diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 6c5fd3e..7087139 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -2133,9 +2133,9 @@
       "integrity": "sha1-rT/0yG7C0CkyL1oCw6mmBslbP1k="
     },
     "engine.io": {
-      "version": "6.1.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/engine.io/-/engine.io-6.1.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-ErhZOVu2xweCjEfYcTdkCnEYUiZgkAcBBAhW4jbIvNG8SLU3orAqoJCiytZjYF7eTpVmmCrLDjLIEaPlUAs1uw==",
+      "version": "6.1.2",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/engine.io/-/engine.io-6.1.2.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-v/7eGHxPvO2AWsksyx2PUsQvBafuvqs0jJJQ0FdmJG1b9qIvgSbqDRGwNhfk2XHaTTbTXiC4quRE8Q9nRjsrQQ==",
       "requires": {
         "@types/cookie": "^0.4.1",
         "@types/cors": "^2.8.12",
diff --git a/server/api/GamesAPI.js b/server/api/GamesAPI.js
index 27a6650..64264dd 100644
--- a/server/api/GamesAPI.js
+++ b/server/api/GamesAPI.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ const apiLimiter = rateLimit({
 const corsOptions = process.env.NODE_ENV.trim() === 'development'
     ? {
         origin: '*',
-        optionsSuccessStatus: 200 // some legacy browsers (IE11, various SmartTVs) choke on 204
+        optionsSuccessStatus: 200
     }
     : {
         origin: 'https://playwerewolf.uk.r.appspot.com',
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ const corsOptions = process.env.NODE_ENV.trim() === 'development'
     };
 
 router.use(cors(corsOptions));
-router.options('/:code/players', cors(corsOptions)); // enable pre-flight request for DELETE
+//router.options('/:code/players', cors(corsOptions));
 
 if (process.env.NODE_ENV.trim() === 'production') { // in prod, limit clients to creating 5 games per 10 minutes.
     router.use('/create', apiLimiter);
diff --git a/server/modules/GameManager.js b/server/modules/GameManager.js
index dc892f1..c87ff11 100644
--- a/server/modules/GameManager.js
+++ b/server/modules/GameManager.js
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ class GameManager {
     }
 
     addGameSocketHandlers = (namespace, socket) => {
-        socket.on(globals.CLIENT_COMMANDS.FETCH_GAME_STATE, (accessCode, personId, ackFn) => {
+        socket.on(globals.CLIENT_COMMANDS.FETCH_GAME_STATE, async (accessCode, personId, ackFn) => {
             this.logger.trace('request for game state for accessCode: ' + accessCode + ' from socket: ' + socket.id + ' with cookie: ' + personId);
-            this.handleRequestForGameState(
+            await this.handleRequestForGameState(
                 this.namespace,
                 this.logger,
                 this.activeGameRunner,
@@ -285,22 +285,28 @@ class GameManager {
         }
     };
 
-    handleRequestForGameState = (namespace, logger, gameRunner, accessCode, personCookie, ackFn, socket) => {
+    handleRequestForGameState = async (namespace, logger, gameRunner, accessCode, personCookie, ackFn, clientSocket) => {
         const game = gameRunner.activeGames[accessCode];
         if (game) {
             const matchingPerson = findPersonByField(game, 'cookie', personCookie);
             if (matchingPerson) {
-                if (matchingPerson.socketId === socket.id) {
+                if (matchingPerson.socketId === clientSocket.id) {
                     logger.trace('matching person found with an established connection to the room: ' + matchingPerson.name);
-                    ackFn(GameStateCurator.getGameStateFromPerspectiveOfPerson(game, matchingPerson, gameRunner, socket, logger));
+                    ackFn(GameStateCurator.getGameStateFromPerspectiveOfPerson(game, matchingPerson, gameRunner, clientSocket, logger));
                 } else {
                     logger.trace('matching person found with a new connection to the room: ' + matchingPerson.name);
-                    socket.join(accessCode);
-                    matchingPerson.socketId = socket.id;
-                    ackFn(GameStateCurator.getGameStateFromPerspectiveOfPerson(game, matchingPerson, gameRunner, socket, logger));
+                    clientSocket.join(accessCode);
+                    matchingPerson.socketId = clientSocket.id;
+                    ackFn(GameStateCurator.getGameStateFromPerspectiveOfPerson(game, matchingPerson, gameRunner, clientSocket, logger));
                 }
             } else {
-                rejectClientRequestForGameState(ackFn);
+                const namespaceSockets = await namespace.in(accessCode).fetchSockets();
+                if (!namespaceSockets.find((namespaceSocket) => namespaceSocket.id === clientSocket.id)) {
+                    let newlyAssignedPerson = this.joinGame(game);
+                    clientSocket.join(accessCode);
+                    newlyAssignedPerson.socketId = clientSocket.id;
+                    ackFn(GameStateCurator.getGameStateFromPerspectiveOfPerson(game, newlyAssignedPerson, gameRunner, clientSocket, logger));
+                }
             }
         } else {
             rejectClientRequestForGameState(ackFn);