diff --git a/NOSTR.md b/NOSTR.md
index 6ec8856a4a..5537e72e15 100644
--- a/NOSTR.md
+++ b/NOSTR.md
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ PGPASSWORD=buzz_dev psql -h localhost -U buzz -d buzz -c \
 | **NIP-10 threads** | ✅ | WS-submitted replies with `["e","<root>","","reply"]` tags create `thread_metadata` atomically. Visible in REST thread queries. Unknown parents rejected. |
 | **NIP-17 DMs (gift wrap)** | ✅ | kind:1059 accepted with ephemeral signing keys. Stored community-globally (`channel_id=None` inside the connected community). Delivered via `#p`-filtered subscriptions. Not indexed in search. |
 | **DM discovery** | ✅ | DM creation emits kind:39000 (with `hidden` tag) + kind:44100 membership notifications. NIP-29 clients discover DMs via standard group discovery flow. |
-| **Join request (kind:9021)** | ✅ | Open channels only. Adds the joiner with the channel's `join_role` (`member` by default), emits system message + group discovery events + kind:44100 membership notification. Private channels rejected at ingest. |
+| **Join request (kind:9021)** | ✅ | Open channels only. Adds the joiner with the channel's `join_role` (`member` by default), emits system message + group discovery events + kind:44100 membership notification. Private channels rejected at ingest. The same body joins new community members to [default channels](#default-channels). |
 | **Edits (kind:40003)** | ⚠️ | Works on the wire but Buzz-only — no standard NIP-29 client renders these |
 | **Rich content (kind:40002)** | ⚠️ | Works on the wire but Buzz-only — no standard NIP-29 client renders these |
 
@@ -216,6 +216,16 @@ one the relay joins every new community member into. The setting is
 Every change is announced by one kind:40099 `auto_join_changed` system
 message in the channel.
 
+When someone becomes a community member (an invite claim or a kind:9030 add)
+the relay joins them to every effective default channel as a self-join: the
+body of kind:9021, so the channel's `join_role` applies and the channel gets
+its `member_joined` kind:40099, kind:39002 and kind:44100. It does this once,
+at that moment, and never again on login or reconnect, so a later kind:9022
+leave stands. A channel that fails to join is logged and counted
+(`buzz_auto_join_failures_total`), not retried: the kind:39000 tag is the
+record a client reconciles against. `buzz-admin add-member` writes the
+roster row only and does not join default channels.
+
 ### Group Discovery
 
 The relay emits NIP-29 group state events when channels are created, updated, or membership changes.
diff --git a/crates/buzz-admin/src/main.rs b/crates/buzz-admin/src/main.rs
index 13e7f6df82..b286037ac1 100644
--- a/crates/buzz-admin/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/buzz-admin/src/main.rs
@@ -56,7 +56,9 @@ enum Command {
     ///
     /// Accepts a bech32 npub or 64-char hex pubkey. After inserting the DB row,
     /// publishes a kind:13534 membership roster via Redis so live clients see
-    /// the updated list immediately.
+    /// the updated list immediately. Does not join the member to the
+    /// community's default (`auto_join`) channels: the relay does that on an
+    /// invite claim or a kind:9030 add, which this command bypasses.
     AddMember {
         /// Nostr public key — bech32 npub or 64-char hex.
         #[arg(long)]
diff --git a/crates/buzz-relay/src/api/invites.rs b/crates/buzz-relay/src/api/invites.rs
index e184a35c41..dc3e48b3b6 100644
--- a/crates/buzz-relay/src/api/invites.rs
+++ b/crates/buzz-relay/src/api/invites.rs
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ use axum::{
 use serde::Deserialize;
 use serde_json::Value;
 
