diff --git a/frontend/src/components/TorchButton.vue b/frontend/src/components/TorchButton.vue
index d91afb0..c3e6b4e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/TorchButton.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/TorchButton.vue
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 import { ref, computed, onMounted, onUnmounted, nextTick } from 'vue'
 import { useTorchStore } from '../stores/torch'
 import { useCanvasStore } from '../stores/canvas'
-import { requestTorch, releaseTorch, transferTorch, updateName } from '../services/torch'
+import { requestTorch, releaseTorch, transferTorch, updateName, setAutoRequest } from '../services/torch'
 
 const torchStore = useTorchStore()
 const canvasStore = useCanvasStore()
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ async function handleTransfer(targetId: string) {
 }
 
 function toggleAutoRequest() {
-  torchStore.setAutoRequest(!torchStore.autoRequest)
+  setAutoRequest(!torchStore.autoRequest)
 }
 
 onMounted(() => {
diff --git a/frontend/src/services/torch.ts b/frontend/src/services/torch.ts
index 2ff5b9d..269163b 100644
--- a/frontend/src/services/torch.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/services/torch.ts
@@ -94,6 +94,12 @@ async function handleMessage(data: any) {
         await connectToMCP()
       }
 
+      // Sync autoRequest from server (server is source of truth)
+      const myClient = data.clients.find((c: any) => c.id === clientId)
+      if (myClient && myClient.autoRequest !== torchStore.autoRequest) {
+        torchStore.setAutoRequest(myClient.autoRequest)
+      }
+
       // Auto-request: if no one holds the torch and we have autoRequest enabled
       if (!hasTorchNow && data.holderId === null && torchStore.autoRequest) {
         console.log('[Torch] Auto-requesting torch (no holder)')
@@ -163,6 +169,15 @@ export async function transferTorch(targetId: string): Promise<boolean> {
   return true
 }
 
+/**
+ * Toggle auto-request on server (exclusive — only one client at a time)
+ */
+export function setAutoRequest(value: boolean): void {
+  if (torchWs?.readyState === WebSocket.OPEN) {
+    torchWs.send(JSON.stringify({ type: 'set-auto-request', value }))
+  }
+}
+
 /**
  * Update client name on server
  */
diff --git a/frontend/src/stores/torch.ts b/frontend/src/stores/torch.ts
index 84cc529..24f5707 100644
--- a/frontend/src/stores/torch.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/stores/torch.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { ref, computed } from 'vue'
 export interface TorchClient {
   id: string
   name: string
+  autoRequest: boolean
   userAgent: string
   hostname: string
   url: string
diff --git a/server/services/handlers/torch-handler.ts b/server/services/handlers/torch-handler.ts
index 5d7d804..37a1c5f 100644
--- a/server/services/handlers/torch-handler.ts
+++ b/server/services/handlers/torch-handler.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ interface TorchClient {
   ws: any
   id: string
   name: string
+  autoRequest: boolean
   userAgent: string
   hostname: string
   connectedAt: Date
@@ -29,6 +30,7 @@ function broadcastTorchState(broadcast: (message: string, filter?: (ws: any) =>
   const clientList = Array.from(torchClients.values()).map(c => ({
     id: c.id,
     name: c.name,
+    autoRequest: c.autoRequest,
     userAgent: c.userAgent,
     hostname: c.hostname,
     connectedAt: c.connectedAt.toISOString(),
@@ -53,6 +55,7 @@ export function handleTorchConnect(ws: any, broadcast: (message: string, filter?
     ws,
     id,
     name: 'Anonymous',
+    autoRequest: false,
     userAgent: 'Unknown',
     hostname: 'Unknown',
     connectedAt: new Date()
@@ -73,8 +76,16 @@ export function handleTorchMessage(ws: any, data: any, broadcast: (message: stri
       client.hostname = data.hostname || 'Unknown'
       client.name = data.name || 'Anonymous'
 
+      // Claim autoRequest exclusively (only one client at a time)
+      if (data.autoRequest) {
+        for (const [, c] of torchClients) {
+          if (c.id !== client.id) c.autoRequest = false
+        }
+        client.autoRequest = true
+      }
+
       // Auto-grant torch if requested and no one holds it
-      if (data.autoRequest && torchHolderId === null) {
+      if (client.autoRequest && torchHolderId === null) {
         torchHolderId = client.id
         console.log(`[Torch] Auto-granted torch to ${client.name} (${client.id})`)
       }
@@ -87,7 +98,21 @@ export function handleTorchMessage(ws: any, data: any, broadcast: (message: stri
         hasTorch
       }))
 
-      console.log(`[Torch] Registered: ${client.name} (${client.id}) (torch: ${hasTorch})`)
+      console.log(`[Torch] Registered: ${client.name} (${client.id}) (torch: ${hasTorch}, autoRequest: ${client.autoRequest})`)
+      broadcastTorchState(broadcast)
+      break
+    }
+
+    case 'set-auto-request': {
+      const value = !!data.value
+      if (value) {
+        // Exclusive: clear autoRequest from all other clients
+        for (const [, c] of torchClients) {
+          if (c.id !== client.id) c.autoRequest = false
+        }
+      }
+      client.autoRequest = value
+      console.log(`[Torch] Auto-request ${value ? 'claimed by' : 'released by'}: ${client.name} (${client.id})`)
       broadcastTorchState(broadcast)
       break
     }
diff --git a/server/services/sync-server.ts b/server/services/sync-server.ts
index 5080106..8a1fd4d 100644
--- a/server/services/sync-server.ts
+++ b/server/services/sync-server.ts
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ export function startSyncServer() {
           const data = JSON.parse(message.toString())
 
           // Route to appropriate handler based on message type
-          if (data.type?.startsWith('torch-') || ['register', 'request', 'release', 'transfer', 'update-name'].includes(data.type)) {
+          if (data.type?.startsWith('torch-') || ['register', 'request', 'release', 'transfer', 'update-name', 'set-auto-request'].includes(data.type)) {
             handleTorchMessage(ws, data, broadcast)
           }
           // Git doesn't expect messages from client