diff --git a/SVSim.Database/Repositories/Viewer/ViewerRepository.cs b/SVSim.Database/Repositories/Viewer/ViewerRepository.cs
index 56c9ed9..bbedc17 100644
--- a/SVSim.Database/Repositories/Viewer/ViewerRepository.cs
+++ b/SVSim.Database/Repositories/Viewer/ViewerRepository.cs
@@ -100,12 +100,14 @@ public class ViewerRepository : IViewerRepository
         if (udid == Guid.Empty)
             throw new InvalidOperationException("Cannot register viewer for empty UDID.");
 
-        // " - " (space-dash-space) matches the prod placeholder for a fresh-signup viewer
-        // before the user enters their name. Non-empty + non-placeholder values trip
-        // UserNameInput.Start's IsNullOrEmpty short-circuit, which silently skips the name
-        // dialog AND the /tutorial/update_action #1 + /account/update_name calls that
-        // accompany it — that whole sub-step of the tutorial then never runs.
-        var viewer = await BuildDefaultViewer(" - ");
+        // Empty DisplayName is load-bearing: the client's Wizard.Title/UserNameInput.Start
+        // does `IsFinished = !string.IsNullOrEmpty(PlayerStaticData.UserName);` — IsFinished
+        // true skips the dialog AND the /tutorial/update_action #1 + /account/update_name
+        // calls that accompany it. Any non-empty value (including the " - " placeholder this
+        // method used to pass) trips that check and silently bypasses the name-entry sub-step.
+        // Empty string flows through /load/index → user_info.name → PlayerStaticData.UserName,
+        // and the title screen surfaces the input dialog.
+        var viewer = await BuildDefaultViewer("");
         viewer.Udid = udid;
         _dbContext.Set<Models.Viewer>().Add(viewer);
         try
diff --git a/SVSim.UnitTests/Repositories/ViewerRepositoryTutorialDefaultTests.cs b/SVSim.UnitTests/Repositories/ViewerRepositoryTutorialDefaultTests.cs
index d88fbc8..d670983 100644
--- a/SVSim.UnitTests/Repositories/ViewerRepositoryTutorialDefaultTests.cs
+++ b/SVSim.UnitTests/Repositories/ViewerRepositoryTutorialDefaultTests.cs
@@ -25,4 +25,23 @@ public class ViewerRepositoryTutorialDefaultTests
             "client. Tests that want a pre-completed tutorial should use SeedViewerAsync " +
             "(which defaults to 100).");
     }
+
+    [Test]
+    public async Task RegisterAnonymousViewer_starts_with_empty_display_name()
+    {
+        // The client's Wizard.Title/UserNameInput.Start does:
+        //   IsFinished = !string.IsNullOrEmpty(PlayerStaticData.UserName);
+        // Any non-empty seeded value (including the prior " - " placeholder) makes the
+        // name-input dialog skip itself, and the /tutorial/update_action #1 +
+        // /account/update_name calls never fire. Empty is what triggers the dialog.
+        using var factory = new SVSimTestFactory();
+        using var scope = factory.Services.CreateScope();
+        var repo = scope.ServiceProvider.GetRequiredService<IViewerRepository>();
+
+        var viewer = await repo.RegisterAnonymousViewer(System.Guid.NewGuid());
+
+        Assert.That(viewer.DisplayName, Is.Empty,
+            "Anonymous signups MUST start with empty DisplayName so the client's " +
+            "UserNameInput.Start IsNullOrEmpty short-circuit fails and the dialog runs.");
+    }
 }