diff --git a/public/sounds/meeting-started.mp3 b/public/sounds/meeting-started.mp3
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d3def7e
Binary files /dev/null and b/public/sounds/meeting-started.mp3 differ
diff --git a/src/i18n/de.json b/src/i18n/de.json
index 71a23af..ab87360 100644
--- a/src/i18n/de.json
+++ b/src/i18n/de.json
@@ -212,6 +212,11 @@
     "guestModeratorPlaceholder": "Nur wenn Sie Moderator sind",
     "guestJoinButton": "Meeting beitreten",
     "guestWaitingMessage": "Das Meeting wurde noch nicht gestartet. Bitte warten Sie, bis der Moderator es startet.",
+    "guestWaitingTitle": "Warte auf Meeting-Start...",
+    "guestWaitingHint": "Du wirst automatisch beigetreten, sobald das Meeting gestartet wird.",
+    "guestCancelWaiting": "Abbrechen",
+    "guestMeetingStartedJoining": "Meeting gestartet! Trete jetzt bei...",
+    "waitingToJoin": "Warten...",
     "guestAccessDenied": "Zugang nicht möglich",
     "guestNameRequired": "Name ist erforderlich",
     "guestJoinFailed": "Beitritt fehlgeschlagen",
diff --git a/src/i18n/en.json b/src/i18n/en.json
index df6833c..0da4e05 100644
--- a/src/i18n/en.json
+++ b/src/i18n/en.json
@@ -212,6 +212,11 @@
     "guestModeratorPlaceholder": "Only if you are a moderator",
     "guestJoinButton": "Join meeting",
     "guestWaitingMessage": "The meeting has not started yet. Please wait for the moderator to start it.",
+    "guestWaitingTitle": "Waiting for meeting to start...",
+    "guestWaitingHint": "You will be joined automatically as soon as the meeting starts.",
+    "guestCancelWaiting": "Cancel",
+    "guestMeetingStartedJoining": "Meeting started! Joining now...",
+    "waitingToJoin": "Waiting...",
     "guestAccessDenied": "Access denied",
     "guestNameRequired": "Name is required",
     "guestJoinFailed": "Join failed",
diff --git a/src/pages/GuestJoin.jsx b/src/pages/GuestJoin.jsx
index 400a5c4..7fb360f 100644
--- a/src/pages/GuestJoin.jsx
+++ b/src/pages/GuestJoin.jsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
-import { useState, useEffect } from 'react';
+import { useState, useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
 import { useParams, Link, useSearchParams } from 'react-router-dom';
-import { Video, User, Lock, Shield, ArrowRight, Loader2, Users, Radio, AlertCircle, FileText } from 'lucide-react';
+import { Video, User, Lock, Shield, ArrowRight, Loader2, Users, Radio, AlertCircle, FileText, Clock, X } from 'lucide-react';
 import BrandLogo from '../components/BrandLogo';
 import api from '../services/api';
 import toast from 'react-hot-toast';
@@ -24,6 +24,33 @@ export default function GuestJoin() {
   const [moderatorCode, setModeratorCode] = useState('');
   const [status, setStatus] = useState({ running: false });
   const [recordingConsent, setRecordingConsent] = useState(false);
+  const [waiting, setWaiting] = useState(false);
+  const prevRunningRef = useRef(false);
+
+  const joinMeeting = async () => {
+    setJoining(true);
+    try {
+      const res = await api.post(`/rooms/${uid}/guest-join`, {
+        name: name.trim(),
+        access_code: accessCode || undefined,
+        moderator_code: moderatorCode || undefined,
+      });
+      if (res.data.joinUrl) {
+        window.location.href = res.data.joinUrl;
+      }
+    } catch (err) {
+      const errStatus = err.response?.status;
+      if (errStatus === 403) {
+        toast.error(t('room.guestWrongAccessCode'));
+        setWaiting(false);
+      } else {
+        toast.error(t('room.guestJoinFailed'));
+        setWaiting(false);
+      }
+    } finally {
+      setJoining(false);
+    }
+  };
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const fetchRoom = async () => {
@@ -31,6 +58,7 @@ export default function GuestJoin() {
         const res = await api.get(`/rooms/${uid}/public`);
         setRoomInfo(res.data.room);
         setStatus({ running: res.data.running });
+        prevRunningRef.current = res.data.running;
       } catch (err) {
         const status = err.response?.status;
         if (status === 403) {
@@ -53,45 +81,36 @@ export default function GuestJoin() {
       } catch {
         // ignore
       }
-    }, 10000);
+    }, 5000);
 
