diff --git a/core/src/host/room-membership.js b/core/src/host/room-membership.js
index a2c790924..ea81e9949 100644
--- a/core/src/host/room-membership.js
+++ b/core/src/host/room-membership.js
@@ -219,6 +219,9 @@ function faceStatusFrom(spec, current) {
   const status = spec?.status
   if (status === 'open' || status === 'closed' || status === 'left') return status
   if (spec?.startedAt) return 'open'
+  // A later snapshot that says "candidate" and omits startedAt must not put an
+  // open, closed, or left room back on the waiting lobby (#1072).
+  if (current === 'open' || current === 'closed' || current === 'left') return current
   if (status) return status
   return current || 'candidate'
 }
diff --git a/core/test/remote-room.test.js b/core/test/remote-room.test.js
index fec23814e..01b0ce90a 100644
--- a/core/test/remote-room.test.js
+++ b/core/test/remote-room.test.js
@@ -343,6 +343,33 @@ test('face-to-face rejoin revives a left participant instead of duplicating', as
   assert.equal(room.face.status, 'open')
 })
 
+test('#1072: an open face room is not demoted to the waiting lobby when a snapshot omits startedAt', async (t) => {
+  const { rt } = host(t, TEAM)
+  await rt.load()
+  const spec = {
+    roomId: 'frm_1072',
+    localId: 'face-1072',
+    status: 'open',
+    startedAt: '2026-10-25T01:00:00.000Z',
+    localBots: [{ id: 'spec-a', handle: '@writer.alice.home', name: 'Writer A' }],
+  }
+  const both = [
+    { handle: '@writer.alice.home', displayName: 'Writer', ownerName: 'Alice', published: false },
+    { handle: '@coder.bob.home', displayName: 'Coder', ownerName: 'Bob', published: false },
+  ]
+  await rt.upsertFaceRoom({ ...spec, members: both })
+  const room = rt.state.rooms['face-1072']
+  assert.equal(room.face.status, 'open')
+  assert.equal(room.id, 'face-1072')
+  await rt.upsertFaceRoom({ roomId: 'frm_1072', status: 'candidate', members: [both[0]] })
+  assert.equal(room.face.status, 'open')
+  assert.equal(room.id, 'face-1072')
+  const peer = room.participants.filter(p => p.handle === '@coder.bob.home')
+  assert.equal(peer.length, 1)
+  assert.ok(peer[0].leftSeq !== undefined)
+  assert.equal(room.participants.filter(p => p.handle === '@writer.alice.home' && p.leftSeq === undefined).length, 1)
+})
+
 test('#304: a face room keeps the number it was joined by in its title, through polls and leave', async (t) => {
   const { rt } = host(t, TEAM)
   await rt.load()
diff --git a/docs/subsystems/core-host.md b/docs/subsystems/core-host.md
index 5e269c92c..10f50661f 100644
--- a/docs/subsystems/core-host.md
+++ b/docs/subsystems/core-host.md
@@ -226,7 +226,7 @@ Work a member hands a Bot with `message_bot` from its group Session runs in a hi
 - `syncFaceParticipants` / `faceRemoteRecord` keep optional `color` / `avatar` from the Bot Social member payload on the remote participant. The client seeds a distinct generated look from the handle when those fields are absent (see [core-client](core-client.md)). Face-room REST still does not require a person-grant.
 - `rt.uiLanguage()` defaults to `English` until a browser reports a locale; the memory tools use it to name the language the owner writes in on a fresh home (#173).
 - Face titles (#172): `core/src/shared/face-title.js` lists every participant owner in stable handle order and `isAutoFaceTitle` marks auto titles, so a roster change refreshes an auto-named room but never a renamed one; both homes derive the same title. A hosted face room that falls off the Bot Social list keeps its local transcript (poll cleanup no longer calls `dropFace`), so Past rooms **Open** can reopen it (#171).
-- A member that left and joins again is the same participant record with `leftSeq` cleared and a new `joinedSeq` — not a second live row. `upsertFaceRoom` treats `startedAt` (or an explicit `open`) as an open room so the Friends' Bots card does not stay on the matching countdown after **Enter chat**.
+- A member that left and joins again is the same participant record with `leftSeq` cleared and a new `joinedSeq` — not a second live row. `upsertFaceRoom` treats `startedAt` (or an explicit `open`) as an open room so the Friends' Bots card does not stay on the matching countdown after **Enter chat**. A later snapshot whose status is not `open`, `closed`, or `left`, and that omits `startedAt`, does not demote a room that is already open, closed, or left back to `candidate` (#1072).
 
