diff --git a/cutt/main.py b/cutt/main.py
index 0431b93..596fbb8 100644
--- a/cutt/main.py
+++ b/cutt/main.py
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ from cutt.analysis import analysis_router
 from cutt.mail import send_forgotten_password_link
 from cutt.security import (
     get_current_active_user,
+    join_team_token,
     login_for_access_token,
     logout,
     register,
@@ -59,6 +60,9 @@ team_router = APIRouter(
 )
 team_router.add_api_route("/list", endpoint=list_teams, methods=["GET"])
 team_router.add_api_route("/add", endpoint=add_team, methods=["POST"])
+team_router.add_api_route(
+    "/join_link/{team_id}", endpoint=join_team_token, methods=["GET"]
+)
 
 
 wrong_user_id_exception = HTTPException(
diff --git a/cutt/player.py b/cutt/player.py
index 197a1b9..1d42c7d 100644
--- a/cutt/player.py
+++ b/cutt/player.py
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ from cutt.security import (
     change_password,
     get_current_active_user,
     read_player_me,
+    verify_one_time_token,
     verify_team_scope,
 )
 from cutt.demo import demo_players
@@ -197,14 +198,46 @@ def add_player_to_team(player_id: int, team_id: int):
         player = session.exec(select(P).where(P.id == player_id)).one()
         team = session.exec(select(Team).where(Team.id == team_id)).one()
         if player and team:
-            team.players.append(player)
-            session.add(team)
-            session.commit()
-            return PlainTextResponse(
-                f"added {player.display_name} ({player.username}) to {team.name}"
+            if player in team.players:
+                return PlainTextResponse(
+                    f"{player.display_name} ({player.username}) is already part of {team.name}"
+                )
+            else:
+                team.players.append(player)
+                session.add(team)
+                session.commit()
+                return PlainTextResponse(
+                    f"added {player.display_name} ({player.username}) to {team.name}"
+                )
+        else:
+            raise HTTPException(
+                status_code=status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED,
+                detail="something went wrong",
             )
 
 
+class JoinRequest(BaseModel):
+    token: str
+    team_id: int
+
+
+def join_team(r: JoinRequest, user: Annotated[P, Depends(get_current_active_user)]):
+    payload = verify_one_time_token(r.token)
+    action: str = payload.get("sub")
+    if action != "join":
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED,
+            detail="wrong type of token.",
+        )
+    team_id: int = payload.get("team_id")
+    if team_id != r.team_id:
+        raise HTTPException(
+            status_code=status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED,
+            detail="wrong team",
+        )
+    return add_player_to_team(user.id, r.team_id)
+
+
 def add_players(players: list[P]):
     with Session(engine) as session:
         for player in players:
@@ -218,7 +251,7 @@ async def list_all_players():
 
 
 async def list_players(
-    team_id: int, user: Annotated[Player, Depends(get_current_active_user)]
+    team_id: int, user: Annotated[P, Depends(get_current_active_user)]
 ):
     if team_id == 42:
         return [
@@ -313,6 +346,11 @@ player_router.add_api_route(
     endpoint=remove_player_from_team,
     methods=["DELETE"],
 )
+player_router.add_api_route(
+    "/{team_id}/join",
+    endpoint=join_team,
+    methods=["POST"],
+)
 player_router.add_api_route(
     "/{team_id}/list",
     endpoint=list_players,
diff --git a/cutt/security.py b/cutt/security.py
index 99da870..17af087 100644
--- a/cutt/security.py
+++ b/cutt/security.py
@@ -225,16 +225,19 @@ def set_password_token(user: Player):
     return token
 
