diff --git a/src/servers/sapphire_zone/DebugCommand/DebugCommandHandler.cpp b/src/servers/sapphire_zone/DebugCommand/DebugCommandHandler.cpp
index 7cde49b0..1d1d6512 100644
--- a/src/servers/sapphire_zone/DebugCommand/DebugCommandHandler.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/sapphire_zone/DebugCommand/DebugCommandHandler.cpp
@@ -709,6 +709,47 @@ void Core::DebugCommandHandler::instance( char* data, Entity::Player &player, bo
       else
          player.sendDebug( "Failed to create instance with id: " + std::to_string( instanceContentId ) );
    }
+   else if( subCommand == "bind" )
+   {
+      uint32_t instanceId;
+      sscanf( params.c_str(), "%d", &instanceId );
+
+      auto instance = pTeriMgr->getInstanceZonePtr( instanceId );
+      if( instance )
+      {
+         auto pInstanceContent = instance->getAsInstanceContent();
+         pInstanceContent->bindPlayer( player.getId() );
+         player.sendDebug(
+                 "Now bound to instance with id: " + std::to_string( pInstanceContent->getGuId() ) +
+                 " -> " + pInstanceContent->getName() );
+      }
+      else
+         player.sendDebug( "Unknown instance with id: " + std::to_string( instanceId ) );
+   }
+   else if( subCommand == "unbind" )
+   {
+      uint32_t instanceId;
+      sscanf( params.c_str(), "%d", &instanceId );
+
+      auto instance = pTeriMgr->getInstanceZonePtr( instanceId );
+      if( !instance )
+      {
+         player.sendDebug( "Unknown instance with id: " + std::to_string( instanceId ) );
+         return;
+      }
+
+      auto pInstanceContent = instance->getAsInstanceContent();
+      if( pInstanceContent->isPlayerBound( player.getId() ) )
+      {
+         pInstanceContent->unbindPlayer( player.getId() );
+         player.sendDebug(
+                 "Now unbound from instance with id: " + std::to_string( pInstanceContent->getGuId() ) +
+                 " -> " + pInstanceContent->getName() );
+      }
+      else
+         player.sendDebug( "Player not bound to instance with id: " + std::to_string( instanceId ) );
+
+   }
    else if( subCommand == "createzone" || subCommand == "crz" )
    {
       uint32_t zoneId;
diff --git a/src/servers/sapphire_zone/Network/Handlers/GMCommandHandlers.cpp b/src/servers/sapphire_zone/Network/Handlers/GMCommandHandlers.cpp
index afffb561..336608bf 100644
--- a/src/servers/sapphire_zone/Network/Handlers/GMCommandHandlers.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/sapphire_zone/Network/Handlers/GMCommandHandlers.cpp
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
 #include "Zone/TerritoryMgr.h"
 #include "Zone/Zone.h"
+#include "Zone/InstanceContent.h"
 #include "Zone/ZonePosition.h"
 
 #include "Network/GameConnection.h"
@@ -415,6 +416,15 @@ void Core::Network::GameConnection::gm1Handler( const Packets::GamePacket& inPac
       {
          player.sendDebug( "Found instance: " + instance->getName() + ", id: " + std::to_string( param1 ) );
 
