diff --git a/steward/settings/routes.py b/steward/settings/routes.py
index 8afff9a..c905c68 100644
--- a/steward/settings/routes.py
+++ b/steward/settings/routes.py
@@ -222,8 +222,9 @@ async def notifications():
         settings = await get_all_settings(db)
         if not settings["smtp.tz"] and session.get("tz"):
             # "Also send to" reads times in the first admin's zone until one is chosen.
-            async with db.begin():
-                await set_setting(db, "smtp.tz", session["tz"])
+            # Reading the settings already began this session's transaction.
+            await set_setting(db, "smtp.tz", session["tz"])
+            await db.commit()
             settings["smtp.tz"] = session["tz"]
             await _reload_app_config()
         who = await audience(db)
diff --git a/tests/integration/test_users_page.py b/tests/integration/test_users_page.py
index 2395ff0..f57b87a 100644
--- a/tests/integration/test_users_page.py
+++ b/tests/integration/test_users_page.py
@@ -198,3 +198,24 @@ def test_an_account_sets_its_own_address_and_switches_and_an_admin_can_too(app):
         assert "Who gets email" in page and 'name="notify.alerts.viewer"' in page and "Also send to" in page
 
     asyncio.run(_go())
+
+
+def test_the_first_admin_to_open_notifications_sets_the_also_send_to_zone(app):
+    async def _go():
+        from steward.core.settings import get_setting, set_setting
+
+        async def _tz():
+            async with app.db_sessionmaker() as s:
+                return await get_setting(s, "smtp.tz")
+
+        async with app.db_sessionmaker() as s:
+            async with s.begin():
+                await set_setting(s, "smtp.tz", "")
+        for zone in ("America/Chicago", "Asia/Tokyo"):
+            admin, _ = await _client(app)
+            async with admin.session_transaction() as sess:
+                sess["tz"] = zone
+            assert (await admin.get("/settings/notifications/")).status_code == 200
+        assert await _tz() == "America/Chicago"      # the second admin's zone changes nothing
+
+    asyncio.run(_go())