diff --git a/frontend/src/components/RSVPForm.tsx b/frontend/src/components/RSVPForm.tsx
index 69c0543..73b7ee4 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/RSVPForm.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/RSVPForm.tsx
@@ -168,8 +168,14 @@ const RSVPForm: React.FC = () => {
       
       // Get all claimed items from existing RSVPs including the new submission
       const claimed = new Set<string>();
-      const allRsvps = [...rsvpsResponse.data, response.data];
-      allRsvps.forEach((rsvp: any) => {
+      
+      // First add items from the new submission
+      if (Array.isArray(response.data.items_bringing)) {
+        response.data.items_bringing.forEach(item => claimed.add(item));
+      }
+      
+      // Then add items from existing RSVPs
+      rsvpsResponse.data.forEach((rsvp: any) => {
         try {
           let rsvpItems: string[] = [];
           if (typeof rsvp.items_bringing === 'string') {
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index c60cda1..42450dd 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -131,9 +131,18 @@ app.post('/api/events/:slug/rsvp', async (req, res) => {
       [event.id, name, attending, bringing_guests, guest_count, guest_names, JSON.stringify(items_bringing || [])]
     );
     
-    // Fetch the newly created RSVP to return in response
-    const newRsvp = await db.get('SELECT * FROM rsvps WHERE id = ?', result.lastID);
-    res.status(201).json(newRsvp);
+    // Return a complete response with the original items_bringing array
+    res.status(201).json({
+      id: result.lastID,
+      event_id: event.id,
+      name,
+      attending,
+      bringing_guests,
+      guest_count,
+      guest_names,
+      items_bringing: items_bringing || [],
+      created_at: new Date().toISOString()
+    });
   } catch (error) {
     console.error('Error creating RSVP:', error);
     res.status(500).json({