     return () => clearInterval(interval);
   }, [uid]);
 
+  // Auto-join when meeting starts while waiting
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!prevRunningRef.current && status.running && waiting) {
+      new Audio('/sounds/meeting-started.mp3').play().catch(() => {});
+      toast.success(t('room.guestMeetingStartedJoining'));
+      joinMeeting();
+    }
+    prevRunningRef.current = status.running;
+  }, [status.running]);
+
   const handleJoin = async (e) => {
     e.preventDefault();
     if (!name.trim()) {
       toast.error(t('room.guestNameRequired'));
       return;
     }
-
     if (roomInfo?.allow_recording && !recordingConsent) {
       toast.error(t('room.guestRecordingConsent'));
       return;
     }
-
-    setJoining(true);
-    try {
-      const res = await api.post(`/rooms/${uid}/guest-join`, {
-        name: name.trim(),
-        access_code: accessCode || undefined,
-        moderator_code: moderatorCode || undefined,
-      });
-      if (res.data.joinUrl) {
-        window.location.href = res.data.joinUrl;
-      }
-    } catch (err) {
-      const status = err.response?.status;
-      if (status === 403) {
-        toast.error(t('room.guestWrongAccessCode'));
-      } else if (status === 400) {
-        toast.error(t('room.guestWaitingMessage'));
-      } else {
-        toast.error(t('room.guestJoinFailed'));
-      }
-    } finally {
-      setJoining(false);
+    if (!status.running) {
+      setWaiting(true);
+      return;
     }
+    await joinMeeting();
   };
 
   if (loading) {
@@ -164,6 +183,33 @@ export default function GuestJoin() {
           </div>
 
           {/* Join form */}
+          {waiting ? (
+            <div className="flex flex-col items-center gap-5 py-4">
+              <div className="w-16 h-16 rounded-full flex items-center justify-center bg-th-accent/10">
+                <Clock size={28} className="text-th-accent animate-pulse" />
+              </div>
+              <div className="text-center">
+                <p className="font-semibold text-th-text mb-1">{t('room.guestWaitingTitle')}</p>
+                <p className="text-sm text-th-text-s">{t('room.guestWaitingHint')}</p>
+              </div>
+              {joining && (
+                <div className="flex items-center gap-2 text-sm text-th-success font-medium">
+                  <Loader2 size={16} className="animate-spin" />
+                  {t('room.guestMeetingStartedJoining')}
+                </div>
+              )}
+              {!joining && (
+                <button
+                  type="button"
+                  onClick={() => setWaiting(false)}
+                  className="btn-ghost flex items-center gap-2 text-sm"
+                >
+                  <X size={16} />
+                  {t('room.guestCancelWaiting')}
+                </button>
+              )}
+            </div>
+          ) : (
           <form onSubmit={handleJoin} className="space-y-4">
             <div>
               <label className="block text-sm font-medium text-th-text mb-1.5">{t('room.guestYourName')} *</label>
@@ -236,7 +282,7 @@ export default function GuestJoin() {
 
             <button
               type="submit"
-              disabled={joining || (!status.running && !roomInfo.anyone_can_start) || (roomInfo.allow_recording && !recordingConsent)}
+              disabled={joining || (roomInfo.allow_recording && !recordingConsent)}
               className="btn-primary w-full py-3"
             >
               {joining ? (
@@ -255,6 +301,7 @@ export default function GuestJoin() {
               </p>
             )}
           </form>
+          )}
 
