diff --git a/src/lib/sim/BeltSystem.cpp b/src/lib/sim/BeltSystem.cpp
index 9f3b6b0..66fd149 100644
--- a/src/lib/sim/BeltSystem.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/sim/BeltSystem.cpp
@@ -756,13 +756,13 @@ void BeltSystem::routeSplitterItems()
             else if (preferA && !st.frontB)
             {
                 // Preferred (A) is full — fall back to B; nextOutputIsA stays.
-                st.frontB = BeltItemSlot{item, 0.0};
+                st.frontB = BeltItemSlot{item, 0.75};
                 routed = true;
             }
             else if (!preferA && !st.frontA)
             {
                 // Preferred (B) is full — fall back to A; nextOutputIsA stays.
-                st.frontA = BeltItemSlot{item, 0.0};
+                st.frontA = BeltItemSlot{item, 0.75};
                 routed = true;
             }
             // else both fronts occupied — back stays.
@@ -963,3 +963,4 @@ void BeltSystem::forEachVisualItem(QRect viewportTiles,
     }
 }
 
+
diff --git a/src/test/BeltSystemTest.cpp b/src/test/BeltSystemTest.cpp
index 0b425b3..58c662c 100644
--- a/src/test/BeltSystemTest.cpp
+++ b/src/test/BeltSystemTest.cpp
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 #include "catch.hpp"
 
+#include <optional>
+#include <string>
 #include <vector>
 
 #include <QPoint>
@@ -553,6 +555,64 @@ TEST_CASE("BeltSystem: splitter falls back to other output when preferred is blo
     REQUIRE_FALSE(bs.peekItem(Port{tileSpl, Rotation::South}).has_value());
 }
 
+TEST_CASE("BeltSystem: splitter fallback enters the open output at progress 0.75", "[belt]")
+{
+    // When the preferred output is blocked, the diverted item is dropped onto the
+    // open output near its edge (progress 0.75) instead of at progress 0.0. This
+    // closes the large gap that would otherwise appear between items leaving the
+    // open side of a half-blocked splitter.
+    //
+    // Progress/tick = 0.25 so the 0.0-vs-0.75 entry position is observable: a
+    // normally-routed item starts at 0.0, a fallback item starts at 0.75.
+    const double quarterSpeed = 0.25 * static_cast<double>(kTickRateHz);
+    BeltSystem bs(quarterSpeed);
+
+    const QPoint tileSpl(1, 0);
+    const QPoint tileB(1, 1);    // South output belt; North output has no belt (blocked).
+
+    bs.placeSplitter(tileSpl, Rotation::North, Rotation::South);
+    bs.placeBelt(tileB, Rotation::South);
+
+    // Reads a named item's progress along the South output via the rendering contract.
+    // slotWorldPos maps a South-bound slot on tileSpl (y = 0) to worldPos.y == progress.
+    // Matching by id avoids the blocked North item, which also renders at worldPos.y 0.
+    auto southProgressOf = [&bs](const std::string& id) -> std::optional<double>
+    {
+        std::optional<double> progress;
+        bs.forEachVisualItem(QRect(-5, -5, 20, 20), [&](VisualItem vi)
+        {
+            if (vi.type.id == id)
+            {
+                progress = vi.worldPos.y();
+            }
+        });
+        return progress;
+    };
+
+    // Permanently block output A: route one item to frontA where it sticks at 1.0
+    // (North has no downstream tile, so it can never move out).
+    bs.tryPutItem(tileSpl, makeItem("blockA"));
+    bs.tick();  // back: 0.25
+    bs.tick();  // back: 0.5 -> frontA at 0.0 (preferred A), nextOutputIsA = false
+    bs.tick(); bs.tick(); bs.tick(); bs.tick();  // frontA: 0.25 -> 0.5 -> 0.75 -> 1.0 (stuck)
+
+    // Item routed to B as the *preferred* output enters at progress 0.0.
+    bs.tryPutItem(tileSpl, makeItem("toB_pref"));
+    bs.tick();  // back: 0.25
+    bs.tick();  // back: 0.5 -> frontB at 0.0 (preferred B), nextOutputIsA = true
+    REQUIRE(southProgressOf("toB_pref") == Approx(0.0));
+
+    // Let it traverse and hand off to the downstream belt, freeing frontB.
+    bs.tick(); bs.tick(); bs.tick(); bs.tick();  // frontB: 0.25 -> 0.5 -> 0.75 -> 1.0 -> tileB
+
+    // Next item prefers A again (nextOutputIsA == true), but A is still blocked,
+    // so it falls back to B — and must enter near the edge at progress 0.75.
+    bs.tryPutItem(tileSpl, makeItem("toB_fallback"));
+    bs.tick();  // back: 0.25
+    bs.tick();  // back: 0.5 -> fallback routes to frontB at 0.75
+    REQUIRE(southProgressOf("toB_fallback") == Approx(0.75));
+}
+
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Splitter — direct building input (no output belts)
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------