diff --git a/app/api/socketio/route.js b/app/api/socketio/route.js
index f355250..f0575e7 100644
--- a/app/api/socketio/route.js
+++ b/app/api/socketio/route.js
@@ -164,13 +164,20 @@ export async function GET(req) {
 
         // compute counts
         const activeCount = ev.sockets.size
+        
+        console.log(`Event ${eventId}: ${activeCount} users, threshold: ${eventThreshold}`)
+        
         // turn on queue if threshold reached
-        if (activeCount >= eventThreshold) ev.queueOn = true
+        if (activeCount >= eventThreshold) {
+          ev.queueOn = true
+          console.log(`Queue activated for event ${eventId}`)
+        }
 
         // if queueOn and socket not active, add to queue
         if (ev.queueOn && !ev.active.has(socket.id)) {
           if (!ev.queue.includes(socket.id)) {
             ev.queue.push(socket.id)
+            console.log(`Added ${socket.id} to queue at position ${ev.queue.length}`)
             
             // Save queue position to database
             if (connection) {
@@ -186,7 +193,32 @@ export async function GET(req) {
           }
         }
 
-        // evaluate granting
+        // If queue is NOT active and user doesn't have access, grant it immediately
+        if (!ev.queueOn && !ev.active.has(socket.id)) {
+          console.log(`Granting immediate access to ${socket.id} (under threshold)`)
+          const expiresAt = new Date(Date.now() + TOKEN_TTL_SECONDS * 1000)
+          const token = jwt.sign({ sid: socket.id, eventId }, process.env.JWT_SECRET || "dev-secret", {
+            expiresIn: TOKEN_TTL_SECONDS,
+          })
+          
+          ev.active.add(socket.id)
+          
+          // Save to database
+          if (connection) {
+            try {
+              await connection.execute(
+                'INSERT INTO active_sessions (event_id, socket_id, jwt_token, expires_at) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?) ON DUPLICATE KEY UPDATE jwt_token = VALUES(jwt_token), expires_at = VALUES(expires_at)',
+                [eventId, socket.id, token, expiresAt]
+              )
+            } catch (error) {
+              console.error('DB error saving active session:', error)
+            }
+          }
+          
+          io.to(socket.id).emit("granted", { token, expiresAt: expiresAt.toISOString() })
+        }
+
+        // evaluate granting (for queue users)
         await evaluateQueue(eventId, io)
 
         // send initial update