diff --git a/wp-content/plugins/matthew-lms-mvp/matthew-lms-mvp.php b/wp-content/plugins/matthew-lms-mvp/matthew-lms-mvp.php
index b80e0ce..896d1e2 100644
--- a/wp-content/plugins/matthew-lms-mvp/matthew-lms-mvp.php
+++ b/wp-content/plugins/matthew-lms-mvp/matthew-lms-mvp.php
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ add_action('wp_head', function () {
 add_action('template_redirect', 'matthew_lms_mvp_maybe_handle_login_submission');
 add_action('template_redirect', 'matthew_lms_mvp_maybe_handle_google_oauth_callback');
 add_action('template_redirect', 'matthew_lms_mvp_maybe_handle_profile_source_submission');
+add_action('template_redirect', 'matthew_lms_mvp_require_auth_for_member_routes', 4);
 add_action('template_redirect', 'matthew_lms_mvp_maybe_render_course_route', 5);
 add_action('wp_ajax_mlms_ai_tutor', 'matthew_lms_mvp_handle_ai_tutor_ajax');
 add_action('wp_ajax_nopriv_mlms_ai_tutor', 'matthew_lms_mvp_handle_ai_tutor_ajax');
@@ -96,12 +97,48 @@ function matthew_lms_mvp_public_url(string $path = ''): string {
     return home_url('/' . ltrim($path, '/'));
 }
 
+function matthew_lms_mvp_member_access_url(string $path = 'platform/', string $auth_path = 'sign-up/'): string {
+    $destination = matthew_lms_mvp_public_url($path);
+    if (is_user_logged_in()) {
+        return $destination;
+    }
+    return add_query_arg('redirect_to', rawurlencode($destination), matthew_lms_mvp_public_url($auth_path));
+}
+
+function matthew_lms_mvp_current_public_url(): string {
+    $request_uri = (string) wp_unslash($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'] ?? '/');
+    $request_uri = '/' . ltrim($request_uri, '/');
+    return rtrim(matthew_lms_mvp_public_url(), '/') . $request_uri;
+}
+
+function matthew_lms_mvp_is_member_route_path(string $path): bool {
+    $path = trim($path, '/');
+    return in_array($path, ['platform', 'platform/course', 'platform/lesson', 'platform/quiz'], true);
+}
+
+function matthew_lms_mvp_require_auth_for_member_routes(): void {
+    if (is_user_logged_in()) {
+        return;
+    }
+    $path = trim((string) wp_parse_url(wp_unslash($_SERVER['REQUEST_URI'] ?? ''), PHP_URL_PATH), '/');
+    if (!matthew_lms_mvp_is_member_route_path($path)) {
+        return;
+    }
+    $redirect_to = matthew_lms_mvp_current_public_url();
+    $auth_url = add_query_arg([
+        'redirect_to' => rawurlencode($redirect_to),
+        'mlms_gate' => 'member',
+    ], matthew_lms_mvp_public_url('sign-up/'));
+    wp_redirect($auth_url . '#mlms-signup-flow');
+    exit;
+}
+
 function matthew_lms_mvp_render_header(): string {
     $links = [
         'Home' => matthew_lms_mvp_public_url(),
         'WAX Coach' => matthew_lms_mvp_public_url('career-coach/'),
-        'Profile' => matthew_lms_mvp_public_url('platform/'),
-        'Course' => matthew_lms_mvp_course_url('course'),
+        'Profile' => matthew_lms_mvp_member_access_url('platform/'),
+        'Course' => matthew_lms_mvp_member_access_url('platform/course/'),
     ];
     $login_url = add_query_arg('redirect_to', rawurlencode(matthew_lms_mvp_public_url('platform/')), matthew_lms_mvp_public_url('log-in/'));
     ob_start();
@@ -312,9 +349,7 @@ function matthew_lms_mvp_google_oauth_url(string $flow = 'signup', string $redir
     $config = matthew_lms_mvp_google_oauth_config();
     if (!$config) {
         $notice_url = add_query_arg('mlms_google_notice', '1', matthew_lms_mvp_public_url($fallback_path));
-        if ($flow === 'login') {
-            $notice_url = add_query_arg('redirect_to', rawurlencode($redirect), $notice_url);
