diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 768e2e5..788613f 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -653,9 +653,11 @@ tick capabilities and corpus entries by checkbox — without hand-writing
 these requests; it is read-only for a `users:view`-only caller.
 
 **Anonymous access (off by default).** Set `TPK_ANONYMOUS_ACCESS=1`
-(`[server].anonymous_access`) and the login page offers **Continue without
-signing in**: an unauthenticated visitor can chat over the corpus entries whose
-visibility is `public` — and nothing else. The anonymous principal holds only
+(`[server].anonymous_access`) and a visitor with no session lands straight in
+Chat as the anonymous user — no login page first; **Sign in** is in the
+sidebar, and the login page offers **Continue without signing in** to go back.
+An unauthenticated visitor can chat over the corpus entries whose visibility
+is `public` — and nothing else. The anonymous principal holds only
 the `chat` capability (no Explorer, no source fragments or thinking trace, no
 MCP, no management), its corpus scope is the enabled public entries (enforced
 per entry, server-side, on every turn), and the agent's prompt lists only
diff --git a/web/src/App.tsx b/web/src/App.tsx
index 386cb6e..482b989 100644
--- a/web/src/App.tsx
+++ b/web/src/App.tsx
@@ -34,7 +34,11 @@ export default function App() {
   // guards the one render before the mount-time /auth/me check resolves, so
   // a logged-in reload doesn't flash the login form.
   const [me, setMe] = useState<Me | null>(null);
-  // Server allows unauthenticated chat over the public corpus (#94).
+  // Server allows unauthenticated chat over the public corpus (#94). With it
+  // on, "no session" IS a session: a visitor lands straight in Chat as the
+  // anonymous principal (the mount-time /auth/me check adopts it). The login
+  // page is then only reached on purpose -- Sign in from the sidebar, or
+  // signing out of a real account -- both of which clear `me`.
   const [anonymousAvailable, setAnonymousAvailable] = useState(false);
   const [pendingChangeUser, setPendingChangeUser] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [checked, setChecked] = useState(false);
@@ -78,7 +82,11 @@ export default function App() {
         if (cancelled) return;
         if (resp.ok) {
           const body = await resp.json();
-          if (body.anonymous) { setAnonymousAvailable(true); }
+          if (body.anonymous) {
+            setAnonymousAvailable(true);
+            setMe({ username: body.username, role: body.role,
+                    capabilities: body.capabilities ?? [], anonymous: true });
+          }
           // A must_change_password answer routes straight to Login's change
           // mode (skipping the login form — we already hold a valid token).
           else if (body.must_change_password) setPendingChangeUser(body.username);
@@ -122,6 +130,10 @@ export default function App() {
     }
   }
 
+  function anonymousMe(): Me {
+    return { username: "anonymous", role: "anonymous", capabilities: ["chat"], anonymous: true };
+  }
+
   if (!checked) return null;
 
   if (pendingChangeUser !== null) {
@@ -136,7 +148,8 @@ export default function App() {
   if (!me) {
     return (
       <div className="shell">
-        <Login onDone={setMe} anonymousAvailable={anonymousAvailable} />
+        <Login onDone={setMe} anonymousAvailable={anonymousAvailable}
+               onContinueAnonymously={anonymousAvailable ? () => setMe(anonymousMe()) : undefined} />
       </div>
     );
   }
diff --git a/web/src/Login.tsx b/web/src/Login.tsx
index de6505f..659466d 100644
--- a/web/src/Login.tsx
+++ b/web/src/Login.tsx
@@ -25,12 +25,15 @@ async function fetchMe(): Promise<Me> {
 export default function Login({
   onDone,
   anonymousAvailable = false,
+  onContinueAnonymously,
   initialMode = "login",
   initialUsername = "",
 }: {
   onDone: (me: Me) => void;
   // The server serves unauthenticated chat over the public corpus (#94).
   anonymousAvailable?: boolean;
+  // "Continue without signing in" -> back to the anonymous chat session.
+  onContinueAnonymously?: () => void;
   initialMode?: "login" | "change";
   initialUsername?: string;
 }) {
@@ -133,14 +136,9 @@ export default function Login({
             <button type="submit" className="tk-btn login-submit" disabled={busy}>
               {busy ? "Signing in…" : "Sign in"}
             </button>
-            {anonymousAvailable && (
+            {anonymousAvailable && onContinueAnonymously && (
               <button type="button" className="tk-btn tk-btn-secondary login-anonymous" disabled={busy}
-                      onClick={async () => {
-                        setBusy(true); setError("");
-                        try { onDone(await fetchMe()); }
-                        catch (e) { setError(String(e)); }
-                        finally { setBusy(false); }
-                      }}>
+                      onClick={onContinueAnonymously}>
                 Continue without signing in
                 <span className="login-anonymous-sub">chat over the public docs only</span>
               </button>