diff --git a/apps/bot/src/ipc/pair-handler.ts b/apps/bot/src/ipc/pair-handler.ts
index 3681ab0..1f08bb8 100644
--- a/apps/bot/src/ipc/pair-handler.ts
+++ b/apps/bot/src/ipc/pair-handler.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@ const PAIR_TIMEOUT_MS = 5 * 60 * 1000;
 const offByAccount = new Map<string, () => void>();
 const lastQrPayload = new Map<string, string>();
 const pairTimeouts = new Map<string, NodeJS.Timeout>();
+// "Warming" set: while present, the just-attached listener will ignore
+// close events. Cleared the moment a qr/open arrives. This prevents the
+// old session's close (broadcast asynchronously by sessionManager after
+// our await sessionManager.stop() returns) from being mis-read as the
+// NEW session timing out — which manifested as: get QR → go back →
+// click Pair again → instantly see "Pairing timed out".
+const pairingWarmingUp = new Set<string>();
 
 async function abandonPair(accountId: string): Promise<{ existed: boolean; label: string | null }> {
   const account = await db.query.whatsappAccounts.findFirst({
@@ -34,6 +41,7 @@ async function abandonPair(accountId: string): Promise<{ existed: boolean; label
     pairTimeouts.delete(accountId);
   }
   lastQrPayload.delete(accountId);
+  pairingWarmingUp.delete(accountId);
   if (sessionManager.hasSession(accountId)) {
     await sessionManager.stop(accountId);
   }
@@ -80,10 +88,17 @@ export async function handleStartPairing(accountId: string): Promise<void> {
     .set({ lastQrPng: null })
     .where(eq(whatsappAccounts.id, accountId));
 
+  // Mark the new attempt as warming up. Cleared by the first qr/open we
+  // observe; while set, any close event is treated as the leaked tail of
+  // the previous session being torn down (see comment near
+  // `pairingWarmingUp` declaration).
+  pairingWarmingUp.add(accountId);
+
   const off = sessionManager.on(async (id, _state, event) => {
     if (id !== accountId) return;
     try {
       if (event.type === "qr") {
+        pairingWarmingUp.delete(id);
         // Dedupe by payload — Baileys can re-emit the same QR string in a
         // burst. Different strings (a fresh QR) always pass through, so
         // the user gets a new QR as soon as Baileys generates one.
@@ -102,6 +117,7 @@ export async function handleStartPairing(accountId: string): Promise<void> {
           ts: Date.now(),
         });
       } else if (event.type === "open") {
+        pairingWarmingUp.delete(id);
         const t = pairTimeouts.get(id);
         if (t) {
           clearTimeout(t);
@@ -149,6 +165,19 @@ export async function handleStartPairing(accountId: string): Promise<void> {
         // The session-manager handles the actual reconnect; nothing to
         // do here other than NOT tear our listener / DB state down.
       } else if (event.type === "close") {
+        // Swallow the leaked close from the *previous* pairing attempt
+        // being torn down inside this handler's own
+        // `await sessionManager.stop()`. The old session's close is
+        // broadcast asynchronously and lands here AFTER we've attached
+        // the new listener; treating it as a real timeout would flash
+        // "Pairing timed out" before any QR even arrives.
+        if (pairingWarmingUp.has(id)) {
+          logger.info(
+            { accountId: id },
+            "pair: ignoring close from previous attempt while warming up",
+          );
+          return;
+        }
         // During the pairing window, any other close means the QR window
         // ended without a successful link — Baileys' default is to
         // close after exhausting QR refs (~2.5 min). Surface this to
diff --git a/apps/web/src/app/settings/page.tsx b/apps/web/src/app/settings/page.tsx
index f448776..fe2bad0 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/app/settings/page.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/app/settings/page.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-import Link from "next/link";
-import { ShieldCheckIcon, ChevronRightIcon } from "lucide-react";
 import { getSeededOperator } from "@/lib/operator";
 import { Card, CardContent, CardHeader, CardTitle, CardDescription } from "@/components/ui/card";
 import { Separator } from "@/components/ui/separator";
@@ -29,31 +27,6 @@ export default async function SettingsPage() {
         </CardContent>
       </Card>
 
-      {isAdmin && (
-        <Card>
-          <CardHeader>
-            <CardTitle className="flex items-center gap-2">
-              <ShieldCheckIcon className="size-4" />
-              Admin
-            </CardTitle>
-            <CardDescription>
-              Manage which usernames can sign in and what role each
-              one has. Visible to admins only.
-            </CardDescription>
-          </CardHeader>
-          <CardContent className="p-0">
-            <Link
-              // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-explicit-any
-              href={"/settings/users" as any}
-              className="flex items-center justify-between gap-3 px-6 py-3 text-sm font-medium hover:bg-muted focus-visible:bg-muted rounded-b-xl"
-            >
-              <span>Users</span>
-              <ChevronRightIcon className="size-4 text-muted-foreground" />
-            </Link>
-          </CardContent>
-        </Card>
-      )}
-
       <Card>
         <CardHeader>
           <CardTitle>Notifications</CardTitle>