diff --git a/backend/db/entries.go b/backend/db/entries.go
index 1b4b8cd..86e7a25 100644
--- a/backend/db/entries.go
+++ b/backend/db/entries.go
@@ -7,15 +7,6 @@ import (
 
 type WordStatus string
 
-const (
-	StatusUnknown     WordStatus = ""
-	StatusFavourite   WordStatus = "favourite"
-	StatusOkay        WordStatus = "okay"
-	StatusJokingly    WordStatus = "jokingly"
-	StatusFriendsOnly WordStatus = "friends_only"
-	StatusAvoid       WordStatus = "avoid"
-)
-
 func (w *WordStatus) UnmarshalJSON(src []byte) error {
 	if string(src) == "null" {
 		return nil
@@ -41,7 +32,7 @@ func (w *WordStatus) UnmarshalJSON(src []byte) error {
 }
 
 func (w WordStatus) Valid(extra CustomPreferences) bool {
-	if w == StatusFavourite || w == StatusOkay || w == StatusJokingly || w == StatusFriendsOnly || w == StatusAvoid {
+	if w == "favourite" || w == "okay" || w == "jokingly" || w == "friends_only" || w == "avoid" {
 		return true
 	}
 
diff --git a/backend/routes/bot/bot.go b/backend/routes/bot/bot.go
index b5d7b42..3dd4515 100644
--- a/backend/routes/bot/bot.go
+++ b/backend/routes/bot/bot.go
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ func (bot *Bot) userPronouns(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, ev *discord
 		var favs []db.FieldEntry
 
 		for _, e := range field.Entries {
-			if e.Status == db.StatusFavourite {
+			if e.Status == "favourite" {
 				favs = append(favs, e)
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/backend/routes/user/patch_user.go b/backend/routes/user/patch_user.go
index 8375a0a..7fa1db5 100644
--- a/backend/routes/user/patch_user.go
+++ b/backend/routes/user/patch_user.go
@@ -106,18 +106,6 @@ func (s *Server) patchUser(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if err := validateSlicePtr("name", req.Names, u.CustomPreferences); err != nil {
-		return *err
-	}
-
-	if err := validateSlicePtr("pronoun", req.Pronouns, u.CustomPreferences); err != nil {
-		return *err
-	}
-
-	if err := validateSlicePtr("field", req.Fields, u.CustomPreferences); err != nil {
-		return *err
-	}
-
 	// validate custom preferences
 	if req.CustomPreferences != nil {
 		if count := len(*req.CustomPreferences); count > db.MaxFields {
@@ -134,6 +122,22 @@ func (s *Server) patchUser(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) error {
 			}
 		}
 	}
+	customPreferences := u.CustomPreferences
+	if req.CustomPreferences != nil {
+		customPreferences = *req.CustomPreferences
+	}
+
+	if err := validateSlicePtr("name", req.Names, customPreferences); err != nil {
+		return *err
+	}
+
+	if err := validateSlicePtr("pronoun", req.Pronouns, customPreferences); err != nil {
+		return *err
+	}
+
+	if err := validateSlicePtr("field", req.Fields, customPreferences); err != nil {
+		return *err
+	}
 
 	// update avatar
 	var avatarHash *string = nil
diff --git a/scripts/seeddb/main.go b/scripts/seeddb/main.go
index a430e72..c321f66 100644
--- a/scripts/seeddb/main.go
+++ b/scripts/seeddb/main.go
@@ -55,11 +55,11 @@ func run(c *cli.Context) error {
 	}
 
