diff --git a/docs/registration-gates.md b/docs/registration-gates.md
index e9896f7..8bfb15e 100644
--- a/docs/registration-gates.md
+++ b/docs/registration-gates.md
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ This page scopes the three that did not exist, says where each lives, and record
 | Rate limits and brake | `OidcGuardMiddleware` (`docs/oidc-issuer.md`) | Merged. Covers `/connect/*` only, not the register endpoint. |
 | Reserved names | `BifrostIdentityService.IsReserved`, 28 names | Merged, at creation and at authorize. |
 | Chat tier, no vote | `Authenticated` / `PendingApproval` accounts chat and open no member or governance surface | Merged. |
-| Suspension | `MembershipSuspensionService` | Merged. The reason is `Membership.SuspensionReason`, written with the status change and its receipt, cleared on unsuspend, projected only to admins on the members page; the receipt (`AuditEvent.Detail`) holds no reason text. Receipts written before the column existed still hold their reasons as history; the member dashboard keeps filtering suspension receipts out. An unsuspend still requires a reason, but nothing stores it. |
+| Suspension | `MembershipSuspensionService` | Merged. The reason is `Membership.SuspensionReason`, written with the status change and its receipt, cleared on unsuspend, projected only to admins on the members page; the receipt (`AuditEvent.Detail`) holds no reason text. Receipts written before the column existed still hold their reasons as history; the member dashboard keeps filtering suspension receipts out. A Suspended row with no stored reason (suspended before the column existed) shows admins the fixed text "Suspended before reasons were recorded"; the old text is never read out of the receipt. An unsuspend still requires a reason, but nothing stores it. |
 | CAPTCHA | `Features/Registration/RegistrationChallengeService` | Built here. |
 | Consent receipt | `ConsentReceipt`, `TrainingNotice` | Built here. |
 | Email verification | nowhere | Scoped below, not built. |
diff --git a/src/Bifrost.Web/Pages/App/Members/Index.cshtml b/src/Bifrost.Web/Pages/App/Members/Index.cshtml
index 94e791d..6521c2b 100644
--- a/src/Bifrost.Web/Pages/App/Members/Index.cshtml
+++ b/src/Bifrost.Web/Pages/App/Members/Index.cshtml
@@ -191,9 +191,9 @@
 
                                 @if (Model.Actor.CanManageMembership)
                                 {
-                                    @if (user.Status == MembershipStatus.Suspended && !string.IsNullOrEmpty(user.SuspensionReason))
+                                    @if (user.Status == MembershipStatus.Suspended)
                                     {
-                                        <div class="muted" style="margin-top: 0.8rem;">Suspended: @user.SuspensionReason</div>
+                                        <div class="muted" style="margin-top: 0.8rem;">@(string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(user.SuspensionReason) ? Bifrost.Web.Pages.App.Members.IndexModel.LegacySuspensionText : "Suspended: " + user.SuspensionReason)</div>
                                     }
                                     <form method="post" asp-page-handler="@(user.Status == MembershipStatus.Suspended ? "Unsuspend" : "Suspend")" style="margin-top: 0.8rem;">
                                         <input type="hidden" name="userAccountId" value="@user.UserAccountId" />
diff --git a/src/Bifrost.Web/Pages/App/Members/Index.cshtml.cs b/src/Bifrost.Web/Pages/App/Members/Index.cshtml.cs
index 55fa91f..a4bb901 100644
--- a/src/Bifrost.Web/Pages/App/Members/Index.cshtml.cs
+++ b/src/Bifrost.Web/Pages/App/Members/Index.cshtml.cs
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ public sealed class IndexModel(
     };
 
     internal const string ApproveSuspendedNotice = "Nothing changed: a suspended account can only be lifted with Unsuspend.";
+    /// <summary>Admin-only text for a Suspended row whose reason predates the SuspensionReason column; the old text is never read back from the audit trail.</summary>
+    internal const string LegacySuspensionText = "Suspended before reasons were recorded";
     internal const string NoMembershipNotice = "Nothing changed: that account has no membership yet.";
     internal const string OwnAdminRoleNotice = "Nothing changed: you cannot remove or change your own platform admin role.";
     internal const string RoleOnSuspendedNotice = "Nothing changed: a suspended account's roles cannot be changed until it is unsuspended.";
@@ -119,9 +121,16 @@ public sealed class IndexModel(
         var user = await dbContext.UserAccounts
             .Include(x => x.Membership!)
                 .ThenInclude(x => x.RoleAssignments)
-            .SingleAsync(x => x.Id == userAccountId, cancellationToken);
+            .SingleOrDefaultAsync(x => x.Id == userAccountId, cancellationToken);
 
