diff --git a/.claude/launch.json b/.claude/launch.json
index 04ffa28..b30445f 100644
--- a/.claude/launch.json
+++ b/.claude/launch.json
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
       "name": "dev",
       "runtimeExecutable": "npm",
       "runtimeArgs": ["run", "dev"],
-      "port": 3000
+      "port": 3014
     }
   ]
 }
diff --git a/components/admin/portfolio-project-form.tsx b/components/admin/portfolio-project-form.tsx
index 9c88fa6..0926108 100644
--- a/components/admin/portfolio-project-form.tsx
+++ b/components/admin/portfolio-project-form.tsx
@@ -165,13 +165,13 @@ const wizardSteps: Array<{
   },
   {
     key: "sections",
-    label: "Sections",
-    description: "Build the project story with ordered content blocks.",
+    label: "Sections (optional)",
+    description: "Optional — build the project story with ordered content blocks.",
   },
   {
     key: "assets",
-    label: "Assets & Media",
-    description: "Cover and gallery assets from the media library.",
+    label: "Assets & Media (optional)",
+    description: "Optional — cover and gallery assets from the media library.",
   },
 ];
 
@@ -233,7 +233,8 @@ function createInitialState(
 
 function createInitialSections(project: PortfolioProjectView | null | undefined): SectionFormValue[] {
   if (!project?.sections.length) {
-    return [createEmptySection(0)];
+    // Sections are optional — start empty so a project can be saved without them.
+    return [];
   }
 
   return project.sections.map((section, index) => ({
@@ -259,7 +260,8 @@ function createInitialSections(project: PortfolioProjectView | null | undefined)
 
 function createInitialAssets(project: PortfolioProjectView | null | undefined): AssetFormValue[] {
   if (!project?.assets.length) {
-    return [createEmptyAsset(0)];
+    // Gallery assets are optional — start empty so a project can be saved without them.
+    return [];
   }
 
   return project.assets.map((asset, index) => ({
@@ -732,7 +734,7 @@ export function PortfolioProjectForm({
           </AppCard>
 
           <div className="space-y-6">
-        <TabsContent value="basics" className="mt-0">
+        <TabsContent value="basics" className="mt-0" forceMount>
           <AppCard level={3} layer="single" padding="lg">
             <section className="space-y-6">
               <SectionHeader
@@ -894,7 +896,7 @@ export function PortfolioProjectForm({
           </AppCard>
         </TabsContent>
 
-        <TabsContent value="content" className="mt-0">
+        <TabsContent value="content" className="mt-0" forceMount>
           <AppCard level={3} layer="single" padding="lg">
             <section className="space-y-6">
               <SectionHeader
@@ -945,7 +947,7 @@ export function PortfolioProjectForm({
           </AppCard>
         </TabsContent>
 
-        <TabsContent value="sections" className="mt-0">
+        <TabsContent value="sections" className="mt-0" forceMount>
           <AppCard level={3} layer="single" padding="lg">
             <section className="space-y-6">
               <SectionHeader
@@ -1021,12 +1023,10 @@ export function PortfolioProjectForm({
                           variant="ghost"
                           className="text-destructive"
                           onClick={() =>
-                            sections.length > 1 &&
                             setSections((current) =>
                               current.filter((_, currentIndex) => currentIndex !== index),
                             )
                           }
-                          disabled={sections.length === 1}
                         >
                           <Trash2 className="h-4 w-4" />
                         </Button>
@@ -1137,7 +1137,7 @@ export function PortfolioProjectForm({
           </AppCard>
         </TabsContent>
 
-        <TabsContent value="assets" className="mt-0">
+        <TabsContent value="assets" className="mt-0" forceMount>
           <AppCard level={3} layer="single" padding="lg">
             <div className="space-y-8">
               <div className="grid gap-4 lg:grid-cols-[minmax(0,1fr)_280px]">
@@ -1228,12 +1228,10 @@ export function PortfolioProjectForm({
                             variant="ghost"
                             className="text-destructive"
                             onClick={() =>
-                              assets.length > 1 &&
                               setAssets((current) =>
                                 current.filter((_, currentIndex) => currentIndex !== index),
                               )
                             }
-                            disabled={assets.length === 1}
                           >
                             <Trash2 className="h-4 w-4" />
                           </Button>
@@ -1347,11 +1345,11 @@ export function PortfolioProjectForm({
           <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-3">
             {firstIncompleteStep ? (
               <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-                Save becomes available after all steps are complete.
+                Fill Basics and Localized Content to save. Sections and assets are optional.
               </p>
             ) : (
               <p className="text-sm text-muted-foreground">
-                All steps are ready. You can save now.
+                Ready to save. Sections and assets are optional.
               </p>
             )}
             <SubmitButton />
diff --git a/components/ui/tabs.tsx b/components/ui/tabs.tsx
index cf742e2..025f4a0 100644
--- a/components/ui/tabs.tsx
+++ b/components/ui/tabs.tsx
@@ -98,22 +98,28 @@ function TabsTrigger({
 
