diff --git a/public/assets/my.js b/public/assets/my.js
index 0571dd1..a286cc5 100644
--- a/public/assets/my.js
+++ b/public/assets/my.js
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
   // if they arrived through a sponsor's link, show who they're joining under
   (async () => {
     try {
-      const sp = await (await fetch('/api/sponsor')).json();
+      const sp = await (await fetch('/api/sponsor?intent=view')).json(); // display only: never an alert
       if (sp && sp.invited && sp.name && $('sponsorNote')) { $('sponsorNoteName').textContent = sp.name; $('sponsorNote').hidden = false; }
     } catch (e) {}
   })();
@@ -2217,7 +2217,7 @@
             }
             if (cur !== wantAddr) throw new Error('Your wallet connected as ' + cur.slice(0, 6) + '…' + cur.slice(-4) + ' but you chose ' + wantAddr.slice(0, 6) + '…' + wantAddr.slice(-4) + '. Switch accounts in your wallet app and try again.');
           }
-          const spNow = fromPos ? { sponsorId: meNow.memberId } : await jretry('/api/sponsor');
+          const spNow = fromPos ? { sponsorId: meNow.memberId } : await jretry('/api/sponsor?intent=buy');
           if (!fromPos && !meNow.memberId && spNow.sponsorBlocked) { IAP.status(sponsorHoldText(spNow), 'bad'); return; } // first activation must not hand a sponsored member to the company
           if (!fromPos && !meNow.memberId && spNow.sponsorRouted) IAP.status((spNow.sponsorRouted.from || 'Your sponsor') + ' has not switched on payouts, so this purchase credits ' + spNow.sponsorRouted.to + ' instead. You are not held up; carrying on.', 'ok');
           // pre-flight: stop early if the POL is not there. Trust Wallet also hard-blocks any
diff --git a/public/my.html b/public/my.html
index 27ee3fb..b4a2d12 100644
--- a/public/my.html
+++ b/public/my.html
@@ -1070,7 +1070,7 @@
 <script src="/assets/common.js?v=20260916a"></script>
 <script src="/assets/wallet.js?v=20260911a"></script>
 <script src="/assets/promo.js?v=20260921d"></script>
-<script src="/assets/my.js?v=20260924c"></script>
+<script src="/assets/my.js?v=20260924d"></script>
 <script src="/assets/chat.js?v=20260907l"></script>
 </body>
 </html>
diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index 5a48c1a..2508453 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -760,11 +760,12 @@ function fraudAlert(email, fc, spAcct, blocked) {
 const sponsorRoutedLast = new Map(); // buyer email -> ts (one alert per buyer per hour)
 function sponsorRoutedAlert(who, spd, routed, skipped) {
   const k = String(who || '?'); if (Date.now() - (sponsorRoutedLast.get(k) || 0) < 3600000) return; sponsorRoutedLast.set(k, Date.now());
-  const text = '\u2934\uFE0F InstantAdPay: purchase by ' + k.replace(/^(.{2}).*(@.*)$/, '$1***$2') + ' routed past ' + (spd.name || '?')
-    + ' (payouts not switched on) to ' + routed.to + '. The buyer was not held up.' + (skipped.length > 1 ? ' Skipped: ' + skipped.map(x => x.name).join(', ') + '.' : '');
+  const text = '\u2934\uFE0F InstantAdPay heads-up: ' + k.replace(/^(.{2}).*(@.*)$/, '$1***$2') + ' is at checkout. Their sponsor ' + (spd.name || '?')
+    + ' has not switched on payouts, so if this purchase goes through it pays ' + routed.to + ' instead.' + (skipped.length > 1 ? ' Also skipped: ' + skipped.map(x => x.name).join(', ') + '.' : '')
+    + ' Nothing has been paid yet; the on-chain result posts to Telegram when the sale settles.';
   const sc = siteConfig();
   if (sc.telegramBotToken && sc.telegramAdminChatId) telegramSend(sc.telegramAdminChatId, text).catch(() => {});
-  else if (ADMIN_EMAIL && mailer.hasKey()) mailer.send(ADMIN_EMAIL, 'InstantAdPay: purchase routed past an unactivated sponsor', text).catch(() => {});
+  else if (ADMIN_EMAIL && mailer.hasKey()) mailer.send(ADMIN_EMAIL, 'InstantAdPay heads-up: a checkout will route past an unactivated sponsor', text).catch(() => {});
   // the skipped sponsor and the one who gains are told by sponsorSyncOnEvent, once the position exists on the chain
 }
 const sponsorAlertLast = new Map(); // email -> ts (one alert per member per hour)
@@ -1267,9 +1268,9 @@ const server = http.createServer(async (req, res) => {
           const catchId = Number(siteConfig().defaultSponsorId) || 1;
           sponsorId = w.id;
           sponsorRouted = { from: spd.name || null, to: w.id ? w.name : 'the company (#' + catchId + ')', toId: w.id || catchId, skipped: w.skipped.map(x => x.name) };
-          sponsorRoutedAlert(acct.email, spd, sponsorRouted, w.skipped);
+          if (u.searchParams.get('intent') === 'buy') sponsorRoutedAlert(acct.email, spd, sponsorRouted, w.skipped); // the dashboard's display-only pre-check never alerts (Marty, 2026-09-21)
         }
-      } else if (acct && acct.sponsorRef && !sponsorId && spd.reason !== 'none') { sponsorBlocked = spd.reason; sponsorBlockedAlert(acct.email, Object.assign({ tok }, spd)); }
+      } else if (acct && acct.sponsorRef && !sponsorId && spd.reason !== 'none') { sponsorBlocked = spd.reason; if (u.searchParams.get('intent') === 'buy') sponsorBlockedAlert(acct.email, Object.assign({ tok }, spd)); }
       if (sponsorId && await payoutChainBlocked(sponsorId, 2)) { console.log('sponsor routed away from no-payout chain', sponsorId); sponsorId = 0; }
       // orphan fallback: an unresolvable/absent sponsor (dead link, no link) lands
       // the new member under the configured catch position (#1) instead of root