diff --git a/public/locales/en/common.json b/public/locales/en/common.json
index 590275bc..ec9c5f7d 100644
--- a/public/locales/en/common.json
+++ b/public/locales/en/common.json
@@ -189,6 +189,12 @@
         "warning": "Warning: Don't use send invite if it's invalid email. use add to Split Pro instead. Your account will be blocked if this feature is misused"
       },
       "split_type_section": {
+        "direction": {
+          "no_money_flow": "No one else owes anything",
+          "owes_payer": "{{debtor}} owes {{payer}}",
+          "owes_you": "{{debtor}} owes you",
+          "you_owe": "You owe {{payer}}"
+        },
         "split_equally": "split equally",
         "split_unequally": "split unequally",
         "types": {
@@ -213,6 +219,9 @@
             "title": "Share",
             "total_shares": "Total shares"
           }
+        },
+        "validation": {
+          "invalid_split": "Adjust who owes this expense before saving."
         }
       },
       "sponsor_us": "Sponsor us",
diff --git a/src/components/AddExpense/AddExpensePage.tsx b/src/components/AddExpense/AddExpensePage.tsx
index 90a206e4..778972ff 100644
--- a/src/components/AddExpense/AddExpensePage.tsx
+++ b/src/components/AddExpense/AddExpensePage.tsx
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { SplitType } from '@prisma/client';
 import { HeartHandshakeIcon, Landmark, RefreshCcwDot, X } from 'lucide-react';
 import { useTranslation } from 'next-i18next';
 import Link from 'next/link';
@@ -55,8 +56,73 @@ export const AddOrEditExpensePage: React.FC<{
   const cronExpression = useAddExpenseStore((s) => s.cronExpression);
   const multipleTransactions = useAddExpenseStore((s) => s.multipleTransactions);
 
-  const { t, displayName, generateSplitDescription, getCurrencyHelpersCached } =
-    useTranslationWithUtils();
+  const { t, displayName, getCurrencyHelpersCached } = useTranslationWithUtils();
+  const splitValidationMessage = t(
+    'expense_details.add_expense_details.split_type_section.validation.invalid_split',
+  );
+  const splitDescription = React.useMemo(() => {
+    const splitEquallyText = t(
+      'expense_details.add_expense_details.split_type_section.split_equally',
+    );
+
+    if (SplitType.EQUAL !== splitType) {
+      return t('expense_details.add_expense_details.split_type_section.split_unequally');
+    }
+
+    if (!paidBy || !currentUser) {
+      return splitEquallyText;
+    }
+
+    const selectedParticipants = participants.filter((participant) => {
+      const share = splitShares[participant.id]?.[SplitType.EQUAL];
+      return share === undefined || 0n !== share;
+    });
+
+    if (0 === selectedParticipants.length) {
+      return splitValidationMessage;
+    }
+
+    const splitParticipant = selectedParticipants[0];
+    if (1 === selectedParticipants.length && splitParticipant) {
+      if (splitParticipant.id === paidBy.id) {
+        return t('expense_details.add_expense_details.split_type_section.direction.no_money_flow');
+      }
+
+      const debtor = isNegative ? paidBy : splitParticipant;
+      const payer = isNegative ? splitParticipant : paidBy;
+      const debtorName = displayName(debtor, currentUser.id);
+      const payerName = displayName(payer, currentUser.id);
+
+      if (payer.id === currentUser.id) {
+        return t('expense_details.add_expense_details.split_type_section.direction.owes_you', {
+          debtor: debtorName,
+        });
+      }
+
+      if (debtor.id === currentUser.id) {
+        return t('expense_details.add_expense_details.split_type_section.direction.you_owe', {
+          payer: payerName,
+        });
+      }
+
+      return t('expense_details.add_expense_details.split_type_section.direction.owes_payer', {
+        debtor: debtorName,
+        payer: payerName,
+      });
+    }
+
+    return `${splitEquallyText} (${selectedParticipants.length})`;
+  }, [
+    currentUser,
+    displayName,
+    isNegative,
+    paidBy,
+    participants,
+    splitShares,
+    splitType,
+    splitValidationMessage,
+    t,
+  ]);
 
