diff --git a/app/controllers/application_controller.rb b/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
index ba2f2fbc..1100ae30 100644
--- a/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/application_controller.rb
@@ -25,11 +25,42 @@ def flash
   protected
 
   def after_sign_in_path_for(resource)
-    if resource.judge?
-      judge_dashboard_path
-    else
-      root_path
+    # SAML POSTs from the IdP often arrive without the Rails session cookie
+    # (SameSite). Prefer RelayState / omniauth.origin, which survive that round-trip.
+    saml_preserved_return_path ||
+      safe_internal_redirect_path(stored_location_for(resource)) ||
+      default_sign_in_path_for(resource)
+  end
+
+  def default_sign_in_path_for(resource)
+    resource.judge? ? judge_dashboard_path : root_path
+  end
+
+  def saml_preserved_return_path
+    safe_internal_redirect_path(request.params['RelayState']) ||
+      safe_internal_redirect_path(request.env['omniauth.origin'])
+  end
+
+  def safe_internal_redirect_path(path)
+    return if path.blank?
+
+    uri = URI.parse(path)
+    if uri.host.present?
+      return unless uri.host == request.host
+
+      path = [ uri.path, uri.query ].compact.join('?')
     end
+
+    return unless path.start_with?('/') && !path.start_with?('//')
+
+    # Homepage / login origins are not meaningful return destinations; fall
+    # through to role-based defaults (e.g. judges → judge dashboard).
+    path_only = path.split('?', 2).first
+    return if path_only.blank? || path_only == '/' || path_only == root_path
+
+    path
+  rescue URI::InvalidURIError
+    nil
   end
 
   def after_sign_out_path_for(resource_or_scope)
diff --git a/app/controllers/concerns/contest_invite_session.rb b/app/controllers/concerns/contest_invite_session.rb
index 0c42153b..ab549469 100644
--- a/app/controllers/concerns/contest_invite_session.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/concerns/contest_invite_session.rb
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ module ContestInviteSession
   extend ActiveSupport::Concern
 
   REDEEMED_SESSION_KEY = :redeemed_contest_instances
+  PENDING_SESSION_KEY = :pending_contest_invite_token
 
   included do
     before_action :load_redeemed_contest_instances_into_current
@@ -21,6 +22,14 @@ def redeem_contest_instance!(contest_instance)
     Current.redeemed_contest_instances = session[REDEEMED_SESSION_KEY]
   end
 
+  def remember_pending_contest_invite!(contest_instance)
+    session[PENDING_SESSION_KEY] = contest_instance.access_token
+  end
+
+  def consume_pending_contest_invite_token
+    session.delete(PENDING_SESSION_KEY)
+  end
+
   def redeemed_token_for(contest_instance)
     Current.redeemed_contest_instances&.dig(contest_instance.id.to_s)
   end
diff --git a/app/controllers/contest_invites_controller.rb b/app/controllers/contest_invites_controller.rb
index e4f637c3..9c229429 100644
--- a/app/controllers/contest_invites_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/contest_invites_controller.rb
@@ -1,11 +1,14 @@
 # frozen_string_literal: true
 
 class ContestInvitesController < ApplicationController
+  skip_before_action :authenticate_user!, only: :show
+
   def show
     @contest_instance = ContestInstance.find_by!(access_token: params[:token])
 
-    unless current_user.profile
-      redirect_to new_profile_path, alert: 'Please create your profile before accessing this contest.'
+    unless user_signed_in?
+      store_location_for(:user, contest_invite_path(token: params[:token]))
+      redirect_to root_path, alert: 'Please log in to access this contest.'
       return
     end
 
@@ -14,6 +17,12 @@ def show
       return
     end
 
+    unless current_user.profile
+      remember_pending_contest_invite!(@contest_instance)
+      redirect_to new_profile_path, alert: 'Please create your profile before accessing this contest.'
+      return
+    end
+
     redeem_contest_instance!(@contest_instance)
 
     unless @contest_instance.open?
@@ -30,6 +39,7 @@ def show
     redirect_to new_entry_path(contest_instance_id: @contest_instance.id),
                 notice: "Welcome to #{@contest_instance.contest_description.name}."
   rescue ActiveRecord::RecordNotFound
-    redirect_to applicant_dashboard_path, alert: 'Invalid or expired contest invite link.'
+    redirect_to user_signed_in? ? applicant_dashboard_path : root_path,
+                alert: 'Invalid or expired contest invite link.'
   end
 end
diff --git a/app/controllers/profiles_controller.rb b/app/controllers/profiles_controller.rb
index 6ca25811..1d135f67 100644
--- a/app/controllers/profiles_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/profiles_controller.rb
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def create
 
