diff --git a/ROADMAP.md b/ROADMAP.md
index 627d3d9..3c9ee37 100644
--- a/ROADMAP.md
+++ b/ROADMAP.md
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 
 ## Phase 3 — Social Features
 
-- [~] Shareable invite links (not just email invites) — schema, API, and UI implemented
+- [x] Shareable invite links (not just email invites) — schema, API, and UI implemented
 - [ ] Ally (friend) system with requests
 - [ ] User blocking
 - [ ] Privacy settings
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@
 ## Phase 5 — Polish
 
 - [ ] Message search
-- [ ] Typing indicators
-- [ ] Pinned messages panel
+- [x] Typing indicators
+- [x] Pinned messages panel
 - [ ] Thread support
 - [ ] Notification preferences
 - [ ] Error handling & loading state improvements
diff --git a/apps/realtime/src/index.ts b/apps/realtime/src/index.ts
index 2d0663c..5469706 100644
--- a/apps/realtime/src/index.ts
+++ b/apps/realtime/src/index.ts
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ import {
   listOnlineUserIds,
   markUserConnected,
   markUserDisconnected,
+  reconcilePresence,
+  refreshPresenceHeartbeat,
 } from "@/services/presence"
 import {
   enforceDmMessageRateLimit,
@@ -239,6 +241,21 @@ async function initializeConnection(socket: RealtimeSocket) {
       }
     }
 
+    // Refresh TTL on the socket set so it expires if this server crashes
+    await refreshPresenceHeartbeat(redisPresenceClient, socket.data.user.id)
+
+    // Keep refreshing while connected
+    const heartbeatInterval = setInterval(() => {
+      void refreshPresenceHeartbeat(
+        redisPresenceClient,
+        socket.data.user.id
+      ).catch(() => {})
+    }, 30 * 1000)
+
+    socket.once("disconnect", () => {
+      clearInterval(heartbeatInterval)
+    })
+
     socket.emit("presence:ready", {
       userId: socket.data.user.id,
       rooms: {
@@ -616,6 +633,13 @@ async function bootstrap() {
 
   io.adapter(createAdapter(redisPubClient, redisSubClient))
 
+  // Periodically clean up stale presence entries (crashed servers)
+  setInterval(() => {
+    void reconcilePresence(redisPresenceClient).catch((error) => {
+      console.error("[realtime] presence reconciliation failed:", error)
+    })
+  }, 30 * 1000)
+
   httpServer.listen(realtimePort, () => {
     console.log(`Realtime server running on port ${realtimePort}`)
     console.log(`Allowed origins: ${corsOrigins.join(", ")}`)
diff --git a/apps/realtime/src/services/presence.ts b/apps/realtime/src/services/presence.ts
index a5e9f7f..3a6cf55 100644
--- a/apps/realtime/src/services/presence.ts
+++ b/apps/realtime/src/services/presence.ts
@@ -3,8 +3,11 @@ import type { createClient } from "redis"
 
 type RedisClient = ReturnType<typeof createClient>
 
+const PRESENCE_HEARTBEAT_TTL = 60
+
 const MARK_USER_CONNECTED_SCRIPT = `
 redis.call("SADD", KEYS[1], ARGV[1])
+redis.call("EXPIRE", KEYS[1], ARGV[3])
 local socketCount = redis.call("SCARD", KEYS[1])
 if socketCount == 1 then
   redis.call("SADD", KEYS[2], ARGV[2])
@@ -39,7 +42,7 @@ export async function markUserConnected(
 ) {
   const result = await redis.eval(MARK_USER_CONNECTED_SCRIPT, {
     keys: [userSocketsKey(userId), PRESENCE_ONLINE_USERS_SET_KEY],
-    arguments: [socketId, userId],
+    arguments: [socketId, userId, String(PRESENCE_HEARTBEAT_TTL)],
   })
 
   return { becameOnline: toRedisBoolean(result) }
@@ -68,3 +71,42 @@ export async function listOnlineUserIds(redis: RedisClient, userIds: string[]) {
 
