diff --git a/code/game/g_main.c b/code/game/g_main.c
index a837e2c..a468854 100644
--- a/code/game/g_main.c
+++ b/code/game/g_main.c
@@ -1737,6 +1737,8 @@ int start, end;
 
 	// demo playback: sync recorded player states and process spectator
 	if ( g_svDemoPlaying.integer ) {
+		gentity_t *specEnt = NULL;
+
 		// mark recorded players as connected based on their playerState.
 		// the server injected playerStates via SV_GameClientNum before
 		// calling G_RunFrame, so g_clients[i].ps is already populated.
@@ -1744,10 +1746,11 @@ int start, end;
 			gclient_t *cl = &level.clients[i];
 			gentity_t *e = &g_entities[i];
 
-			// skip the spectator slot — it's managed normally
+			// find and process the spectator
 			if ( e->client && cl->pers.connected == CON_CONNECTED
 				 && cl->sess.sessionTeam == TEAM_SPECTATOR ) {
 				ClientThink_real( e );
+				specEnt = e;
 				continue;
 			}
 
@@ -1766,6 +1769,14 @@ int start, end;
 				e->inuse = qfalse;
 			}
 		}
+
+		// update rankings so follow mode can cycle through players
+		CalculateRanks();
+
+		// run end-of-frame for spectator (handles follow mode PS copy)
+		if ( specEnt ) {
+			ClientEndFrame( specEnt );
+		}
 		return;
 	}