diff --git a/src/apps/gameboard/tests/integrated/test_sea_visit.py b/src/apps/gameboard/tests/integrated/test_sea_visit.py
index 175c622..4a74662 100644
--- a/src/apps/gameboard/tests/integrated/test_sea_visit.py
+++ b/src/apps/gameboard/tests/integrated/test_sea_visit.py
@@ -313,10 +313,11 @@ class MySeaOwnerNavbarGateUnaffectedTest(TestCase):
 
 
 class MySeaVisitOwnerSeatedTest(TestCase):
-    """Phase 2 — the owner shows seated in 1C on the spectator hex whenever
-    she's committed to a draw cycle (drawn OR paid), not only once a card
-    lands. Previously a paid-but-undrawn owner read as the empty .fa-ban
-    default on the visitor's view."""
+    """Phase 2 (window rule 2026-05-31) — the owner shows seated in 1C on the
+    spectator hex for the FULL 24h window after her most recent free/paid
+    draw, i.e. as long as `active_draw_for` returns a row. Seating tracks the
+    row's existence, not the hand/deposit/paid state — so a DEL'd row keeps
+    the owner seated on the visitor's view too."""
 
     def setUp(self):
         self.owner = _owner_with_sig()
@@ -336,6 +337,15 @@ class MySeaVisitOwnerSeatedTest(TestCase):
         )
         self.assertTrue(self.client.get(self.url).context["seat1_present"])
 
+    def test_owner_seated_with_empty_hand_no_payment(self):
+        # DEL'd row (empty hand, no deposit/paid) — still seated for the 24h
+        # window on the spectator's view (user-spec 2026-05-31).
+        MySeaDraw.objects.create(
+            user=self.owner, spread="situation-action-outcome",
+            significator_id=1, hand=[],
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(self.client.get(self.url).context["seat1_present"])
+
     def test_owner_not_seated_without_draw_or_payment(self):
         self.assertFalse(self.client.get(self.url).context["seat1_present"])
 
diff --git a/src/apps/gameboard/tests/integrated/test_views.py b/src/apps/gameboard/tests/integrated/test_views.py
index 19aa90c..d42e8f9 100644
--- a/src/apps/gameboard/tests/integrated/test_views.py
+++ b/src/apps/gameboard/tests/integrated/test_views.py
@@ -1347,12 +1347,13 @@ class MySeaDrawSeaLandingViewTest(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(html.count('class="position-status-icon fa-solid fa-ban"'), 6)
         self.assertEqual(html.count('class="seat-position-label"'), 6)
 
-    # ── Owner 1C seating (Phase 2, 2026-05-29) ───────────────────────────
-    # The owner is "seated" in 1C whenever she's committed to a draw cycle —
-    # paid for one OR partially/completely drawn (w/o DEL). Previously only a
-    # non-empty hand seated 1C, so a paid-but-undrawn owner (the PAID DRAW
-    # landing) showed the semi-opaque .fa-ban default. Seat 1C now carries
-    # `.seated` + `.fa-circle-check` so it persists on refresh (sync).
+    # ── Owner 1C seating (Phase 2, 2026-05-29; window rule 2026-05-31) ────
+    # The owner is "seated" in 1C for the FULL 24h window after her most
+    # recent free/paid draw — i.e. as long as `active_draw_for` returns a
+    # row. Seating tracks the row's existence, NOT the hand/deposit/paid
+    # state (user-spec 2026-05-31): a DEL'd row (empty hand, no paid credit)
+    # keeps 1C seated until the 24h row expires. Seat 1C carries `.seated` +
+    # `.fa-circle-check` so it persists on refresh (sync).
     _SEATED_1C = 'class="table-seat seated" data-slot="1"'
     _STATUS_CHECK = 'class="position-status-icon fa-solid fa-circle-check"'
     _STATUS_BAN = 'class="position-status-icon fa-solid fa-ban"'
@@ -1392,15 +1393,24 @@ class MySeaDrawSeaLandingViewTest(TestCase):
         self.assertIn(self._SEATED_1C, html)
         self.assertEqual(html.count(self._STATUS_CHECK), 1)
 
