diff --git a/backend/src/queries.ts b/backend/src/queries.ts
index 675196f..6dd6542 100644
--- a/backend/src/queries.ts
+++ b/backend/src/queries.ts
@@ -861,6 +861,7 @@ function pokemonProjection(locale: string): string {
     SELECT
       p.id,
       ${pokemonName} AS name,
+      p.name AS "baseName",
       ${translationsSelect('pokemon', 'p.id')} AS translations,
       ${auditSelect('p', 'pokemon_created_user', 'pokemon_updated_user')},
       json_build_object('id', e.id, 'name', ${environmentName}) AS environment,
@@ -924,7 +925,7 @@ export async function listDailyChecklistItems(locale = defaultLocale) {
   const title = localizedField('daily-checklist-items', 'c.id', 'c.title', 'title', locale);
   return query(
     `
-      SELECT c.id, ${title} AS title, ${translationsSelect('daily-checklist-items', 'c.id')} AS translations
+      SELECT c.id, ${title} AS title, c.title AS "baseTitle", ${translationsSelect('daily-checklist-items', 'c.id')} AS translations
       FROM daily_checklist_items c
       ORDER BY c.sort_order, c.id
     `
@@ -935,7 +936,7 @@ async function getDailyChecklistItemById(id: number, locale = defaultLocale) {
   const title = localizedField('daily-checklist-items', 'c.id', 'c.title', 'title', locale);
   return queryOne(
     `
-      SELECT c.id, ${title} AS title, ${translationsSelect('daily-checklist-items', 'c.id')} AS translations
+      SELECT c.id, ${title} AS title, c.title AS "baseTitle", ${translationsSelect('daily-checklist-items', 'c.id')} AS translations
       FROM daily_checklist_items c
       WHERE c.id = $1
     `,
@@ -1442,7 +1443,7 @@ export async function createPokemon(payload: Record<string, unknown>, userId: nu
 
 export async function updatePokemon(id: number, payload: Record<string, unknown>, userId: number, locale = defaultLocale) {
   const cleanPayload = cleanPokemonPayload({ ...payload, id });
-  const before = await getPokemon(id, locale);
+  const before = await getPokemon(id, defaultLocale);
 
   const updated = await withTransaction(async (client) => {
     const result = await client.query(
@@ -1487,6 +1488,7 @@ export async function listHabitats(locale = defaultLocale) {
     SELECT
       h.id,
       ${habitatName} AS name,
+      h.name AS "baseName",
       ${translationsSelect('habitats', 'h.id')} AS translations,
       ${auditSelect('h', 'habitat_created_user', 'habitat_updated_user')},
       COALESCE((
@@ -1521,6 +1523,7 @@ export async function getHabitat(id: number, locale = defaultLocale) {
       SELECT
         h.id,
         ${habitatName} AS name,
+        h.name AS "baseName",
         ${translationsSelect('habitats', 'h.id')} AS translations,
         ${auditSelect('h', 'habitat_created_user', 'habitat_updated_user')},
         COALESCE((
@@ -1650,7 +1653,7 @@ export async function createHabitat(payload: Record<string, unknown>, userId: nu
 
 export async function updateHabitat(id: number, payload: Record<string, unknown>, userId: number, locale = defaultLocale) {
   const cleanPayload = cleanHabitatPayload(payload);
-  const before = await getHabitat(id, locale);
+  const before = await getHabitat(id, defaultLocale);
 
   const updated = await withTransaction(async (client) => {
     const result = await client.query(
@@ -1692,6 +1695,7 @@ function itemProjection(locale: string): string {
     SELECT
       i.id,
       ${itemName} AS name,
+      i.name AS "baseName",
       ${translationsSelect('items', 'i.id')} AS translations,
       ${auditSelect('i', 'item_created_user', 'item_updated_user')},
       json_build_object('id', c.id, 'name', ${categoryName}) AS category,
@@ -1980,7 +1984,7 @@ export async function createItem(payload: Record<string, unknown>, userId: numbe
 
 export async function updateItem(id: number, payload: Record<string, unknown>, userId: number, locale = defaultLocale) {
   const cleanPayload = cleanItemPayload(payload);
-  const before = await getItem(id, locale);
+  const before = await getItem(id, defaultLocale);
 
   const updated = await withTransaction(async (client) => {
     await ensureItemCanDisableRecipe(client, id, cleanPayload.noRecipe);
@@ -2170,7 +2174,7 @@ export async function createRecipe(payload: Record<string, unknown>, userId: num
 
 export async function updateRecipe(id: number, payload: Record<string, unknown>, userId: number, locale = defaultLocale) {
   const cleanPayload = cleanRecipePayload(payload);
-  const before = await getRecipe(id, locale);
+  const before = await getRecipe(id, defaultLocale);
 
   const updated = await withTransaction(async (client) => {
     await ensureItemCanHaveRecipe(client, cleanPayload.itemId);
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/TranslationFields.vue b/frontend/src/components/TranslationFields.vue
index 9f7edc1..449df90 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/TranslationFields.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/TranslationFields.vue
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ function fieldValue(language: Language): string {
   return props.translations[language.code]?.[props.field] ?? '';
 }
 
