diff --git a/viz/index.html b/viz/index.html
index 424d5f0..13fc5ab 100644
--- a/viz/index.html
+++ b/viz/index.html
@@ -1808,9 +1808,11 @@
   const MOOD_KEYS = ["glitch", "granular.density", "saturation", "tempo.nudge", "wavetable.morph",
     "lfo.rate", "reverb.size", "delay.feedback", "drone.voices", "pad.brightness",
     "perc.density", "master.space", "lead.note", "bass.note"];
+  let moodAppliedThisLoad = false;       // guard: apply a mood once per page load, not per reconnect
   function applyMood(name) {
     const m = MOODS[name];
     if (!m) return;
+    try { localStorage.setItem("gs_mood", name); } catch (e) {}   // your vibe survives a reload
     for (const k of MOOD_KEYS) { const t2 = tw(k); t2.mute = 0; t2.gain = 1; t2.offset = 0; }
     if (m.storm) {
       for (const k in seqs) seqs[k].on = false;
@@ -2244,13 +2246,20 @@
       if (Array.isArray(msg.routes)) {
         preLayoutRoutes(msg.routes);
         clientMatrix = true;           // from here YOUR patch is computed locally
-        // first visit: greet gently — a song-shaped mood, not the full flood
-        let seen = false; try { seen = !!localStorage.getItem("gs_seen"); } catch (e) {}
-        if (!seen) {
-          try { localStorage.setItem("gs_seen", "1"); } catch (e) {}
+        // greet with your last mood (default: the gentle "first light"). Applied
+        // once per page load — never on a mid-session reconnect, so it can't
+        // clobber what you're playing. A reload no longer drops you into the wall.
+        if (!moodAppliedThisLoad) {
+          moodAppliedThisLoad = true;
+          let firstEver = false, saved = "first light";
+          try { firstEver = !localStorage.getItem("gs_seen"); } catch (e) {}
+          try { saved = localStorage.getItem("gs_mood") || "first light"; } catch (e) {}
           setTimeout(() => {
-            applyMood("first light");
-            eventTicker.unshift({ text: "🌅 first light — a gentle arrangement to start you off. right-click the sky → mood → the full storm when you're ready", tAdded: now(), src: "sys" });
+            applyMood(saved);
+            if (firstEver) {
+              try { localStorage.setItem("gs_seen", "1"); } catch (e) {}
+              eventTicker.unshift({ text: "🌅 first light — a gentle arrangement to start you off. right-click the sky → 🌗 mood for more (or the full storm when you're ready)", tAdded: now(), src: "sys" });
+            }
           }, 900);
         }
       }
@@ -5694,7 +5703,15 @@
     function paint() { btn.style.color = on ? "#7cffb2" : "#9fb4d8";
       btn.style.borderColor = on ? "rgba(124,255,178,0.5)" : "rgba(120,150,200,0.25)"; }
     if (!AC) { btn.style.opacity = "0.3"; btn.title = "Web Audio not supported"; }
-    else btn.addEventListener("click", () => { on ? stop() : start(); paint(); });
+    else btn.addEventListener("click", () => {
+      const wasOff = !on;
+      on ? stop() : start(); paint();
+      if (wasOff) {                      // starting into the raw factory wall? point the way out
+        const anyGroove = Object.keys(seqs).some(k => seqs[k] && seqs[k].on);
+        if (!anyGroove)
+          eventTicker.unshift({ text: "♪ this is the full world at once — for a gentle song, right-click the sky → 🌗 mood → first light", tAdded: now(), src: "sys" });
+      }
+    });
 
     return { update(dests) { if (dests) Object.assign(D, dests); }, pluck };
   })();