diff --git a/src/.coveragerc b/src/.coveragerc
index 78d398c..cf2fe04 100644
--- a/src/.coveragerc
+++ b/src/.coveragerc
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ source = apps
 omit =
     */migrations/*
     */tests/*
+    */routing.py
 
 [report]
 show_missing = true
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/apps/epic/models.py b/src/apps/epic/models.py
index 0743240..eb33134 100644
--- a/src/apps/epic/models.py
+++ b/src/apps/epic/models.py
@@ -96,7 +96,8 @@ def create_gate_slots(sender, instance, created, **kwargs):
 def debit_token(user, slot, token):
     if token.token_type == Token.COIN:
         token.current_room = slot.room
-        token.next_ready_at = timezone.now() + slot.room.renewal_period
+        period = slot.room.renewal_period or timedelta(days=7)
+        token.next_ready_at = timezone.now() + period
         token.save()
     else:
         token.delete()
@@ -104,3 +105,8 @@ def debit_token(user, slot, token):
     slot.status = GateSlot.FILLED
     slot.filled_at = timezone.now()
     slot.save()
+
+    room = slot.room
+    if not room.gate_slots.filter(status=GateSlot.EMPTY).exists():
+        room.gate_status = Room.OPEN
+        room.save()
diff --git a/src/apps/epic/tests/integrated/test_models.py b/src/apps/epic/tests/integrated/test_models.py
index 24f6f99..1dd5a00 100644
--- a/src/apps/epic/tests/integrated/test_models.py
+++ b/src/apps/epic/tests/integrated/test_models.py
@@ -40,6 +40,18 @@ class DebitTokenTest(TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(self.slot.status, GateSlot.FILLED)
         self.assertEqual(self.slot.gamer, self.owner)
 
+    def test_debit_fills_last_slot_and_opens_gate(self):
+        for i in range(2, 7):
+            gamer = User.objects.create(email=f"g{i}@test.io")
+            slot = self.room.gate_slots.get(slot_number=i)
+            slot.gamer = gamer
+            slot.status = GateSlot.FILLED
+            slot.save()
+        free_token = Token.objects.get(user=self.owner, token_type=Token.FREE)
+        debit_token(self.owner, self.slot, free_token)
+        self.room.refresh_from_db()
+        self.assertEqual(self.room.gate_status, Room.OPEN)
+
 
 class CoinTokenInUseTest(TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
diff --git a/src/apps/epic/tests/integrated/test_views.py b/src/apps/epic/tests/integrated/test_views.py
index 9199dc2..48ebd18 100644
--- a/src/apps/epic/tests/integrated/test_views.py
+++ b/src/apps/epic/tests/integrated/test_views.py
@@ -30,6 +30,10 @@ class RoomCreationViewTest(TestCase):
             data={"name": "Test Room"},
         )
 
+    def test_create_room_get_redirects_to_gameboard(self):
+        response = self.client.get(reverse("epic:create_room"))
+        self.assertRedirects(response, "/gameboard/")
+
 
 class MyGamesContextTest(TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
@@ -50,3 +54,23 @@ class MyGamesContextTest(TestCase):
         slot.save()
         response = self.client.get("/gameboard/")
         self.assertIn(room, response.context["my_games"])
+
+
+class GateStatusViewTest(TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.owner = User.objects.create(email="founder@test.io")
+        self.client.force_login(self.owner)
+        self.room = Room.objects.create(name="Test Room", owner=self.owner)
+
+    def test_gate_status_returns_empty_when_open(self):
+        self.room.gate_status = Room.OPEN
+        self.room.save()
+        response = self.client.get(reverse("epic:gate_status", kwargs={"room_id": self.room.id}))
+        self.assertEqual(response.content, b"")
+
+    def test_gate_status_returns_partial_when_gathering(self):
+        response = self.client.get(
+            reverse("epic:gate_status", kwargs={"room_id": self.room.id})
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(response.status_code, 200)
+        self.assertContains(response, "gate-modal")
diff --git a/src/apps/epic/urls.py b/src/apps/epic/urls.py
index 40db1a8..39ad946 100644
--- a/src/apps/epic/urls.py
+++ b/src/apps/epic/urls.py
@@ -9,5 +9,6 @@ urlpatterns = [
     path('room/<uuid:room_id>/gate/', views.gatekeeper, name='gatekeeper'),
     path('room/<uuid:room_id>/gate/<int:slot_number>/drop_token', views.drop_token, name='drop_token'),
     path('room/<uuid:room_id>/gate/invite', views.invite_gamer, name='invite_gamer'),
+    path('room/<uuid:room_id>/gate/status', views.gate_status, name='gate_status'),
 ]
 
