diff --git a/label_studio/io_storages/redis/form_layout.yml b/label_studio/io_storages/redis/form_layout.yml
index 6a4efbb7bd09..1486988081cd 100644
--- a/label_studio/io_storages/redis/form_layout.yml
+++ b/label_studio/io_storages/redis/form_layout.yml
@@ -58,5 +58,7 @@ ImportStorage:
             label: "Tasks - Treat each JSON or JSONL file as a task definition (one or more tasks per file)"
 
 ExportStorage:
+  - columnCount: 1
+    fields: *redis_title
   - columnCount: 2
     fields: *redis_params
diff --git a/label_studio/io_storages/redis/models.py b/label_studio/io_storages/redis/models.py
index 5a862919ca48..36449725aa23 100644
--- a/label_studio/io_storages/redis/models.py
+++ b/label_studio/io_storages/redis/models.py
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ def can_resolve_url(self, url):
 
     def iter_objects(self):
         client = self.get_client()
-        path = str(self.path)
+        path = str(self.path or "")
         for key in client.keys(path + '*'):
             yield key
 
@@ -135,8 +135,10 @@ def save_annotation(self, annotation):
         logger.debug(f'Creating new object on {self.__class__.__name__} Storage {self} for annotation {annotation}')
         ser_annotation = self._get_serialized_data(annotation)
 
-        # get key that identifies this object in storage
+        # get key that identifies this object in storage, prepend path prefix if set
         key = RedisExportStorageLink.get_key(annotation)
+        if self.path:
+            key = str(self.path).rstrip('/') + '/' + key
 
         # put object into storage
         client.set(key, json.dumps(ser_annotation))
diff --git a/web/apps/labelstudio/src/pages/Settings/StorageSettings/providers/redis.ts b/web/apps/labelstudio/src/pages/Settings/StorageSettings/providers/redis.ts
index 327f2a5fd5af..329c796a3a8a 100644
--- a/web/apps/labelstudio/src/pages/Settings/StorageSettings/providers/redis.ts
+++ b/web/apps/labelstudio/src/pages/Settings/StorageSettings/providers/redis.ts
@@ -39,15 +39,14 @@ export const redisProvider: ProviderConfig = {
       schema: z.string().default("6379"),
     },
     {
-      name: "prefix",
+      name: "path",
       type: "text",
       label: "Bucket prefix",
       placeholder: "path/to/files",
       schema: z.string().optional().default(""),
-      target: "export",
     },
   ],
-  layout: [{ fields: ["host", "port", "db", "password"] }, { fields: ["prefix"] }],
+  layout: [{ fields: ["host", "port", "db", "password"] }, { fields: ["path"] }],
 };
 
 export default redisProvider;
diff --git a/web/libs/datamanager/src/stores/AppStore.js b/web/libs/datamanager/src/stores/AppStore.js
index 1f9b5a8f2030..655c78508874 100644
--- a/web/libs/datamanager/src/stores/AppStore.js
+++ b/web/libs/datamanager/src/stores/AppStore.js
@@ -576,13 +576,13 @@ export const AppStore = types
 
       self.viewsStore.fetchColumns();
 
-      const requests = [self.fetchProject()];
-
-      // Only fetch all users if not disabled globally
+      // Fetch users before tabs so annotator/reviewer references in task data can be resolved.
       if (!isFF(FF_DISABLE_GLOBAL_USER_FETCHING)) {
-        requests.push(self.fetchUsers());
+        yield self.fetchUsers();
       }
 
+      const requests = [self.fetchProject()];
+
       if (!isLabelStream || (self.project?.show_annotation_history && task)) {
         if (self.SDK.settings?.onlyVirtualTabs && self.project?.show_annotation_history && !task) {
           requests.push(
diff --git a/web/libs/datamanager/src/stores/Assignee.js b/web/libs/datamanager/src/stores/Assignee.js
index d34f6ad8586a..c620f0a0715b 100644
--- a/web/libs/datamanager/src/stores/Assignee.js
+++ b/web/libs/datamanager/src/stores/Assignee.js
@@ -3,6 +3,10 @@ import { User } from "./Users";
 import { StringOrNumberID } from "./types";
 import { FF_DISABLE_GLOBAL_USER_FETCHING, isFF } from "../utils/feature-flags";
 
+// Use safeReference so that unresolved user IDs (race condition during initial load)
+// return undefined instead of throwing an MST error.
+const userSafeReference = types.safeReference(User);
+
 // Create a union type that can handle both user references and direct user objects
 const UserOrReference = types.union({
   dispatcher: (snapshot) => {
@@ -11,11 +15,11 @@ const UserOrReference = types.union({
       return User;
     }
     // Otherwise, it's a reference to a user ID
-    return types.reference(User);
+    return userSafeReference;
   },
   cases: {
     [User.name]: User,
-    reference: types.reference(User),
+    reference: userSafeReference,
   },
 });
 
@@ -29,28 +33,28 @@ export const Assignee = types
   })
   .views((self) => ({
     get firstName() {
-      return self.user.firstName;
+      return self.user?.firstName ?? "";
     },
     get lastName() {
-      return self.user.lastName;
+      return self.user?.lastName ?? "";
     },
     get username() {
-      return self.user.username;
+      return self.user?.username ?? "";
     },
     get email() {
-      return self.user.email;
+      return self.user?.email ?? "";
     },
     get lastActivity() {
-      return self.user.lastActivity;
+      return self.user?.lastActivity ?? "";
     },
     get avatar() {
-      return self.user.avatar;
+      return self.user?.avatar ?? null;
     },
     get initials() {
-      return self.user.initials;
+      return self.user?.initials ?? "";
     },
     get fullName() {
-      return self.user.fullName;
+      return self.user?.fullName ?? "";
     },
   }))
   .preProcessSnapshot((sn) => {