 ### FlyBot display copy
 
diff --git a/docs/subsystems/social.md b/docs/subsystems/social.md
index 0e83d3497..25515b65c 100644
--- a/docs/subsystems/social.md
+++ b/docs/subsystems/social.md
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ Creating a group opens its Session with zero turns, and the host draws no sessio
 
 ### Inbound shared groups
 
-- Bot Social has no FlyBot-group record (`list_conversations` is 1:1; inbox is `message.received` after a send). The plugin therefore carries a `FLYBOT-ROOM-SHARE` envelope on `send_as_member` text. `pollOnce` calls `flybot.rooms.applyInbound` before 1:1 chat delivery, so the Bot's owner sees the group as soon as they are added. `via: 'room'` / `via: 'room-share'` skip the social outbound hold (the add-to-group click is consent), and a send the host sees come back `pending_approval` clears Bot Social's own blanket hold by itself (`autoSendRoomEnvelope`, `holdIsBlanket()` on `hold_reason` of #865, the allow-list of #737): the invite and the room's lines leave with no card, while a hold with a finding of its own keeps its card. That card reads one sentence about the envelope (`Invite <Bot> to the group "<name>"`, `Group message to <Bot>: <line>`), never the JSON or a local `session-…` id (#847). The invited owner's Bot replies still go through `pending_approval`. A roster fetch that no longer lists a remote, or `social/revoke-grant`, leaves those rooms / hides inbound projections.
+- Bot Social has no FlyBot-group record (`list_conversations` is 1:1; inbox is `message.received` after a send). The plugin therefore carries a `FLYBOT-ROOM-SHARE` envelope on `send_as_member` text. `pollOnce` calls `flybot.rooms.applyInbound` before 1:1 chat delivery, so the Bot's owner sees the group as soon as they are added. `via: 'room'` / `via: 'room-share'` skip the social outbound hold (the add-to-group click is consent), and a send the host sees come back `pending_approval` clears Bot Social's own blanket hold by itself (`autoSendRoomEnvelope`, `holdIsBlanket()` on `hold_reason` of #865, the allow-list of #737): the invite and the room's lines leave with no card, while a hold with a finding of its own keeps its card. That card reads one sentence about the envelope (`Invite <Bot> to the group "<name>"`, `Group message to <Bot>: <line>`), never the JSON or a local `session-…` id (#847). The invited owner's Bot replies still go through `pending_approval`. A roster fetch that no longer lists a remote, or `social/revoke-grant`, leaves those rooms / hides inbound projections. Revoking a grant also leaves shared face rooms that still seat that grantee (`leaveSharedFaceRooms`, before the grant delete): the only server call is leaving this home's own seats, so the other home sees a normal departure and does not stay on the waiting lobby. A leave that fails is warned and the revoke still completes. An open room (one already started) whose next snapshot is `candidate` or drops every other home is closed with `peersGone` instead of returning to **Waiting for others**; a room that was only ever a candidate lobby stays one until its window runs out. Peer seats are soft-left (`leftSeq` / `leftAt`), not deleted (#1072).
 
