diff --git a/client/public/version.js b/client/public/version.js
index dc268b3..118229c 100644
--- a/client/public/version.js
+++ b/client/public/version.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // Maintainer-controlled web client version.
 // Format: YYYY.MM.DD Rn (example: 2026.02.20 R2)
-window.CHGRID_WEB_VERSION = "2026.02.25 R266";
+window.CHGRID_WEB_VERSION = "2026.02.25 R267";
 // Optional display timezone for timestamps. Falls back to America/Detroit if unset/invalid.
 window.CHGRID_TIME_ZONE = "America/Detroit";
diff --git a/client/src/main.ts b/client/src/main.ts
index 5493340..5184dd3 100644
--- a/client/src/main.ts
+++ b/client/src/main.ts
@@ -257,6 +257,8 @@ let heartbeatAwaitingPong = false;
 let reconnectInFlight = false;
 let activeServerInstanceId: string | null = null;
 let reloadScheduledForVersionMismatch = false;
+let peerNegotiationReady = false;
+let pendingSignalMessages: Array<Extract<IncomingMessage, { type: 'signal' }>> = [];
 let peerListenGainByNickname = settings.loadPeerListenGains();
 let audioLayers: AudioLayerState = {
   voice: true,
@@ -1571,9 +1573,27 @@ function disconnect(): void {
   lastSubscriptionRefreshTileY = Math.round(state.player.y);
   stopTeleportLoopAudio();
   activeTeleport = null;
+  peerNegotiationReady = false;
+  pendingSignalMessages = [];
   itemBehaviorRegistry.cleanup();
 }
 
+/** Starts peer negotiation only after welcome + media setup sequencing is complete. */
+async function activatePeerNegotiation(): Promise<void> {
+  if (!state.running) return;
+  if (peerNegotiationReady) return;
+  peerNegotiationReady = true;
+  for (const peer of state.peers.values()) {
+    await peerManager.createOrGetPeer(peer.id, true, peer);
+  }
+  if (pendingSignalMessages.length === 0) return;
+  const queued = pendingSignalMessages;
+  pendingSignalMessages = [];
+  for (const signal of queued) {
+    await onAppMessage(signal);
+  }
+}
+
 const onAppMessage = createOnMessageHandler({
   getWorldGridSize: () => worldGridSize,
   setWorldGridSize: (size) => {
@@ -1640,6 +1660,13 @@ const onAppMessage = createOnMessageHandler({
   },
   handleAuthRequired,
   handleAuthResult,
+  isPeerNegotiationReady: () => peerNegotiationReady,
+  enqueuePendingSignal: (message) => {
+    pendingSignalMessages.push(message);
+    if (pendingSignalMessages.length > 500) {
+      pendingSignalMessages.splice(0, pendingSignalMessages.length - 500);
+    }
+  },
 });
 
 /** Handles signaling packets with heartbeat/restart metadata before app-level dispatch. */
@@ -1701,12 +1728,14 @@ async function setupMediaAfterAuth(): Promise<void> {
   const canProceed = await checkMicPermission();
   if (!canProceed) {
     setConnectionStatus('Microphone access is required.');
+    await activatePeerNegotiation();
     return;
   }
   try {
     await populateAudioDevices();
     if (dom.audioInputSelect.options.length === 0) {
       setConnectionStatus('No audio input device found. Open Audio setup or connect a microphone.');
+      await activatePeerNegotiation();
       return;
     }
     const inputDeviceId = dom.audioInputSelect.value || mediaSession.getPreferredInputDeviceId();
@@ -1714,6 +1743,8 @@ async function setupMediaAfterAuth(): Promise<void> {
   } catch (error) {
     console.error(error);
     setConnectionStatus(describeMediaError(error));
+  } finally {
+    await activatePeerNegotiation();
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/client/src/network/messageHandlers.ts b/client/src/network/messageHandlers.ts
index 2b809d4..800d78c 100644
--- a/client/src/network/messageHandlers.ts
+++ b/client/src/network/messageHandlers.ts
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ type MessageHandlerDeps = {
   playIncomingItemUseSound: (url: string, x: number, y: number) => void;
   handleAuthRequired: (message: Extract<IncomingMessage, { type: 'auth_required' }>) => void;
   handleAuthResult: (message: Extract<IncomingMessage, { type: 'auth_result' }>) => Promise<void>;
+  isPeerNegotiationReady: () => boolean;
+  enqueuePendingSignal: (message: Extract<IncomingMessage, { type: 'signal' }>) => void;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -117,7 +119,6 @@ export function createOnMessageHandler(deps: MessageHandlerDeps): (message: Inco
 
         for (const user of message.users) {
           deps.state.peers.set(user.id, { ...user });
-          await deps.peerManager.createOrGetPeer(user.id, true, user);
         }
         deps.state.items.clear();
         for (const item of message.items || []) {
@@ -132,6 +133,18 @@ export function createOnMessageHandler(deps: MessageHandlerDeps): (message: Inco
         break;
 
       case 'signal': {
+        if (!deps.isPeerNegotiationReady()) {
+          deps.enqueuePendingSignal(message);
+          if (!deps.state.peers.has(message.senderId)) {
+            deps.state.peers.set(message.senderId, {
+              id: message.senderId,
+              nickname: deps.sanitizeName(message.senderNickname || 'user...') || 'user...',
+              x: Number.isFinite(message.x) ? message.x : 20,
+              y: Number.isFinite(message.y) ? message.y : 20,
+            });
+          }
+          break;
+        }
         const peer = await deps.peerManager.handleSignal(message);
         if (!deps.state.peers.has(peer.id)) {
           deps.state.peers.set(peer.id, {