diff --git a/packages/web/src/App.svelte b/packages/web/src/App.svelte
index e925801..b0d591f 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/App.svelte
+++ b/packages/web/src/App.svelte
@@ -1433,8 +1433,6 @@
     const room = net.roomId;
     if (!room || finishedRoom === room) return;
     finishedRoom = room;
-    // The step light is for a first game; the second is played by sight.
-    if (prefs.finishedGames === 0) setPref("stepLight", false);
     setPref("finishedGames", prefs.finishedGames + 1);
     if (!prefs.tierChosen && prefs.botTier === "apprentice") setPref("botTier", "adept");
   });
@@ -1511,8 +1509,10 @@
 
   /** The step light: with no card in hand, your square and the squares a
    * stride reaches are lit and the rest of the maze falls into shadow. */
+  /** A first game's first turn lights itself; after that only by choice. */
+  const firstTurnEver = $derived(!!view && prefs.finishedGames === 0 && view.turn.round === 1);
   const stepLight = $derived(
-    !!view && !!me && prefs.stepLight && isYourTurn && !view.turn.actionsEnded && !selectedCard &&
+    !!view && !!me && (prefs.stepLightAlways || firstTurnEver) && isYourTurn && !view.turn.actionsEnded && !selectedCard &&
     !net.spectating && !youMustRespond && view.turn.movementAllowance - view.turn.movementUsed > 0,
   );
   const stepCells = $derived.by(() => {
@@ -1895,9 +1895,9 @@
           <span>Hand at the left: your cards stand in a column beside the board (wide screens)</span>
         </label>
         <label class="pref-row pref-check">
-          <input type="checkbox" checked={prefs.stepLight}
-            onchange={(e) => setPref("stepLight", e.currentTarget.checked)} />
-          <span>Step light: on your turn, the squares you can walk to glow and the rest of the maze dims (on for a first game)</span>
+          <input type="checkbox" checked={prefs.stepLightAlways}
+            onchange={(e) => setPref("stepLightAlways", e.currentTarget.checked)} />
+          <span>Step light on every turn: the squares you can walk to glow and the rest of the maze dims (a first game lights its first turn on its own)</span>
         </label>
         <label class="pref-row pref-check">
           <input type="checkbox" checked={prefs.cautions}
@@ -2750,7 +2750,7 @@
         {:else if isYourTurn}
           <div class="slip yours">
             Your turn — round {view.turn.round}.
-            {#if prefs.stepLight && view.turn.round <= 2}
+            {#if prefs.finishedGames === 0 && view.turn.round <= 2}
               <div class="goal">Win by carrying two treasures that aren't yours to your home, or by being the last wizard standing.</div>
             {/if}
             {#if view.turn.actionsEnded}
diff --git a/packages/web/src/prefs.svelte.ts b/packages/web/src/prefs.svelte.ts
index 1c70522..2984591 100644
--- a/packages/web/src/prefs.svelte.ts
+++ b/packages/web/src/prefs.svelte.ts
@@ -31,10 +31,10 @@ export interface Prefs {
   tierChosen: boolean;
   /** Games this browser has seen through to a winner. */
   finishedGames: number;
-  /** The step light: on your turn, the squares a stride can reach glow
-   * and the rest of the maze falls into shadow. On for a browser's first
-   * game, off once that game is won, and yours to switch on again. */
-  stepLight: boolean;
+  /** Keep the step light on every turn: your square and the squares a
+   * stride reaches glow, the rest of the maze in shadow. A browser's
+   * first game lights its first turn on its own. */
+  stepLightAlways: boolean;
 }
 
 const KEY = "wizwar-prefs";
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ function load(): Prefs {
   const fallback: Prefs = {
     art: "photo", autoGrab: false, flourishes: true, wizardName: "", color: null,
     cautions: true, botTier: "apprentice", instantReplay: true, liveFp: false, handLeft: false,
-    coached: false, tierChosen: false, finishedGames: 0, stepLight: true,
+    coached: false, tierChosen: false, finishedGames: 0, stepLightAlways: false,
   };
   try {
     const raw = localStorage.getItem(KEY);
@@ -65,9 +65,7 @@ function load(): Prefs {
       coached: p.coached === true,
       tierChosen: p.tierChosen === true,
       finishedGames: typeof p.finishedGames === "number" ? p.finishedGames : 0,
-      // A browser that has already won a game meets the step light switched
-      // off; a fresh one has it on for its first.
-      stepLight: typeof p.stepLight === "boolean" ? p.stepLight : !(typeof p.finishedGames === "number" && p.finishedGames > 0),
+      stepLightAlways: p.stepLightAlways === true,
     };
   } catch {
     return fallback;