diff --git a/lib/Bracket/Model/DBIC.pm b/lib/Bracket/Model/DBIC.pm
index c9cc1e8..e84fae7 100644
--- a/lib/Bracket/Model/DBIC.pm
+++ b/lib/Bracket/Model/DBIC.pm
@@ -506,10 +506,9 @@ sub count_player_teams_left {
                     from games_played
                 ),
                 games_remaining as (
-                    select p.game
-                    from pick p
-                    where p.player = 24
-                    and p.game not in (select game from games_played)
+                    select g.id as game
+                    from game g
+                    where g.id not in (select game from games_played)
                 ),
                 player_teams_remaining as (
                     select player, pick
@@ -529,7 +528,10 @@ sub count_player_teams_left {
           foreach my $row (@{$result}) {
               $teams_left_per_player->{$row->[0]} = $row->[1];
           }
-          my $max_left = max map { $teams_left_per_player->{$_} } grep { $_ != 1 } keys %{$teams_left_per_player};
+          my @players = grep { $_ != 1 } keys %{$teams_left_per_player};
+          my $max_left = @players
+            ? max(map { $teams_left_per_player->{$_} } @players)
+            : 0;
           return $teams_left_per_player, $max_left;
         }
     );
@@ -566,10 +568,9 @@ sub count_player_final4_teams_left {
                     from games_played
                 ),
                 games_remaining as (
-                    select p.game
-                    from pick p
-                    where p.player = 24
-                    and p.game not in (select game from games_played)
+                    select g.id as game
+                    from game g
+                    where g.id not in (select game from games_played)
                 ),
                 player_teams_remaining as (
                     select player, pick
@@ -594,7 +595,10 @@ sub count_player_final4_teams_left {
           foreach my $row (@{$result}) {
               $final4_teams_left_per_player->{$row->[0]} = $row->[1];
           }
-          my $max_left = max map { $final4_teams_left_per_player->{$_} } grep { $_ != 1 } keys %{$final4_teams_left_per_player};
+          my @players = grep { $_ != 1 } keys %{$final4_teams_left_per_player};
+          my $max_left = @players
+            ? max(map { $final4_teams_left_per_player->{$_} } @players)
+            : 0;
           return $final4_teams_left_per_player, $max_left;
         }
     );
diff --git a/t/model_round_based_final4_counts.t b/t/model_round_based_final4_counts.t
index 7848c4e..0f3aff2 100644
--- a/t/model_round_based_final4_counts.t
+++ b/t/model_round_based_final4_counts.t
@@ -28,6 +28,16 @@ my $dbh = $schema->storage->dbh;
 $dbh->sqlite_create_function('get_loser', 1, sub { return -1; });
 $dbh->sqlite_create_function('get_first_round_loser', 1, sub { return -1; });
 
+# Regression: max_left must be 0 (not an error) when no non-admin players have picks.
+{
+    my ($tl, $ml) = Bracket::Model::DBIC::count_player_teams_left($model);
+    is($ml, 0, 'count_player_teams_left: max_left is 0 when no non-admin players have picks');
+}
+{
+    my ($tl, $ml) = Bracket::Model::DBIC::count_player_final4_teams_left($model);
+    is($ml, 0, 'count_player_final4_teams_left: max_left is 0 when no non-admin players have picks');
+}
+
 my $player = $schema->resultset('Player')->create({
     email      => 'round-based-final4@example.com',
     password   => 'secret',
@@ -64,21 +74,11 @@ $schema->resultset('Team')->create({
     round_out => 7,
 });
 
-# Create a player with id 24 to satisfy foreign key constraints on Pick.
-$schema->resultset('Player')->create({
-    id         => 24,
-    email      => 'player-24@example.com',
-    password   => 'secret',
-    first_name => 'Player',
-    last_name  => 'TwentyFour',
-});
-
-# player 24 drives games_remaining in count_player_final4_teams_left.
-$schema->resultset('Pick')->create({
-    player => 24,
-    game   => $round4_game_id,
-    pick   => $round4_team_id,
-});
+# Regression: teams-left queries should not rely on a sentinel player id.
+ok(
+    !$schema->resultset('Player')->find(24),
+    'test fixture intentionally omits player 24 sentinel',
+);
 $schema->resultset('Pick')->create({
     player => $player->id,
     game   => $round4_game_id,
@@ -96,4 +96,15 @@ ok(
     'count_player_final4_teams_left reports max_left from computed map',
 );
 
+my ($all_teams_left, $all_max_left) = Bracket::Model::DBIC::count_player_teams_left($model);
+is(
+    ($all_teams_left->{$player->id} || 0) >= 1,
+    1,
+    'count_player_teams_left no longer depends on sentinel player rows',
+);
+ok(
+    defined $all_max_left && $all_max_left >= 1,
+    'count_player_teams_left reports max_left without sentinel player data',
+);
+
 done_testing();