 ### A local room's link for a stranger (#883, #884)
 
diff --git a/patches/ds-bot/files/src/host/room-membership.js b/patches/ds-bot/files/src/host/room-membership.js
index a2c790924..ea81e9949 100644
--- a/patches/ds-bot/files/src/host/room-membership.js
+++ b/patches/ds-bot/files/src/host/room-membership.js
@@ -219,6 +219,9 @@ function faceStatusFrom(spec, current) {
   const status = spec?.status
   if (status === 'open' || status === 'closed' || status === 'left') return status
   if (spec?.startedAt) return 'open'
+  // A later snapshot that says "candidate" and omits startedAt must not put an
+  // open, closed, or left room back on the waiting lobby (#1072).
+  if (current === 'open' || current === 'closed' || current === 'left') return current
   if (status) return status
   return current || 'candidate'
 }
diff --git a/patches/ds-bot/files/test/remote-room.test.js b/patches/ds-bot/files/test/remote-room.test.js
index fec23814e..01b0ce90a 100644
--- a/patches/ds-bot/files/test/remote-room.test.js
+++ b/patches/ds-bot/files/test/remote-room.test.js
@@ -343,6 +343,33 @@ test('face-to-face rejoin revives a left participant instead of duplicating', as
   assert.equal(room.face.status, 'open')
 })
 
