange={handleChange}
+        pattern="[0-9]*[.,]?[0-9]*"
       />
     );
   }
@@ -70,6 +81,7 @@ export default function CurrencyInput({
       placeholder={placeholder}
       value={value}
       onChange={handleChange}
+      pattern="[0-9]*[.,]?[0-9]*"
     />
   );
 }
diff --git a/web/src/pages/OnboardingPage.tsx b/web/src/pages/OnboardingPage.tsx
index 1ad8e04..dc47447 100644
--- a/web/src/pages/OnboardingPage.tsx
+++ b/web/src/pages/OnboardingPage.tsx
@@ -75,6 +75,14 @@ const defaultSchedule = (): AutoPaySchedule => ({
 const DEFAULT_SAVINGS_PERCENT = 20;
 const MIN_SAVINGS_PERCENT = DEFAULT_SAVINGS_PERCENT;
 const normalizeCategoryName = (value: string) => value.trim().toLowerCase();
+const normalizePercentValue = (value: unknown) => {
+  const parsed =
+    typeof value === "number"
+      ? value
+      : Number.parseFloat(String(value ?? ""));
+  if (!Number.isFinite(parsed)) return 0;
+  return Math.max(0, Math.min(100, Math.round(parsed)));
+};
 const createDefaultSavingsCategory = (): VariableCat => ({
   id: crypto.randomUUID(),
   name: "savings",
@@ -136,7 +144,13 @@ export default function OnboardingPage() {
       if (s.budgetConservatism) setBudgetConservatism(s.budgetConservatism);
       if (Number.isFinite(s.customFixedPercentage)) setCustomFixedPercentage(s.customFixedPercentage);
       if (Array.isArray(s.vars) && s.vars.length > 0) {
-        setVars(s.vars.map((v: VariableCat) => ({ ...v, name: normalizeCategoryName(v.name) })));
+        setVars(
+          s.vars.map((v: VariableCat) => ({
+            ...v,
+            name: normalizeCategoryName(v.name ?? ""),
+            percent: normalizePercentValue(v.percent),
+          }))
+        );
       }
       if (Array.isArray(s.fixeds))
         setFixeds(
@@ -181,11 +195,15 @@ export default function OnboardingPage() {
 
   // ── computed
   const varsTotal = useMemo(
-    () => vars.reduce((s, v) => s + (v.percent || 0), 0),
+    () => vars.reduce((s, v) => s + normalizePercentValue(v.percent), 0),
     [vars]
   );
   const savingsTotal = useMemo(
-    () => vars.reduce((s, v) => s + (v.isSavings ? v.percent || 0 : 0), 0),
+    () =>
+      vars.reduce(
+        (s, v) => s + (v.isSavings ? normalizePercentValue(v.percent) : 0),
+        0
+      ),
     [vars]
   );
   const varsRemaining = Math.max(0, 100 - varsTotal);
@@ -200,6 +218,10 @@ export default function OnboardingPage() {
       .filter(([, count]) => count > 1)
       .map(([name]) => name);
   }, [vars]);
+  const hasMissingVarNames = useMemo(
+    () => vars.some((v) => !normalizeCategoryName(v.name)),
+    [vars]
+  );
   const fixedTotal = useMemo(
     () => fixeds.reduce((s, f) => s + (f.amountCents || 0), 0),
     [fixeds]
@@ -241,7 +263,7 @@ export default function OnboardingPage() {
   const canNext4 =
     vars.length > 0 && 
     varsTotal === 100 && 
-    vars.every((v) => v.name.trim()) &&
+    !hasMissingVarNames &&
     vars.some((v) => v.isSavings) &&
     savingsTotal >= MIN_SAVINGS_PERCENT &&
     duplicateVarNames.length === 0;
@@ -520,7 +542,7 @@ export default function OnboardingPage() {
         dashboardSnapshot.variableCategories.map((c, i) => ({
           id: c.id,
           name: normalizeCategoryName(c.name),
-          percent: c.percent,
+          percent: normalizePercentValue(c.percent),
           priority: i + 1,
           isSavings: !!c.isSavings,
         }))
@@ -943,6 +965,12 @@ export default function OnboardingPage() {
                   </p>
                 </div>
               )}
+
+              {hasMissingVarNames && (
+                <div className="toast-err">
+                  Every category needs a name before you can continue.
+                </div>
+              )}
               
               {varsTotal !== 100 && varsTotal > 0 && (
                 <div className="toast-err">