diff --git a/src/app/[slug]/page.tsx b/src/app/[slug]/page.tsx
index d5f60ec..765d6e7 100644
--- a/src/app/[slug]/page.tsx
+++ b/src/app/[slug]/page.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import ShareModal from '@/components/room/ShareModal';
 import MeetingPointModal from '@/components/room/MeetingPointModal';
 import WaypointModal from '@/components/room/WaypointModal';
 import InstallBanner from '@/components/room/InstallBanner';
+import JoinForm from '@/components/room/JoinForm';
 import type { Participant, ParticipantLocation, Waypoint } from '@/types';
 
 // Dynamic import for map to avoid SSR issues with MapLibre
@@ -38,24 +39,31 @@ export default function RoomPage() {
   const [selectedWaypoint, setSelectedWaypoint] = useState<Waypoint | null>(null);
   const [shouldAutoStartSharing, setShouldAutoStartSharing] = useState(false);
   const [zoomToLocation, setZoomToLocation] = useState<{ latitude: number; longitude: number } | null>(null);
+  const [needsJoin, setNeedsJoin] = useState(false);
 
   // Load user and sharing preference from localStorage
   useEffect(() => {
     const stored = localStorage.getItem('rmaps_user');
     if (stored) {
       setCurrentUser(JSON.parse(stored));
+      // Check if user had location sharing enabled for this room
+      const sharingPref = localStorage.getItem(`rmaps_sharing_${slug}`);
+      if (sharingPref === 'true') {
+        setShouldAutoStartSharing(true);
+      }
     } else {
-      // Redirect to home if no user info
-      router.push('/');
-      return;
+      // Show join form instead of redirecting
+      setNeedsJoin(true);
     }
+  }, [slug]);
 
-    // Check if user had location sharing enabled for this room
-    const sharingPref = localStorage.getItem(`rmaps_sharing_${slug}`);
-    if (sharingPref === 'true') {
-      setShouldAutoStartSharing(true);
-    }
-  }, [router, slug]);
+  // Handle joining from the inline form
+  const handleJoin = (name: string, emoji: string) => {
+    const user = { name, emoji };
+    localStorage.setItem('rmaps_user', JSON.stringify(user));
+    setCurrentUser(user);
+    setNeedsJoin(false);
+  };
 
   // Room hook (only initialize when we have user info)
   const {
@@ -276,6 +284,11 @@ export default function RoomPage() {
     setShowParticipants(false); // Close participant list to show map
   };
 
+  // Show join form if user hasn't entered their name yet
+  if (needsJoin) {
+    return <JoinForm roomSlug={slug} onJoin={handleJoin} />;
+  }
+
   // Loading state
   if (!currentUser || isLoading) {
     return (
diff --git a/src/components/map/C3NavEmbed.tsx b/src/components/map/C3NavEmbed.tsx
index 23e9856..e723117 100644
--- a/src/components/map/C3NavEmbed.tsx
+++ b/src/components/map/C3NavEmbed.tsx
@@ -1,19 +1,14 @@
 'use client';
 
-import { useState, useEffect, useRef } from 'react';
 import type { Participant } from '@/types';
 
 interface C3NavEmbedProps {
   /** Event identifier (e.g., '39c3', 'eh2025') */
   eventId?: string;
-  /** Initial location to show */
-  initialLocation?: string;
   /** Participants to show on the map overlay */
   participants?: Participant[];
   /** Current user ID */
   currentUserId?: string;
-  /** Callback when user taps a location */
-  onLocationSelect?: (location: { slug: string; name: string }) => void;
   /** Show the indoor/outdoor toggle */
   showToggle?: boolean;
   /** Callback when toggling to outdoor mode */
@@ -32,105 +27,37 @@ const C3NAV_EVENTS: Record<string, string> = {
 
 export default function C3NavEmbed({
   eventId = '39c3',
-  initialLocation,
   participants = [],
   currentUserId,
-  onLocationSelect,
   showToggle = true,
   onToggleOutdoor,
 }: C3NavEmbedProps) {
-  const iframeRef = useRef<HTMLIFrameElement>(null);
-  const [isLoading, setIsLoading] = useState(true);
-  const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
-
   // Get the c3nav base URL for the event
   const baseUrl = C3NAV_EVENTS[eventId] || C3NAV_EVENTS['39c3'];
 
