diff --git a/app/Http/Middleware/EnsureAdmin.php b/app/Http/Middleware/EnsureAdmin.php
index 68d29cc..7c6acc8 100644
--- a/app/Http/Middleware/EnsureAdmin.php
+++ b/app/Http/Middleware/EnsureAdmin.php
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ class EnsureAdmin
     {
         $user = $request->user();
 
-        if ($user instanceof User && $user->is_admin && ! $user->isOperator()) {
+        // Only a genuinely un-migrated legacy admin (is_admin, but NO roles at
+        // all) is promoted — never override an intentional demotion/other role.
+        if ($user instanceof User && $user->is_admin && $user->roles->isEmpty()) {
             $user->assignRole('Owner');
         }
 
diff --git a/app/Livewire/Admin/EditDatacenter.php b/app/Livewire/Admin/EditDatacenter.php
index 87444d7..dbf02f1 100644
--- a/app/Livewire/Admin/EditDatacenter.php
+++ b/app/Livewire/Admin/EditDatacenter.php
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ class EditDatacenter extends ModalComponent
 
     public string $location = '';
 
+    /** The location present when the modal opened — a pre-curation free-form value. */
+    public string $originalLocation = '';
+
     public function mount(string $uuid): void
     {
         $this->authorize('datacenters.manage'); // modals are reachable without the route middleware
@@ -30,15 +33,22 @@ class EditDatacenter extends ModalComponent
         $this->code = $dc->code;
         $this->name = $dc->name;
         $this->location = (string) $dc->location;
+        $this->originalLocation = (string) $dc->location;
     }
 
     public function save()
     {
         $this->authorize('datacenters.manage');
-        // Validate the country against the configured list so add + edit stay in sync.
+        // Accept the configured countries plus the record's own legacy value, so a
+        // datacenter created before the curated list can still be edited (e.g. a
+        // name-only change) without being forced to replace a free-form location.
+        $allowed = array_keys((array) config('countries'));
+        if ($this->originalLocation !== '') {
+            $allowed[] = $this->originalLocation;
+        }
         $data = $this->validate([
             'name' => 'required|string|max:255',
-            'location' => 'nullable|in:'.implode(',', array_keys((array) config('countries'))),
+            'location' => 'nullable|in:'.implode(',', $allowed),
         ]);
 
         Datacenter::query()->where('uuid', $this->uuid)->update([
diff --git a/resources/views/livewire/admin/edit-datacenter.blade.php b/resources/views/livewire/admin/edit-datacenter.blade.php
index a8763de..49ad576 100644
--- a/resources/views/livewire/admin/edit-datacenter.blade.php
+++ b/resources/views/livewire/admin/edit-datacenter.blade.php
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@
             <label class="text-sm font-medium text-body" for="dc-location">{{ __('datacenters.location') }}</label>
             <select id="dc-location" wire:model="location" class="mt-1.5 w-full rounded-md border border-line-strong bg-surface px-3 py-2 text-sm text-body">
                 <option value="">{{ __('datacenters.no_country') }}</option>
+                @if ($originalLocation !== '' && ! array_key_exists($originalLocation, $countries))
+                    <option value="{{ $originalLocation }}">{{ $originalLocation }}</option>
+                @endif
                 @foreach ($countries as $code => $name)
                     <option value="{{ $code }}">{{ $name }} ({{ $code }})</option>
                 @endforeach