diff --git a/backend/src/index.ts b/backend/src/index.ts
index e577f12..197827e 100644
--- a/backend/src/index.ts
+++ b/backend/src/index.ts
@@ -213,7 +213,18 @@ app.post('/api/events/:slug/rsvp', async (req: Request, res: Response) => {
       'INSERT INTO rsvps (event_id, name, attending, bringing_guests, guest_count, guest_names, items_bringing) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?)',
       [eventId, name, attending, bringing_guests, guest_count, guest_names, JSON.stringify(items_bringing || [])]
     );
-    res.status(201).json(result);
+
+    // Return the complete RSVP data including the parsed items_bringing
+    res.status(201).json({
+      ...result,
+      id: result.lastID,
+      name,
+      attending,
+      bringing_guests,
+      guest_count,
+      guest_names,
+      items_bringing: items_bringing || []
+    });
   } catch (error) {
     console.error('Error creating RSVP:', error);
     res.status(500).json({ error: 'Internal server error' });
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/RSVPForm.tsx b/frontend/src/components/RSVPForm.tsx
index 2c5124b..eea2531 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/RSVPForm.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/RSVPForm.tsx
@@ -154,8 +154,9 @@ const RSVPForm: React.FC = () => {
       const claimed = new Set<string>();
       
       // First add items from the new submission
-      if (Array.isArray(response.data.items_bringing)) {
-        response.data.items_bringing.forEach((item: string) => claimed.add(item));
+      const newRsvpItems = response.data.items_bringing || [];
+      if (Array.isArray(newRsvpItems)) {
+        newRsvpItems.forEach((item: string) => claimed.add(item));
       }
       
       // Then add items from existing RSVPs
@@ -163,14 +164,17 @@ const RSVPForm: React.FC = () => {
         try {
           let rsvpItems: string[] = [];
           if (typeof rsvp.items_bringing === 'string') {
-            rsvpItems = JSON.parse(rsvp.items_bringing);
+            try {
+              rsvpItems = JSON.parse(rsvp.items_bringing);
+            } catch (e) {
+              console.error('Error parsing items_bringing JSON:', e);
+              rsvpItems = [];
+            }
           } else if (Array.isArray(rsvp.items_bringing)) {
             rsvpItems = rsvp.items_bringing;
           }
           
-          if (rsvpItems.length > 0) {
-            rsvpItems.forEach((item: string) => claimed.add(item));
-          }
+          rsvpItems.forEach((item: string) => claimed.add(item));
         } catch (e) {
           console.error('Error processing RSVP items:', e);
         }