diff --git a/src/apps/epic/views.py b/src/apps/epic/views.py
index 5e1991d..c29af63 100644
--- a/src/apps/epic/views.py
+++ b/src/apps/epic/views.py
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 from django.contrib.auth.decorators import login_required
+from django.http import HttpResponse
 from django.shortcuts import redirect, render
 
 from apps.epic.models import Room, RoomInvite, debit_token
@@ -12,7 +13,7 @@ def create_room(request):
         if name:
             room = Room.objects.create(name=name, owner=request.user)
             return redirect("epic:gatekeeper", room_id=room.id)
-    return redirect("gameboard:index")
+    return redirect("/gameboard/")
 
 def gatekeeper(request, room_id):
     room = Room.objects.get(id=room_id)
@@ -54,3 +55,18 @@ def invite_gamer(request, room_id):
                 defaults={"status": RoomInvite.PENDING}
             )
     return redirect("epic:gatekeeper", room_id=room_id)
+
+def gate_status(request, room_id):
+    room = Room.objects.get(id=room_id)
+    if room.gate_status == Room.OPEN:
+        return HttpResponse("")
+    slots = room.gate_slots.order_by("slot_number")
+    user_has_slot = (
+        request.user.is_authenticated
+        and slots.filter(gamer=request.user).exists()
+    )
+    return render(request, "apps/gameboard/_partials/_gatekeeper.html", {
+        "room": room,
+        "slots": slots,
+        "user_has_slot": user_has_slot,
+    })
diff --git a/src/apps/lyric/tests/integrated/test_models.py b/src/apps/lyric/tests/integrated/test_models.py
index cacf67e..7f7b953 100644
--- a/src/apps/lyric/tests/integrated/test_models.py
+++ b/src/apps/lyric/tests/integrated/test_models.py
@@ -143,6 +143,10 @@ class TokenTooltipTest(TestCase):
         free = Token.objects.get(user=self.user, token_type=Token.FREE)
         self.assertIsNone(free.tooltip_shoptalk())
 
+    def test_tooltip_room_html_returns_empty_when_no_room(self):
+        token = Token.objects.get(user=self.user, token_type=Token.COIN)
+        self.assertEqual(token.tooltip_room_html(), "")
+
 
 class PaymentMethodTest(TestCase):
     def setUp(self):
diff --git a/src/core/urls.py b/src/core/urls.py
index d4ad285..9ead4bb 100644
--- a/src/core/urls.py
+++ b/src/core/urls.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ urlpatterns = [
     path('dashboard/', include('apps.dashboard.urls')),
     path('lyric/', include('apps.lyric.urls')),
     path('gameboard/', include('apps.gameboard.urls')),
-    path('gameboard/', include('apps.epic.urls', 'epic')),
+    path('gameboard/', include('apps.epic.urls')),
 ]
 