 
-def register_token(team_id: int):
+def join_team_token(team_id: int):
     with Session(engine) as session:
         team = session.exec(select(Team).where(Team.id == team_id)).one()
         if team:
             expire = timedelta(days=30)
             token = create_access_token(
-                data={"sub": "register", "team_id": team_id, "name": team.name},
+                data={"sub": "join", "team_id": team_id, "name": team.name},
                 expires_delta=expire,
             )
-            return token
+            if token:
+                session.add(TokenDB(token=token))
+            session.commit()
+            return PlainTextResponse(f"https://cutt.0124816.xyz/join?token={token}")
 
 
 def verify_one_time_token(token: str):
@@ -344,7 +347,7 @@ class RegisterRequest(BaseModel):
 async def register(req: RegisterRequest):
     payload = verify_one_time_token(req.token)
     action: str = payload.get("sub")
-    if action != "register":
+    if action != "join":
         raise HTTPException(
             status_code=status.HTTP_401_UNAUTHORIZED,
             detail="wrong type of token.",
diff --git a/frontend/src/Form.tsx b/frontend/src/Form.tsx
index 4e4f0bd..d7ead1e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/Form.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/Form.tsx
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ function TypeDnD({ user, teams, players }: PlayerInfoProps) {
 
   useEffect(() => {
     handleGet();
-  }, [players]);
+  }, [players, teams]);
 
   const [dialog, setDialog] = useState("dialog");
   const dialogRef = useRef<HTMLDialogElement>(null);
@@ -245,7 +245,7 @@ function MVPDnD({ user, teams, players }: PlayerInfoProps) {
     const activeTeam = teams.teams.find((team) => team.id == teams.activeTeam);
     activeTeam && setMixed(activeTeam.mixed);
     handleGet();
-  }, [players]);
+  }, [players, teams]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     handleGet();
@@ -364,7 +364,7 @@ function ChemistryDnDMobile({ user, teams, players }: PlayerInfoProps) {
 
   useEffect(() => {
     handleGet();
-  }, [players]);
+  }, [players, teams]);
 
   const [dialog, setDialog] = useState("dialog");
   const dialogRef = useRef<HTMLDialogElement>(null);
diff --git a/frontend/src/JoinTeam.tsx b/frontend/src/JoinTeam.tsx
index d4bada8..c504019 100644
--- a/frontend/src/JoinTeam.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/JoinTeam.tsx
@@ -1,14 +1,17 @@
 import { jwtDecode } from "jwt-decode";
-import { PassToken } from "./api";
+import { apiAuth, PassToken } from "./api";
 import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
+import { UsersIcon } from "lucide-react";
+import { useNavigate } from "react-router";
 import { useSession } from "./Session";
 
 export const Join = () => {
   const [token, setToken] = useState("");
-  const { user } = useSession();
   const [teamName, setTeamName] = useState("");
   const [teamID, setTeamID] = useState<number>();
   const [error, setError] = useState("");
+  const { teams, setTeams } = useSession();
+  const navigate = useNavigate();
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const params = new URLSearchParams(window.location.search);
@@ -17,7 +20,7 @@ export const Join = () => {
       setToken(token);
       try {
         const payload = jwtDecode<PassToken>(token);
-        if (payload.sub === "register") {
+        if (payload.sub === "join") {
           if (payload.team_id) setTeamID(payload.team_id);
         } else {
           setError("not a valid token for joining");
@@ -29,15 +32,32 @@ export const Join = () => {
     } else setError("no token found");
   }, []);
 
+  async function handleJoin() {
+    const r = await apiAuth(
+      `player/${teamID}/join`,
+      { token: token, team_id: teamID },
+      "POST"
+    );
+    if (r.detail) setError(r.detail);
+    else {
+      setTeams({ ...teams, activeTeam: teamID });
+      navigate("/", { replace: true });
+    }
+  }
+
   return (
     <section className="section is-medium">
-      <div className="container is-max-tablet">
+      <div className="container is-max-tablet has-text-centered">
         <h1 className="title">Join "{teamName}"</h1>
         <div className="field is-grouped is-grouped-centered">
-          <button className="button is-primary is-large is-outlined">
-            join
+          <button className="button is-dark is-large" onClick={handleJoin}>
+            <span className="icon">
+              <UsersIcon />
+            </span>
+            <span> join team</span>
           </button>
         </div>
+        <span className="help is-danger">{error}</span>
       </div>
     </section>
   );
diff --git a/frontend/src/Register.tsx b/frontend/src/Register.tsx
index 1e56ef5..bedd804 100644
--- a/frontend/src/Register.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/Register.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
 import { jwtDecode } from "jwt-decode";
 import { FormEvent, useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import { baseUrl, Gender, PassToken } from "./api";
-import { Link, useLocation, useNavigate } from "react-router";
-import { TriangleAlert } from "lucide-react";
+import { useLocation, useNavigate } from "react-router";
 
