diff --git a/client/index.html b/client/index.html
index 3b8dd6f..1d1f17b 100644
--- a/client/index.html
+++ b/client/index.html
@@ -37,10 +37,6 @@
         </div>
         <button id="showLoginButton" type="button">Back to login</button>
       </section>
-      <div id="nicknameContainer" class="nickname-row">
-        <label for="preconnectNickname">Nickname</label>
-        <input id="preconnectNickname" type="text" maxlength="32" autocomplete="nickname" />
-      </div>
       <div class="controls" id="button-container">
         <button id="connectButton">Connect</button>
         <button id="logoutButton">Log out</button>
diff --git a/client/public/version.js b/client/public/version.js
index ebbc482..d0fe5a5 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 R243";
+window.CHGRID_WEB_VERSION = "2026.02.25 R244";
 // 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 0f9dfcd..d6143fa 100644
--- a/client/src/main.ts
+++ b/client/src/main.ts
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ import {
 import { createItemPropertyEditor } from './items/itemPropertyEditor';
 import { createItemPropertyPresentation } from './items/itemPropertyPresentation';
 import { ItemBehaviorRegistry } from './items/types/behaviorRegistry';
-import { NICKNAME_STORAGE_KEY, SettingsStore } from './settings/settingsStore';
+import { SettingsStore } from './settings/settingsStore';
 import { runConnectFlow, runDisconnectFlow, type ConnectFlowDeps } from './session/connectionFlow';
 import { MediaSession } from './session/mediaSession';
 import { type AudioLayerState } from './types/audio';
@@ -102,8 +102,6 @@ type Dom = {
   updatesSection: HTMLElement;
   updatesToggle: HTMLButtonElement;
   updatesPanel: HTMLDivElement;
-  nicknameContainer: HTMLDivElement;
-  preconnectNickname: HTMLInputElement;
   connectButton: HTMLButtonElement;
   logoutButton: HTMLButtonElement;
   disconnectButton: HTMLButtonElement;
@@ -135,8 +133,6 @@ const dom: Dom = {
   updatesSection: requiredById('updatesSection'),
   updatesToggle: requiredById('updatesToggle'),
   updatesPanel: requiredById('updatesPanel'),
-  nicknameContainer: requiredById('nicknameContainer'),
-  preconnectNickname: requiredById('preconnectNickname'),
   connectButton: requiredById('connectButton'),
   logoutButton: requiredById('logoutButton'),
   disconnectButton: requiredById('disconnectButton'),
@@ -519,6 +515,7 @@ function sanitizeAuthUsername(value: string): string {
 function updateConnectAvailability(): void {
   dom.logoutButton.disabled = !authSessionToken.trim() && !state.running;
   if (state.running) {
+    dom.connectButton.textContent = 'Connect';
     dom.connectButton.disabled = true;
     dom.loginView.classList.add('hidden');
     dom.registerView.classList.add('hidden');
@@ -532,6 +529,7 @@ function updateConnectAvailability(): void {
   const hasRegisterCredentials =
     sanitizeAuthUsername(dom.registerUsername.value).length >= 2 && dom.registerPassword.value.trim().length >= 8;
   const authReady = hasSessionToken || (authMode === 'login' ? hasLoginCredentials : hasRegisterCredentials);
+  dom.connectButton.textContent = hasSessionToken ? 'Connect' : authMode === 'login' ? 'Log In & Connect' : 'Register & Connect';
   dom.connectButton.disabled = mediaSession.isConnecting() || !authReady;
 }
 
