diff --git a/crates/tranquil-api/src/admin/status.rs b/crates/tranquil-api/src/admin/status.rs
index 3c7414b..aad7291 100644
--- a/crates/tranquil-api/src/admin/status.rs
+++ b/crates/tranquil-api/src/admin/status.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ use axum::{
     Json,
     extract::{Query, State},
 };
+use chrono::Utc;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use serde_json::{Value, json};
 use tracing::{error, warn};
@@ -165,16 +166,19 @@ pub async fn update_subject_status(
                     Ok(d) => d,
                     Err(_) => return Err(ApiError::InvalidDid("Invalid DID format".into())),
                 };
-                if let Some(takedown) = &input.takedown {
-                    let takedown_ref = if takedown.applied {
-                        takedown.r#ref.as_deref()
-                    } else {
-                        None
-                    };
+                let takedown_ref = input.takedown.as_ref().and_then(|takedown| {
+                    takedown.applied.then(|| {
+                        takedown
+                            .r#ref
+                            .clone()
+                            .unwrap_or_else(|| Utc::now().to_rfc3339())
+                    })
+                });
+                if input.takedown.is_some() {
                     state
                         .repos
                         .user
-                        .set_user_takedown(&did, takedown_ref)
+                        .set_user_takedown(&did, takedown_ref.as_deref())
                         .await
                         .map_err(|e| {
                             error!("Failed to update user takedown status for {}: {:?}", did, e);
@@ -196,13 +200,17 @@ pub async fn update_subject_status(
                     })?;
                 }
                 let takedown_update = input.takedown.as_ref().map(|t| t.applied);
-                let takedown_ref = input.takedown.as_ref().and_then(|t| t.r#ref.as_deref());
                 let deactivated_update = input.deactivated.as_ref().map(|d| d.applied);
                 if (takedown_update.is_some() || deactivated_update.is_some())
                     && let Err(e) = state
                         .repos
                         .repo
-                        .update_repo_status(&did, takedown_update, takedown_ref, deactivated_update)
+                        .update_repo_status(
+                            &did,
+                            takedown_update,
+                            takedown_ref.as_deref(),
+                            deactivated_update,
+                        )
                         .await
                 {
                     warn!("failed to sync status to repo backend: {e:?}");
diff --git a/crates/tranquil-pds/tests/admin_moderation.rs b/crates/tranquil-pds/tests/admin_moderation.rs
index ec29cb1..b6597f0 100644
--- a/crates/tranquil-pds/tests/admin_moderation.rs
+++ b/crates/tranquil-pds/tests/admin_moderation.rs
@@ -123,6 +123,75 @@ async fn test_update_subject_status_takedown_user() {
     assert_eq!(status_body["takedown"]["ref"], "mod-action-123");
 }
 
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn test_update_subject_status_takedown_user_without_ref_updates_sync_status() {
+    let client = client();
+    let (admin_jwt, _) = create_admin_account_and_login(&client).await;
+    let (_, target_did) = create_account_and_login(&client).await;
+    let payload = json!({
+        "subject": {
+            "$type": "com.atproto.admin.defs#repoRef",
+            "did": target_did
+        },
+        "takedown": {
+            "applied": true
+        }
+    });
+    let res = client
+        .post(format!(
+            "{}/xrpc/com.atproto.admin.updateSubjectStatus",
+            base_url().await
+        ))
+        .bearer_auth(&admin_jwt)
+        .json(&payload)
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .expect("Failed to send request");
+    assert_eq!(res.status(), StatusCode::OK);
+
+    let status_res = client
+        .get(format!(
+            "{}/xrpc/com.atproto.sync.getRepoStatus",
+            base_url().await
+        ))
+        .query(&[("did", target_did.as_str())])
+        .send()
+        .await
+        .expect("Failed to send request");
+    assert_eq!(status_res.status(), StatusCode::OK);
+    let status_body: Value = status_res.json().await.unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(status_body["active"], false);
+    assert_eq!(status_body["status"], "takendown");
+
+    let mut cursor: Option<String> = None;
+    loop {
+        let mut url = format!(
+            "{}/xrpc/com.atproto.sync.listRepos?limit=1000",
+            base_url().await
+        );
+        if let Some(cursor) = &cursor {
+            url.push_str(&format!("&cursor={cursor}"));
+        }
+        let list_res = client.get(&url).send().await.unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(list_res.status(), StatusCode::OK);
+        let list_body: Value = list_res.json().await.unwrap();
+        if let Some(repo) = list_body["repos"]
+            .as_array()
+            .unwrap()
+            .iter()
+            .find(|repo| repo["did"] == target_did)
+        {
+            assert_eq!(repo["active"], false);
+            assert_eq!(repo["status"], "takendown");
+            break;
+        }
+        match list_body["cursor"].as_str() {
+            Some(next_cursor) => cursor = Some(next_cursor.to_string()),
+            None => panic!("Takendown repo should be in listRepos"),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 #[tokio::test]
 async fn test_update_subject_status_remove_takedown() {
     let client = client();
diff --git a/crates/tranquil-pds/tests/sync_conformance.rs b/crates/tranquil-pds/tests/sync_conformance.rs
index 1db281f..64bc3fc 100644
--- a/crates/tranquil-pds/tests/sync_conformance.rs
+++ b/crates/tranquil-pds/tests/sync_conformance.rs
@@ -357,6 +357,8 @@ async fn test_get_repo_since_returns_partial() {
     let client = client();
     let (jwt, did) = create_account_and_login(&client).await;
 
+    create_post(&client, &did, &jwt, "Existing post before since rev").await;
+
     let initial_commit_res = client
         .get(format!(
             "{}/xrpc/com.atproto.sync.getLatestCommit",
diff --git a/migrations/20260812_backfill_no_ref_takedowns.sql b/migrations/20260812_backfill_no_ref_takedowns.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2b622b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/migrations/20260812_backfill_no_ref_takedowns.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+WITH latest_takedown_state AS (
+    SELECT DISTINCT ON (did)
+        did,
+        status,
+        created_at
+    FROM repo_seq
+    WHERE event_type = 'account'
+      AND (status = 'takendown' OR active = TRUE)
+    ORDER BY did, id DESC
+)
+UPDATE users
+SET takedown_ref = latest_takedown_state.created_at::TEXT
+FROM latest_takedown_state
+WHERE users.did = latest_takedown_state.did
+  AND users.takedown_ref IS NULL
+  AND latest_takedown_state.status = 'takendown';
\ No newline at end of file