diff --git a/bruno/neon-sprawl-server/inventory/Get inventory.bru b/bruno/neon-sprawl-server/inventory/Get inventory.bru
index 60e701e..93730cd 100644
--- a/bruno/neon-sprawl-server/inventory/Get inventory.bru	
+++ b/bruno/neon-sprawl-server/inventory/Get inventory.bru	
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ meta {
 
 docs {
   NEO-55: per-player inventory read model; join with GET /game/world/item-definitions for stackMax and slot kinds.
-  Fresh dev server seeds dev-local-1 with empty 24+1 slot grid.
+  Does not assume a fresh server — dev-local-1 inventory persists across Bruno runs (in-memory/Postgres).
+  Restart server (or truncate DB in Postgres mode) to see an all-empty grid again.
 }
 
 get {
@@ -28,14 +29,22 @@ tests {
     expect(body.equipmentSlots.length).to.equal(1);
   });
 
-  test("empty slots omit itemId and use quantity 0", function () {
+  test("empty slots omit itemId; occupied slots include itemId and positive quantity", function () {
     const body = res.getBody();
-    for (const slot of body.bagSlots) {
+    const assertSlotShape = (slot) => {
       expect(slot.slotIndex).to.be.a("number");
-      expect(slot.quantity).to.equal(0);
-      expect(slot.itemId).to.equal(undefined);
+      expect(slot.quantity).to.be.a("number");
+      expect(slot.quantity).to.be.at.least(0);
+      if (slot.quantity === 0) {
+        expect(slot.itemId).to.equal(undefined);
+      } else {
+        expect(slot.itemId).to.be.a("string");
+        expect(slot.itemId.length).to.be.at.least(1);
+      }
+    };
+    for (const slot of body.bagSlots) {
+      assertSlotShape(slot);
     }
-    expect(body.equipmentSlots[0].quantity).to.equal(0);
-    expect(body.equipmentSlots[0].itemId).to.equal(undefined);
+    assertSlotShape(body.equipmentSlots[0]);
   });
 }
diff --git a/bruno/neon-sprawl-server/inventory/folder.bru b/bruno/neon-sprawl-server/inventory/folder.bru
index 238dd15..508c5b3 100644
--- a/bruno/neon-sprawl-server/inventory/folder.bru
+++ b/bruno/neon-sprawl-server/inventory/folder.bru
@@ -3,8 +3,7 @@ meta {
 }
 
 docs {
-  NEO-55 inventory HTTP. Run GET first on a fresh dev server for empty 24+1 grid.
-  POST add/remove mutate dev-local-1; cumulative stacks from prior manual runs can make
-  Post inventory add assertions use at.least(5). Restart server (or truncate DB in Postgres
-  mode) for a clean inventory baseline.
+  NEO-55 inventory HTTP. GET does not assume an empty grid — dev-local-1 inventory persists across runs.
+  POST add/remove mutate dev-local-1; cumulative stacks from prior runs make add assertions use at.least(5).
+  Restart server (or truncate DB in Postgres mode) for a clean inventory baseline.
 }