diff --git a/plugins/social/src/social.js b/plugins/social/src/social.js
index 3d25ec99a..1d3941e1f 100644
--- a/plugins/social/src/social.js
+++ b/plugins/social/src/social.js
@@ -3996,7 +3996,13 @@ export function createSocial(service, config = {}, { client: given, api: givenAp
     const mine = (snapshot?.members ?? hosted?.participants ?? []).find(member => locals.has(norm(member.handle)))
     return cleanText(mine?.ownerName || mine?.owner_name, '') || 'Someone'
   }
-  function faceSnapshotPast(snapshot, hosted) {
+  // #1606: one snapshot that lists no peer is not proof the peers left. Right after face-start
+  // the member list lags behind the seats, and a single dropped or half-read response looks the
+  // same. An open room ends only when two snapshots in a row agree that every other home is gone,
+  // or when a snapshot carries the leave itself; anything less than that must not close the room.
+  // `peerGone` is the caller's verdict from #1606: two snapshots in a row with no other home, or a
+  // snapshot carrying the leave itself. One peerless snapshot on its own never ends a room.
+  function faceSnapshotPast(snapshot, hosted, peerGone = false) {
     const status = snapshot?.status || hosted?.face?.status
     if (status === 'closed' || status === 'left') return { status }
     // Once the room is left or closed here, a later poll must not reopen it (#182): the peer's
@@ -4008,14 +4014,13 @@ export function createSocial(service, config = {}, { client: given, api: givenAp
     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 === 'open' || wasOpen) && peerGone) return { status: 'closed', peersGone: true }
     if (status === 'candidate' && expiresAt) {
       const at = Date.parse(expiresAt)
       if (Number.isFinite(at) && at <= now()) return { status: 'closed' }
@@ -4033,16 +4038,41 @@ export function createSocial(service, config = {}, { client: given, api: givenAp
   function neverShared(hosted) {
     return !(hosted?.participants ?? []).some(p => p.remote === true)
   }
+  function facePeersGone(snapshot, hosted, locals) {
+    const roomId = snapshot?.roomId
+    const mine = new Set(locals.map(bot => bot.handle).filter(Boolean).map(norm))
+    const here = new Set()
+    for (const member of snapshot?.members ?? []) {
+      const handle = norm(member?.handle)
+      if (handle && !mine.has(handle)) here.add(handle)
+    }
+    const known = facePeers.get(roomId) ?? new Set()
+    for (const p of hosted?.participants ?? []) {
+      if (p.leftSeq === undefined && p.remote === true && p.handle) known.add(norm(p.handle))
+    }
+    for (const handle of here) known.add(handle)
+    facePeers.set(roomId, known)
+    const left = (snapshot?.events ?? []).some(event => event?.type === 'member.left')
+    const misses = here.size > 0 ? 0 : (facePeerMisses.get(roomId) ?? 0) + (known.size > 0 ? 1 : 0)
+    facePeerMisses.set(roomId, misses)
+    return known.size > 0 && here.size === 0 && (left || misses >= 2)
+  }
+  // #1606: the seats a snapshot lists, and how many snapshots in a row each room has gone without
+  // them. Right after face-start the member list lags behind the seats, so one snapshot with no
+  // other home proves nothing; the room ends on the second agreeing snapshot or on the leave itself.
+  const facePeers = new Map()
+  const facePeerMisses = new Map()
   async function applyFaceSnapshot(snapshot, { asBot } = {}) {
     if (!snapshot?.roomId || !flybot.rooms?.upsertFace) return undefined
     const attested = await serverAttests()
     const locals = bringable()
     const hosted = flybot.rooms.ofFace?.(snapshot.roomId)
+    const gone = snapshot.status === 'closed' || snapshot.status === 'left' ? false : facePeersGone(snapshot, hosted, locals)
     const previousLive = new Set((hosted?.participants ?? [])
       .filter(p => p.leftSeq === undefined)
       .map(p => norm(p.handle || p.id))
       .filter(Boolean))
-    const past = faceSnapshotPast(snapshot, hosted)
+    const past = faceSnapshotPast(snapshot, hosted, gone)
     const title = faceRoomTitle(snapshot, { code: settings.faceRooms[snapshot.roomId]?.joinCode, room: hosted })
     const room = await flybot.rooms.upsertFace({
       roomId: snapshot.roomId,
diff --git a/plugins/social/test/social.test.js b/plugins/social/test/social.test.js
index 8817494e8..025652cbb 100644
--- a/plugins/social/test/social.test.js
+++ b/plugins/social/test/social.test.js
@@ -2587,6 +2587,9 @@ test('when the last peer leaves, the face room moves to Past rooms', async (t) =
   // #304: the title keeps the number it was joined by, through polls and the end.
   assert.match(ctx.flybot.rooms.ofFace('frm_123456').name, / · 123456$/)
   room.members = room.members.filter(member => member.handle !== '@coder.bob.home')
+  // #1606: one snapshot with no peer listed is not proof everyone left; two agreeing snapshots are.
+  await call('flybot/social/face-rooms', { poll: true })
+  assert.equal(ctx.flybot.rooms.ofFace('frm_123456').face.status, 'open', 'one peerless snapshot keeps the room open')
   const listed = (await call('flybot/social/face-rooms', { poll: true })).value
   const past = listed.rooms.find(item => item.faceRoomId === 'frm_123456')
   // This home did not leave: the room ended around it, so it reads Closed, not Left (#304) ...