           {!isLoggedIn && (
             <div className="mt-6 pt-4 border-t border-th-border text-center">
diff --git a/src/pages/RoomDetail.jsx b/src/pages/RoomDetail.jsx
index a56a47b..3b22ae8 100644
--- a/src/pages/RoomDetail.jsx
+++ b/src/pages/RoomDetail.jsx
@@ -31,6 +31,8 @@ export default function RoomDetail() {
   const [shareSearch, setShareSearch] = useState('');
   const [shareResults, setShareResults] = useState([]);
   const [shareSearching, setShareSearching] = useState(false);
+  const [waitingToJoin, setWaitingToJoin] = useState(false);
+  const prevRunningRef = useRef(false);
 
   // Federation invite state
   const [showFedInvite, setShowFedInvite] = useState(false);
@@ -87,6 +89,21 @@ export default function RoomDetail() {
     return () => clearInterval(interval);
   }, [uid]);
 
+  // Auto-join when meeting starts while waiting
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!prevRunningRef.current && status.running && waitingToJoin) {
+      new Audio('/sounds/meeting-started.mp3').play().catch(() => {});
+      toast.success(t('room.meetingStarted'));
+      setWaitingToJoin(false);
+      setActionLoading('join');
+      api.post(`/rooms/${uid}/join`, {})
+        .then(res => { if (res.data.joinUrl) window.open(res.data.joinUrl, '_blank'); })
+        .catch(err => toast.error(err.response?.data?.error || t('room.joinFailed')))
+        .finally(() => setActionLoading(null));
+    }
+    prevRunningRef.current = status.running;
+  }, [status.running]);
+
   const handleStart = async () => {
     setActionLoading('start');
     try {
@@ -104,6 +121,12 @@ export default function RoomDetail() {
   };
 
   const handleJoin = async () => {
+    if (!status.running) {
+      setWaitingToJoin(true);
+      toast(t('room.guestWaitingTitle'), { icon: '🕐' });
+      return;
+    }
+    setWaitingToJoin(false);
     setActionLoading('join');
     try {
       const data = room.access_code ? { access_code: prompt(t('room.enterAccessCode')) } : {};
@@ -351,18 +374,21 @@ export default function RoomDetail() {
                 <span className="hidden sm:inline">{t('federation.inviteRemote')}</span>
               </button>
             )}
-            {canManage && !status.running && (
+            {canManage && !status.running && !waitingToJoin && (
               <button onClick={handleStart} disabled={actionLoading === 'start'} className="btn-primary">
                 {actionLoading === 'start' ? <Loader2 size={16} className="animate-spin" /> : <Play size={16} />}
                 {t('room.start')}
               </button>
             )}
-            {status.running && (
-              <button onClick={handleJoin} disabled={actionLoading === 'join'} className="btn-primary">
-                {actionLoading === 'join' ? <Loader2 size={16} className="animate-spin" /> : <ExternalLink size={16} />}
-                {t('room.join')}
-              </button>
-            )}
+            <button
+              onClick={waitingToJoin ? () => setWaitingToJoin(false) : handleJoin}
+              disabled={actionLoading === 'join'}
+              className={waitingToJoin ? 'btn-ghost' : 'btn-primary'}
+              title={waitingToJoin ? t('room.guestCancelWaiting') : undefined}
+            >
+              {(actionLoading === 'join' || waitingToJoin) ? <Loader2 size={16} className="animate-spin" /> : <ExternalLink size={16} />}
+              {waitingToJoin ? t('room.waitingToJoin') : t('room.join')}
+            </button>
             {canManage && status.running && (
               <button onClick={handleEnd} disabled={actionLoading === 'end'} className="btn-danger">
                 {actionLoading === 'end' ? <Loader2 size={16} className="animate-spin" /> : <Square size={16} />}