@@ -1419,8 +1417,6 @@ async function handleAuthResult(message: Extract<IncomingMessage, { type: 'auth_
     const resolved = sanitizeName(message.nickname);
     if (resolved) {
       state.player.nickname = resolved;
-      dom.preconnectNickname.value = resolved;
-      settings.saveNickname(resolved);
     }
   }
   dom.authPassword.value = '';
@@ -1561,7 +1557,6 @@ const onAppMessage = createOnMessageHandler({
   audioUiBlip: () => audio.sfxUiBlip(),
   audioUiConfirm: () => audio.sfxUiConfirm(),
   audioUiCancel: () => audio.sfxUiCancel(),
-  NICKNAME_STORAGE_KEY,
   getCarriedItemId: () => getCarriedItem()?.id ?? null,
   recomputeActiveItemPropertyKeys,
   itemPropertyLabel,
@@ -2558,8 +2553,6 @@ function closeSettings(): void {
 function setupUiHandlers(): void {
   setupDomUiHandlers({
     dom,
-    sanitizeName,
-    nicknameStorageKey: NICKNAME_STORAGE_KEY,
     updateConnectAvailability,
     connect,
     disconnect,
@@ -2615,11 +2608,6 @@ setupInputHandlers();
 setupUiHandlers();
 dom.authUsername.value = sanitizeAuthUsername(authUsername);
 dom.registerUsername.value = sanitizeAuthUsername(authUsername);
-const storedNickname = sanitizeName(settings.loadNickname());
-dom.preconnectNickname.value = storedNickname;
-if (storedNickname) {
-  state.player.nickname = storedNickname;
-}
 setAuthMode('login');
 updateConnectAvailability();
 updateDeviceSummary();
diff --git a/client/src/network/messageHandlers.ts b/client/src/network/messageHandlers.ts
index 7a7ff78..f0815c5 100644
--- a/client/src/network/messageHandlers.ts
+++ b/client/src/network/messageHandlers.ts
@@ -25,13 +25,11 @@ type MessageHandlerDeps = {
     carriedItemId: string | null;
   };
   dom: {
-    nicknameContainer: HTMLElement;
     connectButton: HTMLElement;
     disconnectButton: HTMLElement;
     focusGridButton: HTMLElement;
     canvas: HTMLCanvasElement;
     instructions: HTMLElement;
-    preconnectNickname: HTMLInputElement;
   };
   signalingSend: (message: unknown) => void;
   peerManager: {
@@ -63,7 +61,6 @@ type MessageHandlerDeps = {
   audioUiBlip: () => void;
   audioUiConfirm: () => void;
   audioUiCancel: () => void;
-  NICKNAME_STORAGE_KEY: string;
   getCarriedItemId: () => string | null;
   recomputeActiveItemPropertyKeys: (itemId: string) => void;
   itemPropertyLabel: (key: string) => string;
@@ -113,7 +110,6 @@ export function createOnMessageHandler(deps: MessageHandlerDeps): (message: Inco
         const targetY = persistedPosition?.y ?? message.player.y;
         deps.state.player.x = Math.max(0, Math.min(deps.getWorldGridSize() - 1, targetX));
         deps.state.player.y = Math.max(0, Math.min(deps.getWorldGridSize() - 1, targetY));
-        deps.dom.nicknameContainer.classList.add('hidden');
         deps.dom.connectButton.classList.add('hidden');
         deps.dom.disconnectButton.classList.remove('hidden');
         deps.dom.focusGridButton.classList.remove('hidden');
@@ -228,8 +224,8 @@ export function createOnMessageHandler(deps: MessageHandlerDeps): (message: Inco
       case 'nickname_result': {
         deps.state.player.nickname = deps.sanitizeName(message.effectiveNickname) || 'user...';
         if (message.accepted) {
-          deps.dom.preconnectNickname.value = deps.state.player.nickname;
-          localStorage.setItem(deps.NICKNAME_STORAGE_KEY, deps.state.player.nickname);
+          deps.updateStatus(`Nickname set to ${deps.state.player.nickname}`);
+          deps.audioUiConfirm();
         } else {
           deps.pushChatMessage(message.reason || 'Nickname unavailable.');
           deps.audioUiCancel();
diff --git a/client/src/session/connectionFlow.ts b/client/src/session/connectionFlow.ts
index d33b244..cf6f49e 100644
--- a/client/src/session/connectionFlow.ts
+++ b/client/src/session/connectionFlow.ts
@@ -3,8 +3,6 @@ import type { GameState } from '../state/gameState';
 const WELCOME_TIMEOUT_MS = 8_000;
 
 type DomRefs = {
-  preconnectNickname: HTMLInputElement;
-  nicknameContainer: HTMLDivElement;
   connectButton: HTMLButtonElement;
   disconnectButton: HTMLButtonElement;
   focusGridButton: HTMLButtonElement;
@@ -40,15 +38,14 @@ export type ConnectFlowDeps = {
 };
 
