diff --git a/job-tracker-ui/src/App.tsx b/job-tracker-ui/src/App.tsx
index 15e49cc..4afeee7 100644
--- a/job-tracker-ui/src/App.tsx
+++ b/job-tracker-ui/src/App.tsx
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ function Shell({ jobPageSize, setJobPageSize, jobColumns, setJobColumns, themeMo
   }, []);
 
   if (requireAuth === null || !authResolved) return <Box sx={{ p: 4 }}><Typography variant="h6">Loading...</Typography></Box>;
-  if (requireAuth && !me) return <Navigate to="/login" replace state={{ from: path }} />;
+  if (requireAuth && !me) return <Navigate to="/" replace state={{ from: path }} />;
 
   const pageTitle = titleFor(path, t);
   const breadcrumbs = breadcrumbsFor(path, t);
diff --git a/job-tracker-ui/src/LandingPage.authRedirect.test.tsx b/job-tracker-ui/src/LandingPage.authRedirect.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..323ff77
--- /dev/null
+++ b/job-tracker-ui/src/LandingPage.authRedirect.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+import React from "react";
+import "@testing-library/jest-dom";
+import { render, screen, waitFor } from "@testing-library/react";
+import userEvent from "@testing-library/user-event";
+import { MemoryRouter, Route, Routes, useLocation } from "react-router-dom";
+import { api } from "./api";
+import LandingPage from "./pages/LandingPage";
+
+jest.mock("./api", () => ({
+  api: {
+    get: jest.fn(),
+    post: jest.fn(),
+    interceptors: { request: { use: jest.fn() }, response: { use: jest.fn() } },
+  },
+}));
+
+const mockedApi = api as jest.Mocked<typeof api>;
+
+function LoginStub() {
+  const location = useLocation() as { state?: { from?: string } };
+  return <div>login page, from={location.state?.from ?? "none"}</div>;
+}
+
+// Regression check for the auth-guard fix: a protected route bounces an
+// unauthenticated visitor to "/" with `state.from` set to the page they
+// wanted. The home page must forward that state to /login so sign-in
+// returns them to the originally-requested page instead of dropping them
+// on /jobs.
+describe("LandingPage forwards deep-link intent to /login", () => {
+  it("preserves location.state.from through the Sign in CTA", async () => {
+    mockedApi.get.mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("401")); // /auth/me: not signed in
+
+    render(
+      <MemoryRouter initialEntries={[{ pathname: "/", state: { from: "/jobs/42" } }]}>
+        <Routes>
+          <Route path="/" element={<LandingPage />} />
+          <Route path="/login" element={<LoginStub />} />
+        </Routes>
+      </MemoryRouter>,
+    );
+
+    await waitFor(() => expect(mockedApi.get).toHaveBeenCalledWith("/auth/me"));
+
+    const signInButtons = await screen.findAllByText("Sign in", { selector: "button" });
+    await userEvent.click(signInButtons[0]);
+
+    expect(await screen.findByText("login page, from=/jobs/42")).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/job-tracker-ui/src/pages/LandingPage.tsx b/job-tracker-ui/src/pages/LandingPage.tsx
index 70f674d..7029a26 100644
--- a/job-tracker-ui/src/pages/LandingPage.tsx
+++ b/job-tracker-ui/src/pages/LandingPage.tsx
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import React, { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 
 import { Box, Button, Container, Stack, Typography } from "@mui/material";
 import { alpha } from "@mui/material/styles";
-import { useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
+import { useLocation, useNavigate } from "react-router-dom";
 
 import DashboardIcon from "@mui/icons-material/SpaceDashboardOutlined";
 import AlarmIcon from "@mui/icons-material/NotificationsActiveOutlined";
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ const PRICING: { name: string; price: string; cadence: string; highlight: boolea
 
 export default function LandingPage() {
   const navigate = useNavigate();
+  const location = useLocation() as { state?: { from?: string } };
   const [checking, setChecking] = useState(true);
 
   // If the visitor already has a session, send them straight into the app.
@@ -54,6 +55,11 @@ export default function LandingPage() {
     return () => { active = false; };
   }, [navigate]);
 