 export const Register = () => {
   const [name, setName] = useState("");
@@ -28,7 +27,7 @@ export const Register = () => {
       setToken(token);
       try {
         const payload = jwtDecode<PassToken>(token);
-        if (payload.sub === "register") {
+        if (payload.sub === "join") {
           if (payload.team_id) setTeamID(payload.team_id);
         } else {
           setError("not a valid token for registration");
@@ -107,17 +106,6 @@ export const Register = () => {
         <h1 className="title">
           Register {teamName && `in team "${teamName}"`}
         </h1>
-        <div className="notification is-warning">
-          <div className="icon-text">
-            <span className="icon">
-              <TriangleAlert />
-            </span>
-            <span>
-              If you already have an account,{" "}
-              <a href={`/join${location.search}&login=1`}>login</a> first.
-            </span>
-          </div>
-        </div>
         <form onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
           <div className="field">
             <div className="field">
diff --git a/frontend/src/Session.tsx b/frontend/src/Session.tsx
index d83399a..a751ba7 100644
--- a/frontend/src/Session.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/Session.tsx
@@ -7,15 +7,10 @@ import {
 } from "react";
 import { apiAuth, currentUser, loadPlayers, logout, User } from "./api";
 import { Login } from "./Login";
-import Header from "./Header";
 import { Team } from "./types";
 import Loading from "./Loading";
-import {
-  useLocation,
-  useNavigate,
-  useParams,
-  useSearchParams,
-} from "react-router";
+import { Link, useLocation } from "react-router";
+import { TriangleAlert } from "lucide-react";
 
 export interface SessionProviderProps {
   children: ReactNode;
@@ -53,8 +48,6 @@ export function SessionProvider(props: SessionProviderProps) {
   const [error, setError] = useState<unknown>(null);
   const [loading, setLoading] = useState(false);
   const location = useLocation();
-  let [searchParams] = useSearchParams();
-  const navigate = useNavigate();
 
   function loadUser() {
     setLoading(true);
@@ -71,8 +64,12 @@ export function SessionProvider(props: SessionProviderProps) {
   }
 
   async function loadTeam() {
-    const teams: Team[] = await apiAuth("player/me/teams", null, "GET");
-    if (teams) setTeams({ teams: teams, activeTeam: teams[0].id });
+    const loaded_teams: Team[] = await apiAuth("player/me/teams", null, "GET");
+    if (loaded_teams)
+      setTeams({
+        teams: loaded_teams,
+        activeTeam: teams?.activeTeam || loaded_teams[0].id,
+      });
   }
 
   async function reloadPlayers() {
@@ -110,8 +107,6 @@ export function SessionProvider(props: SessionProviderProps) {
   if (loading || (!error && !user))
     content = <section className="section is-medium">{Loading}</section>;
   else if (error) {
-    if (location.pathname === "/join" && !searchParams.get("login"))
-      navigate(`/register${location.search}`);
     content = (
       <section className="section is-medium">
         <div className="container is-max-tablet">
@@ -125,6 +120,19 @@ export function SessionProvider(props: SessionProviderProps) {
               />
             </p>
           </div>
+          {location.pathname === "/join" && (
+            <div className="notification is-warning">
+              <div className="icon-text">
+                <span className="icon">
+                  <TriangleAlert />
+                </span>
+                <span>
+                  If you don't already have an account,{" "}
+                  <Link to={`/register${location.search}`}>register here</Link>.
+                </span>
+              </div>
+            </div>
+          )}
           <Login onLogin={onLogin} />
         </div>
       </section>