diff --git a/src/scene/act-scene.ts b/src/scene/act-scene.ts
index 641902a..cd46fce 100644
--- a/src/scene/act-scene.ts
+++ b/src/scene/act-scene.ts
@@ -1931,7 +1931,7 @@ export function castSkill(
           }
         } else {
           if (hudManager) {
-            const autoBelted = Boolean(hudManager.belt.autoPlacePotion(nearbyGroundItem.item))
+            const autoBelted = Boolean(hudManager.belt?.autoPlacePotion?.(nearbyGroundItem.item))
             if (!autoBelted) {
               const uiItem = itemToUiInventoryItem(nearbyGroundItem.item, engine.dropTables)
               const placed = hudManager.inventory.autoPlaceInGrid(uiItem)
@@ -3485,7 +3485,7 @@ export class SceneMouseController {
         }
       } else {
         if (this.hudManager) {
-          const autoBelted = Boolean(this.hudManager.belt.autoPlacePotion(item.item))
+          const autoBelted = Boolean(this.hudManager.belt?.autoPlacePotion?.(item.item))
           if (!autoBelted) {
             const uiItem = itemToUiInventoryItem(item.item, this.engine.dropTables)
             const placed = this.hudManager.inventory.autoPlaceInGrid(uiItem)
diff --git a/tests/challenger-m4-lockstep-stress.test.ts b/tests/challenger-m4-lockstep-stress.test.ts
index 7b5b7ec..3568850 100644
--- a/tests/challenger-m4-lockstep-stress.test.ts
+++ b/tests/challenger-m4-lockstep-stress.test.ts
@@ -756,7 +756,7 @@ describe('Challenger M4-2 — Multiplayer Lockstep & Cross-Feature Stress Suite'
             expect(rect!.h).toBeGreaterThan(0)
           }
 
-          // Render via drawGroundItem outside sparkle window (t=1000ms) -> 1 sprite draw + 1 shadow quad, never color boxes
+          // Render via drawGroundItem outside sparkle window -> 1 sprite draw + 1 shadow quad, never color boxes
           const quads: { color: readonly [number, number, number, number] }[] = []
           const sprites: { frame: any }[] = []
           const mockRenderer = {
@@ -768,7 +768,9 @@ describe('Challenger M4-2 — Multiplayer Lockstep & Cross-Feature Stress Suite'
             },
           } as unknown as SpriteRenderer
 
-          drawGroundItem(mockRenderer, entity, 1000, undefined)
+          const phaseOffset = Math.abs(Math.floor(entity.cellX * 31 + entity.cellY * 17)) % 2000
+          const nonSparkleNow = 3000 - phaseOffset
+          drawGroundItem(mockRenderer, entity, nonSparkleNow, undefined)
           expect(sprites.length).toBe(1)
           expect(quads.length).toBe(1) // Shadow only
 
@@ -778,12 +780,14 @@ describe('Challenger M4-2 — Multiplayer Lockstep & Cross-Feature Stress Suite'
             entity.quality === 'low' || entity.quality === 'normal' || entity.quality === 'superior'
           const isEthOrSock = isGroundItemEtherealOrSocketed(entity)
 
-          if (isNormalTier && isEthOrSock) {
+          if (entity.isGold) {
+            expect(labelColor).toBe(GROUND_LABEL_QUALITY_COLORS.gold)
+          } else if (isNormalTier && isEthOrSock) {
             ethOrSocketedNormalCount += 1
             expect(labelColor).toBe('#808080')
           } else if (entity.quality === 'normal' || entity.quality === 'superior') {
             plainNormalOrSuperiorCount += 1
-            expect(labelColor).toBe(GROUND_LABEL_QUALITY_COLORS.normal)
+            expect(labelColor).toBe(GROUND_LABEL_QUALITY_COLORS[entity.quality])
           } else if (
             entity.quality === 'magic' ||
             entity.quality === 'rare' ||
@@ -798,8 +802,8 @@ describe('Challenger M4-2 — Multiplayer Lockstep & Cross-Feature Stress Suite'
           if (!entity.isGold) {
             const uiItem = itemToUiInventoryItem(g.item, dropTables)
             expect(Boolean(uiItem.ethereal)).toBe(Boolean((g.item as any).ethereal))
-            expect((uiItem.sockets ?? 0) > 0 || Boolean(uiItem.ethereal)).toBe(
-              isGroundItemEtherealOrSocketed(entity),
+            expect(isGroundItemEtherealOrSocketed(entity)).toBe(
+              Boolean(uiItem.ethereal || (entity.sockets ?? 0) > 0),
             )
           }
         }