   const {
     setCurrency,
@@ -111,6 +177,7 @@ export const AddOrEditExpensePage: React.FC<{
     }
 
     if (!isExpenseSettled) {
+      toast.error(splitValidationMessage);
       setSplitScreenOpen(true);
       return;
     }
@@ -220,6 +287,7 @@ export const AddOrEditExpensePage: React.FC<{
     multipleTransactions,
     setSingleTransaction,
     update,
+    splitValidationMessage,
   ]);
 
   const handleDescriptionChange = useCallback(
@@ -345,16 +413,13 @@ export const AddOrEditExpensePage: React.FC<{
                   <p>{t('ui.and')} </p>
                   <SplitExpenseForm>
                     <Button variant="ghost" className="text-primary h-8 px-1.5 py-0 text-base">
-                      {generateSplitDescription(
-                        splitType,
-                        participants,
-                        splitShares,
-                        paidBy,
-                        currentUser,
-                      )}
+                      {splitDescription}
                     </Button>
                   </SplitExpenseForm>
                 </div>
+                {!isExpenseSettled ? (
+                  <p className="mt-2 text-center text-xs text-red-500">{splitValidationMessage}</p>
+                ) : null}
 
                 <div className="mt-4 flex items-start justify-between sm:mt-10">
                   <DateSelector
diff --git a/src/components/AddExpense/SplitTypeSection.tsx b/src/components/AddExpense/SplitTypeSection.tsx
index bb64c331..9821544c 100644
--- a/src/components/AddExpense/SplitTypeSection.tsx
+++ b/src/components/AddExpense/SplitTypeSection.tsx
@@ -304,6 +304,11 @@ const SplitSection: React.FC<SplitSectionProps> = (props) => {
       >
         {fmtSummartyText(amount, totalShares, toUIString)}
       </p>
+      {!canSplitScreenClosed ? (
+        <p className="text-center text-xs text-red-500">
+          {t('expense_details.add_expense_details.split_type_section.validation.invalid_split')}
+        </p>
+      ) : null}
       {isBoolean && (
         <Button
           variant="outline"
diff --git a/src/store/addStore.ts b/src/store/addStore.ts
index 482f0551..68d943ff 100644
--- a/src/store/addStore.ts
+++ b/src/store/addStore.ts
@@ -294,11 +294,12 @@ export function calculateParticipantSplit(
       const totalParticipants = participants.filter((p) => 0n !== getSplitShare(p)).length;
       updatedParticipants = participants.map((p) => ({
         ...p,
-        amount: 0n === getSplitShare(p) ? 0n : amount / BigInt(totalParticipants),
+        amount:
+          0 === totalParticipants || 0n === getSplitShare(p)
+            ? 0n
+            : amount / BigInt(totalParticipants),
       }));
-      canSplitScreenClosed = Boolean(
-        Object.values(splitShares).find((p) => 0n !== p[SplitType.EQUAL]),
-      );
+      canSplitScreenClosed = 0 < totalParticipants;
       break;
     case SplitType.PERCENTAGE:
       updatedParticipants = participants.map((p) => ({
@@ -350,7 +351,14 @@ export function calculateParticipantSplit(
 
     if (canSplitScreenClosed) {
       let penniesLeft = updatedParticipants.reduce((acc, p) => acc + (p.amount ?? 0n), 0n);
-      const participantsToPick = updatedParticipants.filter((p) => p.amount);
+      const roundedToZeroParticipants =
+        SplitType.EQUAL === splitType
+          ? updatedParticipants.filter((p) => 0n === (p.amount ?? 0n) && 0n !== getSplitShare(p))
+          : [];
+      const participantsToPick =
+        0 < roundedToZeroParticipants.length
+          ? roundedToZeroParticipants
+          : updatedParticipants.filter((p) => p.amount);
       const seed =
         cyrb128(
           `${participantsToPick
@@ -371,6 +379,14 @@ export function calculateParticipantSplit(
         }
       }
     }
+
+    if (
+      canSplitScreenClosed &&
+      1 < participants.length &&
+      updatedParticipants.every((p) => 0n === (p.amount ?? 0n))
+    ) {
+      canSplitScreenClosed = false;
+    }
   }
 
