diff --git a/e2e/__screenshots__/vendors/vendors.visual.spec.ts/vendor-add.png b/e2e/__screenshots__/vendors/vendors.visual.spec.ts/vendor-add.png
index bc36f902..7f701af7 100644
Binary files a/e2e/__screenshots__/vendors/vendors.visual.spec.ts/vendor-add.png and b/e2e/__screenshots__/vendors/vendors.visual.spec.ts/vendor-add.png differ
diff --git a/e2e/__screenshots__/vendors/vendors.visual.spec.ts/vendor-edit.png b/e2e/__screenshots__/vendors/vendors.visual.spec.ts/vendor-edit.png
index 4e9cf8d2..7291783a 100644
Binary files a/e2e/__screenshots__/vendors/vendors.visual.spec.ts/vendor-edit.png and b/e2e/__screenshots__/vendors/vendors.visual.spec.ts/vendor-edit.png differ
diff --git a/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/use-vendor-roster-form.ts b/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/use-vendor-roster-form.ts
index ea04d62d..8aea10f2 100644
--- a/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/use-vendor-roster-form.ts
+++ b/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/use-vendor-roster-form.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ import {
 } from "@/domain/vendors/use-cases/use-save-vendor-company-roster";
 import { useVendorRosterResolver } from "./use-vendor-roster-resolver";
 
+const VENDOR_ROSTER_NO_CHANGES_MESSAGE =
+  "No changes to save. Enter technician details or update a company field.";
+
 const EDITABLE_COMPANY_FIELDS = [
   "name",
   "companyPhone",
@@ -180,7 +183,7 @@ export function useVendorRosterForm({
     if (mode === "create" && selection.selectedRoster != null) {
       const selected = selection.selectedRoster;
       if (!buildAdditiveRosterPatch(selected, values, selected.rowVersion, editedCompanyFields)) {
-        toast.error("Enter at least one technician to add to this vendor.");
+        toast.error(VENDOR_ROSTER_NO_CHANGES_MESSAGE);
         return;
       }
       save.mutate(
diff --git a/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-roster-form-fields.tsx b/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-roster-form-fields.tsx
index 75f8f558..1878b417 100644
--- a/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-roster-form-fields.tsx
+++ b/src/app/(protected)/vendors/_components/vendor-roster-form-fields.tsx
@@ -358,7 +358,7 @@ function TechniciansFieldArray({
     <Box>
       <Stack direction="row" sx={{ alignItems: "center", justifyContent: "space-between" }}>
         <Typography variant="subtitle2" className="font-semibold uppercase">
-          Technicians ({fields.length})
+          Technician details (optional)
         </Typography>
         <Button
           size="small"
diff --git a/src/test/app/(protected)/vendors/use-vendor-roster-form.test.tsx b/src/test/app/(protected)/vendors/use-vendor-roster-form.test.tsx
index 538aaf4b..2fef475b 100644
--- a/src/test/app/(protected)/vendors/use-vendor-roster-form.test.tsx
+++ b/src/test/app/(protected)/vendors/use-vendor-roster-form.test.tsx
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ import { act, renderHook, waitFor } from "@testing-library/react";
 import { QueryClient, QueryClientProvider } from "@tanstack/react-query";
 import type { ReactNode } from "react";
 import { useController, useFieldArray } from "react-hook-form";
+import { toast } from "react-toastify";
 import { beforeEach, describe, expect, it, vi } from "vitest";
 
 const rosterGet = vi.fn();
@@ -428,6 +429,7 @@ describe("useVendorRosterForm additive add flow (SH-250)", () => {
   beforeEach(() => {
     rosterGet.mockReset();
     saveMutate.mockReset();
+    vi.mocked(toast.error).mockReset();
   });
 
   it("issues an additive add — never update — when an existing company is selected", async () => {
@@ -498,6 +500,10 @@ describe("useVendorRosterForm additive add flow (SH-250)", () => {
     });
 
     expect(saveMutate).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    expect(vi.mocked(toast.error)).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(vi.mocked(toast.error)).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      "No changes to save. Enter technician details or update a company field.",
+    );
   });
 
   it("keeps the entered technician and retries with the fresh rowVersion after reload", async () => {
diff --git a/src/test/app/(protected)/vendors/vendor-create-modal.test.tsx b/src/test/app/(protected)/vendors/vendor-create-modal.test.tsx
index 214fecea..feb5f59b 100644
--- a/src/test/app/(protected)/vendors/vendor-create-modal.test.tsx
+++ b/src/test/app/(protected)/vendors/vendor-create-modal.test.tsx
@@ -75,6 +75,14 @@ describe("VendorCreateModal validation", () => {
     );
   });
 
+  it("labels the optional technician section without counting blank drafts", () => {
+    renderCreateModal();
+
+    expect(screen.getByText("Technician details (optional)")).toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.queryByText("Technicians (1)")).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+    expect(screen.getByRole("textbox", { name: "Technician name (optional)" })).toBeVisible();
+  });
+
   it("labels the plain company field exactly, required, with no generated asterisk", () => {
     renderWithProviders(<PlainCompanyFieldsHarness />, { route: "/vendors", withAuth: false });