diff --git a/client/scripts/player.gd b/client/scripts/player.gd
index bf980a9..d999427 100644
--- a/client/scripts/player.gd
+++ b/client/scripts/player.gd
@@ -49,6 +49,15 @@ const WALK_TREAD_FREEZE_VERT_ERR_MAX: float = 0.18
 ## alternate with full snap each tick (~y≈1.0 jitter). Require this many consecutive probe-fail frames
 ## before arming peel/snap aggression; [member WALK_DEEP_DESCENT_FEET_ABOVE_GOAL] still arms immediately.
 const WALK_PEEL_PROBE_FALSE_FRAMES: int = 2
+## [member VERT_ARRIVE_EPS] is too tight on column stairs: feet oscillate ~±6 cm vs goal surface while XZ is
+## already inside [member ARRIVE_EPS] → never [code]has_goal=false[/code], full [member MOVE_SPEED] path
+## steer flips forever (looks like “idle” jitter; NEON-16 traces).
+const WALK_COLUMN_NEAR_ARRIVE_VERT: float = 0.36
+## If [code]vlat && ncol[/code] and net displacement stays below this for [member WALK_COLUMN_STUCK_FRAMES],
+## clear the walk goal — path lookahead limit cycle with no progress (backup if widened arrival is not enough).
+const WALK_COLUMN_STUCK_FRAMES: int = 28
+const WALK_COLUMN_STUCK_MAX_DRIFT: float = 0.045
+const WALK_COLUMN_STUCK_HORIZ_MAX: float = 0.68
 ## Hysteresis for [code]needs_vertical_routing[/code]: [code]feet_y[/code] wobbles with
 ## [code]move_and_slide[/code] on treads (~7 cm), so a single margin (see [member DESCEND_GOAL_Y_MARGIN])
 ## can flip path vs direct steering every tick → velocity sign ping-pong while [code]has_goal[/code].
@@ -160,6 +169,8 @@ var _walk_ledge_peel_vy: float = 0.0
 var _walk_peel_no_probe_streak: int = 0
 ## True after streak / deep-descent check; drives zero snap and [method _apply_walk_post_slide_ledge_peel].
 var _walk_debounced_wants_ledge_peel: bool = false
+var _walk_column_stuck_frame: int = 0
+var _walk_column_stuck_origin: Vector3 = Vector3.ZERO
 @onready var _nav_agent: NavigationAgent3D = $NavigationAgent3D
 
 
@@ -187,6 +198,7 @@ func set_authoritative_nav_goal(world_pos: Vector3) -> void:
 	_walk_ledge_peel_vy = 0.0
 	_walk_peel_no_probe_streak = 0
 	_walk_debounced_wants_ledge_peel = false
+	_walk_column_stuck_frame = 0
 	_nav_agent.set_target_position(world_pos)
 
 
@@ -205,6 +217,7 @@ func clear_nav_goal() -> void:
 	_walk_vert_route_latched = false
 	_walk_peel_no_probe_streak = 0
 	_walk_debounced_wants_ledge_peel = false
+	_walk_column_stuck_frame = 0
 	_nav_agent.set_target_position(global_position)
 
 
@@ -494,6 +507,29 @@ func _apply_walk_air_gravity(delta: float, _feet_y: float, _move_dir_xz: Vector2
 		velocity += _player_vertical_accel(delta) * delta
 
