diff --git a/src/game/chat_handler.cpp b/src/game/chat_handler.cpp
index 15525808..5dfc2fd5 100644
--- a/src/game/chat_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/game/chat_handler.cpp
@@ -20,7 +20,31 @@ void ChatHandler::registerOpcodes(DispatchTable& table) {
         if (owner_.getState() == WorldState::IN_WORLD) handleMessageChat(packet);
     };
     table[Opcode::SMSG_GM_MESSAGECHAT] = [this](network::Packet& packet) {
-        if (owner_.getState() == WorldState::IN_WORLD) handleMessageChat(packet);
+        if (owner_.getState() != WorldState::IN_WORLD) return;
+        // SMSG_GM_MESSAGECHAT has the same header as SMSG_MESSAGECHAT
+        // (type[1]+lang[4]+senderGuid[8]+unk[4] = 17 bytes) followed by an
+        // extra gmNameLen[4]+gmName[N] before the type-specific body.
+        // Strip the GM name field to produce standard SMSG_MESSAGECHAT format.
+        if (!packet.hasRemaining(21)) return; // 17 header + 4 gmNameLen min
+        uint8_t  type       = packet.readUInt8();
+        uint32_t lang       = packet.readUInt32();
+        uint64_t senderGuid = packet.readUInt64();
+        uint32_t unk        = packet.readUInt32();
+        uint32_t gmNameLen  = packet.readUInt32();
+        if (!packet.hasRemaining(gmNameLen)) return;
+        packet.setReadPos(packet.getReadPos() + gmNameLen); // skip gmName
+
+        // Rebuild as regular SMSG_MESSAGECHAT (header + remaining body)
+        network::Packet regular(0);
+        regular.writeUInt8(type);
+        regular.writeUInt32(lang);
+        regular.writeUInt64(senderGuid);
+        regular.writeUInt32(unk);
+        const auto& raw = packet.getData();
+        size_t pos = packet.getReadPos();
+        if (pos < raw.size())
+            regular.writeBytes(raw.data() + pos, raw.size() - pos);
+        handleMessageChat(regular);
     };
     table[Opcode::SMSG_TEXT_EMOTE] = [this](network::Packet& packet) {
         if (owner_.getState() == WorldState::IN_WORLD) handleTextEmote(packet);
@@ -120,7 +144,8 @@ void ChatHandler::sendChatMessage(ChatType type, const std::string& message, con
         return;
     }
 
-    LOG_DEBUG("OUTGOING CHAT: type=", static_cast<int>(type), " msg='", message.substr(0, 60), "'");
+    LOG_INFO("OUTGOING CHAT: type=", static_cast<int>(type),
+             " (", getChatTypeString(type), ") target='", target, "' msg='", message.substr(0, 60), "'");
 
     // Use the player's faction language. AzerothCore rejects wrong language.
     // Alliance races: Human(1), Dwarf(3), NightElf(4), Gnome(7), Draenei(11) → COMMON (7)
@@ -165,9 +190,9 @@ void ChatHandler::handleMessageChat(network::Packet& packet) {
         LOG_WARNING("Failed to parse SMSG_MESSAGECHAT, size=", packet.getSize());
         return;
     }
-    LOG_DEBUG("SMSG_MESSAGECHAT: type=", static_cast<int>(data.type),
-              " sender='", data.senderName, "' msg='",
-              data.message.substr(0, 60), "'");
+    LOG_INFO("INCOMING CHAT: type=", static_cast<int>(data.type),
+             " (", getChatTypeString(data.type), ") sender=0x", std::hex, data.senderGuid, std::dec,
+             " '", data.senderName, "' msg='", data.message.substr(0, 60), "'");
 
     // Skip server echo of our own messages (we already added a local echo)
     if (data.senderGuid == owner_.playerGuid && data.senderGuid != 0) {
diff --git a/src/game/social_handler.cpp b/src/game/social_handler.cpp
index 2c154f15..230bb689 100644
--- a/src/game/social_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/game/social_handler.cpp
@@ -1087,12 +1087,14 @@ void SocialHandler::handleDuelWinner(network::Packet& packet) {
 
 void SocialHandler::inviteToGroup(const std::string& playerName) {
     if (owner_.getState() != WorldState::IN_WORLD || !owner_.socket) return;
+    LOG_WARNING(">>> Sending CMSG_GROUP_INVITE to '", playerName, "'");
     auto packet = GroupInvitePacket::build(playerName);
     owner_.socket->send(packet);
 }
 
 void SocialHandler::acceptGroupInvite() {
     if (owner_.getState() != WorldState::IN_WORLD || !owner_.socket) return;
+    LOG_WARNING(">>> Sending CMSG_GROUP_ACCEPT");
     pendingGroupInvite = false;
     auto packet = GroupAcceptPacket::build();
     owner_.socket->send(packet);
@@ -1244,8 +1246,15 @@ void SocialHandler::handleGroupList(network::Packet& packet) {
     const bool nowInGroup = !partyData.isEmpty();
     if (!nowInGroup && wasInGroup) {
         owner_.addSystemChatMessage("You are no longer in a group.");
+        LOG_INFO("Left group");
     } else if (nowInGroup && !wasInGroup) {
-        owner_.addSystemChatMessage("You are now in a group.");
+        std::string members;
+        for (const auto& m : partyData.members) {
+            if (!members.empty()) members += ", ";
+            members += m.name.empty() ? "?" : m.name;
+        }
+        owner_.addSystemChatMessage("You joined a group with: " + members);
+        LOG_INFO("Joined group with ", partyData.memberCount, " members: ", members);
     }
     // Loot method change notification
     if (wasInGroup && nowInGroup && partyData.lootMethod != prevLootMethod) {