diff --git a/src/main/java/org/patinanetwork/codebloom/common/components/LeaderboardManager.java b/src/main/java/org/patinanetwork/codebloom/common/components/LeaderboardManager.java
index 49bbf77cc..06ceb4a63 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/patinanetwork/codebloom/common/components/LeaderboardManager.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/patinanetwork/codebloom/common/components/LeaderboardManager.java
@@ -61,7 +61,10 @@ public void generateAchievementsForAllWinners() {
             log.info("on leaderboard for {}", pair.getRight().getResolvedName());
             List<Indexed<UserWithScore>> users = leaderboardRepository.getRankedIndexedLeaderboardUsersById(
                     currentLeaderboard.getId(), pair.getLeft());
-            List<Indexed<UserWithScore>> winners = users.subList(0, maxWinners(users.size()));
+            List<Indexed<UserWithScore>> usersWithPoints = users.stream()
+                    .filter(indexed -> indexed.getItem().getTotalScore() > 0)
+                    .toList();
+            List<Indexed<UserWithScore>> winners = usersWithPoints.subList(0, maxWinners(usersWithPoints.size()));
 
             for (int i = 0; i < winners.size(); i++) {
                 int place = i + 1;
@@ -83,7 +86,10 @@ public void generateAchievementsForAllWinners() {
         // handle global leaderboard
         List<Indexed<UserWithScore>> users = leaderboardRepository.getGlobalRankedIndexedLeaderboardUsersById(
                 currentLeaderboard.getId(), LeaderboardFilterOptions.DEFAULT);
-        List<Indexed<UserWithScore>> winners = users.subList(0, maxWinners(users.size()));
+        List<Indexed<UserWithScore>> usersWithPoints = users.stream()
+                .filter(indexed -> indexed.getItem().getTotalScore() > 0)
+                .toList();
+        List<Indexed<UserWithScore>> winners = usersWithPoints.subList(0, maxWinners(usersWithPoints.size()));
 
         for (int i = 0; i < winners.size(); i++) {
             int place = i + 1;
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/patinanetwork/codebloom/common/components/LeaderboardManagerTest.java b/src/test/java/org/patinanetwork/codebloom/common/components/LeaderboardManagerTest.java
index 77291520e..2f50b4d4a 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/patinanetwork/codebloom/common/components/LeaderboardManagerTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/patinanetwork/codebloom/common/components/LeaderboardManagerTest.java
@@ -444,6 +444,71 @@ void testWithAvailableLeaderboardAndThreeWinnersGlobalButFourUsers() {
                 winners.get(1).getItem().getId());
     }
 
+    @Test
+    void testUsersWithZeroPointsAreExcludedFromAchievements() {
+        var latestLeaderboard = Leaderboard.builder()
+                .id(UUID.randomUUID().toString())
+                .name("Test Leaderboard")
+                .createdAt(StandardizedLocalDateTime.now())
+                .build();
+
+        var users = Indexed.ofDefaultList(List.of(
+                randomPartialUserWithScore().totalScore(150_000).build(),
+                randomPartialUserWithScore().totalScore(0).build(),
+                randomPartialUserWithScore().totalScore(0).build()));
+
+        when(leaderboardRepository.getRecentLeaderboardMetadata()).thenReturn(latestLeaderboard);
+        when(leaderboardRepository.getGlobalRankedIndexedLeaderboardUsersById(eq(latestLeaderboard.getId()), any()))
+                .thenReturn(users);
+
+        leaderboardManager.generateAchievementsForAllWinners();
+
+        ArgumentCaptor<Achievement> captor = ArgumentCaptor.forClass(Achievement.class);
+        verify(achievementRepository, times(1)).createAchievement(captor.capture());
+
+        var achievements = captor.getAllValues();
+        var userOneAchievement = achievements.get(0);
+        assertAchievement(
+                userOneAchievement,
+                null,
+                AchievementPlaceEnum.ONE,
+                users.get(0).getItem().getId());
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void testUsersWithZeroPointsAreExcludedFromTagAchievements() {
+        var latestLeaderboard = Leaderboard.builder()
+                .id(UUID.randomUUID().toString())
+                .name("Test Leaderboard")
+                .createdAt(StandardizedLocalDateTime.now())
+                .build();
+
+        var users = Indexed.ofDefaultList(List.of(
+                randomPartialUserWithScore().totalScore(0).build(),
+                randomPartialUserWithScore().totalScore(0).build()));
+
+        users.forEach(winner -> {
+            var user = winner.getItem();
+            user.setTags(List.of(UserTag.builder()
+                    .id(UUID.randomUUID().toString())
+                    .tag(Tag.Sbu)
+                    .userId(user.getId())
+                    .build()));
+        });
+
+        when(leaderboardRepository.getRecentLeaderboardMetadata()).thenReturn(latestLeaderboard);
+        when(leaderboardRepository.getGlobalRankedIndexedLeaderboardUsersById(eq(latestLeaderboard.getId()), any()))
+                .thenReturn(users);
+
+        when(leaderboardRepository.getRankedIndexedLeaderboardUsersById(
+                        eq(latestLeaderboard.getId()), argThat(opt -> opt.isSbu())))
+                .thenReturn(users);
+
+        leaderboardManager.generateAchievementsForAllWinners();
+
+        verify(achievementRepository, times(0)).createAchievement(any());
+    }
+
     @Test
     void testGetLeaderboardMetadata() {
         String testId = UUID.randomUUID().toString();