diff --git a/app/form/SendouForm.browser.test.tsx b/app/form/SendouForm.browser.test.tsx
index 03f6736b4..4ca45efa5 100644
--- a/app/form/SendouForm.browser.test.tsx
+++ b/app/form/SendouForm.browser.test.tsx
@@ -18,8 +18,9 @@ import {
 	textFieldRequired,
 	timeRangeOptional,
 	toggle as toggleField,
+	userSearch,
 } from "./fields";
-import { SendouForm } from "./SendouForm";
+import { SendouForm, useFormFieldContext } from "./SendouForm";
 
 let mockFetcherData: { fieldErrors?: Record<string, string> } | undefined;
 
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ vi.mock("react-router", async () => {
 			},
 			state: "idle",
 			submit: vi.fn(),
+			load: vi.fn(),
 		}),
 	};
 });
@@ -1147,4 +1149,89 @@ describe("SendouForm", () => {
 			await expect.element(inputB).toHaveValue("Value B");
 		});
 	});
+
+	describe("array field item removal preserves remaining items", () => {
+		test("removing a middle member preserves userSearch values of members below", async () => {
+			let latestValues: Record<string, unknown> = {};
+
+			function ValueCapture() {
+				const ctx = useFormFieldContext();
+				latestValues = ctx.values;
+				return null;
+			}
+
+			const schema = z.object({
+				members: array({
+					label: "labels.members",
+					max: 10,
+					field: fieldset({
+						fields: z.object({
+							userId: userSearch({ label: "labels.orgMemberUser" }),
+							role: select({
+								label: "labels.orgMemberRole",
+								items: [
+									{ label: "options.orgRole.ADMIN", value: "ADMIN" },
+									{ label: "options.orgRole.MEMBER", value: "MEMBER" },
+								],
+							}),
+						}),
+					}),
+				}),
+			});
+
+			const defaultValues = {
+				members: [
+					{ userId: 10, role: "ADMIN" },
+					{ userId: 20, role: "MEMBER" },
+					{ userId: 30, role: "MEMBER" },
+					{ userId: 40, role: "MEMBER" },
+					{ userId: 50, role: "MEMBER" },
+				],
+			};
+
+			const router = createMemoryRouter(
+				[
+					{
+						path: "/",
+						element: (
+							<SendouForm schema={schema} defaultValues={defaultValues}>
+								{({ names }) => (
+									<>
+										<FormField name={names.members} />
+										<ValueCapture />
+									</>
+								)}
+							</SendouForm>
+						),
+					},
+				],
+				{ initialEntries: ["/"] },
+			);
+
+			const screen = await render(<RouterProvider router={router} />);
+
+			// Verify initial state - 5 members rendered
+			const removeButtons = screen.container.querySelectorAll(
+				'button[aria-label="Remove item"]',
+			);
+			expect(removeButtons.length).toBe(5);
+
+			// Remove the 3rd member (index 2, userId: 30)
+			await userEvent.click(removeButtons[2]);
+
+			// Wait for React effects to settle
+			await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 200));
+
+			const members = latestValues.members as Array<{
+				userId: number | null;
+				role: string;
+			}>;
+			expect(members).toHaveLength(4);
+			expect(members[0].userId).toBe(10);
+			expect(members[1].userId).toBe(20);
+			// Bug: UserSearch cleanup effect clears userId for shifted items
+			expect(members[2].userId).toBe(40);
+			expect(members[3].userId).toBe(50);
+		});
+	});
 });
diff --git a/app/form/SendouForm.tsx b/app/form/SendouForm.tsx
index c23e8ed75..0ce680427 100644
--- a/app/form/SendouForm.tsx
+++ b/app/form/SendouForm.tsx
@@ -421,7 +421,18 @@ function buildInitialValues<T extends z.ZodRawShape>(
 
 		const defaultValue = defaultValues?.[key as keyof typeof defaultValues];
 		if (defaultValue !== undefined) {
-			result[key] = defaultValue;
+			if (formField?.type === "array" && Array.isArray(defaultValue)) {
+				result[key] = (defaultValue as unknown[]).map((item) =>
+					typeof item === "object" && item !== null
+						? {
+								...(item as Record<string, unknown>),
+								_key: crypto.randomUUID(),
+							}
+						: item,
+				);
+			} else {
+				result[key] = defaultValue;
+			}
 		} else if (formField) {
 			result[key] = formField.initialValue;
 		}
diff --git a/app/form/fields/ArrayFormField.tsx b/app/form/fields/ArrayFormField.tsx
index 541d2274e..3d3d4a1ad 100644
--- a/app/form/fields/ArrayFormField.tsx
+++ b/app/form/fields/ArrayFormField.tsx
@@ -39,12 +39,19 @@ export function ArrayFormField({
 	const count = value.length;
 
 	const handleAdd = () => {
-		const newItemValue =
+		const baseValue =
 			itemInitialValue !== undefined
 				? itemInitialValue
 				: isObjectArray
 					? {}
 					: undefined;
+		const newItemValue =
+			typeof baseValue === "object" && baseValue !== null
+				? {
+						...(baseValue as Record<string, unknown>),
+						_key: crypto.randomUUID(),
+					}
+				: baseValue;
 		onChange([...value, newItemValue]);
 	};
 
@@ -52,6 +59,11 @@ export function ArrayFormField({
 		onChange(value.filter((_, i) => i !== index));
 	};
 
+	const itemKey = (idx: number) => {
+		if (!isObjectArray) return idx;
+		return ((value[idx] as Record<string, unknown>)?._key as string) ?? idx;
+	};
+
 	return (
 		<div className="stack md w-full">
 			{translatedLabel ? (
@@ -60,7 +72,7 @@ export function ArrayFormField({
 			{Array.from({ length: count }).map((_, idx) =>
 				isObjectArray ? (
 					<ArrayItemFieldset
-						key={idx}
+						key={itemKey(idx)}
 						index={idx}
 						canRemove={count > min}
 						onRemove={() => handleRemoveAt(idx)}
@@ -69,7 +81,10 @@ export function ArrayFormField({
 						{renderItem(idx, `${name}[${idx}]`)}
 					</ArrayItemFieldset>
 				) : (
-					<div key={idx} className="stack horizontal sm items-center w-full">
+					<div
+						key={itemKey(idx)}
+						className="stack horizontal sm items-center w-full"
+					>
 						<div className={styles.itemInput}>
 							{renderItem(idx, `${name}[${idx}]`)}
 						</div>