diff --git a/src/lib/sim/BeltSystem.cpp b/src/lib/sim/BeltSystem.cpp
index 8167574..5e74bbe 100644
--- a/src/lib/sim/BeltSystem.cpp
+++ b/src/lib/sim/BeltSystem.cpp
@@ -119,19 +119,13 @@ std::optional<Item> BeltSystem::tryTakeItem(Port port)
     }
 
     BeltTile& bt = it->second;
-    if (bt.front)
+    if (bt.front && bt.front->progress >= 1.0)
     {
         const Item taken = bt.front->item;
         bt.front = bt.back;
         bt.back  = std::nullopt;
         return taken;
     }
-    if (bt.back)
-    {
-        const Item taken = bt.back->item;
-        bt.back = std::nullopt;
-        return taken;
-    }
     return std::nullopt;
 }
 
@@ -149,14 +143,10 @@ std::optional<ItemType> BeltSystem::peekItem(Port port) const
     }
 
     const BeltTile& bt = it->second;
-    if (bt.front)
+    if (bt.front && bt.front->progress >= 1.0)
     {
         return bt.front->item.type;
     }
-    if (bt.back)
-    {
-        return bt.back->item.type;
-    }
     return std::nullopt;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/test/BeltSystemTest.cpp b/src/test/BeltSystemTest.cpp
index a6befc9..f52eaa5 100644
--- a/src/test/BeltSystemTest.cpp
+++ b/src/test/BeltSystemTest.cpp
@@ -101,12 +101,13 @@ TEST_CASE("BeltSystem: third tryPutItem on full tile returns false", "[belt]")
 // tryTakeItem
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-TEST_CASE("BeltSystem: tryTakeItem returns placed item", "[belt]")
+TEST_CASE("BeltSystem: tryTakeItem returns placed item after reaching output edge", "[belt]")
 {
     BeltSystem bs(kFastBeltSpeed);
     const QPoint tile(0, 0);
     bs.placeBelt(tile, Rotation::East);
     bs.tryPutItem(eastPort(tile), makeItem("iron_ore"));
+    bs.tick();  // advance to output edge
 
     const std::optional<Item> taken = bs.tryTakeItem(eastPort(tile));
 
@@ -114,7 +115,23 @@ TEST_CASE("BeltSystem: tryTakeItem returns placed item", "[belt]")
     REQUIRE(taken->type.id == "iron_ore");
 }
 
-TEST_CASE("BeltSystem: tryTakeItem with two items returns both in sequence", "[belt]")
+TEST_CASE("BeltSystem: tryTakeItem requires item to reach output edge before yielding", "[belt]")
+{
+    BeltSystem bs(kFastBeltSpeed);
+    const QPoint tile(0, 0);
+    bs.placeBelt(tile, Rotation::East);
+    bs.tryPutItem(eastPort(tile), makeItem("iron_ore"));
+
+    // Item placed but not yet at output edge — must not be available.
+    REQUIRE_FALSE(bs.tryTakeItem(eastPort(tile)).has_value());
+    REQUIRE_FALSE(bs.peekItem(eastPort(tile)).has_value());
+
+    // After one tick the item has reached progress 1.0 and is available.
+    bs.tick();
+    REQUIRE(bs.tryTakeItem(eastPort(tile)).has_value());
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("BeltSystem: tryTakeItem with two items returns both after each reaches output edge", "[belt]")
 {
     BeltSystem bs(kFastBeltSpeed);
     const QPoint tile(0, 0);
@@ -122,15 +139,16 @@ TEST_CASE("BeltSystem: tryTakeItem with two items returns both in sequence", "[b
     bs.tryPutItem(eastPort(tile), makeItem("first"));
     bs.tryPutItem(eastPort(tile), makeItem("second"));
 
-    // First take returns front item (first placed, higher progress).
+    // Front item reaches output edge after one tick.
+    bs.tick();
     const std::optional<Item> taken1 = bs.tryTakeItem(eastPort(tile));
     REQUIRE(taken1.has_value());
 
-    // Second take returns the remaining item.
+    // Back item (now promoted to front) needs another tick to reach output edge.
+    bs.tick();
     const std::optional<Item> taken2 = bs.tryTakeItem(eastPort(tile));
     REQUIRE(taken2.has_value());
 
-    // Tile is now empty.
     REQUIRE_FALSE(bs.tryTakeItem(eastPort(tile)).has_value());
 }
 
@@ -156,7 +174,7 @@ TEST_CASE("BeltSystem: tryTakeItem returns nullopt on direction mismatch", "[bel
 // tick() — item advancement
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
-TEST_CASE("BeltSystem: one tick moves item from tile A to tile B in a 2-tile chain", "[belt]")
+TEST_CASE("BeltSystem: item transfers from tile A to tile B and becomes available after two ticks", "[belt]")
 {
     BeltSystem bs(kFastBeltSpeed);
     const QPoint tileA(0, 0);
@@ -165,9 +183,9 @@ TEST_CASE("BeltSystem: one tick moves item from tile A to tile B in a 2-tile cha
     bs.placeBelt(tileB, Rotation::East);
 
     bs.tryPutItem(eastPort(tileA), makeItem("iron_ore"));
-    bs.tick();
+    bs.tick();  // item reaches output edge of A, moves to B at progress 0
+    bs.tick();  // item reaches output edge of B
 
-    // Item should have moved to tileB.
     REQUIRE_FALSE(bs.tryTakeItem(eastPort(tileA)).has_value());
     const std::optional<Item> inB = bs.tryTakeItem(eastPort(tileB));
     REQUIRE(inB.has_value());
@@ -187,7 +205,7 @@ TEST_CASE("BeltSystem: item stays at progress 1.0 when next tile is absent", "[b
     REQUIRE(bs.tryTakeItem(eastPort(tileA)).has_value());
 }
 
-TEST_CASE("BeltSystem: item traverses 3-tile chain in 2 ticks", "[belt]")
+TEST_CASE("BeltSystem: item traverses 3-tile chain in 3 ticks (one per tile)", "[belt]")
 {
     BeltSystem bs(kFastBeltSpeed);
     const QPoint tileA(0, 0);
@@ -198,8 +216,9 @@ TEST_CASE("BeltSystem: item traverses 3-tile chain in 2 ticks", "[belt]")
     bs.placeBelt(tileC, Rotation::East);
 
     bs.tryPutItem(eastPort(tileA), makeItem("iron_ore"));
-    bs.tick();  // A -> B
-    bs.tick();  // B -> C
+    bs.tick();  // A output edge → moves to B at progress 0
+    bs.tick();  // B output edge → moves to C at progress 0
+    bs.tick();  // C output edge → available for pickup
 
     REQUIRE_FALSE(bs.tryTakeItem(eastPort(tileA)).has_value());
     REQUIRE_FALSE(bs.tryTakeItem(eastPort(tileB)).has_value());