-  // Build the embed URL
-  const embedUrl = new URL(baseUrl);
-  embedUrl.searchParams.set('embed', '1');
-  if (initialLocation) {
-    embedUrl.searchParams.set('o', initialLocation);
-  }
-
-  // Handle iframe load
-  const handleLoad = () => {
-    setIsLoading(false);
-    setError(null);
-  };
-
-  // Handle iframe error
-  const handleError = () => {
-    setIsLoading(false);
-    setError('Failed to load indoor map');
-  };
-
-  // Listen for messages from c3nav iframe
-  useEffect(() => {
-    const handleMessage = (event: MessageEvent) => {
-      // Only accept messages from c3nav
-      if (!event.origin.includes('c3nav.de')) return;
-
-      try {
-        const data = event.data;
-        if (data.type === 'c3nav:location' && onLocationSelect) {
-          onLocationSelect({
-            slug: data.slug,
-            name: data.name,
-          });
-        }
-      } catch (e) {
-        // Ignore invalid messages
-      }
-    };
-
-    window.addEventListener('message', handleMessage);
-    return () => window.removeEventListener('message', handleMessage);
-  }, [onLocationSelect]);
-
+  // c3nav blocks iframes, so show fallback UI with link to open in new tab
   return (
-    <div className="relative w-full h-full">
-      {/* c3nav iframe */}
-      <iframe
-        ref={iframeRef}
-        src={embedUrl.toString()}
-        className="w-full h-full border-0"
-        allow="geolocation"
-        onLoad={handleLoad}
-        onError={handleError}
-        title="c3nav indoor navigation"
-      />
-
-      {/* Loading overlay */}
-      {isLoading && (
-        <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-rmaps-dark flex items-center justify-center">
-          <div className="text-center">
-            <div className="w-8 h-8 border-2 border-rmaps-primary border-t-transparent rounded-full animate-spin mx-auto mb-2" />
-            <div className="text-white/60 text-sm">Loading indoor map...</div>
-          </div>
-        </div>
-      )}
-
-      {/* Error overlay */}
-      {error && (
-        <div className="absolute inset-0 bg-rmaps-dark flex items-center justify-center">
-          <div className="text-center p-4">
-            <div className="text-red-400 mb-2">{error}</div>
-            <button
-              onClick={() => {
-                setIsLoading(true);
-                setError(null);
-                if (iframeRef.current) {
-                  iframeRef.current.src = embedUrl.toString();
-                }
-              }}
-              className="btn-ghost text-sm"
-            >
-              Retry
-            </button>
-          </div>
-        </div>
-      )}
+    <div className="relative w-full h-full bg-rmaps-dark">
+      {/* Fallback UI since c3nav blocks iframe embedding */}
+      <div className="absolute inset-0 flex flex-col items-center justify-center p-6 text-center">
+        <div className="text-6xl mb-4">🏢</div>
+        <h3 className="text-xl font-semibold text-white mb-2">Indoor Navigation</h3>
+        <p className="text-white/60 text-sm mb-6 max-w-xs">
+          Open c3nav to view the indoor map and navigate the venue
+        </p>
+        <button
+          onClick={() => window.open(baseUrl, '_blank')}
+          className="btn-primary flex items-center gap-2"
+        >
+          <svg className="w-5 h-5" fill="none" stroke="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 24 24">
+            <path strokeLinecap="round" strokeLinejoin="round" strokeWidth={2} d="M10 6H6a2 2 0 00-2 2v10a2 2 0 002 2h10a2 2 0 002-2v-4M14 4h6m0 0v6m0-6L10 14" />
+          </svg>
+          Open c3nav
+        </button>
+        <p className="text-white/40 text-xs mt-4">
+          {eventId.toUpperCase()} venue map
+        </p>
+      </div>
 