-use crate::handlers::side_effects::{fan_out_nip43_membership_list, publish_nip43_member_added};
+use crate::handlers::side_effects::{
+    auto_join_default_channels, fan_out_nip43_membership_list, publish_nip43_member_added,
+};
 use crate::nip_fi_http::admit_nip_fi_http_on_state;
 use buzz_core::invite::{
     hash_v2_code, validate_v2_code, DEFAULT_INVITE_TTL_SECS, MAX_INVITE_TTL_SECS, MAX_INVITE_USES,
@@ -496,6 +498,7 @@ pub async fn claim_invite(
                         "failed to publish NIP-43 member-added delta after v2 claim: {e}"
                     );
                 }
+                auto_join_default_channels(&tenant, &state, &claimer_hex).await;
                 Ok(Json(serde_json::json!({
                     "status": "joined",
                     "community_id": tenant.community().to_string(),
@@ -589,6 +592,7 @@ pub async fn claim_invite(
         if let Err(e) = publish_nip43_member_added(&tenant, &state, &claimer_hex).await {
             tracing::warn!("failed to publish NIP-43 member-added delta after claim: {e}");
         }
+        auto_join_default_channels(&tenant, &state, &claimer_hex).await;
     }
 
     Ok(Json(serde_json::json!({
@@ -1205,6 +1209,257 @@ mod postgres_tests {
         );
     }
 
