diff --git a/src/bot/orchestrator.ts b/src/bot/orchestrator.ts
index 6027084..43d21b3 100644
--- a/src/bot/orchestrator.ts
+++ b/src/bot/orchestrator.ts
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ export class BotOrchestrator {
 
   /**
    * Join a meeting as authenticated user (System Bot or User Account).
-   * Flow: teams.microsoft.com → MS Login → Teams Chat → Join → Pre-Join → Join now
+   * Flow: teams.microsoft.com → MS Login → Navigate to meeting URL → Pre-Join → Join now
    */
   private async _attemptAuthJoin(): Promise<void> {
     // Launch browser in headful mode with minimal args (Chromium Minimal)
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ export class BotOrchestrator {
 
     this._setState('navigating');
 
-    // STEP 1: Navigate to teams.microsoft.com
+    // STEP 1: Navigate to teams.microsoft.com to trigger authentication
     this._logger.info('Auth join: navigating to teams.microsoft.com');
     await this._page!.goto('https://teams.microsoft.com', {
       waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded',
@@ -225,51 +225,65 @@ export class BotOrchestrator {
     }
     this._logger.info('Authentication successful');
 
-    // STEP 3: Wait for Teams chat page (landing page after auth)
+    // STEP 3: Wait for Teams to finish loading after auth
+    this._logger.info('Waiting for Teams to load after auth...');
     try {
       await this._page!.waitForURL('**/teams.microsoft.com/**', { timeout: 30000 });
     } catch {
-      // Also accept teams.cloud.microsoft
       try {
         await this._page!.waitForURL('**/teams.cloud.microsoft/**', { timeout: 10000 });
       } catch {
         this._logger.warn(`Unexpected URL after auth: ${this._page!.url().substring(0, 150)}`);
       }
     }
+    // Give Teams a moment to initialize (session cookies, service workers)
+    await this._page!.waitForTimeout(3000);
 
-    // Wait for "Join" button in chat header
+    // STEP 4: Navigate directly to the meeting URL (authenticated session)
+    // This is the key step: the previous flow waited for a "Join" button in
+    // the Teams chat header, which only works if the meeting chat happens to
+    // be visible. Navigating directly to the meeting URL reliably shows the
+    // pre-join screen for authenticated users.
+    this._logger.info(`Auth join: navigating to meeting URL: ${this._meetingUrl.substring(0, 80)}...`);
+    await this._page!.goto(this._meetingUrl, {
+      waitUntil: 'domcontentloaded',
+      timeout: 30000,
+    });
+
+    // Teams might show a "Continue on this browser" interstitial or redirect
+    // Wait for the page to settle
+    await this._page!.waitForTimeout(3000);
+    const currentUrl = this._page!.url();
+    this._logger.info(`Auth join: URL after meeting navigation: ${currentUrl.substring(0, 150)}`);
+
+    // Handle "Continue on this browser" if shown (same as anonymous flow)
     try {
-      await this._page!.waitForSelector(
-        'button[data-tid="chat-join-button"], button[data-tid="join-call-button"]',
-        { timeout: 30000, state: 'visible' },
-      );
-      this._logger.info('Teams chat page loaded, "Join" button found');
-    } catch {
-      this._logger.warn('"Join" button not found in chat header');
-      await this._takeScreenshot('auth-no-join-button');
-    }
+      const continueBtn = await this._page!.$('button:has-text("Continue on this browser"), button:has-text("In diesem Browser fortfahren")');
+      if (continueBtn) {
+        await continueBtn.click();
+        this._logger.info('Clicked "Continue on this browser"');
+        await this._page!.waitForTimeout(3000);
+      }
+    } catch { /* not shown for auth users — expected */ }
 
-    // STEP 4: Click "Join" in chat header → Pre-Join screen
-    this._logger.info('Clicking "Join" in chat header');
+    // Handle "Join" button if Teams shows the chat view first
+    // (some meeting URLs redirect to the chat thread with a Join button)
     const chatJoinSelectors = [
       'button[data-tid="chat-join-button"]',
       'button[data-tid="join-call-button"]',
     ];
-
     let chatJoinClicked = false;
     for (const selector of chatJoinSelectors) {
       try {
-        const btn = await this._page!.waitForSelector(selector, { timeout: 5000, state: 'visible' });
+        const btn = await this._page!.$(selector);
         if (btn) {
           await btn.click();
           chatJoinClicked = true;
+          this._logger.info(`Clicked chat "Join" button: ${selector}`);
+          await this._page!.waitForTimeout(3000);
           break;
         }
-      } catch { /* try next */ }
-    }
-
-    if (!chatJoinClicked) {
-      throw new Error('"Join" button in chat header not found');
+      } catch { /* continue */ }
     }
 
     // STEP 5: Pre-Join screen → Click "Join now"
@@ -284,7 +298,6 @@ export class BotOrchestrator {
       await this._takeScreenshot('auth-no-join-now');
     }
 
-    // Camera stays OFF — no video injection, focus on communication stability
     this._logger.info('Camera left OFF (video disabled for stability)');
 
     // Ensure microphone is ON (required for voice playback)
@@ -311,6 +324,7 @@ export class BotOrchestrator {
     }
 
     if (!joinNowClicked) {
+      await this._takeScreenshot('auth-no-join-now-final');
       throw new Error('"Join now" button not found on pre-join screen');
     }