+  // A protected route redirects unauthenticated visitors here with the page they
+  // wanted in location state; forward it to /login so sign-in returns them there
+  // instead of dropping them on /jobs.
+  const goToLogin = () => navigate("/login", { state: location.state });
+
   if (checking) {
     return (
       <Box sx={{ minHeight: "100vh", display: "grid", placeItems: "center", bgcolor: BRAND_DARK }}>
@@ -78,7 +84,7 @@ export default function LandingPage() {
               <Box sx={{ width: 30, height: 30, borderRadius: "8px", background: "linear-gradient(135deg,#6366f1,#22d3ee)", display: "grid", placeItems: "center", color: BRAND_DARK, fontWeight: 900 }}>✓</Box>
               <Typography sx={{ color: "#fff", fontWeight: 800, fontSize: 20 }}>JobTrack</Typography>
             </Stack>
-            <Button variant="contained" onClick={() => navigate("/login")} sx={{ background: "linear-gradient(90deg,#6366f1,#22d3ee)", color: "#0b1020", fontWeight: 700 }}>
+            <Button variant="contained" onClick={goToLogin} sx={{ background: "linear-gradient(90deg,#6366f1,#22d3ee)", color: "#0b1020", fontWeight: 700 }}>
               Sign in
             </Button>
           </Stack>
@@ -100,7 +106,7 @@ export default function LandingPage() {
               right job — all in one focused workspace. Assistive, never autonomous: you approve every draft.
             </Typography>
             <Stack direction={{ xs: "column", sm: "row" }} spacing={2}>
-              <Button size="large" variant="contained" onClick={() => navigate("/login")} sx={{ background: "linear-gradient(90deg,#6366f1,#22d3ee)", color: "#0b1020", fontWeight: 800, px: 4, py: 1.25 }}>
+              <Button size="large" variant="contained" onClick={goToLogin} sx={{ background: "linear-gradient(90deg,#6366f1,#22d3ee)", color: "#0b1020", fontWeight: 800, px: 4, py: 1.25 }}>
                 Get started
               </Button>
               <Button size="large" variant="outlined" href="#features" sx={{ color: "#e2e8f0", borderColor: alpha("#ffffff", 0.25), px: 3, py: 1.25 }}>
@@ -217,7 +223,7 @@ export default function LandingPage() {
               <Button
                 fullWidth
                 variant={tier.highlight ? "contained" : "outlined"}
-                onClick={() => navigate("/login")}
+                onClick={goToLogin}
                 sx={tier.highlight ? { background: "linear-gradient(90deg,#6366f1,#22d3ee)", color: "#0b1020", fontWeight: 800 } : { fontWeight: 700 }}
               >
                 {tier.cta}
@@ -237,7 +243,7 @@ export default function LandingPage() {
             <Typography sx={{ fontWeight: 800, fontSize: { xs: 24, md: 30 }, mb: 1 }}>Ready to organize your search?</Typography>
             <Typography sx={{ color: "#94a3b8", fontSize: 17 }}>Sign in to start tracking applications, tailoring CVs, and following up with intent.</Typography>
           </Box>
-          <Button size="large" variant="contained" onClick={() => navigate("/login")} sx={{ background: "linear-gradient(90deg,#6366f1,#22d3ee)", color: "#0b1020", fontWeight: 800, px: 4, py: 1.25, whiteSpace: "nowrap" }}>
+          <Button size="large" variant="contained" onClick={goToLogin} sx={{ background: "linear-gradient(90deg,#6366f1,#22d3ee)", color: "#0b1020", fontWeight: 800, px: 4, py: 1.25, whiteSpace: "nowrap" }}>
             Sign in →
           </Button>
         </Box>
@@ -248,7 +254,7 @@ export default function LandingPage() {
         <Container maxWidth="lg">
           <Stack direction={{ xs: "column", sm: "row" }} justifyContent="space-between" alignItems="center" spacing={1}>
             <Typography sx={{ color: "text.secondary", fontSize: 14 }}>© {new Date().getFullYear()} JobTrack — a focused workspace for the modern job search.</Typography>
-            <Button variant="text" onClick={() => navigate("/login")} sx={{ fontWeight: 700 }}>Sign in</Button>
+            <Button variant="text" onClick={goToLogin} sx={{ fontWeight: 700 }}>Sign in</Button>
           </Stack>
         </Container>
       </Box>