     respond_to do |format|
       if @profile.save
-        format.html { redirect_to applicant_dashboard_path, notice: 'Profile was successfully created.' }
+        format.html { redirect_to profile_created_redirect_path, notice: 'Profile was successfully created.' }
       else
         format.html { render :new, status: :unprocessable_entity }
       end
@@ -78,6 +78,12 @@ def set_profile
   def authorize_profile
     authorize @profile
   end
+
+  def profile_created_redirect_path
+    token = consume_pending_contest_invite_token
+    token.present? ? contest_invite_path(token: token) : applicant_dashboard_path
+  end
+
   # Only allow a list of trusted parameters through.
   def profile_params
     params.require(:profile).permit(:user_id, :umid, :preferred_first_name, :preferred_last_name, :class_level_id, :school_id, :campus_id,
diff --git a/app/helpers/application_helper.rb b/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
index ffdce7e3..33b1bb85 100644
--- a/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
+++ b/app/helpers/application_helper.rb
@@ -30,6 +30,12 @@ def redirect_back_or_default(default: root_url)
     redirect_to(session.delete(:return_to) || default, anchor: 'top')
   end
 
+  # Origin passed to SAML so RelayState can restore private-contest (and other) deep links.
+  def saml_authorize_params
+    origin = session['user_return_to'].presence
+    origin ? { origin: origin } : {}
+  end
+
   def boolean_to_yes_no(value)
     if value
       content_tag(:span, 'Yes', class: 'text-success fw-bold')
diff --git a/app/views/devise/shared/_links.html.erb b/app/views/devise/shared/_links.html.erb
index 0e5e08d1..7cba2bd5 100644
--- a/app/views/devise/shared/_links.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/devise/shared/_links.html.erb
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 
 <%- if devise_mapping.omniauthable? %>
   <%- resource_class.omniauth_providers.each do |provider| %>
-    <%= button_to "Sign in with U-M account", omniauth_authorize_path(resource_name, provider), class: "btn btn-warning btn-sm mb-4", data: { turbo: false } %><br />
+    <%= button_to "Sign in with U-M account", omniauth_authorize_path(resource_name, provider),
+                  params: saml_authorize_params,
+                  class: "btn btn-warning btn-sm mb-4",
+                  data: { turbo: false } %><br />
   <% end %>
 <% end %>
diff --git a/app/views/static_pages/home.html.erb b/app/views/static_pages/home.html.erb
index 37a45efe..b91c76f4 100644
--- a/app/views/static_pages/home.html.erb
+++ b/app/views/static_pages/home.html.erb
@@ -29,7 +29,10 @@
           <% end %>
         </div>
         <div class="d-grid w-25 ms-6 mt-6 mb-8">
-          <%= button_to "Login to LSA Evaluate", user_saml_omniauth_authorize_path, class: "btn btn-warning btn-sm mb-4", data: { turbo: "false" } %>
+          <%= button_to "Login to LSA Evaluate", user_saml_omniauth_authorize_path,
+                        params: saml_authorize_params,
+                        class: "btn btn-warning btn-sm mb-4",
+                        data: { turbo: "false" } %>
         </div>
       </div>
     </div>
diff --git a/config/initializers/devise.rb b/config/initializers/devise.rb
index 2bc4d1d9..cd07d6fd 100644
--- a/config/initializers/devise.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/devise.rb
@@ -308,6 +308,9 @@
                                           person_affiliation: [ 'urn:oid:1.3.6.1.4.1.5923.1.1.1.1' ],
                                           principal_name: [ 'urn:oid:1.3.6.1.4.1.5923.1.1.1.6' ] },
                   request_attributes: {},
+                  # Carry post-login destination through the IdP via SAML RelayState.
+                  # Session-based Devise return paths are often lost on the ACS POST.
+                  idp_sso_service_url_runtime_params: { origin: :RelayState },
                   idp_cert_fingerprint: idp_fingerprint,
                   idp_cert_fingerprint_algorithm: 'http://www.w3.org/2000/09/xmldsig#sha256',
                   allowed_clock_drift: 10,
diff --git a/spec/controllers/application_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/application_controller_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..856dc601
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/controllers/application_controller_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require 'rails_helper'
+
+RSpec.describe ApplicationController, type: :controller do
+  controller do
+    def index
+      head :ok
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe '#after_sign_in_path_for' do
+    let(:judge) { create(:user, :with_judge_role) }
+
+    it 'uses SAML RelayState before the role-based default' do
+      allow(controller.request).to receive(:params).and_return(
+        ActionController::Parameters.new('RelayState' => '/c/private-contest-token')
+      )
+
+      expect(controller.send(:after_sign_in_path_for, judge)).to eq('/c/private-contest-token')
+    end
+
+    it 'uses omniauth.origin when RelayState is absent' do
+      request.env['omniauth.origin'] = '/c/from-omniauth-origin'
+
+      expect(controller.send(:after_sign_in_path_for, judge)).to eq('/c/from-omniauth-origin')
+    end
+
+    it 'uses the stored destination before the role-based default' do
+      session['user_return_to'] = '/c/private-contest-token'
+
+      expect(controller.send(:after_sign_in_path_for, judge)).to eq('/c/private-contest-token')
+    end
+
+    it 'rejects external RelayState values' do
+      allow(controller.request).to receive(:params).and_return(
+        ActionController::Parameters.new('RelayState' => 'https://evil.example/phish')
+      )
+
+      expect(controller.send(:after_sign_in_path_for, judge)).to eq(judge_dashboard_path)
+    end
+
+    it 'ignores homepage RelayState so judges still land on the dashboard' do
+      allow(controller.request).to receive(:params).and_return(
+        ActionController::Parameters.new('RelayState' => '/')
+      )
+      request.env['omniauth.origin'] = '/'
+
+      expect(controller.send(:after_sign_in_path_for, judge)).to eq(judge_dashboard_path)
+    end
+
+    it 'uses the role-based default without a stored destination' do
+      expect(controller.send(:after_sign_in_path_for, judge)).to eq(judge_dashboard_path)
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/controllers/contest_invites_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/contest_invites_controller_spec.rb
index 243db2e1..f9c9098b 100644
--- a/spec/controllers/contest_invites_controller_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/controllers/contest_invites_controller_spec.rb
@@ -64,6 +64,20 @@
       end
     end
 
