diff --git a/public/assets/join.js b/public/assets/join.js
index 0337e29..7635636 100644
--- a/public/assets/join.js
+++ b/public/assets/join.js
@@ -88,10 +88,11 @@
 
   // sponsor line (the link opened most recently sets the sponsor; it locks at account creation)
   let sponsorName = '';
-  fetch('/api/sponsor').then(r => r.json()).then(sp => {
+  const linkTok = (location.pathname.match(/^\/join\/([^/?#]+)/) || [])[1] || '';
+  fetch('/api/sponsor' + (linkTok ? '?ref=' + encodeURIComponent(linkTok) : '')).then(r => r.json()).then(sp => {
     if (sp && sp.invited && sp.name) {
       sponsorName = sp.name;
-      $('jnSponName').textContent = sp.name;
+      $('jnSponName').textContent = sp.name + (sp.own ? ' (this is your own invite page; visitors see your name here)' : '');
       if (sp.avatarUrl) { $('jnSponImg').src = sp.avatarUrl; $('jnSponImg').hidden = false; }
       $('jnSpon').hidden = false;
     }
diff --git a/public/join.html b/public/join.html
index 79e4c30..bff6583 100644
--- a/public/join.html
+++ b/public/join.html
@@ -157,6 +157,6 @@
   </div>
 </div>
 <script src="/assets/common.js?v=20260913a"></script>
-<script src="/assets/join.js?v=20260912d"></script>
+<script src="/assets/join.js?v=20260913a"></script>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index d633451..f81e253 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -796,14 +796,19 @@ const server = http.createServer(async (req, res) => {
       // orphan fallback: an unresolvable/absent sponsor (dead link, no link) lands
       // the new member under the configured catch position (#1) instead of root
       if (!sponsorId && (!acct || acct.memberId !== (Number(siteConfig().defaultSponsorId) || 1))) sponsorId = Number(siteConfig().defaultSponsorId) || 1;
-      let name = null, avatarUrl = null;
-      if (tok) {
-        const t = tok.toLowerCase();
+      let name = null, avatarUrl = null, own = false;
+      // the join page names the owner of the LINK it was opened with (?ref=token), not the visitor's own
+      // sponsor: a member previewing their own invite page was seeing their upline's name (Jim, 2026-09-13)
+      let showTok = String(u.searchParams.get('ref') || '').trim().toLowerCase();
+      if (showTok && JOIN_ALIASES[showTok]) showTok = JOIN_ALIASES[showTok];
+      const nameTok = showTok || tok;
+      if (nameTok) {
+        const t = nameTok.toLowerCase();
         let a = await accounts.byCode(t); if (!a) a = await accounts.byUsername(t);
-        if (!a && /^\d+$/.test(tok)) a = await accounts.byMemberId(Number(tok));
-        if (a) { name = a.username ? '@' + a.username : (a.memberId ? 'member #' + a.memberId : null); avatarUrl = a.avatarUrl || null; }
+        if (!a && /^\d+$/.test(nameTok)) a = await accounts.byMemberId(Number(nameTok));
+        if (a) { name = a.username ? '@' + a.username : (a.memberId ? 'member #' + a.memberId : null); avatarUrl = a.avatarUrl || null; own = !!(acct && a.email === acct.email); }
       }
-      return json(res, 200, { ref: tok, sponsorId, invited: !!tok, name, avatarUrl });
+      return json(res, 200, { ref: tok, sponsorId, invited: !!(tok || showTok), name, avatarUrl, own });
     }
     if (p === '/api/stats' && req.method === 'GET') {
       let members = 0; try { members = await chain.memberCount(); } catch (e) {}