+test('#1072: an open face room is not demoted to the waiting lobby when a snapshot omits startedAt', async (t) => {
+  const { rt } = host(t, TEAM)
+  await rt.load()
+  const spec = {
+    roomId: 'frm_1072',
+    localId: 'face-1072',
+    status: 'open',
+    startedAt: '2026-10-25T01:00:00.000Z',
+    localBots: [{ id: 'spec-a', handle: '@writer.alice.home', name: 'Writer A' }],
+  }
+  const both = [
+    { handle: '@writer.alice.home', displayName: 'Writer', ownerName: 'Alice', published: false },
+    { handle: '@coder.bob.home', displayName: 'Coder', ownerName: 'Bob', published: false },
+  ]
+  await rt.upsertFaceRoom({ ...spec, members: both })
+  const room = rt.state.rooms['face-1072']
+  assert.equal(room.face.status, 'open')
+  assert.equal(room.id, 'face-1072')
+  await rt.upsertFaceRoom({ roomId: 'frm_1072', status: 'candidate', members: [both[0]] })
+  assert.equal(room.face.status, 'open')
+  assert.equal(room.id, 'face-1072')
+  const peer = room.participants.filter(p => p.handle === '@coder.bob.home')
+  assert.equal(peer.length, 1)
+  assert.ok(peer[0].leftSeq !== undefined)
+  assert.equal(room.participants.filter(p => p.handle === '@writer.alice.home' && p.leftSeq === undefined).length, 1)
+})
+
 test('#304: a face room keeps the number it was joined by in its title, through polls and leave', async (t) => {
   const { rt } = host(t, TEAM)
   await rt.load()
diff --git a/plugins/social/src/social.js b/plugins/social/src/social.js
index ad03ace06..3315c9947 100644
--- a/plugins/social/src/social.js
+++ b/plugins/social/src/social.js
@@ -2667,6 +2667,24 @@ export function createSocial(service, config = {}, { client: given, api: givenAp
     void remoteBots({ fresh: true }).catch(() => {})
     return result
   }))
+  // Face rooms that still seat this grantee. The only server call is leaving our own seats;
+  // the other home then sees a normal departure. A room already left or closed is skipped,
+  // and so is one this home is no longer hosting.
+  async function leaveSharedFaceRooms(bot, grantee) {
+    if (!grantee || typeof flybot.rooms?.list !== 'function') return
+    for (const room of roomsUsing(bot.id, grantee)) {
+      if (room.origin !== 'face-to-face') continue
+      const meta = Object.entries(settings.faceRooms ?? {}).find(([, item]) => item?.localRoomId === room.id)
+      if (!meta) continue
+      const status = flybot.rooms.ofFace?.(meta[0])?.face?.status
+      if (status === 'left' || status === 'closed') continue
+      try {
+        await leaveFaceRoom({ roomId: room.id, faceRoomId: meta[0] })
+      } catch (error) {
+        warn('shared face room not left on revoke', error)
+      }
+    }
+  }
   // One grant's delete; the caller fences it and refreshes the roster once afterwards.
   async function revokeOne(bot, { grantId, relationshipId, grantee }) {
     const current = flybot.grants?.of?.(bot.id) ?? []
@@ -2676,6 +2694,10 @@ export function createSocial(service, config = {}, { client: given, api: givenAp
       || (grantee && norm(grant.grantee) === norm(grantee)))
     if (!target && !grantId && !relationshipId) throw new Error('which grant?')
     const member = memberOf(bot.id)
+    // The face room seats that person with no person-grant on the room, so deleting the
+    // grant leaves the other home polling a lobby. Leave first, while the room is still
+    // healthy, and a failed leave must not block the revoke (#1072).
+    await leaveSharedFaceRooms(bot, target?.grantee || (typeof grantee === 'string' ? grantee : ''))
     await api.revokeGrant({
       grantId: grantId || target?.id,
       relationshipId: relationshipId || target?.relationshipId,
@@ -3497,15 +3519,19 @@ export function createSocial(service, config = {}, { client: given, api: givenAp
     if (held === 'closed' && status === 'open') return { status: held, peersGone: true }
     if (held === 'left' || held === 'closed') return { status: held }
     const expiresAt = snapshot?.expiresAt || hosted?.face?.expiresAt
+    const locals = new Set(bringable().map(bot => bot.handle).filter(Boolean))
+    const previousRemotes = (hosted?.participants ?? []).filter(p => p.leftSeq === undefined && p.remote === true)
+    const currentRemotes = (snapshot?.members ?? []).filter(member => member.handle && !locals.has(norm(member.handle)))
+    // Every other home left an open room: it has ended here, including when the next snapshot
+    // falls back to the waiting lobby (candidate, startedAt omitted). A room that was only ever
+    // a candidate lobby stays one until its window runs out (#1072, #304). Checked before the
+    // expired-candidate return so a started room still leaves on Bot Social.
+    const wasOpen = held === 'open' || Boolean(hosted?.face?.startedAt)
+    if ((status === 'open' || wasOpen) && previousRemotes.length > 0 && currentRemotes.length === 0) return { status: 'closed', peersGone: true }
     if (status === 'candidate' && expiresAt) {
       const at = Date.parse(expiresAt)
       if (Number.isFinite(at) && at <= now()) return { status: 'closed' }
     }
-    const locals = new Set(bringable().map(bot => bot.handle).filter(Boolean))
-    const previousRemotes = (hosted?.participants ?? []).filter(p => p.leftSeq === undefined && p.remote === true)
-    const currentRemotes = (snapshot?.members ?? []).filter(member => member.handle && !locals.has(norm(member.handle)))
-    // Every other home left: the room has ended here, but this home did not leave it (#304).
-    if (status === 'open' && previousRemotes.length > 0 && currentRemotes.length === 0) return { status: 'closed', peersGone: true }
     // The joining window ran out and nobody else ever came (#458): the room ends, it is no open chat with yourself.
     const started = Date.parse(snapshot?.startedAt || '')
     const deadline = Date.parse(expiresAt || '')
diff --git a/plugins/social/test/social.test.js b/plugins/social/test/social.test.js
index b9332c05f..c05680388 100644
--- a/plugins/social/test/social.test.js
+++ b/plugins/social/test/social.test.js
@@ -2483,6 +2483,70 @@ test('#304: a failed automatic leave is tried again on the next poll', async (t)
   assert.equal(leaves.length, 2, 'not after it succeeded')
 })
 