   return userIds.filter((_, index) => toRedisBoolean(membership[index]))
 }
+
+/**
+ * Refresh the TTL on a user's socket set so it expires if the server dies
+ * without running disconnect handlers. Call periodically per socket.
+ */
+export async function refreshPresenceHeartbeat(
+  redis: RedisClient,
+  userId: string
+) {
+  const key = userSocketsKey(userId)
+  await redis.expire(key, PRESENCE_HEARTBEAT_TTL)
+}
+
+/**
+ * Reconcile the online-users set by removing users whose socket sets have
+ * expired (server crash / no heartbeat). Call periodically on a timer.
+ */
+export async function reconcilePresence(redis: RedisClient) {
+  const onlineUserIds = await redis.sMembers(PRESENCE_ONLINE_USERS_SET_KEY)
+  if (onlineUserIds.length === 0) return []
+
+  const staleUserIds: string[] = []
+
+  for (const userId of onlineUserIds) {
+    const exists = await redis.exists(userSocketsKey(userId))
+    if (!exists) {
+      staleUserIds.push(userId)
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (staleUserIds.length > 0) {
+    await redis.sRem(PRESENCE_ONLINE_USERS_SET_KEY, staleUserIds)
+    console.log(
+      `[realtime] reconciled ${staleUserIds.length} stale presence entries`
+    )
+  }
+
+  return staleUserIds
+}
diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/onboarding/onboarding-dialog.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/onboarding/onboarding-dialog.tsx
index cfaf27f..b699901 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/onboarding/onboarding-dialog.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/onboarding/onboarding-dialog.tsx
@@ -27,6 +27,21 @@ function normalizeSlugInput(value: string) {
     .replace(/[^a-z0-9-]/g, "")
 }
 
+function parseInviteCode(value: string) {
+  const trimmed = value.trim()
+  if (!trimmed) return null
+
+  if (/^[A-Za-z0-9]+$/.test(trimmed)) {
+    return trimmed
+  }
+
+  const inviteMatch = trimmed.match(
+    /(?:^|\/)invite\/([A-Za-z0-9]+)(?:\/)?(?:[?#].*)?$/i
+  )
+
+  return inviteMatch?.[1] ?? null
+}
+
 export function OnboardingDialog({ open }: { open: boolean }) {
   const [step, setStep] = useState<Step>("welcome")
   const [name, setName] = useState("")
@@ -111,9 +126,19 @@ export function OnboardingDialog({ open }: { open: boolean }) {
     if (!inviteLink.trim()) return
     setError(null)
     setLoading(true)
-    // TODO: implement join via invite link API
-    setError("Joining via invite link is not yet supported.")
-    setLoading(false)
+
+    const inviteCode = parseInviteCode(inviteLink)
+
+    if (!inviteCode) {
+      setError("Enter a valid invite link or invite code.")
+      setLoading(false)
+      return
+    }
+
+    await navigate({
+      to: "/invite/$code",
+      params: { code: inviteCode },
+    })
   }
 
   return (
@@ -274,16 +299,16 @@ export function OnboardingDialog({ open }: { open: boolean }) {
                 <DialogHeader className="mb-6 text-left">
                   <DialogTitle className="text-2xl">Join a Guild</DialogTitle>
                   <DialogDescription className="text-sm">
-                    Paste an invite link to join an existing guild.
+                    Paste an invite link or code to join an existing guild.
                   </DialogDescription>
                 </DialogHeader>
 
                 <form onSubmit={handleJoin} className="space-y-4">
                   <div className="space-y-1.5">
-                    <Label htmlFor="invite-link">Invite Link</Label>
+                    <Label htmlFor="invite-link">Invite Link or Code</Label>
                     <Input
                       id="invite-link"
-                      placeholder="https://townhall.gg/invite/abc123"
+                      placeholder="https://townhall.chat/invite/abc123 or abc123"
                       value={inviteLink}
                       onChange={(e) => setInviteLink(e.target.value)}
                       disabled={loading}
diff --git a/apps/web/src/routes/_authenticated.tsx b/apps/web/src/routes/_authenticated.tsx
index d88a196..c2d92b6 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/routes/_authenticated.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/routes/_authenticated.tsx
@@ -59,7 +59,9 @@ function AuthenticatedLayout() {
 
   // Only show onboarding if explicitly not completed AND no existing guilds
   // (guards against existing users whose flag defaulted to false)
+  const isInviteRoute = location.pathname.startsWith("/invite/")
   const showOnboarding =
+    !isInviteRoute &&
     session.user.onboardingCompleted === false &&
     guilds !== undefined &&
     guilds?.length === 0