       {/* Friend markers overlay */}
       {participants.length > 0 && (
diff --git a/src/components/room/JoinForm.tsx b/src/components/room/JoinForm.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..59cf0c0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/components/room/JoinForm.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+'use client';
+
+import { useState } from 'react';
+
+const EMOJIS = ['😀', '😎', '🤓', '🥳', '🦊', '🐱', '🐶', '🦄', '🌟', '🔥', '💜', '🎮'];
+
+interface JoinFormProps {
+  roomSlug: string;
+  onJoin: (name: string, emoji: string) => void;
+}
+
+export default function JoinForm({ roomSlug, onJoin }: JoinFormProps) {
+  const [name, setName] = useState('');
+  const [emoji, setEmoji] = useState(EMOJIS[Math.floor(Math.random() * EMOJIS.length)]);
+
+  const handleSubmit = (e: React.FormEvent) => {
+    e.preventDefault();
+    if (name.trim()) {
+      onJoin(name.trim(), emoji);
+    }
+  };
+
+  return (
+    <div className="min-h-screen flex items-center justify-center p-4 bg-rmaps-dark">
+      <div className="room-panel rounded-2xl p-6 max-w-sm w-full">
+        <div className="text-center mb-6">
+          <h1 className="text-2xl font-bold text-white mb-2">Join Room</h1>
+          <p className="text-white/60 text-sm">
+            You're joining <span className="text-rmaps-primary font-medium">/{roomSlug}</span>
+          </p>
+        </div>
+
+        <form onSubmit={handleSubmit} className="space-y-4">
+          {/* Emoji picker */}
+          <div>
+            <label className="block text-white/60 text-sm mb-2">Pick your avatar</label>
+            <div className="flex flex-wrap gap-2 justify-center">
+              {EMOJIS.map((e) => (
+                <button
+                  key={e}
+                  type="button"
+                  onClick={() => setEmoji(e)}
+                  className={`w-10 h-10 rounded-full text-xl flex items-center justify-center transition-all ${
+                    emoji === e
+                      ? 'bg-rmaps-primary scale-110'
+                      : 'bg-white/10 hover:bg-white/20'
+                  }`}
+                >
+                  {e}
+                </button>
+              ))}
+            </div>
+          </div>
+
+          {/* Name input */}
+          <div>
+            <label className="block text-white/60 text-sm mb-2">Your name</label>
+            <input
+              type="text"
+              value={name}
+              onChange={(e) => setName(e.target.value)}
+              placeholder="Enter your name"
+              className="w-full px-4 py-3 rounded-lg bg-white/10 border border-white/20 text-white placeholder-white/40 focus:border-rmaps-primary focus:outline-none"
+              maxLength={20}
+              autoFocus
+            />
+          </div>
+
+          {/* Preview */}
+          <div className="flex items-center justify-center gap-3 py-3 bg-white/5 rounded-lg">
+            <div className="w-12 h-12 rounded-full bg-rmaps-primary/30 flex items-center justify-center text-2xl">
+              {emoji}
+            </div>
+            <span className="text-white font-medium">
+              {name || 'Your Name'}
+            </span>
+          </div>
+
+          {/* Submit */}
+          <button
+            type="submit"
+            disabled={!name.trim()}
+            className="w-full btn-primary py-3 disabled:opacity-50 disabled:cursor-not-allowed"
+          >
+            Join Room
+          </button>
+        </form>
+
+        {/* Location sharing note */}
+        <p className="text-white/40 text-xs text-center mt-4">
+          Location sharing is optional and can be toggled anytime
+        </p>
+      </div>
+    </div>
+  );
+}