+         // if the zone is an instanceContent instance, make sure the player is actually bound to it
+         auto pInstance = instance->getAsInstanceContent();
+         if( !pInstance->isPlayerBound( player.getId() ) )
+         {
+            player.sendUrgent( "Not able to join instance: " + std::to_string( param1 ) );
+            player.sendUrgent( "Player not bound! ( run !instance bind <instanceId> first ) " + std::to_string( param1 ) );
+            break;
+         }
+
          player.setInstance( instance );
       }
       else if( !pTeriMgr->isValidTerritory( param1 )  )
@@ -429,9 +439,11 @@ void Core::Network::GameConnection::gm1Handler( const Packets::GamePacket& inPac
             player.sendUrgent( "No zone instance found for " + std::to_string( param1 ) );
             break;
          }
+
          targetPlayer->setPos( targetPlayer->getPos() );
          targetPlayer->performZoning( param1, targetPlayer->getPos(), 0 );
-         player.sendNotice( targetPlayer->getName() + " was warped to zone " + std::to_string( param1 ) + " (" + pZone->getName() + ")" );
+         player.sendNotice( targetPlayer->getName() + " was warped to zone " +
+                            std::to_string( param1 ) + " (" + pZone->getName() + ")" );
       }
       break;
    }
diff --git a/src/servers/sapphire_zone/Zone/InstanceContent.cpp b/src/servers/sapphire_zone/Zone/InstanceContent.cpp
index 8a27fefe..8bf57a51 100644
--- a/src/servers/sapphire_zone/Zone/InstanceContent.cpp
+++ b/src/servers/sapphire_zone/Zone/InstanceContent.cpp
@@ -101,6 +101,10 @@ void Core::InstanceContent::onLeaveTerritory( Entity::Player& player )
 void Core::InstanceContent::onUpdate( uint32_t currTime )
 {
 
+
+   // TODO: check all players if still bound, if not, remove
+   //       needs to happen regardless of state
+
    switch( m_state )
    {
       case Created:
@@ -109,6 +113,7 @@ void Core::InstanceContent::onUpdate( uint32_t currTime )
          if( m_playerMap.size() < 1 )
             return;
 
+         // TODO: 1. check all bound players instead of just players in instance at the time
          for( const auto& playerIt : m_playerMap )
          {
             if( !playerIt.second->isLoadingComplete() ||
@@ -410,3 +415,27 @@ uint16_t Core::InstanceContent::getCurrentBGM() const
 {
    return m_currentBgm;
 }
+
+bool Core::InstanceContent::bindPlayer( uint32_t playerId )
+{
+   // if player already bound, return false
+   if( m_boundPlayerIds.count( playerId ) )
+      return false;
+
+   // TODO: do not allow binding of players if instance already has all it can take
+   // if( m_boundPlayerIds.size() >= party resttrictions )
+   //    return false;
+
+   m_boundPlayerIds.insert( playerId );
+   return true;
+}
+
+bool Core::InstanceContent::isPlayerBound( uint32_t playerId ) const
+{
+   return m_boundPlayerIds.count( playerId ) > 0;
+}
+
+void Core::InstanceContent::unbindPlayer( uint32_t playerId )
+{
+   m_boundPlayerIds.erase( playerId );
+}
diff --git a/src/servers/sapphire_zone/Zone/InstanceContent.h b/src/servers/sapphire_zone/Zone/InstanceContent.h
index 4096018d..017e3c71 100644
--- a/src/servers/sapphire_zone/Zone/InstanceContent.h
+++ b/src/servers/sapphire_zone/Zone/InstanceContent.h
@@ -64,10 +64,19 @@ public:
 
    Entity::EventObjectPtr getEObjByName( const std::string& name );
 
+   /*! binds a player to the instance */
+   bool bindPlayer( uint32_t playerId );
+
+   /*! removes bind of player from the instance */
+   void unbindPlayer( uint32_t playerId );
+
+   /*! return true if the player is bound to the instance */
+   bool isPlayerBound( uint32_t playerId ) const;
+
    /*! number of milliseconds after all players are ready for the instance to commence (spawn circle removed) */
    const uint32_t instanceStartDelay = 1250;
+
 private:
-   Event::DirectorPtr m_pDirector;
    boost::shared_ptr< Core::Data::InstanceContent > m_instanceContentInfo;
    uint32_t m_instanceContentId;
    InstanceContentState m_state;
@@ -81,6 +90,9 @@ private:
    std::map< std::string, Entity::EventObjectPtr > m_eventObjectMap;
    std::unordered_map< uint32_t, Entity::EventObjectPtr > m_eventIdToObjectMap;
    std::set< uint32_t > m_spawnedPlayers;
+
+   // the players which are bound to the instance, regardless of inside or offline
+   std::set< uint32_t > m_boundPlayerIds;
 };
 
 }