-    def test_seat_1c_not_seated_at_gate_view_after_del(self):
+    def test_seat_1c_seated_at_gate_view_after_del(self):
         # Cooldown row, hand cleared (DEL'd), no deposit/paid credit → GATE
-        # VIEW. The owner has unseated herself; 1C falls back to .fa-ban.
+        # VIEW in the center, BUT the owner stays seated in 1C for the full
+        # 24h window (user-spec 2026-05-31): seating tracks the draw row's
+        # existence (active_draw_for), not the hand/deposit/paid state.
         self._make_draw(hand=[])
         html = self.client.get(reverse("my_sea")).content.decode()
-        self.assertNotIn(self._SEATED_1C, html)
+        self.assertIn(self._SEATED_1C, html)
         self.assertIn("GATE", html)
-        self.assertEqual(html.count(self._STATUS_CHECK), 0)
-        self.assertEqual(html.count(self._STATUS_BAN), 6)
+        self.assertEqual(html.count(self._STATUS_CHECK), 1)   # 1C seated
+        self.assertEqual(html.count(self._STATUS_BAN), 5)     # 2C–6C empty
+
+    def test_seat1_seated_context_key_removed(self):
+        # DRY: the dead `seat1_seated` context var (the `seats` ring drives
+        # 1C now) is gone — guard against re-introduction.
+        self._make_draw(hand=[])
+        response = self.client.get(reverse("my_sea"))
+        self.assertNotIn("seat1_seated", response.context)
 
     def test_landing_not_rendered_when_user_has_no_sig(self):
         # Sprint 4b gate still wins precedence — FREE DRAW must not render
diff --git a/src/apps/gameboard/views.py b/src/apps/gameboard/views.py
index b140c7f..b3c6807 100644
--- a/src/apps/gameboard/views.py
+++ b/src/apps/gameboard/views.py
@@ -382,14 +382,11 @@ def my_sea(request):
         "saved_by_position": saved_by_position,
         "next_free_draw_at": next_free_draw_at,
         "hand_complete": hand_complete,
-        # Owner seated in 1C whenever committed to a draw cycle — paid for one
-        # (deposit reserved OR paid-through credit, via show_paid_draw) OR has
-        # cards down (hand_non_empty). Drives the persistent `.seated` +
-        # `.fa-circle-check` on the landing's 1C chair (user-spec 2026-05-29);
-        # a DEL'd row at GATE VIEW (empty hand, no paid credit) reads unseated.
-        "seat1_seated": hand_non_empty or show_paid_draw,
         # The owner's landing hex shows present visitors too (2C-6C), not just
         # 1C — the same `_my_sea_seats` ring the spectator + broadcast use.
+        # 1C seating is driven entirely by this ring's `seat.present`; the dead
+        # `seat1_seated` flag was removed 2026-05-31 (the template never read
+        # it — `_my_sea_seats` already seats 1C for the full 24h window).
         "seats": _my_sea_seats(request.user),
         "show_picker": show_picker,
         "show_cont_draw": show_cont_draw,
@@ -507,11 +504,12 @@ def _my_sea_seats(owner):
     seat broadcast (`sea_seats`)."""
     from .models import SeaInvite, MY_SEA_MAX_VISITORS
     owner_draw = active_draw_for(owner)
-    owner_seated = owner_draw is not None and (
-        bool(owner_draw.hand)
-        or owner_draw.deposit_token_id is not None
-        or owner_draw.paid_through_at is not None
-    )
+    # Seated in 1C for the FULL 24h window — as long as a draw row exists
+    # (free or paid; PAID DRAW resets created_at so the window runs from the
+    # later of the two). Decoupled from hand/deposit/paid state per user-spec
+    # 2026-05-31: a DEL'd row (empty hand, no paid credit) keeps the owner
+    # seated until the row expires at 24h, not unseated the instant she DELs.
+    owner_seated = owner_draw is not None
     owner_token = (f"owner-{owner.id}-{owner_draw.id}"
                    if owner_draw is not None else "")
     seats = [{"n": 1, "label": "1C", "present": owner_seated, "token": owner_token}]
@@ -1022,15 +1020,11 @@ def my_sea_visit(request, owner_id):
     owner_draw = active_draw_for(owner)
     sig_card, sig_reversed = _resolve_sig(owner, owner_draw)
     owner_hand_non_empty = owner_draw is not None and bool(owner_draw.hand)
-    # Owner seated in 1C (as the visitor sees it) whenever she's committed to a
-    # draw cycle — drawn OR paid (deposit reserved / paid-through credit). Keeps
-    # the owner's 1C chair persistently `.seated` on the spectator hex even
-    # before a card lands (user-spec 2026-05-29); mirrors my_sea's seat1_seated.
-    owner_paid = owner_draw is not None and (
-        owner_draw.deposit_token_id is not None
-        or owner_draw.paid_through_at is not None
-    )
-    owner_seated = owner_hand_non_empty or owner_paid
+    # Owner seated in 1C (as the visitor sees it) for the FULL 24h window —
+    # as long as a draw row exists (user-spec 2026-05-31), not only once a
+    # card lands or a deposit/paid credit is set. Mirrors `_my_sea_seats`'
+    # `owner_seated` so the spectator hex and the owner's own landing agree.
+    owner_seated = owner_draw is not None
     # Multi-seat hex (2026-05-29): every present member shows on the ring —
     # owner 1C + present invitees 2C-6C by deposit order (the same seats
     # everyone sees), built by the shared `_my_sea_seats` helper that the live
diff --git a/src/functional_tests/test_game_my_sea.py b/src/functional_tests/test_game_my_sea.py
index 8ced546..4768a0a 100644
--- a/src/functional_tests/test_game_my_sea.py
+++ b/src/functional_tests/test_game_my_sea.py
@@ -1744,9 +1744,11 @@ class MySeaNavbarGateViewTest(FunctionalTest):
 
