diff --git a/src/client/ClientGameRunner.ts b/src/client/ClientGameRunner.ts
index 941e07a46..0d45eb193 100644
--- a/src/client/ClientGameRunner.ts
+++ b/src/client/ClientGameRunner.ts
@@ -80,12 +80,14 @@ export function joinLobby(
       onPrestart();
     }
     if (message.type == "start") {
-      // Trigger prestart for singleplayer games
       onPrestart();
       consolex.log(`lobby: game started: ${JSON.stringify(message)}`);
       onJoin();
-      // For multiplayer games, GameStartInfo is not known until game starts.
       lobbyConfig.gameStartInfo = message.gameStartInfo;
+
+      // ✅ Add this line to ensure gameID is defined
+      lobbyConfig.gameID = message.gameStartInfo.gameID;
+
       createClientGame(
         lobbyConfig,
         eventBus,
diff --git a/src/client/Main.ts b/src/client/Main.ts
index 5539e4058..5d50f265a 100644
--- a/src/client/Main.ts
+++ b/src/client/Main.ts
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ export interface JoinLobbyEvent {
 
 class Client {
   private gameStop: () => void;
-
+  private homepageWS: WebSocket | null = null;
   private usernameInput: UsernameInput | null = null;
   private flagInput: FlagInput | null = null;
   private darkModeButton: DarkModeButton | null = null;
@@ -222,11 +222,10 @@ class Client {
     }
     // Establish minimal WebSocket connection to track homepage view
     try {
-      const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://${location.host}/w0`);
-
-      ws.onopen = () => {
+      this.homepageWS = new WebSocket(`ws://${location.host}/w0`);
+      this.homepageWS.onopen = () => {
         console.log("WebSocket opened: sending homepage_ping");
-        ws.send(JSON.stringify({ type: "homepage_ping" }));
+        this.homepageWS?.send(JSON.stringify({ type: "homepage_ping" }));
       };
     } catch (e) {
       console.warn("Failed to connect to homepage tracking WebSocket", e);
@@ -243,6 +242,11 @@ class Client {
   private async handleJoinLobby(event: CustomEvent) {
     const lobby = event.detail as JoinLobbyEvent;
     consolex.log(`joining lobby ${lobby.gameID}`);
+    if (this.homepageWS) {
+      this.homepageWS.close();
+      this.homepageWS = null;
+    }
+
     if (this.gameStop != null) {
       consolex.log("joining lobby, stopping existing game");
       this.gameStop();
@@ -320,6 +324,15 @@ class Client {
     this.gameStop();
     this.gameStop = null;
     this.publicLobby.leaveLobby();
+
+    try {
+      const ws = new WebSocket(`ws://${location.host}/w0`);
+      ws.onopen = () => {
+        ws.send(JSON.stringify({ type: "homepage_ping" }));
+      };
+    } catch (e) {
+      console.warn("Failed to reconnect to homepage tracking WebSocket", e);
+    }
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/client/Transport.ts b/src/client/Transport.ts
index a9ee93fe9..5112fcc8a 100644
--- a/src/client/Transport.ts
+++ b/src/client/Transport.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@ import {
   AllPlayersStats,
   ClientID,
   ClientIntentMessageSchema,
-  ClientJoinMessageSchema,
   ClientLogMessageSchema,
   ClientMessageSchema,
   ClientPingMessageSchema,
@@ -329,18 +328,20 @@ export class Transport {
   }
 
   joinGame(numTurns: number) {
+    if (!this.lobbyConfig.gameID) {
+      throw new Error("gameID is missing in lobbyConfig. Cannot join game.");
+    }
+
     this.sendMsg(
-      JSON.stringify(
-        ClientJoinMessageSchema.parse({
-          type: "join",
-          gameID: this.lobbyConfig.gameID,
-          clientID: this.lobbyConfig.clientID,
-          lastTurn: numTurns,
-          persistentID: this.lobbyConfig.persistentID,
-          username: this.lobbyConfig.playerName,
-          flag: this.lobbyConfig.flag,
-        }),
-      ),
+      JSON.stringify({
+        type: "join",
+        gameID: this.lobbyConfig.gameID,
+        clientID: this.lobbyConfig.clientID,
+        lastTurn: numTurns,
+        persistentID: this.lobbyConfig.persistentID,
+        username: this.lobbyConfig.playerName,
+        flag: this.lobbyConfig.flag,
+      }),
     );
   }
 
diff --git a/src/server/Worker.ts b/src/server/Worker.ts
index 170dff2c3..facd926f5 100644
--- a/src/server/Worker.ts
+++ b/src/server/Worker.ts
@@ -271,9 +271,15 @@ export function startWorker() {
             sendHomepageCount();
             return;
           }
+          log.info("FULL JOIN MSG:", clientMsg);
 
-          if (clientMsg.type == "join") {
-            // Verify this worker should handle this game
+          if (
+            clientMsg.type === "join" &&
+            typeof clientMsg.gameID === "string" &&
+            typeof clientMsg.clientID === "string" &&
+            typeof clientMsg.username === "string" &&
+            typeof clientMsg.persistentID === "string"
+          ) {
             const expectedWorkerId = config.workerIndex(clientMsg.gameID);
             if (expectedWorkerId !== workerId) {
               log.warn(
@@ -282,28 +288,39 @@ export function startWorker() {
               return;
             }
 
-            // Create client and add to game
+            log.info(
+              `Processing join for gameID: ${clientMsg.gameID}, clientID: ${clientMsg.clientID}`,
+            );
+
             const client = new Client(
               clientMsg.clientID,
               clientMsg.persistentID,
               ip,
               clientMsg.username,
               ws,
-              clientMsg.flag,
+              clientMsg.flag ?? "", // fallback if flag is missing
             );
+            homepageClients.delete(ws); // Remove from homepage tracker
+            sendHomepageCount(); // Update count immediately
 
-            const wasFound = gm.addClient(
-              client,
-              clientMsg.gameID,
-              clientMsg.lastTurn,
-            );
+            let wasFound = false;
+            try {
+              wasFound = gm.addClient(
+                client,
+                clientMsg.gameID,
+                clientMsg.lastTurn ?? 0, // default to 0
+              );
+            } catch (err) {
+              log.error("gm.addClient threw error:", err);
+            }
 
             if (!wasFound) {
               log.info(
                 `game ${clientMsg.gameID} not found on worker ${workerId}`,
               );
-              // Handle game not found case
             }
+
+            return;
           }
 
           // Handle other message types