diff --git a/src/components/OrbitJoinModal.tsx b/src/components/OrbitJoinModal.tsx
index b0aa08bf..eacb3f64 100644
--- a/src/components/OrbitJoinModal.tsx
+++ b/src/components/OrbitJoinModal.tsx
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {
   readOrbitState,
   joinOrbitSession,
 } from '../utils/orbit';
+import { switchActiveServer } from '../utils/switchActiveServer';
 import { showToast } from '../utils/toast';
 
 interface Props {
@@ -44,13 +45,25 @@ export default function OrbitJoinModal({ onClose }: Props) {
     const active = useAuthStore.getState().getActiveServer();
     const activeUrl = (active?.url ?? '').replace(/\/+$/, '');
     const wantUrl   = parsed.serverBase.replace(/\/+$/, '');
-    if (activeUrl !== wantUrl) {
-      setError(t('orbit.toastSwitchServer', { url: wantUrl }));
-      return;
-    }
 
     setBusy(true);
     try {
+      // Auto-switch to the link's server if the user has an account for it.
+      // switch itself tears down any lingering orbit session.
+      if (activeUrl !== wantUrl) {
+        const targetServer = useAuthStore.getState().servers
+          .find(s => s.url.replace(/\/+$/, '') === wantUrl);
+        if (!targetServer) {
+          setError(t('orbit.toastNoAccountForServer', { url: wantUrl }));
+          return;
+        }
+        const switched = await switchActiveServer(targetServer);
+        if (!switched) {
+          setError(t('orbit.toastSwitchFailed', { url: wantUrl }));
+          return;
+        }
+      }
+
       const playlistId = await findSessionPlaylistId(parsed.sid);
       if (!playlistId) { setError(t('orbit.joinErrNotFound')); return; }
       const state = await readOrbitState(playlistId);
diff --git a/src/components/PasteClipboardHandler.tsx b/src/components/PasteClipboardHandler.tsx
index 213241fd..c580f2ff 100644
--- a/src/components/PasteClipboardHandler.tsx
+++ b/src/components/PasteClipboardHandler.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import {
   readOrbitState,
   OrbitJoinError,
 } from '../utils/orbit';
+import { switchActiveServer } from '../utils/switchActiveServer';
 import ConfirmModal from './ConfirmModal';
 
 const ORBIT_JOIN_ERROR_KEYS: Record<string, string> = {
@@ -81,21 +82,35 @@ export default function PasteClipboardHandler() {
         e.preventDefault();
         e.stopPropagation();
         if (!isLoggedIn) { showToast(t('orbit.toastLoginFirst'), 4000, 'info'); return; }
-        const active = useAuthStore.getState().getActiveServer();
-        const activeUrl = (active?.url ?? '').replace(/\/+$/, '');
-        const wantUrl   = orbit.serverBase.replace(/\/+$/, '');
-        if (activeUrl !== wantUrl) {
-          showToast(t('orbit.toastSwitchServer', { url: wantUrl }), 5000, 'info');
-          return;
-        }
         if (busy.current) return;
-
-        // Preview the session state so the confirm dialog can show the host
-        // and session name. Failures (session vanished / ended / unreachable)
-        // surface the same error toasts the join would, without ever showing
-        // the confirm.
         busy.current = true;
+
         (async () => {
+          const active = useAuthStore.getState().getActiveServer();
+          const activeUrl = (active?.url ?? '').replace(/\/+$/, '');
+          const wantUrl   = orbit.serverBase.replace(/\/+$/, '');
+
+          // Auto-switch to the link's target server if the user has an
+          // account registered for it. No account → clear error. switch
+          // itself tears down any lingering orbit session (see
+          // switchActiveServer) so the join below starts clean.
+          if (activeUrl !== wantUrl) {
+            const targetServer = useAuthStore.getState().servers
+              .find(s => s.url.replace(/\/+$/, '') === wantUrl);
+            if (!targetServer) {
+              showToast(t('orbit.toastNoAccountForServer', { url: wantUrl }), 5000, 'warning');
+              return;
+            }
+            const switched = await switchActiveServer(targetServer);
+            if (!switched) {
+              showToast(t('orbit.toastSwitchFailed', { url: wantUrl }), 5000, 'error');
+              return;
+            }
+          }
+
+          // Preview the session state so the confirm dialog can show the
+          // host and session name. Failures surface the same error toasts
+          // the join would, without ever showing the confirm.
           const playlistId = await findSessionPlaylistId(orbit.sid);
           if (!playlistId) { handleJoinError('not-found'); return; }
           const state = await readOrbitState(playlistId);
diff --git a/src/locales/de.ts b/src/locales/de.ts
index 21253942..58b855f3 100644
--- a/src/locales/de.ts
+++ b/src/locales/de.ts
@@ -1546,6 +1546,8 @@ export const deTranslation = {
     toastJoined: 'Session beigetreten',
     toastLoginFirst: 'Erst anmelden, um einer Session beizutreten',
     toastSwitchServer: 'Wechsle erst zu {{url}} und füge den Link dann erneut ein',
+    toastNoAccountForServer: 'Du hast keinen Zugang zu {{url}}. Bitte den Host um einen Einladungslink.',
+    toastSwitchFailed: 'Wechsel zu {{url}} fehlgeschlagen',
     toastJoinFail: 'Session konnte nicht beigetreten werden',
     joinErrNotFound: 'Session nicht gefunden',
     joinErrEnded: 'Session wurde beendet',
diff --git a/src/locales/en.ts b/src/locales/en.ts
index 529318de..54fe3da5 100644
--- a/src/locales/en.ts
+++ b/src/locales/en.ts
@@ -1549,6 +1549,8 @@ export const enTranslation = {
     toastJoined: 'Joined session',
     toastLoginFirst: 'Log in before joining a session',
     toastSwitchServer: 'Switch to {{url}} first, then paste again',
+    toastNoAccountForServer: "You don't have access to {{url}}. Ask the host for an invite.",
+    toastSwitchFailed: "Couldn't switch to {{url}}",
     toastJoinFail: "Couldn't join session",
     joinErrNotFound: 'Session not found',
     joinErrEnded: 'Session has ended',