+    /// How many kind:44100 notifications name `member_hex` across the
+    /// community, one per channel the relay joined them to.
+    async fn added_notification_count(
+        state: &AppState,
+        community: buzz_core::CommunityId,
+        member_hex: &str,
+    ) -> i64 {
+        state
+            .db
+            .count_events(&buzz_db::EventQuery {
+                kinds: Some(vec![buzz_core::kind::KIND_MEMBER_ADDED_NOTIFICATION as i32]),
+                p_tag_hex: Some(member_hex.to_string()),
+                global_only: true,
+                ..buzz_db::EventQuery::for_community(community)
+            })
+            .await
+            .expect("count 44100")
+    }
+
+    /// How many `member_joined` kind:40099 notices in `channel_id` target
+    /// `member_hex`.
+    async fn member_joined_notice_count(
+        state: &AppState,
+        community: buzz_core::CommunityId,
+        channel_id: Uuid,
+        member_hex: &str,
+    ) -> usize {
+        state
+            .db
+            .query_events(&buzz_db::EventQuery {
+                kinds: Some(vec![40099]),
+                channel_id: Some(channel_id),
+                ..buzz_db::EventQuery::for_community(community)
+            })
+            .await
+            .expect("query 40099")
+            .iter()
+            .filter_map(|stored| serde_json::from_str::<Value>(&stored.event.content).ok())
+            .filter(|content| content["type"] == "member_joined" && content["target"] == member_hex)
+            .count()
+    }
+
+    /// The channel roles the relay holds for `keys` in `channels`, in order.
+    async fn channel_roles(
+        state: &AppState,
+        community: buzz_core::CommunityId,
+        channels: &[Uuid],
+        keys: &Keys,
+    ) -> Vec<Option<String>> {
+        let mut roles = Vec::new();
+        for channel_id in channels {
+            roles.push(
+                state
+                    .db
+                    .get_member_role(community, *channel_id, &keys.public_key().to_bytes())
+                    .await
+                    .expect("member role"),
+            );
+        }
+        roles
+    }
+
+    /// Claiming an invite joins the new member to the community's effective
+    /// default channels, once. Four channels flagged by the relay owner:
+    /// one open, one archived after flagging, one made private after
+    /// flagging, plus an unflagged control. A v2 claim joins the open one
+    /// only, with its kind:39002 roster, one kind:44100 and one
+    /// `member_joined` notice; a kind:9022 leave followed by a re-claim is
+    /// `already_member` and does not re-add. The v1 token path joins the same
+    /// way. The archived guard the shared join body owns is bound directly.
+    /// Mutation: delete `auto_join_default_channels` at either claim site →
+    /// RED.
+    #[tokio::test]
+    #[ignore = "requires Postgres"]
+    async fn claim_auto_joins_default_channels_once() {
+        use crate::handlers::group_state_postgres_tests::{
+            create_channel, edit_channel, group_state_tags, http_auth,
+        };
+        use crate::handlers::ingest::ingest_event;
+        use crate::handlers::side_effects::join_channel_as_self;
+
+        let host = format!("invites-auto-join-{}.example", Uuid::new_v4().simple());
+        let owner = Keys::generate();
+        let state = invite_test_state(&host)
+            .await
+            .expect("requires reachable Postgres and relay test state");
+        let community = state
+            .db
+            .lookup_community_by_host(&host)
+            .await
+            .expect("lookup")
+            .expect("community exists")
+            .id;
+        let tenant = buzz_core::TenantContext::resolved(community, &host);
+        state
+            .db
+            .add_relay_member(
+                community,
+                &owner.public_key().to_hex(),
+                "owner",
+                None,
+                &Keys::generate(),
+            )
+            .await
+            .map(|write| write.outcome)
+            .expect("seed owner");
+
+        let flagged = create_channel(&state, &tenant, &owner, &[]).await;
+        let archived = create_channel(&state, &tenant, &owner, &[]).await;
+        let private = create_channel(&state, &tenant, &owner, &[]).await;
+        let control = create_channel(&state, &tenant, &owner, &[]).await;
+        for channel_id in [flagged, archived, private] {
+            edit_channel(
+                &state,
+                &tenant,
+                &owner,
+                channel_id,
+                &[&["auto_join", "true"]],
+            )
+            .await
+            .expect("relay owner flags channel");
+        }
+        edit_channel(&state, &tenant, &owner, archived, &[&["archived", "true"]])
+            .await
+            .expect("archive after flagging");
+        edit_channel(
+            &state,
+            &tenant,
+            &owner,
+            private,
+            &[&["visibility", "private"]],
+        )
+        .await
+        .expect("make private after flagging");
+        let channels = [flagged, archived, private, control];
+
+        let joiner = Keys::generate();
+        let joiner_hex = joiner.public_key().to_hex();
+        let archived_refusal =
+            join_channel_as_self(&tenant, &state, archived, &joiner.public_key().to_bytes())
+                .await
+                .expect_err("self-join of an archived channel");
+        assert!(
+            archived_refusal.to_string().contains("archived"),
+            "{archived_refusal}"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            added_notification_count(&state, community, &joiner_hex).await,
+            0
+        );
+
+        let code = mint_code(
+            state.clone(),
+            &host,
+            &owner,
+            serde_json::json!({ "max_uses": 1 }),
+        )
+        .await;
+        let claim_body = serde_json::json!({ "code": code }).to_string();
+        let response = post_json(
+            state.clone(),
+            &host,
+            "/api/invites/claim",
+            &joiner,
+            claim_body.clone(),
+        )
+        .await;
+        assert_eq!(response.status(), StatusCode::OK);
+        assert_eq!(read_json(response).await["status"], "joined");
+        assert_eq!(
+            channel_roles(&state, community, &channels, &joiner).await,
+            [Some("member".to_string()), None, None, None],
+            "joined to the effective default channel only"
+        );
+        assert!(
+            group_state_tags(&state, &tenant, flagged, 39002)
+                .await
+                .iter()
+                .any(|tag| tag[0] == "p" && tag[1] == joiner_hex),
+            "kind:39002 of the default channel lists the new member"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            added_notification_count(&state, community, &joiner_hex).await,
+            1
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            member_joined_notice_count(&state, community, flagged, &joiner_hex).await,
+            1
+        );
+
+        // Leaving is respected: a re-claim is a no-op, not a re-add.
+        let leave = EventBuilder::new(Kind::Custom(9022), "")
+            .tags([Tag::parse(["h", &flagged.to_string()]).unwrap()])
+            .sign_with_keys(&joiner)
+            .expect("sign 9022");
+        let left = ingest_event(&state, &tenant, leave, http_auth(&joiner))
+            .await
+            .expect("ingest 9022");
+        assert!(left.accepted, "{:?}", left.message);
+        assert_eq!(
+            channel_roles(&state, community, &[flagged], &joiner).await,
+            [None]
+        );
+        let response = post_json(
+            state.clone(),
+            &host,
+            "/api/invites/claim",
+            &joiner,
+            claim_body,
+        )
+        .await;
+        assert_eq!(response.status(), StatusCode::OK);
+        assert_eq!(read_json(response).await["status"], "already_member");
+        assert_eq!(
+            channel_roles(&state, community, &channels, &joiner).await,
+            [None, None, None, None],
+            "a re-claim must not resurrect a kind:9022 leave"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            added_notification_count(&state, community, &joiner_hex).await,
+            1
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            member_joined_notice_count(&state, community, flagged, &joiner_hex).await,
+            1
+        );
+
+        // The v1 HMAC token path joins the same way.
+        let v1_joiner = Keys::generate();
+        let v1_joiner_hex = v1_joiner.public_key().to_hex();
+        let v1_code = forge_v1_invite_code(&state, community, unix_now() + 3600);
+        let response = post_json(
+            state.clone(),
+            &host,
+            "/api/invites/claim",
+            &v1_joiner,
+            serde_json::json!({ "code": v1_code }).to_string(),
+        )
+        .await;
+        assert_eq!(response.status(), StatusCode::OK);
+        assert_eq!(read_json(response).await["status"], "joined");
+        assert_eq!(
+            channel_roles(&state, community, &channels, &v1_joiner).await,
+            [Some("member".to_string()), None, None, None]
+        );
+        assert_eq!(
+            added_notification_count(&state, community, &v1_joiner_hex).await,
+            1
+        );
+    }
+
     #[tokio::test]
     #[ignore = "requires Postgres"]
     async fn owner_mints_and_new_pubkey_claims() {
@@ -1618,24 +1873,27 @@ mod postgres_tests {
         assert_eq!(response.status(), StatusCode::FORBIDDEN);
     }
 