-        }
+        $notice_url = add_query_arg('redirect_to', rawurlencode($redirect), $notice_url);
         return $notice_url . $anchor;
     }
     $state = wp_generate_password(32, false, false);
@@ -492,7 +527,11 @@ function matthew_lms_mvp_maybe_handle_google_oauth_callback(): void {
             wp_redirect($result['redirect'] ?? matthew_lms_mvp_public_url('platform/'));
             exit;
         }
-        wp_redirect(add_query_arg('mlms_google_connected', '1', matthew_lms_mvp_public_url('sign-up/')) . '#mlms-signup-flow');
+        $signup_target = add_query_arg([
+            'mlms_google_connected' => '1',
+            'redirect_to' => rawurlencode((string) ($result['redirect'] ?? matthew_lms_mvp_public_url('platform/'))),
+        ], matthew_lms_mvp_public_url('sign-up/'));
+        wp_redirect($signup_target . '#mlms-signup-flow');
         exit;
     }
 
@@ -667,7 +706,8 @@ function matthew_lms_mvp_handle_signup_onboarding_submission(): array {
             update_post_meta($post_id, '_mlms_' . $key, $value);
         }
     }
-    return ['success' => true, 'email' => $email, 'role' => $role, 'goal' => $goal, 'link' => $link, 'profile' => $profile, 'post_id' => is_wp_error($post_id) ? 0 : (int) $post_id];
+    $redirect = matthew_lms_mvp_redirect_url('platform/');
+    return ['success' => true, 'email' => $email, 'role' => $role, 'goal' => $goal, 'link' => $link, 'profile' => $profile, 'post_id' => is_wp_error($post_id) ? 0 : (int) $post_id, 'redirect' => $redirect];
 }
 
 function matthew_lms_mvp_generate_profile_bootstrap(string $email, string $role, string $goal, string $link): string {
@@ -704,7 +744,7 @@ function matthew_lms_mvp_render_signup_success(array $result): string {
             <span><b>Email</b> <?php echo esc_html($result['email']); ?></span>
             <span><b>Role</b> <?php echo esc_html($result['role']); ?></span>
           </div>
-          <div class="mlms-actions"><a class="mlms-btn mlms-btn-primary" href="<?php echo esc_url(matthew_lms_mvp_public_url('platform/')); ?>">View WAX profile →</a><a class="mlms-btn mlms-btn-secondary" href="<?php echo esc_url(matthew_lms_mvp_public_url('career-coach/')); ?>">Try Free Career Coach</a></div>
+          <div class="mlms-actions"><a class="mlms-btn mlms-btn-primary" href="<?php echo esc_url($result['redirect'] ?? matthew_lms_mvp_public_url('platform/')); ?>">Continue to WAX →</a><a class="mlms-btn mlms-btn-secondary" href="<?php echo esc_url(matthew_lms_mvp_public_url('career-coach/')); ?>">Try Free Career Coach</a></div>
         </div>
         <div class="mlms-ai-profile"><h3>AI-generated starter profile</h3><?php echo esc_html($result['profile']); ?></div>
       </div>
@@ -1370,6 +1410,9 @@ function matthew_lms_mvp_handle_course_progress_ajax(): void {
     if (!check_ajax_referer('mlms_course_progress', 'nonce', false)) {
         wp_send_json_error(['message' => 'Your course session expired. Refresh the page and continue again.'], 403);
     }
+    if (!is_user_logged_in()) {
+        wp_send_json_error(['message' => 'Create an account or log in to save course progress.'], 401);
+    }
     $raw = [];
     foreach (array_keys(matthew_lms_mvp_course_progress_defaults()) as $key) {
         if (isset($_POST[$key])) {
@@ -1927,6 +1970,9 @@ function matthew_lms_mvp_handle_ai_tutor_ajax(): void {
     if (!check_ajax_referer('mlms_ai_tutor', 'nonce', false)) {
         wp_send_json_error(['message' => 'Tutor session expired. Refresh the lesson and try again.'], 403);
     }
+    if (!is_user_logged_in()) {
