diff --git a/src/lib/pocketbase.test.ts b/src/lib/pocketbase.test.ts
index 3691c8f..9e9a91c 100644
--- a/src/lib/pocketbase.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/pocketbase.test.ts
@@ -4,9 +4,11 @@ import { describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 
 import {
   createPocketBaseClient,
+  DEFAULT_INTENSITY_GOALS,
   getCurrentUser,
   isAuthenticated,
   loadAuthFromCookies,
+  mapRecordToUser,
 } from "./pocketbase";
 
 describe("isAuthenticated", () => {
@@ -221,3 +223,76 @@ describe("createPocketBaseClient", () => {
     expect(client.authStore).toBeDefined();
   });
 });
+
+describe("mapRecordToUser intensity goal defaults", () => {
+  const createMockRecord = (overrides: Record<string, unknown> = {}) => ({
+    id: "user123",
+    email: "test@example.com",
+    garminConnected: false,
+    garminOauth1Token: "",
+    garminOauth2Token: "",
+    garminTokenExpiresAt: "",
+    garminRefreshTokenExpiresAt: "",
+    calendarToken: "token",
+    lastPeriodDate: "2025-01-01",
+    cycleLength: 28,
+    notificationTime: "08:00",
+    timezone: "UTC",
+    activeOverrides: [],
+    created: "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z",
+    updated: "2024-01-01T00:00:00Z",
+    ...overrides,
+  });
+
+  it("uses default when intensityGoalMenstrual is 0", () => {
+    const record = createMockRecord({ intensityGoalMenstrual: 0 });
+    // biome-ignore lint/suspicious/noExplicitAny: test mock
+    const user = mapRecordToUser(record as any);
+    expect(user.intensityGoalMenstrual).toBe(DEFAULT_INTENSITY_GOALS.menstrual);
+  });
+
+  it("uses default when intensityGoalFollicular is 0", () => {
+    const record = createMockRecord({ intensityGoalFollicular: 0 });
+    // biome-ignore lint/suspicious/noExplicitAny: test mock
+    const user = mapRecordToUser(record as any);
+    expect(user.intensityGoalFollicular).toBe(
+      DEFAULT_INTENSITY_GOALS.follicular,
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("uses default when intensityGoalOvulation is 0", () => {
+    const record = createMockRecord({ intensityGoalOvulation: 0 });
+    // biome-ignore lint/suspicious/noExplicitAny: test mock
+    const user = mapRecordToUser(record as any);
+    expect(user.intensityGoalOvulation).toBe(DEFAULT_INTENSITY_GOALS.ovulation);
+  });
+
+  it("uses default when intensityGoalEarlyLuteal is 0", () => {
+    const record = createMockRecord({ intensityGoalEarlyLuteal: 0 });
+    // biome-ignore lint/suspicious/noExplicitAny: test mock
+    const user = mapRecordToUser(record as any);
+    expect(user.intensityGoalEarlyLuteal).toBe(
+      DEFAULT_INTENSITY_GOALS.earlyLuteal,
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("uses default when intensityGoalLateLuteal is 0", () => {
+    const record = createMockRecord({ intensityGoalLateLuteal: 0 });
+    // biome-ignore lint/suspicious/noExplicitAny: test mock
+    const user = mapRecordToUser(record as any);
+    expect(user.intensityGoalLateLuteal).toBe(
+      DEFAULT_INTENSITY_GOALS.lateLuteal,
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("preserves non-zero intensity goal values", () => {
+    const record = createMockRecord({
+      intensityGoalMenstrual: 100,
+      intensityGoalFollicular: 200,
+    });
+    // biome-ignore lint/suspicious/noExplicitAny: test mock
+    const user = mapRecordToUser(record as any);
+    expect(user.intensityGoalMenstrual).toBe(100);
+    expect(user.intensityGoalFollicular).toBe(200);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/lib/pocketbase.ts b/src/lib/pocketbase.ts
index 5ffa717..2a5328b 100644
--- a/src/lib/pocketbase.ts
+++ b/src/lib/pocketbase.ts
@@ -110,20 +110,21 @@ export function mapRecordToUser(record: RecordModel): User {
     lastPeriodDate: parseDate(record.lastPeriodDate),
     cycleLength: record.cycleLength as number,
     // Intensity goals with defaults for existing users
+    // Using || instead of ?? because PocketBase defaults number fields to 0
     intensityGoalMenstrual:
-      (record.intensityGoalMenstrual as number) ??
+      (record.intensityGoalMenstrual as number) ||
       DEFAULT_INTENSITY_GOALS.menstrual,
     intensityGoalFollicular:
-      (record.intensityGoalFollicular as number) ??
+      (record.intensityGoalFollicular as number) ||
       DEFAULT_INTENSITY_GOALS.follicular,
     intensityGoalOvulation:
-      (record.intensityGoalOvulation as number) ??
+      (record.intensityGoalOvulation as number) ||
       DEFAULT_INTENSITY_GOALS.ovulation,
     intensityGoalEarlyLuteal:
-      (record.intensityGoalEarlyLuteal as number) ??
+      (record.intensityGoalEarlyLuteal as number) ||
       DEFAULT_INTENSITY_GOALS.earlyLuteal,
     intensityGoalLateLuteal:
-      (record.intensityGoalLateLuteal as number) ??
+      (record.intensityGoalLateLuteal as number) ||
       DEFAULT_INTENSITY_GOALS.lateLuteal,
     notificationTime: record.notificationTime as string,
     timezone: record.timezone as string,