diff --git a/src/components/dialogs/BirthDateSettings.tsx b/src/components/dialogs/BirthDateSettings.tsx
index 62c95c78..4a3e96e5 100644
--- a/src/components/dialogs/BirthDateSettings.tsx
+++ b/src/components/dialogs/BirthDateSettings.tsx
@@ -1,48 +1,64 @@
 import React from 'react'
 import {useLingui} from '@lingui/react'
 import {Trans, msg} from '@lingui/macro'
+import {View} from 'react-native'
 
 import * as Dialog from '#/components/Dialog'
 import {Text} from '../Typography'
 import {DateInput} from '#/view/com/util/forms/DateInput'
 import {logger} from '#/logger'
 import {
+  usePreferencesQuery,
   usePreferencesSetBirthDateMutation,
   UsePreferencesQueryResponse,
 } from '#/state/queries/preferences'
-import {Button, ButtonText} from '../Button'
+import {Button, ButtonIcon, ButtonText} from '../Button'
 import {atoms as a, useTheme} from '#/alf'
 import {ErrorMessage} from '#/view/com/util/error/ErrorMessage'
 import {cleanError} from '#/lib/strings/errors'
-import {ActivityIndicator, View} from 'react-native'
 import {isIOS, isWeb} from '#/platform/detection'
+import {Loader} from '#/components/Loader'
 
 export function BirthDateSettingsDialog({
   control,
-  preferences,
 }: {
   control: Dialog.DialogControlProps
-  preferences: UsePreferencesQueryResponse | undefined
 }) {
+  const t = useTheme()
   const {_} = useLingui()
-  const {isPending, isError, error, mutateAsync} =
-    usePreferencesSetBirthDateMutation()
+  const {isLoading, error, data: preferences} = usePreferencesQuery()
 
   return (
     <Dialog.Outer control={control}>
       <Dialog.Handle />
+
       <Dialog.ScrollableInner label={_(msg`My Birthday`)}>
-        {preferences && !isPending ? (
-          <BirthdayInner
-            control={control}
-            preferences={preferences}
-            isError={isError}
-            error={error}
-            setBirthDate={mutateAsync}
+        <View style={[a.gap_sm, a.pb_lg]}>
+          <Text style={[a.text_2xl, a.font_bold]}>
+            <Trans>My Birthday</Trans>
+          </Text>
+          <Text style={[a.text_md, t.atoms.text_contrast_medium]}>
+            <Trans>This information is not shared with other users.</Trans>
+          </Text>
+        </View>
+
+        {isLoading ? (
+          <Loader size="xl" />
+        ) : error || !preferences ? (
+          <ErrorMessage
+            message={
+              error?.toString() ||
+              _(
+                msg`We were unable to load your birth date preferences. Please try again.`,
+              )
+            }
+            style={[a.rounded_sm]}
           />
         ) : (
-          <ActivityIndicator size="large" style={a.my_5xl} />
+          <BirthdayInner control={control} preferences={preferences} />
         )}
+
+        <Dialog.Close />
       </Dialog.ScrollableInner>
     </Dialog.Outer>
   )
@@ -51,20 +67,18 @@ export function BirthDateSettingsDialog({
 function BirthdayInner({
   control,
   preferences,
-  isError,
-  error,
-  setBirthDate,
 }: {
   control: Dialog.DialogControlProps
   preferences: UsePreferencesQueryResponse
-  isError: boolean
-  error: unknown
-  setBirthDate: (args: {birthDate: Date}) => Promise<unknown>
 }) {
   const {_} = useLingui()
   const [date, setDate] = React.useState(preferences.birthDate || new Date())
-  const t = useTheme()
-
+  const {
+    isPending,
+    isError,
+    error,
+    mutateAsync: setBirthDate,
+  } = usePreferencesSetBirthDateMutation()
   const hasChanged = date !== preferences.birthDate
 