 	err = pg.SetUserNamesPronouns(ctx, tx, u.ID, []db.FieldEntry{
-		{Value: "testing 1", Status: db.StatusFavourite},
-		{Value: "testing 2", Status: db.StatusOkay},
+		{Value: "testing 1", Status: "favourite"},
+		{Value: "testing 2", Status: "okay"},
 	}, []db.PronounEntry{
-		{Pronouns: "it/it/its/its/itself", DisplayText: ptr("it/its"), Status: db.StatusFavourite},
-		{Pronouns: "they/them/their/theirs/themself", Status: db.StatusOkay},
+		{Pronouns: "it/it/its/its/itself", DisplayText: ptr("it/its"), Status: "favourite"},
+		{Pronouns: "they/them/their/theirs/themself", Status: "okay"},
 	})
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Println("error setting pronouns:", err)
@@ -70,51 +70,51 @@ func run(c *cli.Context) error {
 		{
 			Name: "Field 1",
 			Entries: []db.FieldEntry{
-				{Value: "Favourite 1", Status: db.StatusFavourite},
-				{Value: "Okay 1", Status: db.StatusOkay},
-				{Value: "Jokingly 1", Status: db.StatusJokingly},
-				{Value: "Friends only 1", Status: db.StatusFriendsOnly},
-				{Value: "Avoid 1", Status: db.StatusAvoid},
+				{Value: "Favourite 1", Status: "favourite"},
+				{Value: "Okay 1", Status: "okay"},
+				{Value: "Jokingly 1", Status: "jokingly"},
+				{Value: "Friends only 1", Status: "friends_only"},
+				{Value: "Avoid 1", Status: "avoid"},
 			},
 		},
 		{
 			Name: "Field 2",
 			Entries: []db.FieldEntry{
-				{Value: "Favourite 2", Status: db.StatusFavourite},
-				{Value: "Okay 2", Status: db.StatusOkay},
-				{Value: "Jokingly 2", Status: db.StatusJokingly},
-				{Value: "Friends only 2", Status: db.StatusFriendsOnly},
-				{Value: "Avoid 2", Status: db.StatusAvoid},
+				{Value: "Favourite 2", Status: "favourite"},
+				{Value: "Okay 2", Status: "okay"},
+				{Value: "Jokingly 2", Status: "jokingly"},
+				{Value: "Friends only 2", Status: "friends_only"},
+				{Value: "Avoid 2", Status: "avoid"},
 			},
 		},
 		{
 			Name: "Field 3",
 			Entries: []db.FieldEntry{
-				{Value: "Favourite 3", Status: db.StatusFavourite},
-				{Value: "Okay 3", Status: db.StatusOkay},
-				{Value: "Jokingly 3", Status: db.StatusJokingly},
-				{Value: "Friends only 3", Status: db.StatusFriendsOnly},
-				{Value: "Avoid 3", Status: db.StatusAvoid},
+				{Value: "Favourite 3", Status: "favourite"},
+				{Value: "Okay 3", Status: "okay"},
+				{Value: "Jokingly 3", Status: "jokingly"},
+				{Value: "Friends only 3", Status: "friends_only"},
+				{Value: "Avoid 3", Status: "avoid"},
 			},
 		},
 		{
 			Name: "Field 4",
 			Entries: []db.FieldEntry{
-				{Value: "Favourite 4", Status: db.StatusFavourite},
-				{Value: "Okay 4", Status: db.StatusOkay},
-				{Value: "Jokingly 4", Status: db.StatusJokingly},
-				{Value: "Friends only 4", Status: db.StatusFriendsOnly},
-				{Value: "Avoid 4", Status: db.StatusAvoid},
+				{Value: "Favourite 4", Status: "favourite"},
+				{Value: "Okay 4", Status: "okay"},
+				{Value: "Jokingly 4", Status: "jokingly"},
+				{Value: "Friends only 4", Status: "friends_only"},
+				{Value: "Avoid 4", Status: "avoid"},
 			},
 		},
 		{
 			Name: "Field 5",
 			Entries: []db.FieldEntry{
-				{Value: "Favourite 5", Status: db.StatusFavourite},
-				{Value: "Okay 5", Status: db.StatusOkay},
-				{Value: "Jokingly 5", Status: db.StatusJokingly},
-				{Value: "Friends only 5", Status: db.StatusFriendsOnly},
-				{Value: "Avoid 5", Status: db.StatusAvoid},
+				{Value: "Favourite 5", Status: "favourite"},
+				{Value: "Okay 5", Status: "okay"},
+				{Value: "Jokingly 5", Status: "jokingly"},
+				{Value: "Friends only 5", Status: "friends_only"},
+				{Value: "Avoid 5", Status: "avoid"},
 			},
 		},
 	})