diff --git a/public/join-now.js b/public/join-now.js
index eb7a454..20d74df 100644
--- a/public/join-now.js
+++ b/public/join-now.js
@@ -59,9 +59,12 @@ fetch('/api/public/config').then(function(r){return r.json()}).then(function(c){
       // someone's /join/<id> page. Without this a prospect who wandered through the nav
       // enrolled under the company rotation and the inviter lost the referral.
       if(!ref){ try{ var ck=document.cookie.match(/(?:^|;\s*)rmc_ref=(\d{1,15})/); if(ck)ref=ck[1]; }catch(e){} }
+      // ...and the placement choice the invite link carried, for the same reason.
+      var directFlag=qp.get('direct');
+      if(directFlag!=='1'&&directFlag!=='0'){ try{ var cd=document.cookie.match(/(?:^|;\s*)rmc_direct=([01])/); if(cd)directFlag=cd[1]; }catch(e){} }
       // Direct link (?direct=1): opt out of rotation — register straight under
       // the inviter (spillover in their team), never the next-to-qualify member.
-      if(ref&&/^\d{1,15}$/.test(ref)&&qp.get('direct')==='1'){
+      if(ref&&/^\d{1,15}$/.test(ref)&&directFlag==='1'){
         sponsorId=String(ref); $('sponsorLine').innerHTML='You’ll join <strong>directly under #'+ref+'</strong> — a spillover placement in their team.'; return;
       }
       if(ref&&/^\d{1,15}$/.test(ref)){
diff --git a/public/start.js b/public/start.js
index d4b53ab..62b9a4e 100644
--- a/public/start.js
+++ b/public/start.js
@@ -26,7 +26,12 @@ async function load(){
       // Route exactly the way that member's own invite page would: their moving link sends
       // the join to the next position in their leg, unless their position is set to take
       // direct placements. Same rules, so the two pages can never disagree.
-      const t=(s.directDefault||!s.joinTarget)?{id:s.id,referralUrl:s.referralUrl,directCount:s.directCount}:s.joinTarget;
+      // an explicit ?direct=1/0 from the invite link wins over the position's default
+      const dq=(function(){try{const q=new URLSearchParams(location.search).get('direct');
+        if(q==='1'||q==='0')return q;
+        const m=document.cookie.match(/(?:^|;\s*)rmc_direct=([01])/);return m?m[1]:null;}catch(e){return null}})();
+      const goDirect=dq==='1'||(dq!=='0'&&(s.directDefault||!s.joinTarget));
+      const t=goDirect?{id:s.id,referralUrl:s.referralUrl,directCount:s.directCount}:s.joinTarget;
       currentSponsor={id:t.id,name:null,directs:(t.directCount!==undefined?t.directCount:0),goal:2,referralUrl:t.referralUrl};
       // say whose team this is, so it never reads as an anonymous "current placement"
       const badge=document.querySelector('.live-badge');
@@ -59,7 +64,7 @@ async function load(){
     // carry the inviter through to enrolment — /join-now already knows how to place a
     // ?ref properly (direct placement or next open spot in their leg). Without this the
     // button dropped the referral on the floor and enrolled under the company rotation.
-    document.getElementById('joinButton').href='/join-now'+(ref?('?ref='+encodeURIComponent(ref)):'');
+    document.getElementById('joinButton').href='/join-now'+(ref?('?ref='+encodeURIComponent(ref)+(dq?('&direct='+dq):'')):'');
     {const dl=document.getElementById('dappJoinLink');if(dl&&currentSponsor.referralUrl){dl.href=currentSponsor.referralUrl;dl.classList.remove('hidden');}}
     // the company-queue line only means anything on the company-rotation path
     // only on the company-rotation path — the invited path already wrote its own line here
diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index c0d3659..678f356 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -1793,7 +1793,14 @@ function serveMemberPage(req,res,file,kind,id){
   // to a stranger. The invite is the referral, so it has to outlive the one page it landed
   // on. 30 days, Lax so it survives a normal click-through from anywhere.
   if(kind==='join'&&/^\d{1,15}$/.test(String(id))){
-    head['Set-Cookie']='rmc_ref='+id+'; Path=/; Max-Age=2592000; SameSite=Lax'+(IS_PROD?'; Secure':'');
+    const attrs='; Path=/; Max-Age=2592000; SameSite=Lax'+(IS_PROD?'; Secure':'');
+    const ck=['rmc_ref='+id+attrs];
+    // ?direct=1/0 is the inviter's explicit choice about placement, so it has to travel with
+    // the referral. Without it a prospect who wandered off the invite page would come back
+    // through the moving link instead — the opposite of what the shared link asked for.
+    const dq=new URL(req.url,'http://x').searchParams.get('direct');
+    if(dq==='1'||dq==='0')ck.push('rmc_direct='+dq+attrs);
+    head['Set-Cookie']=ck;
   }
   res.writeHead(200,securityHeaders(head));
   res.end(html);