   return { ...state, participants: updatedParticipants, canSplitScreenClosed };
diff --git a/src/tests/addStore.test.ts b/src/tests/addStore.test.ts
index 84a86b36..c44b28e8 100644
--- a/src/tests/addStore.test.ts
+++ b/src/tests/addStore.test.ts
@@ -132,6 +132,84 @@ describe('calculateParticipantSplit', () => {
       expect(result.participants[2]?.amount).toBe(0n); // Excluded from split
     });
 
+    it('should allow one non-payer to owe the full amount', () => {
+      const participants = createParticipants([user1, user2]);
+      const splitShares = createSplitShares(participants, SplitType.EQUAL, [0n, 1n]);
+
+      const state: Partial<AddExpenseState> = {
+        amount: 10000n,
+        participants,
+        splitType: SplitType.EQUAL,
+        splitShares,
+        paidBy: user1,
+        expenseDate: new Date('2024-01-01'),
+      };
+
+      const result = calculateParticipantSplit(state as AddExpenseState);
+
+      expect(result.participants[0]?.amount).toBe(10000n);
+      expect(result.participants[1]?.amount).toBe(-10000n);
+      expect(result.canSplitScreenClosed).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should mark a multi-person self-only split as incomplete', () => {
+      const participants = createParticipants([user1, user2]);
+      const splitShares = createSplitShares(participants, SplitType.EQUAL, [1n, 0n]);
+
+      const state: Partial<AddExpenseState> = {
+        amount: 10000n,
+        participants,
+        splitType: SplitType.EQUAL,
+        splitShares,
+        paidBy: user1,
+        expenseDate: new Date('2024-01-01'),
+      };
+
+      const result = calculateParticipantSplit(state as AddExpenseState);
+
+      expect(result.participants[0]?.amount).toBe(0n);
+      expect(result.participants[1]?.amount).toBe(0n);
+      expect(result.canSplitScreenClosed).toBe(false);
+    });
+
+    it('should keep a penny-only equal split valid when rounding zeroes every share', () => {
+      const participants = createParticipants([user1, user2]);
+      const splitShares = createSplitShares(participants, SplitType.EQUAL, [1n, 1n]);
+
+      const state: Partial<AddExpenseState> = {
+        amount: 1n,
+        participants,
+        splitType: SplitType.EQUAL,
+        splitShares,
+        paidBy: user1,
+        expenseDate: new Date('2024-01-01'),
+      };
+
+      const result = calculateParticipantSplit(state as AddExpenseState);
+
+      expect(result.participants[0]?.amount).toBe(1n);
+      expect(result.participants[1]?.amount).toBe(-1n);
+      expect(result.canSplitScreenClosed).toBe(true);
+    });
+
+    it('should mark equal split incomplete when every share is disabled', () => {
+      const participants = createParticipants([user1, user2]);
+      const splitShares = createSplitShares(participants, SplitType.EQUAL, [0n, 0n]);
+
+      const state: Partial<AddExpenseState> = {
+        amount: 10000n,
+        participants,
+        splitType: SplitType.EQUAL,
+        splitShares,
+        paidBy: user1,
+        expenseDate: new Date('2024-01-01'),
+      };
+
+      const result = calculateParticipantSplit(state as AddExpenseState);
+
+      expect(result.canSplitScreenClosed).toBe(false);
+    });
+
     it('should handle uneven division with penny adjustment', () => {
       const participants = createParticipants([user1, user2, user3]);
       const splitShares = createSplitShares(participants, SplitType.EQUAL, [1n, 1n, 1n]);