+function fieldPlaceholder(language: Language): string {
+  return language.code === defaultLanguage.value?.code ? '' : props.baseValue;
+}
+
 function updateField(language: Language, value: string) {
   if (language.code === defaultLanguage.value?.code) {
     emit('update:baseValue', value);
@@ -68,6 +72,7 @@ function inputValue(event: Event): string {
       <input
         :id="`${idPrefix}-${language.code}`"
         :value="fieldValue(language)"
+        :placeholder="fieldPlaceholder(language)"
         :required="required && language.code === defaultLanguage?.code"
         @input="updateField(language, inputValue($event))"
       />
diff --git a/frontend/src/services/api.ts b/frontend/src/services/api.ts
index 9d99d27..1501068 100644
--- a/frontend/src/services/api.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/services/api.ts
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ export interface EditHistoryEntry {
 export interface Pokemon extends EditInfo {
   id: number;
   name: string;
+  baseName?: string;
   translations?: TranslationMap;
   environment: NamedEntity;
   skills: Skill[];
@@ -79,6 +80,7 @@ export interface PokemonDetail extends Pokemon {
 export interface Habitat extends EditInfo {
   id: number;
   name: string;
+  baseName?: string;
   translations?: TranslationMap;
   recipe: Array<NamedEntity & { quantity: number }>;
   pokemon?: NamedEntity[];
@@ -113,6 +115,7 @@ export interface HabitatUsage {
 export interface Item extends EditInfo {
   id: number;
   name: string;
+  baseName?: string;
   translations?: TranslationMap;
   category: NamedEntity;
   usage: NamedEntity | null;
@@ -147,6 +150,7 @@ export interface Recipe extends EditInfo {
 export interface DailyChecklistItem {
   id: number;
   title: string;
+  baseTitle?: string;
   translations?: TranslationMap;
 }
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/AdminView.vue b/frontend/src/views/AdminView.vue
index e31f003..e20b522 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/AdminView.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/AdminView.vue
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ const configNameInput = computed({
       return configForm.value.name;
     }
 
-    return configForm.value.translations[currentConfigLocale.value]?.name ?? configForm.value.name;
+    return configForm.value.translations[currentConfigLocale.value]?.name ?? '';
   },
   set: (value: string) => {
     if (isConfigDefaultLocale.value) {
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ const configNameInput = computed({
     updateConfigTranslation(currentConfigLocale.value, value);
   }
 });
+const configNamePlaceholder = computed(() => (isConfigDefaultLocale.value ? '' : configForm.value.name));
 const activeConfigTab = computed({
   get: () => activeConfigType.value,
   set: (value: string) => {
@@ -194,7 +195,7 @@ function closeChecklistModal() {
 }
 
 function editChecklistItem(item: DailyChecklistItem) {
-  checklistForm.value = { id: item.id, title: item.title, translations: item.translations ?? {} };
+  checklistForm.value = { id: item.id, title: item.baseTitle ?? item.title, translations: item.translations ?? {} };
   checklistModalOpen.value = true;
 }
 
@@ -240,7 +241,7 @@ function updateConfigTranslation(localeCode: string, value: string) {
 }
 
 function configBaseNameForSave() {
-  if (configForm.value.name.trim() !== '' || isConfigDefaultLocale.value) {
+  if (configForm.value.name.trim() !== '') {
     return configForm.value.name;
   }
 
@@ -805,7 +806,7 @@ onMounted(() => {
       <form id="admin-config-form" class="modal-edit-form" @submit.prevent="saveConfig">
         <div class="field">
           <label for="config-name">{{ t('common.name') }}</label>
-          <input id="config-name" v-model="configNameInput" :required="configNameRequired" />
+          <input id="config-name" v-model="configNameInput" :placeholder="configNamePlaceholder" :required="configNameRequired" />
         </div>
         <div v-if="selectedConfig.supportsItemDrop" class="check-row">
           <label>
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/HabitatEdit.vue b/frontend/src/views/HabitatEdit.vue
index 302d0d3..2cb5f98 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/HabitatEdit.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/HabitatEdit.vue
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ async function loadEditor() {
     if (isEditing.value) {
       const habitat = await api.habitatDetail(routeId.value);
       habitatForm.value = {
-        name: habitat.name,
+        name: habitat.baseName ?? habitat.name,
         translations: habitat.translations ?? {},
         recipeItems: habitat.recipe.map((recipeItem) => ({ itemId: String(recipeItem.id), quantity: recipeItem.quantity })),
         pokemonAppearances: groupPokemonAppearances(habitat)
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/ItemEdit.vue b/frontend/src/views/ItemEdit.vue
index 5dc6176..4f7980c 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/ItemEdit.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/ItemEdit.vue
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ async function loadEditor() {
     if (isEditing.value) {
       const item = await api.itemDetail(routeId.value);
       itemForm.value = {
-        name: item.name,
+        name: item.baseName ?? item.name,
         translations: item.translations ?? {},
         categoryId: String(item.category.id),
         usageId: item.usage ? String(item.usage.id) : '',
diff --git a/frontend/src/views/PokemonEdit.vue b/frontend/src/views/PokemonEdit.vue
index 4e1a01c..ebe38f8 100644
--- a/frontend/src/views/PokemonEdit.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/views/PokemonEdit.vue
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ async function loadEditor() {
       const pokemon = await api.pokemonDetail(routeId.value);
       pokemonForm.value = {
         id: String(pokemon.id),
-        name: pokemon.name,
+        name: pokemon.baseName ?? pokemon.name,
         translations: pokemon.translations ?? {},
         environmentId: String(pokemon.environment.id),
         skillIds: pokemon.skills.map((skill) => String(skill.id)),