 type TabsContentProps = React.HTMLAttributes<HTMLDivElement> & {
   value: string;
+  // Keep the panel mounted while inactive (hidden via `hidden`) so its form
+  // fields still submit. Use for tabbed forms that share one submit button.
+  forceMount?: boolean;
 };
 
 function TabsContent({
   className,
   value,
   children,
+  forceMount = false,
   ...props
 }: TabsContentProps) {
   const { value: activeValue } = useTabsContext();
+  const isActive = activeValue === value;
 
-  if (activeValue !== value) {
+  if (!isActive && !forceMount) {
     return null;
   }
 
   return (
     <div
+      hidden={!isActive}
       className={cn(
         "mt-6 focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring focus-visible:ring-offset-0",
         className,
diff --git a/lib/portfolio-form-progress.ts b/lib/portfolio-form-progress.ts
index 112197a..4addd0f 100644
--- a/lib/portfolio-form-progress.ts
+++ b/lib/portfolio-form-progress.ts
@@ -136,13 +136,21 @@ export function getPortfolioWizardProgress(
     },
     {
       key: "sections",
-      complete: input.sections.length > 0 && completedSections === input.sections.length,
-      summary: `${completedSections}/${input.sections.length} sections ready.`,
+      // Optional: no sections is valid. If sections were added, each must be ready.
+      complete: completedSections === input.sections.length,
+      summary:
+        input.sections.length === 0
+          ? "Optional — no sections added."
+          : `${completedSections}/${input.sections.length} sections ready.`,
     },
     {
       key: "assets",
-      complete: input.assets.length > 0 && completedAssets === input.assets.length,
-      summary: `${completedAssets}/${input.assets.length} assets ready.`,
+      // Optional: no gallery assets is valid. If assets were added, each must be ready.
+      complete: completedAssets === input.assets.length,
+      summary:
+        input.assets.length === 0
+          ? "Optional — no gallery assets added."
+          : `${completedAssets}/${input.assets.length} assets ready.`,
     },
   ];
 }
diff --git a/tests/unit/portfolio-form-progress.test.ts b/tests/unit/portfolio-form-progress.test.ts
index 7d27720..70e6733 100644
--- a/tests/unit/portfolio-form-progress.test.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/portfolio-form-progress.test.ts
@@ -117,10 +117,29 @@ describe("getPortfolioWizardProgress", () => {
     expect(getFirstIncompleteWizardStep(progress)).toBe("content");
   });
 
-  it("sections/assets steps require at least one ready entry", () => {
+  it("treats sections/assets as optional: empty steps are complete and the project is saveable", () => {
     const noEntries = getPortfolioWizardProgress({ ...completeInput, sections: [], assets: [] });
-    expect(noEntries.find((s) => s.key === "sections")?.complete).toBe(false);
-    expect(noEntries.find((s) => s.key === "assets")?.complete).toBe(false);
+    expect(noEntries.find((s) => s.key === "sections")?.complete).toBe(true);
+    expect(noEntries.find((s) => s.key === "assets")?.complete).toBe(true);
+    // Basics + content only is enough to save.
+    expect(getFirstIncompleteWizardStep(noEntries)).toBeNull();
+  });
+
+  it("shows an optional summary when no sections/assets are added", () => {
+    const noEntries = getPortfolioWizardProgress({ ...completeInput, sections: [], assets: [] });
+    expect(noEntries.find((s) => s.key === "sections")?.summary).toBe("Optional — no sections added.");
+    expect(noEntries.find((s) => s.key === "assets")?.summary).toBe(
+      "Optional — no gallery assets added.",
+    );
+  });
+
+  it("blocks saving when an added section is incomplete", () => {
+    const progress = getPortfolioWizardProgress({
+      ...completeInput,
+      sections: [section({ titleEn: "" })],
+    });
+    expect(progress.find((s) => s.key === "sections")?.complete).toBe(false);
+    expect(getFirstIncompleteWizardStep(progress)).toBe("sections");
   });
 
   it("summarizes section/asset readiness counts", () => {