 /**
- * Runs connect flow: validate nickname, preflight mic/device setup, then signaling connect.
+ * Runs connect flow: preflight media setup, then signaling connect/auth.
  */
 export async function runConnectFlow(deps: ConnectFlowDeps): Promise<void> {
   if (deps.mediaIsConnecting() || deps.state.running) {
     return;
   }
-  const nickname = deps.sanitizeName(deps.dom.preconnectNickname.value);
+  const nickname = deps.sanitizeName(deps.state.player.nickname);
   deps.state.player.nickname = nickname || deps.state.player.nickname;
-  deps.dom.preconnectNickname.value = nickname;
   if (nickname) {
     deps.settingsSaveNickname(nickname);
   }
@@ -138,7 +135,6 @@ export function runDisconnectFlow(deps: ConnectFlowDeps): void {
   deps.state.effectSelectIndex = 0;
 
   deps.mediaSetConnecting(false);
-  deps.dom.nicknameContainer.classList.remove('hidden');
   deps.dom.connectButton.classList.remove('hidden');
   deps.dom.disconnectButton.classList.add('hidden');
   deps.dom.focusGridButton.classList.add('hidden');
diff --git a/client/src/ui/domBindings.ts b/client/src/ui/domBindings.ts
index 0e8af6e..0c88f3b 100644
--- a/client/src/ui/domBindings.ts
+++ b/client/src/ui/domBindings.ts
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@
  */
 type UiDom = {
   connectButton: HTMLButtonElement;
-  preconnectNickname: HTMLInputElement;
   disconnectButton: HTMLButtonElement;
   focusGridButton: HTMLButtonElement;
   settingsButton: HTMLButtonElement;
@@ -19,8 +18,6 @@ type UiDom = {
  */
 type UiBindingsDeps = {
   dom: UiDom;
-  sanitizeName: (value: string) => string;
-  nicknameStorageKey: string;
   updateConnectAvailability: () => void;
   connect: () => Promise<void>;
   disconnect: () => void;
@@ -46,25 +43,6 @@ export function setupUiHandlers(deps: UiBindingsDeps): void {
   deps.dom.connectButton.addEventListener('click', () => {
     void deps.connect();
   });
-  deps.dom.preconnectNickname.addEventListener('input', () => {
-    deps.updateConnectAvailability();
-  });
-  deps.dom.preconnectNickname.addEventListener('change', () => {
-    const clean = deps.sanitizeName(deps.dom.preconnectNickname.value);
-    deps.dom.preconnectNickname.value = clean;
-    if (clean) {
-      localStorage.setItem(deps.nicknameStorageKey, clean);
-    } else {
-      localStorage.removeItem(deps.nicknameStorageKey);
-    }
-    deps.updateConnectAvailability();
-  });
-  deps.dom.preconnectNickname.addEventListener('keydown', (event) => {
-    if (event.key === 'Enter' && !deps.dom.connectButton.disabled) {
-      event.preventDefault();
-      void deps.connect();
-    }
-  });
 
   deps.dom.disconnectButton.addEventListener('click', () => {
     deps.disconnect();
diff --git a/deploy/scripts/up.sh b/deploy/scripts/up.sh
index d59671c..eca875b 100644
--- a/deploy/scripts/up.sh
+++ b/deploy/scripts/up.sh
@@ -5,6 +5,9 @@ REPO_ROOT="${1:-/home/bestmidi/chgrid}"
 PUBLISH_DIR="${2:-/home/bestmidi/public_html/chgrid}"
 BASE_PATH="${3:-/chgrid/}"
 SERVICE_NAME="${4:-chat-grid.service}"
+if [[ -z "${SERVICE_NAME// }" || "$SERVICE_NAME" == "-" || "$SERVICE_NAME" == ".service" ]]; then
+  SERVICE_NAME="chat-grid.service"
+fi
 
 "$REPO_ROOT/deploy/scripts/deploy_client.sh" "$REPO_ROOT" "$PUBLISH_DIR" "$BASE_PATH"
 sudo systemctl restart "$SERVICE_NAME"