-    /// Forge an already-expired invite payload signed with the relay's derived
-    /// invite key. `mint_invite` clamps ttl to 60s minimum, so the only way to
-    /// produce an expired code is to build the payload by hand at the token
-    /// layer.
-    fn forge_expired_invite_code(
-        state: &AppState,
-        community: buzz_core::CommunityId,
-        seconds_ago: u64,
-    ) -> String {
-        let key = derive_invite_key(&state.relay_keypair);
-        let now = std::time::SystemTime::now()
+    fn unix_now() -> u64 {
+        std::time::SystemTime::now()
             .duration_since(std::time::UNIX_EPOCH)
             .expect("time")
-            .as_secs();
+            .as_secs()
+    }
+
+    /// Forge a v1 HMAC invite payload expiring at `expires_at`, signed with
+    /// the relay's derived invite key. `mint_invite` only mints v2 codes now
+    /// and clamps ttl to 60s minimum, so v1 and expired codes are built by
+    /// hand at the token layer.
+    fn forge_v1_invite_code(
+        state: &AppState,
+        community: buzz_core::CommunityId,
+        expires_at: u64,
+    ) -> String {
+        let key = derive_invite_key(&state.relay_keypair);
         let payload = InvitePayload {
             c: community.as_uuid().to_string(),
             r: "member".to_string(),
-            e: now.saturating_sub(seconds_ago),
+            e: expires_at,
             n: "test-nonce".to_string(),
         };
         let payload_bytes = serde_json::to_vec(&payload).expect("payload serializes");
@@ -1667,7 +1925,7 @@ mod postgres_tests {
             .await
             .expect("lookup")
             .expect("community exists");
-        let code = forge_expired_invite_code(&state, community.id, 10);
+        let code = forge_v1_invite_code(&state, community.id, unix_now() - 10);
 