+    context 'when the user is not signed in' do
+      let(:contest_instance) { create(:contest_instance) }
+
+      before { sign_out user }
+
+      it 'stores the invite path and redirects to login' do
+        get :show, params: { token: contest_instance.access_token }
+
+        expect(response).to redirect_to(root_path)
+        expect(session['user_return_to']).to eq(contest_invite_path(token: contest_instance.access_token))
+        expect(flash[:alert]).to match(/log in/i)
+      end
+    end
+
     context 'when the user has no profile' do
       let(:user_without_profile) { create(:user) }
       let(:contest_instance) { create(:contest_instance) }
@@ -74,6 +88,7 @@
         get :show, params: { token: contest_instance.access_token }
 
         expect(response).to redirect_to(new_profile_path)
+        expect(session[:pending_contest_invite_token]).to eq(contest_instance.access_token)
       end
     end
   end
diff --git a/spec/controllers/profiles_controller_spec.rb b/spec/controllers/profiles_controller_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f47152f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/controllers/profiles_controller_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+# frozen_string_literal: true
+
+require 'rails_helper'
+
+RSpec.describe ProfilesController, type: :controller do
+  let(:user) { create(:user) }
+  let(:contest_instance) { create(:contest_instance) }
+  let(:profile_attributes) do
+    attributes_for(:profile).merge(
+      class_level_id: create(:class_level).id,
+      school_id: create(:school).id,
+      campus_id: create(:campus).id
+    )
+  end
+
+  before { sign_in user }
+
+  describe 'POST #create' do
+    it 'returns to a pending contest invite after creating the profile' do
+      session[:pending_contest_invite_token] = contest_instance.access_token
+
+      post :create, params: { profile: profile_attributes }
+
+      expect(response).to redirect_to(contest_invite_path(token: contest_instance.access_token))
+      expect(session[:pending_contest_invite_token]).to be_nil
+    end
+
+    it 'uses the applicant dashboard when there is no pending invite' do
+      post :create, params: { profile: profile_attributes }
+
+      expect(response).to redirect_to(applicant_dashboard_path)
+    end
+  end
+end