diff --git a/frontend/src/__tests__/settings.test.ts b/frontend/src/__tests__/settings.test.ts
index 36710802..1b33a463 100644
--- a/frontend/src/__tests__/settings.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/__tests__/settings.test.ts
@@ -655,10 +655,11 @@ describe('Settings Module', () => {
       window.alert = jest.fn();
 
       const event = { preventDefault: jest.fn() } as unknown as Event;
-      await saveGlobalSettings(event);
+      await expect(saveGlobalSettings(event)).resolves.toBeUndefined();
 
-      // Should still call updateConfig with default values
-      expect(api.updateConfig).toHaveBeenCalled();
+      // No provider checkbox exists, so the empty list is refused (#1531)
+      // instead of being written.
+      expect(api.updateConfig).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
 
     // Issue #22 follow-up: AWS Savings Plans split into four per-plan-type
@@ -2144,7 +2145,7 @@ describe('Settings Module', () => {
   });
 
   describe('global PUT against the real index.html (issue #539)', () => {
-    const loadRealPage = async (): Promise<void> => {
+    const loadRealPage = async (providers: string[] = ['aws']): Promise<void> => {
       // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-require-imports
       const fs = require('fs') as typeof import('fs');
       // eslint-disable-next-line @typescript-eslint/no-require-imports
@@ -2156,7 +2157,7 @@ describe('Settings Module', () => {
         .replace(/<script[\s\S]*?<\/script>/gi, '');
       (api.getConfig as jest.Mock).mockResolvedValue({
         global: {
-          enabled_providers: ['aws'],
+          enabled_providers: providers,
           notification_email: 'old@test.com',
           auto_collect: true,
           collection_schedule: 'daily',
@@ -2217,6 +2218,58 @@ describe('Settings Module', () => {
       expect(globalBody()).toEqual({ enabled_providers: ['aws', 'gcp'] });
     });
 
+    describe('refuses a save that leaves no provider enabled (issue #1531)', () => {
+      const serverProviders = (providers: string[]): void => {
+        (api.getConfig as jest.Mock).mockResolvedValue({
+          global: { enabled_providers: providers, default_term: 3, default_payment: 'all-upfront', default_coverage: 80 },
+          services: [],
+        });
+      };
+      const uncheckAws = (): void => {
+        (document.getElementById('provider-aws') as HTMLInputElement).checked = false;
+      };
+
+      test('unchecking the only enabled provider is refused with a toast and nothing sent', async () => {
+        await loadRealPage(['aws']);
+        mockShowToast.mockClear();
+        uncheckAws();
+
+        await save();
+
+        expect(mockShowToast).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ message: 'Enable at least one provider before saving.', kind: 'error' });
+        expect(api.updateConfig).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+        expect(api.updateServiceConfig).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      });
+
+      test('unchecking one of two providers saves the remaining one', async () => {
+        await loadRealPage(['aws', 'gcp']);
+        uncheckAws();
+
+        await save();
+
+        expect(globalBody()).toEqual({ enabled_providers: ['gcp'] });
+      });
+
+      test('a stored empty list does not block editing an unrelated field', async () => {
+        await loadRealPage([]);
+        (document.getElementById('setting-notification-email') as HTMLInputElement).value = 'new@test.com';
+
+        await save();
+
+        expect(globalBody()).toEqual({ notification_email: 'new@test.com' });
+      });
+
+      test('another admin enabling gcp makes the merged list non-empty, so the save is allowed', async () => {
+        await loadRealPage(['aws']);
+        serverProviders(['gcp']);
+        uncheckAws();
+
+        await save();
+
+        expect(globalBody()).toEqual({ enabled_providers: ['gcp'] });
+      });
+    });
+
     test('editing only the collection schedule saves it', async () => {
       await loadRealPage();
       (document.getElementById('setting-collection-schedule') as HTMLSelectElement).value = 'weekly';
diff --git a/frontend/src/settings.ts b/frontend/src/settings.ts
index 85b1d0e3..fc7c5d7e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/settings.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/settings.ts
@@ -3654,6 +3654,12 @@ export async function saveGlobalSettings(e: Event): Promise<void> {
     if (globalSent) {
       if ('grace_period_days' in changedGlobal || 'enabled_providers' in changedGlobal) {
         await rebaseMultiFieldKeys(changedGlobal, isFieldChanged);
+        // The backend disagrees with itself on an empty list (filters read it as
+        // "all", the scheduler collects nothing), so never write one (#1531).
+        if (changedGlobal.enabled_providers?.length === 0) {
+          showToast({ message: 'Enable at least one provider before saving.', kind: 'error' });
+          return;
+        }
       }
       await api.updateConfig(changedGlobal);
       // Persisted: advance the snapshot now, so a later validation failure or
diff --git a/frontend/tests-e2e/settings-save-changed-fields.spec.ts b/frontend/tests-e2e/settings-save-changed-fields.spec.ts
index 79c65ff2..94b08d70 100644
--- a/frontend/tests-e2e/settings-save-changed-fields.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/tests-e2e/settings-save-changed-fields.spec.ts
@@ -84,3 +84,40 @@ test('Settings Save keeps another admin\'s grace value and refuses an emptied gr
   expect(puts).toEqual([{ grace_period_days: { aws: 3, azure: 5, gcp: 7 } }]);
   await expect(page.locator('#setting-grace-aws')).toHaveValue('3');
 });
+
+// Issue #1531: an empty enabled_providers list is contradictory in the backend
+// (filters read it as "all", the scheduler collects nothing), so Save refuses it.
+test('Settings Save refuses to leave no provider enabled', async ({ page }) => {
+  await page.route('**/*', route => new URL(route.request().url()).hostname === '127.0.0.1'
+    ? route.fallback() : route.abort());
+  await seedAuth(page);
+  await mockApi(page);
+  const puts: unknown[] = [];
+  await page.route('**/api/config', route => {
+    if (route.request().method() === 'PUT') {
+      puts.push(route.request().postDataJSON());
+      return route.fulfill({ json: { status: 'updated' } });
+    }
+    return route.fulfill({ json: { global: {
+      enabled_providers: ['aws'], notification_email: 'ops@example.com', default_term: 3, default_payment: 'all-upfront', default_coverage: 70, notification_days_before: 3,
+    }, services: [] } });
+  });
+  await page.route('**/api/config/service/**', route => {
+    puts.push(route.request().postDataJSON());
+    return route.fulfill({ json: { status: 'updated' } });
+  });
+  await page.route('**/api/commitment-options', route => route.fulfill({ json: { status: 'ok', aws: {} } }));
+  await page.route('**/api/ri-exchange/config', route => route.fulfill({ json: {
+    mode: 'manual', auto_exchange_enabled: false, utilization_threshold: 80,
+    max_payment_per_exchange_usd: 0, max_payment_daily_usd: 0, lookback_days: 30,
+  } }));
+  await page.route('**/api/ladder/**', route => route.fulfill({ json: { configs: [], runs: [], events: [], total_count: 0, total_usd_hr: '0.000000' } }));
+  await page.goto('/admin/general');
+
+  await expect(page.locator('#provider-aws')).toBeChecked();
+  await page.locator('#provider-aws').uncheck();
+  await page.locator('#save-settings-btn').click();
+
+  await expect(page.locator('.toast, [role="status"]').filter({ hasText: 'Enable at least one provider' }).first()).toBeVisible();
+  expect(puts).toHaveLength(0);
+});