diff --git a/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index 4a8ef50d..e16c76f6 100644
--- a/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/app/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
         <activity
             android:name=".MainActivity"
             android:exported="true"
+            android:launchMode="singleTop"
             android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize"
             android:theme="@style/Theme.Closer.Splash">
             <intent-filter>
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/app/closer/data/repository/QuestionSessionRepositoryImpl.kt b/app/src/main/java/app/closer/data/repository/QuestionSessionRepositoryImpl.kt
index b10ff5d3..c4985bf2 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/app/closer/data/repository/QuestionSessionRepositoryImpl.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/app/closer/data/repository/QuestionSessionRepositoryImpl.kt
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import app.closer.domain.model.QuestionSession
 import app.closer.domain.repository.QuestionSessionRepository
 import app.closer.domain.repository.SessionStartOutcome
 import com.google.firebase.firestore.FirebaseFirestore
+import com.google.firebase.firestore.Source
 import kotlinx.coroutines.channels.awaitClose
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.Flow
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.callbackFlow
@@ -156,14 +157,22 @@ class QuestionSessionRepositoryImpl @Inject constructor(
                 }
         }
     
+    // Prefer a SERVER read so a session a partner JUST created — e.g. when we arrive from a
+    // "partner started a game" notification before our local cache has synced — is seen and
+    // joined, instead of dropping the user on the game's setup screen (or letting them start a
+    // duplicate). Fall back to CACHE when the server is unreachable (offline).
     override suspend fun getActiveSessionForCouple(coupleId: String): QuestionSession? =
+        fetchActiveSessionForCouple(coupleId, Source.SERVER)
+            ?: fetchActiveSessionForCouple(coupleId, Source.CACHE)
+
+    private suspend fun fetchActiveSessionForCouple(coupleId: String, source: Source): QuestionSession? =
         runCatching {
             firestore.collection(FirestoreCollections.COUPLES)
                 .document(coupleId)
                 .collection(FirestoreCollections.Couples.SESSIONS)
                 .whereEqualTo("status", "active")
                 .limit(1)
-                .get()
+                .get(source)
                 .await()
                 .documents
                 .firstOrNull()