         let body = serde_json::json!({ "code": code }).to_string();
         let response = post_json(state.clone(), &host, "/api/invites/claim", &joiner, body).await;
diff --git a/crates/buzz-relay/src/handlers/relay_admin.rs b/crates/buzz-relay/src/handlers/relay_admin.rs
index 16648595f8..9856e3fd92 100644
--- a/crates/buzz-relay/src/handlers/relay_admin.rs
+++ b/crates/buzz-relay/src/handlers/relay_admin.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,8 @@ use buzz_core::tenant::TenantContext;
 use buzz_db::relay_members::RemoveResult;
 
 use crate::handlers::side_effects::{
-    fan_out_nip43_membership_list, publish_nip43_member_added, publish_nip43_member_removed,
+    auto_join_default_channels, fan_out_nip43_membership_list, publish_nip43_member_added,
+    publish_nip43_member_removed,
 };
 use crate::state::AppState;
 
@@ -362,6 +363,7 @@ async fn execute_relay_admin_command(
                 if let Err(e) = publish_nip43_member_added(tenant, state, &target_hex).await {
                     warn!(error = %e, "failed to publish NIP-43 member added event");
                 }
+                auto_join_default_channels(tenant, state, &target_hex).await;
             }
             fan_out_nip43_membership_list(tenant, state, write.snapshot).await;
         }
@@ -988,6 +990,108 @@ mod postgres_tests {
         assert!(!bystander_socket.cancellation_token().is_cancelled());
     }
 
+    /// A kind:9030 add joins the new relay member to the community's
+    /// effective default channels, once: the flagged open channel gains them
+    /// as a member with one kind:44100; the unflagged channel does not. A
+    /// kind:9022 leave followed by a repeat kind:9030 (an idempotent no-op on
+    /// the roster) does not re-add them. Mutation: delete the
+    /// `auto_join_default_channels` call → RED.
+    #[tokio::test]
+    #[ignore = "requires Postgres"]
+    async fn adding_a_member_auto_joins_default_channels() {
+        use crate::handlers::group_state_postgres_tests::{
+            create_channel, edit_channel, http_auth,
+        };
+        use crate::handlers::ingest::ingest_event;
+
+        let host = format!("add-auto-join-{}.example", uuid::Uuid::new_v4().simple());
+        let (state, tenant) = workspace_profile_test_state(&host, true).await;
+        let (owner, target) = (Keys::generate(), Keys::generate());
+        state
+            .db
+            .add_relay_member(
+                tenant.community(),
+                &owner.public_key().to_hex(),
+                "owner",
+                None,
+                &nostr::Keys::generate(),
+            )
+            .await
+            .map(|write| write.outcome)
+            .expect("seed owner");
+        let flagged = create_channel(&state, &tenant, &owner, &[]).await;
+        let control = create_channel(&state, &tenant, &owner, &[]).await;
+        edit_channel(&state, &tenant, &owner, flagged, &[&["auto_join", "true"]])
+            .await
+            .expect("relay owner flags channel");
+
+        let roles = |keys: &Keys| {
+            let state = state.clone();
+            let community = tenant.community();
+            let pubkey = keys.public_key().to_bytes();
+            async move {
+                let mut roles = Vec::new();
+                for channel_id in [flagged, control] {
+                    roles.push(
+                        state
+                            .db
+                            .get_member_role(community, channel_id, &pubkey)
+                            .await
+                            .expect("member role"),
+                    );
+                }
+                roles
+            }
+        };
+        let added_notifications = || {
+            let state = state.clone();
+            let community = tenant.community();
+            let target_hex = target.public_key().to_hex();
+            async move {
+                state
+                    .db
+                    .count_events(&buzz_db::EventQuery {
+                        kinds: Some(vec![buzz_core::kind::KIND_MEMBER_ADDED_NOTIFICATION as i32]),
+                        p_tag_hex: Some(target_hex),
+                        global_only: true,
+                        ..buzz_db::EventQuery::for_community(community)
+                    })
+                    .await
+                    .expect("count 44100")
+            }
+        };
+        let add = || {
+            EventBuilder::new(Kind::Custom(RELAY_ADMIN_ADD_MEMBER as u16), "")
+                .tags(vec![Tag::public_key(target.public_key())])
+                .sign_with_keys(&owner)
+                .expect("sign 9030")
+        };
+
+        handle_relay_admin_event(&tenant, &state, &add())
+            .await
+            .expect("owner adds member");
+        assert_eq!(roles(&target).await, [Some("member".to_string()), None]);
+        assert_eq!(added_notifications().await, 1);
+
+        let leave = EventBuilder::new(Kind::Custom(9022), "")
+            .tags([Tag::parse(["h", &flagged.to_string()]).expect("h tag")])
+            .sign_with_keys(&target)
+            .expect("sign 9022");
+        let left = ingest_event(&state, &tenant, leave, http_auth(&target))
+            .await
+            .expect("ingest 9022");
+        assert!(left.accepted, "{:?}", left.message);
+        handle_relay_admin_event(&tenant, &state, &add())
+            .await
+            .expect("repeat add is a roster no-op");
+        assert_eq!(
+            roles(&target).await,
+            [None, None],
+            "a repeat kind:9030 must not resurrect a kind:9022 leave"
+        );
+        assert_eq!(added_notifications().await, 1);
+    }
+
     /// A pod-local root socket registered and bound to `keys`, as root AUTH
     /// leaves it.
     fn bound_root_socket(
diff --git a/crates/buzz-relay/src/handlers/side_effects.rs b/crates/buzz-relay/src/handlers/side_effects.rs
index 8737a70fd3..ef797505f6 100644
--- a/crates/buzz-relay/src/handlers/side_effects.rs
+++ b/crates/buzz-relay/src/handlers/side_effects.rs
@@ -2679,15 +2679,25 @@ async fn handle_delete_group(
     Ok(())
 }
 