 # Please remove the following urlpattern
diff --git a/src/functional_tests/test_gatekeeper.py b/src/functional_tests/test_gatekeeper.py
index ff7a558..b9b28fc 100644
--- a/src/functional_tests/test_gatekeeper.py
+++ b/src/functional_tests/test_gatekeeper.py
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@ from selenium.webdriver.common.by import By
 
 from .base import FunctionalTest
 from apps.applets.models import Applet
+from apps.epic.models import Room, GateSlot
+from apps.lyric.models import User
 
 
 class GatekeeperTest(FunctionalTest):
@@ -134,3 +136,43 @@ class GatekeeperTest(FunctionalTest):
                 len(self.browser.find_elements(By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".gate-slot.filled")), 2
             )
         )
+
+    def test_gate_opens_when_all_slots_filled(self):
+        # 1. Founder creates room
+        self.create_pre_authenticated_session("founder@test.io")
+        self.browser.get(self.live_server_url + "/gameboard/")
+        self.wait_for(
+            lambda: self.browser.find_element(By.ID, "id_new_game_name")
+        )
+        self.browser.find_element(By.ID, "id_new_game_name").send_keys("Dragon's Den")
+        self.browser.find_element(By.ID, "id_create_game_btn").click()
+        self.wait_for(
+            lambda: self.assertIn("/gate/", self.browser.current_url)
+        )
+        room_url = self.browser.current_url
+        # 2. Fill all 6 slots directly via ORM (founder + 5 extras)
+        self.browser.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".drop-token-btn").click()
+        self.wait_for(
+            lambda: self.browser.find_element(By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".gate-slot.filled")
+        )
+        room = Room.objects.get(name="Dragon's Den")
+        for i, email in enumerate([
+            "g2@test.io", "g3@test.io", "g4@test.io", "g5@test.io", "g6@test.io"
+        ], start=2):
+            gamer = User.objects.create(email=email)
+            slot = room.gate_slots.get(slot_number=i)
+            slot.gamer = gamer
+            slot.status = GateSlot.FILLED
+            slot.save()
+        room.refresh_from_db()
+        room.gate_status = Room.OPEN
+        room.save()
+        # 3. Gatekeeper disappears via htmx
+        self.wait_for(
+            lambda: self.assertEqual(
+                len(self.browser.find_elements(By.CSS_SELECTOR, ".gate-modal")), 0
+            )
+        )
+        # Restore the following once room built
+        # body = self.browser.find_element(By.TAG_NAME, "body")
+        # self.assertIn("OPEN", body.text)
diff --git a/src/templates/apps/gameboard/_partials/_gatekeeper.html b/src/templates/apps/gameboard/_partials/_gatekeeper.html
index 4525141..1d11da7 100644
--- a/src/templates/apps/gameboard/_partials/_gatekeeper.html
+++ b/src/templates/apps/gameboard/_partials/_gatekeeper.html
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-<div class="gate-modal" role"dialog" aria-label="Gatekeeper">
+<div class="gate-modal" role="dialog" aria-label="Gatekeeper">
     <header class="gate-header">
         <h1>{{ room.name }}</h1>
         <span class="gate-status">{{ room.gate_status }}</span>
diff --git a/src/templates/apps/gameboard/room.html b/src/templates/apps/gameboard/room.html
index 34c2715..739ee6d 100644
--- a/src/templates/apps/gameboard/room.html
+++ b/src/templates/apps/gameboard/room.html
@@ -7,10 +7,17 @@
             <div class="room-table"></div>
         </div>
 
-        {% if room.gate_status == "GATHERING" %}
-        <div class="gate-overlay">
-            {% include "apps/gameboard/_partials/_gatekeeper.html" %}
+        <div
+            id="id_gate_wrapper"
+            hx-get="{% url 'epic:gate_status' room.id %}"
+            hx-trigger="every 3s"
+            hx-swap="outerHTML"
+        >
+            {% if room.gate_status == "GATHERING" %}
+                <div class="gate-overlay">
+                    {% include "apps/gameboard/_partials/_gatekeeper.html" %}
+                </div>
+            {% endif %}
         </div>
-        {% endif %}
     </div>
 {% endblock content %}
\ No newline at end of file