@@ -2609,6 +2612,29 @@ test('when the last peer leaves, the face room moves to Past rooms', async (t) =
   assert.equal(again.endedAt, past.endedAt)
 })
 
+// #1606: face-start seats the peer here at once while the server's member list still lags; one
+// peerless snapshot must not end the room (it flipped to closed 1-3 s after face-start).
+test('#1606: one snapshot with no peer listed does not close an open face room', async (t) => {
+  const { ctx, call, server } = await faceSocial(t)
+  const room = server.face.peer('160616')
+  await call('flybot/social/face-join', { code: '160616' })
+  room.status = 'open'
+  room.started_at = new Date().toISOString()
+  await call('flybot/social/face-rooms', { poll: true })
+  assert.equal(ctx.flybot.rooms.ofFace('frm_160616').face.status, 'open')
+  // A snapshot whose member list has not caught up: the room must stay open and keep its seat.
+  room.members = []
+  const first = (await call('flybot/social/face-rooms', { poll: true })).value.rooms.find(item => item.faceRoomId === 'frm_160616')
+  assert.equal(first.status, 'open', 'one peerless snapshot keeps the room open')
+  assert.equal(ctx.flybot.rooms.ofFace('frm_160616').face.status, 'open')
+  assert.equal(room.status, 'open', 'the room was not left on Bot Social')
+  assert.equal(server.calls.some(c => c.name === 'REST POST /frm_160616/leave'), false, 'no face-leave for one snapshot')
+  // Two snapshots in a row that agree are a peer leave: the room ends and this home leaves it.
+  await call('flybot/social/face-rooms', { poll: true })
+  assert.equal(ctx.flybot.rooms.ofFace('frm_160616').face.status, 'closed')
+  assert.ok(server.calls.some(c => c.name === 'REST POST /frm_160616/leave'))
+})
+
 // #1103: B left room 739184 and A's pane showed both "SelfB1025 left the room" and the
 // banner "SelfB1025 left the room. Room closed." The closed line already names who left.
 test('#1103: a peer leave that closes the room posts no second leave line', async (t) => {
@@ -2730,6 +2756,10 @@ test('#304: a failed automatic leave is tried again on the next poll', async (t)
   room.members.push({ bot_id: 'bot_peer', handle: '@coder.bob.home', display_name: 'Coder', owner_name: 'Bob', published: false, label: 'Coder · Bob' })
   await call('flybot/social/face-rooms', { poll: true })
   room.members = room.members.filter(member => member.handle !== '@coder.bob.home')
+  // #1606: the first peerless snapshot keeps the room open and leaves nothing.
+  await call('flybot/social/face-rooms', { poll: true })
+  assert.equal(leaves.length, 0, 'one peerless snapshot does not leave')
+  assert.equal(ctx.flybot.rooms.ofFace('frm_123456').face.status, 'open')
   await call('flybot/social/face-rooms', { poll: true })
   assert.equal(leaves.length, 1)
   assert.equal(room.status, 'open', 'the first leave failed')
@@ -2793,6 +2823,9 @@ test('#1072: an open face room whose next snapshot is a waiting lobby closes ins
   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')
+  // #1606: one peerless snapshot keeps it open, the second ends it.
+  await call('flybot/social/face-rooms', { poll: true })
+  assert.equal(ctx.flybot.rooms.ofFace('frm_123456').face.status, 'open')
   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')
@@ -2973,6 +3006,9 @@ test('#182: a peer leaving closes the room here and a later poll does not reopen
   await call('flybot/social/face-rooms', { poll: true })
   assert.equal(ctx.flybot.rooms.ofFace('frm_123456').face.status, 'open')
   body.members = body.members.filter(member => member.handle !== '@chief.bob.home')
+  // #1606: the first peerless snapshot keeps the room open; the second agreeing one closes it.
+  await call('flybot/social/face-rooms', { poll: true })
+  assert.equal(ctx.flybot.rooms.ofFace('frm_123456').face.status, 'open', 'one peerless snapshot keeps the room open')
   await call('flybot/social/face-rooms', { poll: true })
   assert.equal(ctx.flybot.rooms.ofFace('frm_123456').face.status, 'closed')
   await call('flybot/social/face-rooms', { poll: true })
@@ -10272,6 +10308,9 @@ test('#458: a room stays open while two or more people are in it; it closes when
   await call('flybot/social/face-rooms', { poll: true })
   assert.equal(ctx.flybot.rooms.ofFace('frm_444444').face.status, 'open', 'Bob left; Carol and I are still here')
   room.members = room.members.filter(member => member.handle !== carol.handle)
+  // #1606: two agreeing peerless snapshots, not one.
+  await call('flybot/social/face-rooms', { poll: true })
+  assert.equal(ctx.flybot.rooms.ofFace('frm_444444').face.status, 'open', 'one peerless snapshot keeps the room open')
   await call('flybot/social/face-rooms', { poll: true })
   assert.equal(ctx.flybot.rooms.ofFace('frm_444444').face.status, 'closed', 'only I am left')
   const past = (await call('flybot/social/face-rooms', { poll: false })).value.rooms.find(item => item.faceRoomId === 'frm_444444')