diff --git a/html/js/network/socketHandlers.js b/html/js/network/socketHandlers.js
index f37e473..db945f1 100644
--- a/html/js/network/socketHandlers.js
+++ b/html/js/network/socketHandlers.js
@@ -870,18 +870,34 @@ const SocketHandlers = {
         // Hide the QR code now that payment is confirmed
         SocketHandlers.hidePaymentQR();
 
-        if (typeof Game !== 'undefined' && Game.drawWaitingScreen) {
-            Game.drawWaitingScreen();
+        // Credits purchase: return to home screen (no game queue)
+        if (data.creditsAdded || data.newBalance !== undefined) {
+            if (typeof Game !== 'undefined') {
+                Game._pendingPaymentConfirmed();
+            }
+            // Return to welcome/home screen so user can start a game
+            if (typeof ScreenManager !== 'undefined' && ScreenManager.drawWelcomeScreen) {
+                ScreenManager.drawWelcomeScreen();
+            }
+            $('#messages').append($('<li class="payment-success" style="color:#0f0;">').html(
+                '✅ <strong>Credits purchased!</strong> Type \'enter\' or click START GAME to play.'
+            ));
+            UI.scrollChat();
+            SocketHandlers._setBannerStatus('Credits Added', '#0f0');
+        } else {
+            // Single game payment: show waiting screen (player is in queue)
+            if (typeof Game !== 'undefined' && Game.drawWaitingScreen) {
+                Game.drawWaitingScreen();
+            }
+            if (typeof Game !== 'undefined') {
+                Game._pendingPaymentConfirmed();
+            }
+            $('#messages').append($('<li class="payment-success" style="color:#0f0;">').html(
+                '✅ <strong>Payment confirmed in block.</strong> You are in the game queue.'
+            ));
+            UI.scrollChat();
+            SocketHandlers._setBannerStatus('Confirmed', '#0f0');
         }
-        if (typeof Game !== 'undefined') {
-            Game._pendingPaymentConfirmed();
-        }
-
-        $('#messages').append($('<li class="payment-success" style="color:#0f0;">').html(
-            '✅ <strong>Payment confirmed in block.</strong> You are in the game queue.'
-        ));
-        UI.scrollChat();
-        SocketHandlers._setBannerStatus('Confirmed', '#0f0');
         // Sound handled by AudioAlerts._patchSocketHandlers() - don't duplicate
     },
 
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index 27bd75c..3715d18 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -638,15 +638,24 @@ const adminAuth = (req, res, next) => {
   }
 
   // Origin check — reject cross-origin requests to admin endpoints
+  // Same-origin requests (Origin matches Host) are always allowed
   const origin = req.headers.origin || req.headers.referer;
   if (origin) {
     try {
-      const allowedOrigins = process.env.ALLOWED_ORIGINS
-        ? process.env.ALLOWED_ORIGINS.split(',').map(o => o.trim())
-        : [`http://localhost:${process.env.PORT || 3000}`, `http://127.0.0.1:${process.env.PORT || 3000}`];
       const requestOrigin = new URL(origin).origin;
-      if (!allowedOrigins.includes(requestOrigin)) {
-        return res.status(403).json({ error: 'Forbidden', message: 'Origin not allowed.' });
+      const host = req.headers.host;
+      const protocol = req.secure || req.headers['x-forwarded-proto'] === 'https' ? 'https' : 'http';
+      const selfOrigin = `${protocol}://${host}`;
+
+      // Allow same-origin requests (admin.html served from same server)
+      if (requestOrigin !== selfOrigin) {
+        // Check explicit allowlist for cross-origin requests
+        const allowedOrigins = process.env.ALLOWED_ORIGINS
+          ? process.env.ALLOWED_ORIGINS.split(',').map(o => o.trim())
+          : [`http://localhost:${process.env.PORT || 3000}`, `http://127.0.0.1:${process.env.PORT || 3000}`];
+        if (!allowedOrigins.includes(requestOrigin)) {
+          return res.status(403).json({ error: 'Forbidden', message: 'Origin not allowed.' });
+        }
       }
     } catch (e) {
       return res.status(403).json({ error: 'Forbidden', message: 'Invalid origin.' });
@@ -1804,7 +1813,7 @@ async function startServer() {
             const payoutIntervalMs = payoutIntervalSeconds * 1000;
             batchPayoutInterval = setInterval(async () => {
                 try {
-                    await walletRPCService.processBatchPayouts();
+                    await gameModeManager._processPendingPayouts();
                 } catch (error) {
                     console.error('Error in batch payout processing:', error);
                 }
diff --git a/src/network/paymentHandlers.js b/src/network/paymentHandlers.js
index 43fd4c4..37d82e0 100644
--- a/src/network/paymentHandlers.js
+++ b/src/network/paymentHandlers.js
@@ -279,25 +279,37 @@ class PaymentHandlers {
             if (status.in_mempool && !status.confirmed) {
                 if (this.mempoolNotified.has(paymentRequest.address)) return;
                 this.mempoolNotified.add(paymentRequest.address);
-                socket.emit('payment_detected', { paymentId: paymentRequest.id, message: 'Payment detected in mempool! Adding you to the game queue...', amount: status.amount, confirmations: 0 });
-                const existingIdx = this.queueManager.getPlayerIndex(socket.id);
-                if (existingIdx === -1) {
-                    // Try to get DB userId from session
-                    let userId = null;
-                    if (this.sessionManager?.sessions?.has(socket.id)) {
-                        userId = this.sessionManager.sessions.get(socket.id).id;
-                    }
 
