diff --git a/backend/bracket/logic/scheduling/handle_stage_activation.py b/backend/bracket/logic/scheduling/handle_stage_activation.py
index d11909ec0..da2c9e81e 100644
--- a/backend/bracket/logic/scheduling/handle_stage_activation.py
+++ b/backend/bracket/logic/scheduling/handle_stage_activation.py
@@ -1,12 +1,18 @@
 from collections import defaultdict
 
+from fastapi import HTTPException
 from pydantic import BaseModel
+from starlette import status
 
 from bracket.logic.ranking.elo import (
     determine_team_ranking_for_stage_item,
 )
 from bracket.logic.ranking.statistics import TeamStatistics
-from bracket.models.db.stage_item_inputs import StageItemInputFinal, StageItemInputTentative
+from bracket.models.db.stage_item_inputs import (
+    StageItemInputEmpty,
+    StageItemInputFinal,
+    StageItemInputTentative,
+)
 from bracket.models.db.team import Team
 from bracket.models.db.util import StageWithStageItems
 from bracket.sql.matches import clear_scores_for_matches_in_stage_item
@@ -65,7 +71,15 @@ async def get_team_update_for_input(
     target_stage_item_input = await get_stage_item_input_by_id(
         tournament_id, target_stage_item_input_id
     )
-    assert isinstance(target_stage_item_input, StageItemInputFinal)
+    if isinstance(target_stage_item_input, StageItemInputEmpty):
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=status.HTTP_400_BAD_REQUEST,
+            detail="Please first assign teams to all stage items in the current stage.",
+        )
+
+    assert isinstance(
+        target_stage_item_input, StageItemInputFinal
+    ), f"Unexpected stage item type: {type(target_stage_item_input)}"
     return StageItemInputUpdate(
         stage_item_input=stage_item_input, team=target_stage_item_input.team
     )
diff --git a/backend/bracket/routes/stages.py b/backend/bracket/routes/stages.py
index a51549cbd..ccdddd869 100644
--- a/backend/bracket/routes/stages.py
+++ b/backend/bracket/routes/stages.py
@@ -126,12 +126,13 @@ async def activate_next_stage(
     stages = await get_full_tournament_details(tournament_id)
     deactivated_stage = next((stage for stage in stages if stage.is_active), None)
 
-    await sql_activate_next_stage(new_active_stage_id, tournament_id)
     if stage_body.direction == "next":
         await update_matches_in_activated_stage(tournament_id, new_active_stage_id)
     else:
         if deactivated_stage:
             await update_matches_in_deactivated_stage(tournament_id, deactivated_stage)
+
+    await sql_activate_next_stage(new_active_stage_id, tournament_id)
     return SuccessResponse()
 
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/modals/activate_next_stage_modal.tsx b/frontend/src/components/modals/activate_next_stage_modal.tsx
index f0247066d..457814eb9 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/modals/activate_next_stage_modal.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/modals/activate_next_stage_modal.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { Alert, Button, Container, Grid, Loader, Modal, Title } from '@mantine/core';
+import { Alert, Button, Container, Grid, Modal, Title } from '@mantine/core';
 import { useForm } from '@mantine/form';
 import { FaArrowRight } from '@react-icons/all-files/fa/FaArrowRight';
 import { IconAlertCircle, IconSquareArrowRight } from '@tabler/icons-react';
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@ import { StageItemInput, formatStageItemInput } from '../../interfaces/stage_ite
 import { TeamInterface } from '../../interfaces/team';
 import { getStageItemLookup } from '../../services/lookups';
 import { activateNextStage } from '../../services/stage';
+import RequestErrorAlert from '../utils/error_alert';
+import { GenericSkeleton } from '../utils/skeletons';
 
 type Update = { stage_item_input: StageItemInput; team: TeamInterface };
 type StageItemUpdate = { updates: Update[]; stageItem: StageItemWithRounds };
@@ -47,7 +49,10 @@ function UpdatesToStageItemInputsTables({
   swrRankingsPerStageItemResponse: SWRResponse;
 }) {
   if (swrRankingsPerStageItemResponse.isLoading) {
-    return <Loader />;
+    return <GenericSkeleton />;
+  }
+  if (swrRankingsPerStageItemResponse.error) {
+    return <RequestErrorAlert error={swrRankingsPerStageItemResponse.error} />;
   }
 
   const items = swrRankingsPerStageItemResponse.data.data;
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/utils/error_alert.tsx b/frontend/src/components/utils/error_alert.tsx
index 604532d72..528dbaebf 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/utils/error_alert.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/utils/error_alert.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,13 @@ import React from 'react';
 
 export function ErrorAlert({ title, message }: { title: string; message: string }) {
   return (
-    <Alert icon={<IconAlertCircle size={16} />} title={title} color="red" radius="lg">
+    <Alert
+      icon={<IconAlertCircle size={32} />}
+      title={title}
+      color="red"
+      radius="lg"
+      variant="outline"
+    >
       {message}
     </Alert>
   );
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/utils/skeletons.tsx b/frontend/src/components/utils/skeletons.tsx
index 387513223..8938e2b6a 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/utils/skeletons.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/utils/skeletons.tsx
@@ -2,11 +2,15 @@ import { Center, Grid, Skeleton } from '@mantine/core';
 import React from 'react';
 
 export function GenericSkeleton() {
+  return <Skeleton height={75} radius="lg" mb="xl" />;
+}
+
+export function GenericSkeletonThreeRows() {
   return (
     <>
-      <Skeleton height={75} radius="lg" mb="xl" />
-      <Skeleton height={75} radius="lg" mb="xl" />
-      <Skeleton height={75} radius="lg" mb="xl" />
+      <GenericSkeleton />
+      <GenericSkeleton />
+      <GenericSkeleton />
     </>
   );
 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/tournaments/[id]/settings.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/tournaments/[id]/settings.tsx
index bb4fb07bc..0cc0b9e8b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/tournaments/[id]/settings.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/tournaments/[id]/settings.tsx
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ import { SWRResponse } from 'swr';
 
 import NotFoundTitle from '../../404';
 import { DropzoneButton } from '../../../components/utils/file_upload';
-import { GenericSkeleton } from '../../../components/utils/skeletons';
+import { GenericSkeletonThreeRows } from '../../../components/utils/skeletons';
 import { capitalize, getBaseURL, getTournamentIdFromRouter } from '../../../components/utils/util';
 import { Club } from '../../../interfaces/club';
 import { Tournament } from '../../../interfaces/tournament';
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ export default function SettingsPage() {
   let content = <NotFoundTitle />;
 
   if (swrTournamentResponse.isLoading || swrClubsResponse.isLoading) {
-    content = <GenericSkeleton />;
+    content = <GenericSkeletonThreeRows />;
   }
 
   if (tournamentDataFull != null) {