-async fn handle_join_request(
-    tenant: &TenantContext,
-    event: &Event,
-    state: &Arc<AppState>,
-) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
-    let channel_id =
-        extract_h_tag_channel(event).ok_or_else(|| anyhow::anyhow!("missing h tag"))?;
-    let actor_bytes = event.pubkey.to_bytes().to_vec();
+/// What [`join_channel_as_self`] did for the member.
+#[derive(Debug, Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub(crate) enum SelfJoinOutcome {
+    /// The member was added and every join side effect was emitted.
+    Joined,
+    /// The member was already active in the channel; nothing changed.
+    AlreadyMember,
+}
 
+/// Join `pubkey` to an open, unarchived channel as a self-join: no inviter,
+/// the channel's `join_role`, and the kind:40099, 39000/39002 and 44100
+/// side effects of a kind:9021. Shared by the kind:9021 handler and the
+/// default-channel auto-join on new community memberships.
+pub(crate) async fn join_channel_as_self(
+    tenant: &TenantContext,
+    state: &Arc<AppState>,
+    channel_id: Uuid,
+    pubkey: &[u8],
+) -> anyhow::Result<SelfJoinOutcome> {
     // Only open channels allow self-join via kind:9021.
     let channel = state
         .db
@@ -2699,15 +2709,17 @@ async fn handle_join_request(
             "channel is private — request an invitation"
         ));
     }
+    if channel.archived_at.is_some() {
+        return Err(anyhow::anyhow!("channel is archived"));
+    }
 
     // Skip if already an active member — prevents duplicate join notifications.
     // Fail closed on DB errors rather than falling through to add_member.
     if state
-        .is_member_cached(tenant.community(), channel_id, &actor_bytes)
+        .is_member_cached(tenant.community(), channel_id, pubkey)
         .await?
     {
-        info!(channel = %channel_id, "kind:9021 join — already a member, skipping");
-        return Ok(());
+        return Ok(SelfJoinOutcome::AlreadyMember);
     }
 
     // A self-join gets the channel's `join_role`, read by `put_member` under
@@ -2715,11 +2727,11 @@ async fn handle_join_request(
     // channel, where a member must then make them a member.
     state
         .db
-        .put_member(tenant.community(), channel_id, &actor_bytes, None, None)
+        .put_member(tenant.community(), channel_id, pubkey, None, None)
         .await?;
-    state.invalidate_membership(tenant, channel_id, &actor_bytes);
+    state.invalidate_membership(tenant, channel_id, pubkey);
 