-        if (user.Membership!.Status == MembershipStatus.Suspended)
+        // The chat tier holds no membership by design (docs/oidc-issuer.md); approval refuses rather than inventing one.
+        if (user is null || user.Membership is null)
+        {
+            Notice = user is null ? RefusalNotices[SuspensionOutcome.NoSuchAccount] : NoMembershipNotice;
+            return RedirectToPage();
+        }
+
+        if (user.Membership.Status == MembershipStatus.Suspended)
         {
             Notice = ApproveSuspendedNotice; // only Unsuspend lifts a suspension
             return RedirectToPage();
@@ -181,7 +190,13 @@ public sealed class IndexModel(
         var user = await dbContext.UserAccounts
             .Include(x => x.Membership!)
                 .ThenInclude(x => x.RoleAssignments)
-            .SingleAsync(x => x.Id == userAccountId, cancellationToken);
+            .SingleOrDefaultAsync(x => x.Id == userAccountId, cancellationToken);
+
+        if (user is null)
+        {
+            Notice = RefusalNotices[SuspensionOutcome.NoSuchAccount];
+            return RedirectToPage();
+        }
 
         if (user.Membership is null)
         {
@@ -259,7 +274,13 @@ public sealed class IndexModel(
         var user = await dbContext.UserAccounts
             .Include(x => x.Membership!)
                 .ThenInclude(x => x.TierSnapshots)
-            .SingleAsync(x => x.Id == userAccountId, cancellationToken);
+            .SingleOrDefaultAsync(x => x.Id == userAccountId, cancellationToken);
+
+        if (user is null)
+        {
+            Notice = RefusalNotices[SuspensionOutcome.NoSuchAccount];
+            return RedirectToPage();
+        }
 
         if (user.Membership is null)
         {
diff --git a/tests/Bifrost.Web.Tests/MembersPageNoticeTests.cs b/tests/Bifrost.Web.Tests/MembersPageNoticeTests.cs
index b4261d8..ec87c6d 100644
--- a/tests/Bifrost.Web.Tests/MembersPageNoticeTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Bifrost.Web.Tests/MembersPageNoticeTests.cs
@@ -174,6 +174,137 @@ public sealed class MembersPageNoticeTests(TestWebApplicationFactory factory) :
         Assert.Contains("has no membership yet", Alert.Match(html).Groups[1].Value);
     }
 
