diff --git a/assets/js/settings.js b/assets/js/settings.js
index edda8e8..ea0775f 100644
--- a/assets/js/settings.js
+++ b/assets/js/settings.js
@@ -73,15 +73,22 @@ function applyPreferences() {
 
 // Save preferences
 async function saveSettings() {
+    const rowsPerPage = document.getElementById('rowsPerPage');
+    const tableDensity = document.getElementById('tableDensity');
+    const userTimezone = document.getElementById('userTimezone');
+    const notificationsEnabled = document.getElementById('notificationsEnabled');
+    const soundEffects = document.getElementById('soundEffects');
+    const toastDuration = document.getElementById('toastDuration');
+
     const prefs = {
-        rows_per_page: document.getElementById('rowsPerPage').value,
+        rows_per_page: rowsPerPage ? rowsPerPage.value : '15',
         default_status_filters: Array.from(document.querySelectorAll('[name="defaultFilters"]:checked'))
-            .map(cb => cb.value).join(','),
-        table_density: document.getElementById('tableDensity').value,
-        timezone: document.getElementById('userTimezone').value,
-        notifications_enabled: document.getElementById('notificationsEnabled').checked ? '1' : '0',
-        sound_effects: document.getElementById('soundEffects').checked ? '1' : '0',
-        toast_duration: document.getElementById('toastDuration').value
+            .map(cb => cb.value).join(',') || 'Open,Pending,In Progress',
+        table_density: tableDensity ? tableDensity.value : 'normal',
+        timezone: userTimezone ? userTimezone.value : (window.APP_TIMEZONE || 'America/New_York'),
+        notifications_enabled: notificationsEnabled ? (notificationsEnabled.checked ? '1' : '0') : '1',
+        sound_effects: soundEffects ? (soundEffects.checked ? '1' : '0') : '1',
+        toast_duration: toastDuration ? toastDuration.value : '3000'
     };
 
     try {
@@ -154,7 +161,7 @@ document.addEventListener('keydown', (e) => {
     // ESC to close modal
     if (e.key === 'Escape') {
         const modal = document.getElementById('settingsModal');
-        if (modal && modal.style.display === 'block') {
+        if (modal && modal.style.display !== 'none' && modal.style.display !== '') {
             closeSettingsModal();
         }
     }
diff --git a/models/UserModel.php b/models/UserModel.php
index 04399c0..0b34865 100644
--- a/models/UserModel.php
+++ b/models/UserModel.php
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ class UserModel {
         sort($uniqueGroups);
 
         // Cache the result
-        self::setCache($cacheKey, $uniqueGroups);
+        self::setCached($cacheKey, $uniqueGroups);
 
         return $uniqueGroups;
     }