-                    this.queueManager.addPlayer({ 
-                        serverId: socket.id, 
-                        clientId: currentUser ? currentUser.clientId : null, 
-                        userId: userId,
-                        paymentId: paymentRequest.id, 
-                        requiresConfirmation: true, 
-                        confirmed: false 
-                    });
+                // Check payment type — credits_package should NOT queue for a game
+                const mapping = this.socketPaymentMap.get(socket.id);
+                const isCredits = mapping && mapping.paymentType === 'credits_package';
+
+                const detectMessage = isCredits
+                    ? 'Payment detected in mempool! Awaiting block confirmation to add credits...'
+                    : 'Payment detected in mempool! Adding you to the game queue...';
+                socket.emit('payment_detected', { paymentId: paymentRequest.id, message: detectMessage, amount: status.amount, confirmations: 0 });
+
+                // Only queue for single_game payments (credits just add balance, no game queue)
+                if (!isCredits) {
+                    const existingIdx = this.queueManager.getPlayerIndex(socket.id);
+                    if (existingIdx === -1) {
+                        // Try to get DB userId from session
+                        let userId = null;
+                        if (this.sessionManager?.sessions?.has(socket.id)) {
+                            userId = this.sessionManager.sessions.get(socket.id).id;
+                        }
+
+                        this.queueManager.addPlayer({
+                            serverId: socket.id,
+                            clientId: currentUser ? currentUser.clientId : null,
+                            userId: userId,
+                            paymentId: paymentRequest.id,
+                            requiresConfirmation: true,
+                            confirmed: false
+                        });
+                    }
+                    socket.emit('queue_joined', { position: (existingIdx === -1 ? this.queueManager.getQueueLength() : existingIdx + 1), message: 'Payment received! Waiting for next block to start game...', currentBlock: this.debugManager.getCurrentBlockHeight ? this.debugManager.getCurrentBlockHeight() : null, nextBlock: this.debugManager.getCurrentBlockHeight ? this.debugManager.getCurrentBlockHeight() + 1 : null });
                 }
-                socket.emit('queue_joined', { position: (existingIdx === -1 ? this.queueManager.getQueueLength() : existingIdx + 1), message: 'Payment received! Waiting for next block to start game...', currentBlock: this.debugManager.getCurrentBlockHeight ? this.debugManager.getCurrentBlockHeight() : null, nextBlock: this.debugManager.getCurrentBlockHeight ? this.debugManager.getCurrentBlockHeight() + 1 : null });
             } else if (status.confirmed) {
                 // SECURITY: Use in-memory Set as fast-path, but DB is source of truth
                 // This prevents double-processing on server restart
@@ -344,6 +356,8 @@ class PaymentHandlers {
                         console.error('Error processing credits package confirmation:', e.message);
                         socket.emit('payment_confirmed', { paymentId: paymentRequest.id, message: 'Payment confirmed in block!', confirmations: status.confirmations });
                     }
+                    // Defensively remove from queue — credits purchases should never be queued
+                    this.queueManager.removePlayer(socket.id);
                 } else {
                     // single_game payment - standard flow
                     // CRITICAL: Atomically update payment status and check if we actually updated it
diff --git a/src/network/socketHandlers.js b/src/network/socketHandlers.js
index e8eaa0f..0e5722b 100644
--- a/src/network/socketHandlers.js
+++ b/src/network/socketHandlers.js
@@ -537,7 +537,7 @@ class SocketHandlers {
             // Create game immediately
             const blockHeight = this.debugManager.getCurrentBlockHeight ? this.debugManager.getCurrentBlockHeight() : null;
             memUser.blockRec = blockHeight; // keep legacy timeout logic consistent
-            const game = this.gameManager.createGameForUser(memUser, 'standard');
+            const game = await this.gameManager.createGameForUser(memUser, 'standard');
             const state = game.getState();
             state.blockHeight = blockHeight;