+    private async Task<(int Memberships, int Roles, int ApprovalReceipts)> RowCountsAsync()
+    {
+        using var scope = factory.Services.CreateScope();
+        var db = scope.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<BifrostDbContext>();
+        return (await db.Memberships.CountAsync(), await db.RoleAssignments.CountAsync(), await db.AuditEvents.CountAsync(x => x.Action == "membership.approved"));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task Approving_an_account_without_a_membership_is_refused_with_a_notice_and_writes_nothing()
+    {
+        using var client = Client();
+        _ = await SignedInAdminIdAsync(client);
+        var account = await SeedMemberAsync(MembershipStatus.Active, withMembership: false);
+        var before = await RowCountsAsync();
+
+        var html = await PostThenFollowAsync(client, "Approve", account, "");
+
+        Assert.Contains("has no membership yet", Alert.Match(html).Groups[1].Value);
+        Assert.Equal(before, await RowCountsAsync());
+        using var scope = factory.Services.CreateScope();
+        Assert.False(await scope.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<BifrostDbContext>().Memberships.AnyAsync(x => x.UserAccountId == account));
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task Approving_an_unknown_account_is_refused_with_a_notice_and_writes_nothing()
+    {
+        using var client = Client();
+        _ = await SignedInAdminIdAsync(client);
+        var before = await RowCountsAsync();
+
+        var html = await PostThenFollowAsync(client, "Approve", Guid.NewGuid(), "");
+
+        Assert.Contains("does not exist", Alert.Match(html).Groups[1].Value);
+        Assert.Equal(before, await RowCountsAsync());
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task An_admin_sees_the_neutral_text_for_a_legacy_suspended_row_and_the_stored_reason_otherwise()
+    {
+        using var client = Client();
+        _ = await SignedInAdminIdAsync(client);
+        var legacy = await SeedMemberAsync(MembershipStatus.Suspended);
+        var withReason = await SeedMemberAsync(MembershipStatus.Suspended);
+        using (var scope = factory.Services.CreateScope())
+        {
+            var db = scope.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<BifrostDbContext>();
+            (await db.Memberships.SingleAsync(x => x.UserAccountId == withReason)).SuspensionReason = "spam-ring-5521";
+            await db.SaveChangesAsync();
+        }
+
+        var html = await client.GetStringAsync("/App/Members");
+        int legacyRows;
+        using (var scope = factory.Services.CreateScope())
+        {
+            legacyRows = await scope.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<BifrostDbContext>().Memberships
+                .CountAsync(x => x.Status == MembershipStatus.Suspended && (x.SuspensionReason == null || x.SuspensionReason.Trim() == ""));
+        }
+
+        Assert.Contains("Suspended before reasons were recorded", html);
+        Assert.Contains("Suspended: spam-ring-5521", html);
+        Assert.Equal(legacyRows, Regex.Matches(html, "Suspended before reasons were recorded").Count); // the reasoned row shows its reason, not the neutral text
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task A_non_admin_sees_neither_the_neutral_text_nor_a_reason()
+    {
+        using var client = Client();
+        var legacy = await SeedMemberAsync(MembershipStatus.Suspended);
+        var viewer = $"plain-{Guid.NewGuid():N}"[..20];
+        using (var scope = factory.Services.CreateScope())
+        {
+            var db = scope.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<BifrostDbContext>();
+            db.UserAccounts.Add(new UserAccount { DisplayName = viewer, BifrostIdentity = viewer, NormalizedBifrostIdentity = viewer, Membership = new Bifrost.Web.Domain.Membership { Status = MembershipStatus.Active, ApprovedAtUtc = DateTimeOffset.UtcNow } });
+            await db.SaveChangesAsync();
+        }
+
+        using var request = new HttpRequestMessage(HttpMethod.Get, "/App/Members");
+        request.Headers.Add("X-Test-Bifrost-Identity", viewer);
+        using var response = await client.SendAsync(request);
+        var html = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
+
+        Assert.Equal(HttpStatusCode.OK, response.StatusCode);
+        Assert.DoesNotContain("before reasons were recorded", html);
+    }
+
+    [Theory]
+    [InlineData("ToggleRole")]
+    [InlineData("SetTier")]
+    public async Task ToggleRole_and_SetTier_on_an_unknown_account_are_refused_with_a_notice_and_write_nothing(string handler)
+    {
+        using var client = Client();
+        _ = await SignedInAdminIdAsync(client);
+        var before = await RowCountsAsync();
+        int receipts;
+        using (var scope = factory.Services.CreateScope())
+        {
+            receipts = await scope.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<BifrostDbContext>().AuditEvents.CountAsync();
+        }
+
+        var html = await PostThenFollowAsync(client, handler, Guid.NewGuid(), "", role: "Producer");
+
+        Assert.Contains("does not exist", Alert.Match(html).Groups[1].Value);
+        Assert.Equal(before, await RowCountsAsync());
+        using var after = factory.Services.CreateScope();
+        Assert.Equal(receipts, await after.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<BifrostDbContext>().AuditEvents.CountAsync());
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public async Task A_whitespace_only_stored_reason_shows_the_neutral_text_to_an_admin()
+    {
+        using var client = Client();
+        _ = await SignedInAdminIdAsync(client);
+        var member = await SeedMemberAsync(MembershipStatus.Suspended);
+        using (var scope = factory.Services.CreateScope())
+        {
+            var db = scope.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<BifrostDbContext>();
+            (await db.Memberships.SingleAsync(x => x.UserAccountId == member)).SuspensionReason = "   ";
+            await db.SaveChangesAsync();
+        }
+
+        var html = await client.GetStringAsync("/App/Members");
+
+        Assert.DoesNotContain("Suspended:    <", html);
+        using var check = factory.Services.CreateScope();
+        var db2 = check.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<BifrostDbContext>();
+        var whitespaceRows = await db2.Memberships.CountAsync(x => x.Status == MembershipStatus.Suspended && x.SuspensionReason != null && x.SuspensionReason.Trim() == "");
+        Assert.True(whitespaceRows >= 1);
+        Assert.Equal(await db2.Memberships.CountAsync(x => x.Status == MembershipStatus.Suspended && (x.SuspensionReason == null || x.SuspensionReason.Trim() == "")),
+            Regex.Matches(html, "Suspended before reasons were recorded").Count);
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public async Task An_admin_toggling_their_own_platform_admin_role_is_refused_and_keeps_the_role()
     {
diff --git a/tests/Bifrost.Web.Tests/SuspensionReasonExposureTests.cs b/tests/Bifrost.Web.Tests/SuspensionReasonExposureTests.cs
index 0921036..0a02cb0 100644
--- a/tests/Bifrost.Web.Tests/SuspensionReasonExposureTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Bifrost.Web.Tests/SuspensionReasonExposureTests.cs
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ public sealed class SuspensionReasonExposureTests
             return model.Users;
         }
 
-        Assert.All(await UsersSeenBy(admin: false), u => Assert.DoesNotContain(Canary, u.SuspensionReason));
+        Assert.All(await UsersSeenBy(admin: false), u => Assert.Equal(string.Empty, u.SuspensionReason)); // not even the legacy-row marker leaves the projection for a non-admin
         Assert.Contains(await UsersSeenBy(admin: true), u => u.SuspensionReason == Canary);
     }