+        wp_send_json_error(['message' => 'Create an account or log in to use the course tutor.'], 401);
+    }
     $mode = sanitize_key(wp_unslash($_POST['mode'] ?? 'tutor'));
     if (!in_array($mode, ['tutor', 'glossary', 'roadblock', 'build_validation'], true)) {
         $mode = 'tutor';
@@ -2375,7 +2421,7 @@ add_shortcode('matthew_login', function () {
               </div>
               <button class="mlms-btn mlms-btn-primary mlms-login-submit" type="submit">Log in →</button>
             </form>
-            <p class="mlms-login-footnote">Need a WAX account? <a href="<?php echo esc_url(matthew_lms_mvp_public_url('sign-up/')); ?>">Start onboarding</a>.</p>
+            <p class="mlms-login-footnote">Need a WAX account? <a href="<?php echo esc_url(add_query_arg('redirect_to', rawurlencode($redirect_url), matthew_lms_mvp_public_url('sign-up/'))); ?>">Start onboarding</a>.</p>
           <?php endif; ?>
         </div>
       </div>
@@ -2386,6 +2432,7 @@ add_shortcode('matthew_login', function () {
 
 add_shortcode('matthew_signup_onboarding', function () {
     $result = null;
+    $redirect_url = matthew_lms_mvp_redirect_url('platform/');
     $google_message = matthew_lms_mvp_take_google_oauth_message();
     if ($_SERVER['REQUEST_METHOD'] === 'POST' && isset($_POST['mlms_signup_nonce']) && wp_verify_nonce(sanitize_text_field(wp_unslash($_POST['mlms_signup_nonce'])), 'mlms_signup_submit')) {
         $result = matthew_lms_mvp_handle_signup_onboarding_submission();
@@ -2397,7 +2444,7 @@ add_shortcode('matthew_signup_onboarding', function () {
     $is_logged_in = is_user_logged_in();
     $prefill_email = $is_logged_in ? $current_user->user_email : sanitize_email(wp_unslash($_POST['mlms_signup_email'] ?? ''));
     $start_step = $is_logged_in ? 2 : 1;
-    $google_url = matthew_lms_mvp_google_oauth_url('signup');
+    $google_url = matthew_lms_mvp_google_oauth_url('signup', $redirect_url);
     $role_options = matthew_lms_mvp_role_options();
     ob_start();
     ?>
@@ -2414,6 +2461,9 @@ add_shortcode('matthew_signup_onboarding', function () {
           </ul>
         </div>
         <div class="mlms-form-card mlms-onboarding-card">
+          <?php if (isset($_GET['mlms_gate'])): ?>
+            <div class="mlms-inline-note"><strong>Create an account or log in to continue.</strong> Your WAX profile and course are available after registration.</div>
+          <?php endif; ?>
           <?php if (isset($_GET['mlms_google_notice'])): ?>
             <div class="mlms-inline-note"><strong>Google sign-in is ready to connect.</strong> Add Google OAuth client credentials to enable real Gmail authentication. You can still sign up with email now.</div>
           <?php endif; ?>
@@ -2428,6 +2478,7 @@ add_shortcode('matthew_signup_onboarding', function () {
           <?php endif; ?>
           <form method="post" id="mlms-onboarding-form" novalidate>
             <?php wp_nonce_field('mlms_signup_submit', 'mlms_signup_nonce'); ?>
+            <input type="hidden" name="redirect_to" value="<?php echo esc_attr($redirect_url); ?>">
             <div class="mlms-onboarding-progress" aria-label="Onboarding progress"><span class="<?php echo $start_step >= 1 ? 'active' : ''; ?>"></span><span class="<?php echo $start_step >= 2 ? 'active' : ''; ?>"></span><span class="<?php echo $start_step >= 3 ? 'active' : ''; ?>"></span></div>
             <div class="mlms-onboarding-panel <?php echo $start_step === 1 ? 'active' : ''; ?>" data-step="1">
               <p class="mlms-onboarding-step-label">Step 1 of 3</p>