diff --git a/packages/server/src/rooms.ts b/packages/server/src/rooms.ts
index 651000c..b284009 100644
--- a/packages/server/src/rooms.ts
+++ b/packages/server/src/rooms.ts
@@ -384,7 +384,10 @@ export interface CatchUpStep {
  */
 export function catchUpSteps(room: Room, playerId: PlayerId, sinceSeq: number, full = false): CatchUpStep[] | { error: string } {
   if (!room.state) return { error: "game not started" };
-  if (!room.players.includes(playerId)) return { error: "you hold no seat in this room" };
+  // The SPECTATOR builds whole-game share pages: public knowledge, no seat.
+  if (playerId !== SPECTATOR && !room.players.includes(playerId)) {
+    return { error: "you hold no seat in this room" };
+  }
   if (full && room.state.phase !== "finished") return { error: "full replays wait for the game to finish" };
   const MAX_STEPS = 200;
   const from = full ? 0 : Math.max(sinceSeq, room.log.length - MAX_STEPS);