   const onSave = React.useCallback(async () => {
@@ -74,21 +88,13 @@ function BirthdayInner({
         await setBirthDate({birthDate: date})
       }
       control.close()
-    } catch (e) {
-      logger.error(`setBirthDate failed`, {message: e})
+    } catch (e: any) {
+      logger.error(`setBirthDate failed`, {message: e.message})
     }
   }, [date, setBirthDate, control, hasChanged])
 
   return (
     <View style={a.gap_lg} testID="birthDateSettingsDialog">
-      <View style={[a.gap_sm]}>
-        <Text style={[a.text_2xl, a.font_bold]}>
-          <Trans>My Birthday</Trans>
-        </Text>
-        <Text style={t.atoms.text_contrast_medium}>
-          <Trans>This information is not shared with other users.</Trans>
-        </Text>
-      </View>
       <View style={isIOS && [a.w_full, a.align_center]}>
         <DateInput
           handleAsUTC
@@ -103,6 +109,7 @@ function BirthdayInner({
           accessibilityLabelledBy="birthDate"
         />
       </View>
+
       {isError ? (
         <ErrorMessage message={cleanError(error)} style={[a.rounded_sm]} />
       ) : undefined}
@@ -110,13 +117,14 @@ function BirthdayInner({
       <View style={isWeb && [a.flex_row, a.justify_end]}>
         <Button
           label={hasChanged ? _(msg`Save birthday`) : _(msg`Done`)}
-          size={isWeb ? 'small' : 'medium'}
+          size="medium"
           onPress={onSave}
           variant="solid"
           color="primary">
           <ButtonText>
             {hasChanged ? <Trans>Save</Trans> : <Trans>Done</Trans>}
           </ButtonText>
+          {isPending && <ButtonIcon icon={Loader} />}
         </Button>
       </View>
     </View>
diff --git a/src/screens/Moderation/index.tsx b/src/screens/Moderation/index.tsx
index 26fa9ec7..d0bfaead 100644
--- a/src/screens/Moderation/index.tsx
+++ b/src/screens/Moderation/index.tsx
@@ -308,10 +308,7 @@ export function ModerationScreenInner({
                 </ButtonText>
               </Button>
 
-              <BirthDateSettingsDialog
-                control={birthdateDialogControl}
-                preferences={preferences}
-              />
+              <BirthDateSettingsDialog control={birthdateDialogControl} />
             </>
           )}
           <View
diff --git a/src/view/screens/Settings/index.tsx b/src/view/screens/Settings/index.tsx
index 1b96a09a..21225f58 100644
--- a/src/view/screens/Settings/index.tsx
+++ b/src/view/screens/Settings/index.tsx
@@ -40,10 +40,7 @@ import {
 } from '#/state/preferences'
 import {useSession, useSessionApi, SessionAccount} from '#/state/session'
 import {useProfileQuery} from '#/state/queries/profile'
-import {
-  useClearPreferencesMutation,
-  usePreferencesQuery,
-} from '#/state/queries/preferences'
+import {useClearPreferencesMutation} from '#/state/queries/preferences'
 // TODO import {useInviteCodesQuery} from '#/state/queries/invites'
 import {clear as clearStorage} from '#/state/persisted/store'
 import {clearLegacyStorage} from '#/state/persisted/legacy'
@@ -156,7 +153,6 @@ export function SettingsScreen({}: Props) {
   const {screen, track} = useAnalytics()
   const {openModal} = useModalControls()
   const {isSwitchingAccounts, accounts, currentAccount} = useSession()
-  const {data: preferences} = usePreferencesQuery()
   const {mutate: clearPreferences} = useClearPreferencesMutation()
   // TODO
   // const {data: invites} = useInviteCodesQuery()
@@ -295,10 +291,7 @@ export function SettingsScreen({}: Props) {
   return (
     <View style={s.hContentRegion} testID="settingsScreen">
       <ExportCarDialog control={exportCarControl} />
-      <BirthDateSettingsDialog
-        control={birthdayControl}
-        preferences={preferences}
-      />
+      <BirthDateSettingsDialog control={birthdayControl} />
 
       <SimpleViewHeader
         showBackButton={isMobile}