-    let actor_hex = hex::encode(&actor_bytes);
+    let actor_hex = hex::encode(pubkey);
     emit_system_message(
         tenant,
         state,
@@ -2741,8 +2753,8 @@ async fn handle_join_request(
         tenant,
         state,
         channel_id,
-        &actor_bytes,
-        &actor_bytes,
+        pubkey,
+        pubkey,
         buzz_core::kind::KIND_MEMBER_ADDED_NOTIFICATION,
     )
     .await
@@ -2750,7 +2762,64 @@ async fn handle_join_request(
         warn!("membership notification for join failed: {e}");
     }
 
-    info!(channel = %channel_id, "kind:9021 join processed");
+    Ok(SelfJoinOutcome::Joined)
+}
+
+/// Join a new community member to every effective `auto_join` channel, as
+/// kind:9021 self-joins. Runs inline at the membership write sites (invite
+/// claim, kind:9030) and nowhere else, so a later kind:9022 leave stands.
+///
+/// Best effort: the relay membership has already committed, so a channel
+/// that fails is logged and counted, never retried, and never fails the
+/// caller. The `auto_join` tag on kind:39000 is the durable record a client
+/// reconciles against.
+pub(crate) async fn auto_join_default_channels(
+    tenant: &TenantContext,
+    state: &Arc<AppState>,
+    pubkey_hex: &str,
+) {
+    let Ok(pubkey) = hex::decode(pubkey_hex) else {
+        warn!(member = %pubkey_hex, "auto-join skipped: member pubkey is not hex");
+        return;
+    };
+    let channels = match state.db.list_auto_join_channels(tenant.community()).await {
+        Ok(channels) => channels,
+        Err(e) => {
+            warn!(member = %pubkey_hex, error = %e, "auto-join skipped: listing default channels failed");
+            metrics::counter!("buzz_auto_join_failures_total").increment(1);
+            return;
+        }
+    };
+    for channel in channels {
+        match join_channel_as_self(tenant, state, channel.id, &pubkey).await {
+            Ok(SelfJoinOutcome::Joined) => {
+                metrics::counter!("buzz_auto_join_channels_total").increment(1);
+                info!(channel = %channel.id, member = %pubkey_hex, "auto-joined default channel");
+            }
+            Ok(SelfJoinOutcome::AlreadyMember) => {}
+            Err(e) => {
+                metrics::counter!("buzz_auto_join_failures_total").increment(1);
+                warn!(channel = %channel.id, member = %pubkey_hex, error = %e, "auto-join of default channel failed");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+async fn handle_join_request(
+    tenant: &TenantContext,
+    event: &Event,
+    state: &Arc<AppState>,
+) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    let channel_id =
+        extract_h_tag_channel(event).ok_or_else(|| anyhow::anyhow!("missing h tag"))?;
+    match join_channel_as_self(tenant, state, channel_id, &event.pubkey.to_bytes()).await? {
+        SelfJoinOutcome::AlreadyMember => {
+            info!(channel = %channel_id, "kind:9021 join — already a member, skipping");
+        }
+        SelfJoinOutcome::Joined => {
+            info!(channel = %channel_id, "kind:9021 join processed");
+        }
+    }
     Ok(())
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/buzz-test-client/tests/e2e_relay.rs b/crates/buzz-test-client/tests/e2e_relay.rs
index ab1c4772af..39d7d74a6d 100644
--- a/crates/buzz-test-client/tests/e2e_relay.rs
+++ b/crates/buzz-test-client/tests/e2e_relay.rs
@@ -302,6 +302,102 @@ async fn test_invite_mint_and_claim_admits_new_pubkey() {
     );
 }
 