 
+func _walk_try_release_column_stuck_orbit(horiz_dist: float) -> bool:
+	if not _has_walk_goal or not is_on_floor():
+		_walk_column_stuck_frame = 0
+		return false
+	if not (_walk_vert_route_latched and _walk_nav_column_steering):
+		_walk_column_stuck_frame = 0
+		return false
+	if horiz_dist > WALK_COLUMN_STUCK_HORIZ_MAX:
+		_walk_column_stuck_frame = 0
+		return false
+	if _walk_column_stuck_frame == 0:
+		_walk_column_stuck_origin = global_position
+	_walk_column_stuck_frame += 1
+	if _walk_column_stuck_frame < WALK_COLUMN_STUCK_FRAMES:
+		return false
+	var drift: float = global_position.distance_to(_walk_column_stuck_origin)
+	_walk_column_stuck_frame = 0
+	if drift > WALK_COLUMN_STUCK_MAX_DRIFT:
+		return false
+	clear_nav_goal()
+	return true
+
+
 func _walk_peel_suspend_near_goal(feet_y: float, horiz_dist: float) -> bool:
 	var vsep: float = absf(_auth_walk_goal.y - feet_y)
 	if _walk_vert_route_latched and _walk_nav_column_steering and vsep < WALK_PEEL_SUSPEND_VERT_SEP:
@@ -1057,15 +1093,33 @@ func _physics_process(delta: float) -> void:
 	var full_to_goal: Vector3 = _auth_walk_goal - global_position
 	var horiz_dist: float = Vector2(full_to_goal.x, full_to_goal.z).length()
 	var want_goal_h: Vector3 = Vector3(full_to_goal.x, 0.0, full_to_goal.z)
-	# Use actual capsule bottom (CAPSULE_HALF_HEIGHT + PLAYER_CAPSULE_RADIUS = 0.9) so that a
-	# step-surface goal (e.g. Y=0.3) is never considered "arrived" while the player is still at
-	# floor height. Using only CAPSULE_HALF_HEIGHT (0.5) gives code-feet at Y=0.4, which is too
-	# close to step surfaces and causes premature arrival when Jolt nudges the body down to ~0.8
-	# while the capsule hemisphere contacts the step edge.
+	# Feet + vertical routing **before** arrival: column stair oscillation keeps [code]vert_err[/code]
+	# above [member VERT_ARRIVE_EPS] while XZ is already inside [member ARRIVE_EPS] — widen vertical
+	# tolerance only for [code]vlat && ncol[/code] on floor (see [member WALK_COLUMN_NEAR_ARRIVE_VERT]).
+	var feet_y: float = capsule_feet_y(
+		global_position.y, CAPSULE_HALF_HEIGHT + PLAYER_CAPSULE_RADIUS
+	)
+	var vert_sep: float = absf(_auth_walk_goal.y - feet_y)
+	if not _walk_vert_route_latched:
+		if vert_sep > WALK_VERT_ROUTE_LATCH_ON_SEP:
+			_walk_vert_route_latched = true
+	else:
+		if vert_sep < WALK_VERT_ROUTE_LATCH_OFF_SEP:
+			_walk_vert_route_latched = false
+	var needs_vertical_routing: bool = _walk_vert_route_latched
+	if not needs_vertical_routing:
+		_walk_nav_column_steering = false
+	elif horiz_dist <= NAV_COLUMN_STEER_ENTER_DIST:
+		_walk_nav_column_steering = true
+	elif horiz_dist >= NAV_COLUMN_STEER_EXIT_DIST:
+		_walk_nav_column_steering = false
 	var vert_err: float = vertical_arrival_error(
 		_auth_walk_goal.y, global_position.y, CAPSULE_HALF_HEIGHT + PLAYER_CAPSULE_RADIUS
 	)
-	if horiz_dist <= ARRIVE_EPS and vert_err <= VERT_ARRIVE_EPS:
+	var vert_ok: float = VERT_ARRIVE_EPS
+	if is_on_floor() and _walk_vert_route_latched and _walk_nav_column_steering:
+		vert_ok = maxf(VERT_ARRIVE_EPS, WALK_COLUMN_NEAR_ARRIVE_VERT)
+	if horiz_dist <= ARRIVE_EPS and vert_err <= vert_ok:
 		velocity = Vector3.ZERO
 		_has_walk_goal = false
 		_walk_ledge_peel_vy = 0.0
@@ -1101,31 +1155,22 @@ func _physics_process(delta: float) -> void:
 		_snap_capsule_upright()
 		return
 
+	if _walk_try_release_column_stuck_orbit(horiz_dist):
+		floor_block_on_wall = true
+		_floor_angle_loose_ticks = FLOOR_ANGLE_LOOSE_TICKS_AFTER_STOP
+		_physics_idle_tick(delta)
+		_debug_trace_transform("physics")
+		_snap_capsule_upright()
+		return
+
 	_idle_manual_correction_ticks = 0
 
-	var feet_y: float = capsule_feet_y(
-		global_position.y, CAPSULE_HALF_HEIGHT + PLAYER_CAPSULE_RADIUS
-	)
 	_apply_floor_block_for_descend_at_wall(feet_y)
 
 	# Horizontal motion toward the **authoritative** click target (XZ) by default. Use the baked
 	# path only when vertical routing is latched **and** column hysteresis says so **and** we are
 	# on floor — mid-air column steering flips XZ velocity each tick against `move_and_slide`
 	# (NEON-16: `on_floor=false` + `vlat && ncol` while falling).
-	var vert_sep: float = absf(_auth_walk_goal.y - feet_y)
-	if not _walk_vert_route_latched:
-		if vert_sep > WALK_VERT_ROUTE_LATCH_ON_SEP:
-			_walk_vert_route_latched = true
-	else:
-		if vert_sep < WALK_VERT_ROUTE_LATCH_OFF_SEP:
-			_walk_vert_route_latched = false
-	var needs_vertical_routing: bool = _walk_vert_route_latched
-	if not needs_vertical_routing:
-		_walk_nav_column_steering = false
-	elif horiz_dist <= NAV_COLUMN_STEER_ENTER_DIST:
-		_walk_nav_column_steering = true
-	elif horiz_dist >= NAV_COLUMN_STEER_EXIT_DIST:
-		_walk_nav_column_steering = false
 	if needs_vertical_routing and _walk_nav_column_steering and is_on_floor():
 		_set_horizontal_velocity_from_nav_path_or_goal(want_goal_h)
 	else: