diff --git a/openvtc-core/src/config/keys.rs b/openvtc-core/src/config/keys.rs
index d78cc85..2e774fa 100644
--- a/openvtc-core/src/config/keys.rs
+++ b/openvtc-core/src/config/keys.rs
@@ -92,6 +92,98 @@ impl Config {
         })
     }
 
+    /// Build a subject-linkage proof (#1b) authorizing `presenter_did` to redeem
+    /// the invitation `vic_id` that is bound to `subject_did` — one of *our*
+    /// personas. Signs `TAG‖vic_id‖presenter` with that persona's signing key
+    /// (via the TDK Ed25519 routine), under its assertionMethod verification
+    /// method. Used when joining under a different/fresh DID than the invited one.
+    ///
+    /// Errors if `subject_did` is not one of our personas (we can't prove
+    /// control of a key we don't hold).
+    pub async fn build_subject_linkage(
+        &self,
+        subject_did: &str,
+        vta_client: Option<&vta_sdk::client::VtaClient>,
+        vic_id: &str,
+        presenter_did: &str,
+    ) -> Result<crate::join::SubjectLinkage, OpenVTCError> {
+        // The subject persona's assertionMethod VM id (the VTC resolves it to
+        // verify the signature).
+        let persona = self
+            .account
+            .personas
+            .values()
+            .find(|p| p.did == subject_did)
+            .ok_or_else(|| {
+                OpenVTCError::Config(format!(
+                    "invitation subject {subject_did} is not one of your personas"
+                ))
+            })?;
+        let doc = persona.did_document.as_ref().ok_or_else(|| {
+            OpenVTCError::Config("subject persona has no cached DID document".to_string())
+        })?;
+        let vm = doc
+            .find_assertion_method(None)
+            .first()
+            .copied()
+            .ok_or_else(|| {
+                OpenVTCError::Config("subject persona has no assertionMethod".to_string())
+            })?
+            .to_string();
+
+        let seed = self.persona_signing_seed(subject_did, vta_client).await?;
+        crate::join::sign_subject_linkage(&seed, vm, vic_id, presenter_did)
+    }
+
+    /// Resolve a persona's Ed25519 signing-key seed (32 bytes) by DID, from
+    /// whichever backing the key uses (BIP32-derived / imported / VTA-managed).
+    /// Mirrors the per-key resolution in [`Self::load_persona_secrets`].
+    async fn persona_signing_seed(
+        &self,
+        persona_did: &str,
+        vta_client: Option<&vta_sdk::client::VtaClient>,
+    ) -> Result<[u8; 32], OpenVTCError> {
+        for (key_id, ki) in &self.key_info {
+            if !key_id.starts_with(persona_did) || !matches!(ki.purpose, KeyTypes::PersonaSigning) {
+                continue;
+            }
+            let secret = match &ki.path {
+                KeySourceMaterial::Derived { path } => {
+                    let KeyBackend::Bip32 { root, .. } = &self.key_backend else {
+                        return Err(OpenVTCError::Config(
+                            "Derived key requires a BIP32 backend".to_string(),
+                        ));
+                    };
+                    root.get_secret_from_path(path, KeyPurpose::Signing)
+                        .map_err(|e| {
+                            OpenVTCError::Secret(format!("derive subject signing key: {e}"))
+                        })?
+                }
+                KeySourceMaterial::Imported { seed } => {
+                    Secret::from_multibase(seed.expose_secret(), None)
+                        .map_err(|e| OpenVTCError::Secret(format!("imported signing key: {e}")))?
+                }
+                KeySourceMaterial::VtaManaged { key_id: vta_key_id } => {
+                    let client = vta_client.ok_or_else(|| {
+                        OpenVTCError::Config(
+                            "VTA-managed signing key requires a VTA client".to_string(),
+                        )
+                    })?;
+                    let resp = client.get_key_secret(vta_key_id).await.map_err(|e| {
+                        OpenVTCError::Config(format!("fetch subject signing key: {e}"))
+                    })?;
+                    secret_from_vta_response(&resp, KeyPurpose::Signing)?
+                }
+            };
+            return secret.get_private_bytes().try_into().map_err(|_| {
+                OpenVTCError::Secret("signing key is not a 32-byte Ed25519 seed".to_string())
+            });
+        }
+        Err(OpenVTCError::Config(format!(
+            "no signing key found for persona {persona_did}"
+        )))
+    }
+
     /// Load persona DID key secrets into the TDK resolver from this Config.
     ///
     /// Call this after creating a new config (e.g., after setup wizard) so the
diff --git a/openvtc-core/src/join.rs b/openvtc-core/src/join.rs
index 9ad55ab..4fe7a75 100644
--- a/openvtc-core/src/join.rs
+++ b/openvtc-core/src/join.rs
@@ -168,6 +168,30 @@ pub fn subject_linkage_signing_bytes(vic_id: &str, presenter_did: &str) -> Vec<u
     bytes
 }
 
+/// Produce a subject-linkage proof: sign [`subject_linkage_signing_bytes`] with
+/// the VIC subject's Ed25519 private key (`private_seed`, 32 raw bytes — e.g.
+/// `Secret::get_private_bytes`), authorizing `presenter_did` to redeem the
+/// invitation `vic_id`. `verification_method` is the subject's assertionMethod
+/// VM id the VTC resolves to verify the signature.
+///
+/// Signs via the TDK's Ed25519 routine
+/// ([`affinidi_tdk::affinidi_crypto::jose::signing::sign`]) — the same
+/// primitive the workspace uses elsewhere — not a hand-rolled signer.
+pub fn sign_subject_linkage(
+    private_seed: &[u8; 32],
+    verification_method: impl Into<String>,
+    vic_id: &str,
+    presenter_did: &str,
+) -> Result<SubjectLinkage, OpenVTCError> {
+    let bytes = subject_linkage_signing_bytes(vic_id, presenter_did);
+    let signature = affinidi_tdk::affinidi_crypto::jose::signing::sign(&bytes, private_seed)
+        .map_err(|e| OpenVTCError::Config(format!("subject-linkage signing failed: {e}")))?;
+    Ok(SubjectLinkage {
+        verification_method: verification_method.into(),
+        signature_hex: hex::encode(signature),
+    })
+}
+
 /// The DID a VIC is bound to (`credentialSubject.id`).
 pub fn invitation_subject(vic: &Value) -> Option<&str> {
     vic.pointer("/credentialSubject/id").and_then(Value::as_str)
@@ -246,6 +270,35 @@ mod tests {
         assert_eq!(invitation_subject(&json!({})), None);
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn sign_subject_linkage_verifies_with_the_tdk_routine() {
+        use affinidi_tdk::affinidi_crypto::jose::signing;
+        let seed = [7u8; 32];
+        let pubkey = signing::public_key_from_private(&seed);
+        let linkage = sign_subject_linkage(
+            &seed,
+            "did:webvh:example.com:alice#key-0",
+            "urn:uuid:vic-1",
+            "did:key:zFreshB",
+        )
+        .expect("sign");
+        assert_eq!(
+            linkage.verification_method,
+            "did:webvh:example.com:alice#key-0"
+        );
+        // The signature verifies over the canonical bytes — the exact check the
+        // VTC performs against the subject's resolved key.
+        let sig: [u8; 64] = hex::decode(&linkage.signature_hex)
+            .unwrap()
+            .try_into()
+            .unwrap();
+        let bytes = subject_linkage_signing_bytes("urn:uuid:vic-1", "did:key:zFreshB");
+        assert!(signing::verify(&bytes, &sig, &pubkey).is_ok());
+        // A different presenter's bytes must NOT verify against this signature.
+        let other = subject_linkage_signing_bytes("urn:uuid:vic-1", "did:key:zOther");
+        assert!(signing::verify(&other, &sig, &pubkey).is_err());
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn linkage_signing_bytes_are_tag_id_nul_presenter() {
         let bytes = subject_linkage_signing_bytes("urn:uuid:vic-1", "did:key:zB");
diff --git a/openvtc/src/state_handler/join_flow.rs b/openvtc/src/state_handler/join_flow.rs
index e3065f6..1bf09c9 100644
--- a/openvtc/src/state_handler/join_flow.rs
+++ b/openvtc/src/state_handler/join_flow.rs
@@ -143,26 +143,22 @@ impl StateHandler {
                                 let _ = self.state_tx.send(state.clone());
                                 continue;
                             }
-                            // #1a join-as-subject: if a loaded invitation is bound
-                            // to one of our personas, present that persona
-                            // automatically — holder-binding then matches at the
-                            // VTC (presenter == VIC subject) with no linkage proof.
+                            // #1a / #1b: a loaded invitation bound to one of our
+                            // personas. Show the identity choice with that persona
+                            // pre-selected — pressing Enter joins as the invited
+                            // identity (#1a, presenter == VIC subject, no linkage);
+                            // choosing a different / fresh identity builds a
+                            // subject-linkage proof so the invited persona
+                            // authorizes the presented one (#1b).
                             if let Some(pid) = invitation_subject_persona(config, state) {
-                                if let Some(interrupted) = self
-                                    .launch_join_sequence(
-                                        JoinIdentityChoice::Reuse(pid),
-                                        vtc_did,
-                                        interrupt_rx,
-                                        state,
-                                        tdk,
-                                        config,
-                                        admin_vta,
-                                        profile,
-                                    )
-                                    .await
-                                {
-                                    return Ok(JoinExit::Exit(interrupted));
-                                }
+                                let options = build_persona_options(config);
+                                let idx = options.iter().position(|o| o.id == pid).unwrap_or(0);
+                                state.join.pending_vtc = Some(vtc_did);
+                                state.join.persona_options = options;
+                                state.join.identity_selected = idx;
+                                state.join.reuse_confirm = None;
+                                state.join.page = JoinPage::IdentityChoice;
+                                let _ = self.state_tx.send(state.clone());
                                 continue;
                             }
                             // R-B-3 / D1: with existing personas, let the user choose
@@ -426,6 +422,36 @@ async fn load_invitation_from_vault(admin_vta: &VtaClient) -> Option<serde_json:
     got.get("credential").cloned()
 }
 
+/// #1b: build a subject-linkage proof when the presenting DID differs from the
+/// loaded VIC's subject — the invited persona authorizes the presenter. Returns
+/// `None` on the join-as-subject path (presenter == subject), when no invitation
+/// is loaded, or when the subject isn't one of our personas (we can't sign for a
+/// key we don't hold; the VTC then refuses the mismatched binding). Best-effort:
+/// a signing failure is logged and yields `None`.
+async fn build_linkage_proof(
+    config: &Config,
+    admin_vta: &VtaClient,
+    state: &State,
+    presenter_did: &str,
+) -> Option<openvtc_core::join::SubjectLinkage> {
+    let vic = state.invitation_credential.as_ref()?;
+    let subject = openvtc_core::join::invitation_subject(vic)?;
+    if subject == presenter_did {
+        return None; // join-as-subject — no linkage needed
+    }
+    let vic_id = openvtc_core::join::invitation_id(vic)?;
+    match config
+        .build_subject_linkage(subject, Some(admin_vta), vic_id, presenter_did)
+        .await
+    {
+        Ok(linkage) => Some(linkage),
+        Err(e) => {
+            debug!(subject = %subject, error = %e, "subject-linkage proof unavailable");
+            None
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// Whether a pasted/loaded JSON value is an InvitationCredential (its `type`
 /// array carries the `InvitationCredential` tag).
 fn is_invitation_credential(value: &serde_json::Value) -> bool {
@@ -763,13 +789,14 @@ async fn run_join_sequence(
             .info("Presenting your invitation credential to the community…");
         let _ = handler.state_tx.send(state.clone());
     }
-    // Subject-linkage (#1b) is built only when the presenting DID differs from
-    // the VIC subject. On the join-as-subject path (#1a) — where this persona is
-    // the invited DID — no linkage is needed and `None` is passed.
+    // Subject-linkage (#1b): when the presenting DID differs from the VIC
+    // subject, prove the subject authorized this presenter (signed with the
+    // subject persona's key). On the join-as-subject path (#1a) this is `None`.
+    let linkage = build_linkage_proof(config, admin_vta, state, &applicant_did).await;
     let vp = openvtc_core::join::build_join_vp(
         &applicant_did,
         state.invitation_credential.as_ref(),
-        None,
+        linkage.as_ref(),
     );
     let request_id = match openvtc_core::join::submit_join_request(
         atm,