+/// Claiming an invite joins the new member to the community's default
+/// channels: the relay owner flags one, the claimer receives its kind:44100
+/// and is on its kind:39002 roster, and a repeat claim is a no-op.
+#[tokio::test]
+#[ignore]
+async fn test_invite_claim_auto_joins_default_channel() {
+    let url = relay_url();
+    let relay_owner = Keys::generate();
+    let joiner = Keys::generate();
+    let joiner_hex = joiner.public_key().to_hex();
+    seed_relay_owner(&relay_owner).await;
+    let channel_id = create_test_channel(&relay_owner).await;
+    assert_eq!(
+        set_metadata_ws(&url, &channel_id, &relay_owner, "auto_join", "true").await,
+        (true, String::new())
+    );
+
+    let mut joiner_client = BuzzTestClient::connect(&url, &joiner)
+        .await
+        .expect("connect joiner");
+    let sid = sub_id("auto-join-notif");
+    let filter = Filter::new()
+        .kind(Kind::Custom(44100))
+        .custom_tag(SingleLetterTag::lowercase(Alphabet::P), joiner_hex.as_str())
+        .since(nostr::Timestamp::now() - 5u64);
+    joiner_client
+        .subscribe(&sid, vec![filter])
+        .await
+        .expect("subscribe to membership notifications");
+    joiner_client
+        .collect_until_eose(&sid, Duration::from_secs(5))
+        .await
+        .expect("EOSE for membership sub");
+
+    let mint_response = invite_post(&relay_owner, "/api/invites", "{}").await;
+    assert_eq!(mint_response.status(), reqwest::StatusCode::OK);
+    let mint_json: serde_json::Value = mint_response.json().await.expect("mint JSON");
+    let code = mint_json
+        .get("code")
+        .and_then(serde_json::Value::as_str)
+        .expect("mint response includes code");
+    let claim_body = serde_json::json!({ "code": code }).to_string();
+    let claim_response = invite_post(&joiner, "/api/invites/claim", &claim_body).await;
+    assert_eq!(claim_response.status(), reqwest::StatusCode::OK);
+    let claim_json: serde_json::Value = claim_response.json().await.expect("claim JSON");
+    assert_eq!(
+        claim_json.get("status").and_then(serde_json::Value::as_str),
+        Some("joined")
+    );
+
+    // Other tests may leave their own default channels flagged on this
+    // shared relay; wait for the notification about ours.
+    let deadline = tokio::time::Instant::now() + Duration::from_secs(5);
+    loop {
+        let remaining = deadline.saturating_duration_since(tokio::time::Instant::now());
+        let msg = joiner_client
+            .recv_event(remaining)
+            .await
+            .expect("recv kind:44100 notification for the default channel");
+        if let RelayMessage::Event { event, .. } = msg {
+            let channel = event
+                .tags
+                .iter()
+                .find(|tag| tag.as_slice().first().map(String::as_str) == Some("h"))
+                .and_then(|tag| tag.as_slice().get(1).cloned());
+            if channel.as_deref() == Some(channel_id.as_str()) {
+                break;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    joiner_client.disconnect().await.ok();
+    assert_eq!(
+        member_role(&url, &relay_owner, &channel_id, &joiner_hex)
+            .await
+            .as_deref(),
+        Some("member"),
+        "the relay-signed kind:39002 roster lists the claimer"
+    );
+
+    let repeat_response = invite_post(&joiner, "/api/invites/claim", &claim_body).await;
+    assert_eq!(repeat_response.status(), reqwest::StatusCode::OK);
+    let repeat_json: serde_json::Value = repeat_response.json().await.expect("repeat claim JSON");
+    assert_eq!(
+        repeat_json
+            .get("status")
+            .and_then(serde_json::Value::as_str),
+        Some("already_member")
+    );
+
+    // Leave the shared relay as found.
+    assert_eq!(
+        set_metadata_ws(&url, &channel_id, &relay_owner, "auto_join", "false").await,
+        (true, String::new())
+    );
+}
+
 #[tokio::test]
 #[ignore]
 async fn test_invite_claim_rejects_invalid_code() {