diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 91cec8d..449c579 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -196,7 +196,10 @@ NICs are not supported for the physical LAN bridge.
 It tracks remote-client MACs from relay lifecycle events and periodically emits
 small CAM refresh frames so the physical switch keeps those MACs associated
 with the gateway port. A newly observed client also triggers an immediate CAM
-refresh frame instead of waiting for the first periodic refresh tick. Gateway
+refresh frame instead of waiting for the first periodic refresh tick. When
+control events and frame work are both ready, the bridge handles the lifecycle
+event first so first packets after a client joins use the freshest remote-MAC
+state available locally. Gateway
 frame logs include direction, peer id when present, MACs, ethertype/length,
 frame length, action, and drop reason. The gateway also tracks frame/datagram
 counters and periodically sends stats snapshots to the relay. Malformed or runt
diff --git a/crates/lanparty-gateway/src/lib.rs b/crates/lanparty-gateway/src/lib.rs
index 1cb8a59..e6451fe 100644
--- a/crates/lanparty-gateway/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/lanparty-gateway/src/lib.rs
@@ -315,6 +315,8 @@ impl GatewayConnection {
 
         loop {
             tokio::select! {
+                biased;
+
                 shutdown = tokio::signal::ctrl_c() => {
                     shutdown.context("failed to wait for Ctrl-C")?;
                     if let Err(error) =
@@ -331,6 +333,25 @@ impl GatewayConnection {
                     endpoint.wait_idle().await;
                     return Ok(());
                 }
+                control_stream = connection.accept_uni() => {
+                    let control_stream = control_stream
+                        .context("failed to accept gateway control event stream")?;
+                    let control_event = read_gateway_control_event(control_stream).await?;
+                    let immediate_refresh = remote_clients.observe_control_event(&control_event);
+                    println!("{}", format_gateway_control_event(&control_event));
+                    if let Some(refresh) = immediate_refresh {
+                        write_lan_ethernet(&packet_socket, refresh.frame()).await?;
+                        println!(
+                            "{}",
+                            gateway_cam_refresh_log_line(
+                                packet_socket.get_ref().interface(),
+                                refresh.peer_id(),
+                                refresh.mac(),
+                                "peer_joined",
+                            )
+                        );
+                    }
+                }
                 lan_frame = read_lan_ethernet(&packet_socket) => {
                     let lan_frame = lan_frame?;
                     if EthernetFrame::parse(&lan_frame).is_err() {
@@ -446,25 +467,6 @@ impl GatewayConnection {
                         eprintln!("failed to send gateway stats to relay: {error:#}");
                     }
                 }
-                control_stream = connection.accept_uni() => {
-                    let control_stream = control_stream
-                        .context("failed to accept gateway control event stream")?;
-                    let control_event = read_gateway_control_event(control_stream).await?;
-                    let immediate_refresh = remote_clients.observe_control_event(&control_event);
-                    println!("{}", format_gateway_control_event(&control_event));
-                    if let Some(refresh) = immediate_refresh {
-                        write_lan_ethernet(&packet_socket, refresh.frame()).await?;
-                        println!(
-                            "{}",
-                            gateway_cam_refresh_log_line(
-                                packet_socket.get_ref().interface(),
-                                refresh.peer_id(),
-                                refresh.mac(),
-                                "peer_joined",
-                            )
-                        );
-                    }
-                }
             }
         }
     }