 
 class MySeaSeatOnePersistenceTest(FunctionalTest):
-    """Sprint 6 iter 6b — seat 1 (the owner's reserved chair) renders
-    `.seated` whenever the user's hand is non-empty (mid-draw or
-    complete). DEL empties the hand → seat 1 reverts to `.fa-ban`."""
+    """Sprint 6 iter 6b (window rule 2026-05-31) — seat 1 (the owner's
+    reserved chair) renders `.seated` for the full 24h window after her most
+    recent draw, i.e. as long as a `MySeaDraw` row exists. DEL empties the
+    hand but keeps the row → seat 1 STAYS seated; only a fresh user with no
+    row (or a fully-expired window) shows `.fa-ban`."""
 
     def setUp(self):
         super().setUp()
@@ -1767,10 +1769,10 @@ class MySeaSeatOnePersistenceTest(FunctionalTest):
         self.assertNotIn("seated", seat1.get_attribute("class"))
         seat1.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".fa-ban")
 
-    def test_seat_1_banned_when_active_draw_has_empty_hand(self):
-        """DEL leaves the row but wipes the hand; seat 1 reverts to
-        banned (per user spec 2026-05-20: seat 1 tied to hand non-empty,
-        NOT to active_draw existence)."""
+    def test_seat_1_seated_when_active_draw_has_empty_hand(self):
+        """DEL leaves the row but wipes the hand; seat 1 STAYS seated for
+        the rest of the 24h window (user-spec 2026-05-31: seating tied to
+        `active_draw` row existence, NOT to the hand being non-empty)."""
         from apps.gameboard.models import MySeaDraw
         MySeaDraw.objects.create(
             user=self.gamer, spread="situation-action-outcome",
@@ -1783,7 +1785,8 @@ class MySeaSeatOnePersistenceTest(FunctionalTest):
                 By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".table-seat[data-slot='1']"
             )
         )
-        self.assertNotIn("seated", seat1.get_attribute("class"))
+        self.assertIn("seated", seat1.get_attribute("class"))
+        seat1.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".fa-circle-check")
 
 
 class MySeaBudBtnInviteTest(FunctionalTest):