diff --git a/server/routes/games.js b/server/routes/games.js
index b4ef755..4a0a789 100755
--- a/server/routes/games.js
+++ b/server/routes/games.js
@@ -3898,10 +3898,16 @@ const shuffleBoard = (game) => {
 /* Simple NO-OP to set session cookie so player-id can use it as the 
  * index */
 router.get("/", (req, res/*, next*/) => {
+  let playerId;
   if (!req.cookies.player) {
-    res.cookie('player', crypto.randomBytes(16).toString('hex'));
+    playerId = crypto.randomBytes(16).toString('hex');
+    res.cookie('player', playerId);
+  } else {
+    playerId = req.cookies.player;
   }
-  console.log(`[${req.cookies.player.substring(0, 8)}]: Browser hand-shake has started.`)
+
+  console.log(`[${req.cookies.player.substring(0, 8)}]: Browser hand-shake has started.`);
+
   return res.status(200).send({ player: req.cookies.player });
 });