+test('#1072: revoking a grant leaves the shared face room before the grant is deleted', async (t) => {
+  const { ctx, call, stop } = await team()
+  t.after(stop)
+  const server = withFaceRooms(mockServer())
+  server.tools.revoke_bot_grant = () => ({ ok: true })
+  const social = createSocial(ctx.flybot, { server: 'https://s', token: 'owner-token', fetch: server.fetch, inboxPollMs: 0, autoAccept: false }, {
+    client: createMcpClient({ server: 'https://s', token: 'owner-token', fetch: server.fetch }),
+    home: { id: 'h1', handle: '@danyang.home' },
+  })
+  t.after(() => social.dispose())
+  await grantTeam(ctx.flybot)
+  await social.registerAll()
+  const chief = ctx.flybot.bot.list().find(bot => bot.name === 'Chief')
+  server.face.peer('123456')
+  const joined = (await call('flybot/social/face-join', { start: true, code: '123456', botId: chief.id })).value
+  await call('flybot/social/face-start', { faceRoomId: 'frm_123456' })
+  await ctx.flybot.grants.set(chief.id, [{ id: 'g-face', grantee: '@coder.bob.home', name: 'Bob' }])
+  const before = server.calls.length
+  const revoked = await call('flybot/social/revoke-grant', { botId: chief.id, grantId: 'g-face', grantee: '@coder.bob.home' })
+  assert.equal(revoked.ok, true)
+  const slice = server.calls.slice(before)
+  const leaveAt = slice.findIndex(c => c.name === 'REST POST /frm_123456/leave')
+  const revokeAt = slice.findIndex(c => c.name === 'revoke_bot_grant')
+  assert.ok(leaveAt >= 0, 'the shared face room is left on Bot Social')
+  assert.ok(revokeAt > leaveAt, 'the leave is recorded before the grant is deleted')
+  const hosted = ctx.flybot.rooms.ofFace('frm_123456')
+  assert.equal(hosted.id, joined.roomId, 'the same hosted room')
+  assert.equal(hosted.face.status, 'left')
+  const peer = hosted.participants.filter(p => p.handle === '@coder.bob.home')
+  assert.equal(peer.length, 1, 'the peer seat stays on the record')
+  assert.equal((ctx.flybot.grants.of(chief.id) ?? []).some(grant => grant.id === 'g-face'), false)
+})
+
+test('#1072: an open face room whose next snapshot is a waiting lobby closes instead of sticking', async (t) => {
+  const { ctx, call, stop } = await team()
+  t.after(stop)
+  const server = withFaceRooms(mockServer())
+  const social = createSocial(ctx.flybot, { server: 'https://s', token: 'owner-token', fetch: server.fetch, inboxPollMs: 0, autoAccept: false }, {
+    client: createMcpClient({ server: 'https://s', token: 'owner-token', fetch: server.fetch }),
+    home: { id: 'h1', handle: '@danyang.home' },
+  })
+  t.after(() => social.dispose())
+  await grantTeam(ctx.flybot)
+  await social.registerAll()
+  server.face.peer('123456')
+  const joined = (await call('flybot/social/face-join', { start: true, code: '123456' })).value
+  await call('flybot/social/face-start', { faceRoomId: 'frm_123456' })
+  const room = server.face.rooms.get('frm_123456')
+  room.status = 'candidate'
+  delete room.started_at
+  room.expires_at = new Date(Date.now() + 10 * 60_000).toISOString()
+  room.members = room.members.filter(member => member.handle !== '@coder.bob.home')
+  const listed = (await call('flybot/social/face-rooms', { poll: true })).value
+  const past = listed.rooms.find(item => item.faceRoomId === 'frm_123456')
+  const hosted = ctx.flybot.rooms.ofFace('frm_123456')
+  assert.equal(hosted.id, joined.roomId)
+  assert.equal(hosted.face.status, 'closed')
+  assert.equal(past.status, 'closed')
+  const peer = hosted.participants.filter(p => p.handle === '@coder.bob.home')
+  assert.equal(peer.length, 1)
+  assert.ok(peer[0].leftSeq !== undefined)
+  assert.equal(hosted.participants.filter(p => p.handle === '@chief.danyang.home').length, 1)
+})
+
 test('face and inbox polls speed up while a live face room is open', async (t) => {
   const { ctx, call, stop } = await team()
   t.after(stop)