diff --git a/Aetheria.State.Verify/Program.cs b/Aetheria.State.Verify/Program.cs
index 59bbcb594..17b4d99b8 100644
--- a/Aetheria.State.Verify/Program.cs
+++ b/Aetheria.State.Verify/Program.cs
@@ -3897,15 +3897,19 @@ static void RequireRuntimeMenuTabsUseEveSurface(string root)
         "HandleTabSurfaceCommand(",
         "AetheriaEveUnitySurfaceHost.RenderRuntime(",
         "AetheriaEveUnitySurfaceHost.Hide(_tabSurfaceDocument)",
-        "AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.Build(ProjectTabSurfaceState())",
-        "ProjectTabSurfaceState(",
+        "AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.Build(ProjectTabSurface())",
+        "ProjectTabSurface(",
+        "AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.Project(",
+        "new AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabProjectionOption(",
         "ResolveVisibleTabs(",
         "GameManager.IsObservedDocked",
         "GameManager.TryGetObservedDockedLocalStory(out _)",
         "GetTabLabel(",
+        "ToRuntimeTabKey(",
+        "AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.NormalizeTabKey(tab.ToString())",
         "AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceCommands.TryRead(request, out var command)",
         "AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabCommandKind.SelectTab",
-        "string.Equals(command.TabKey, TabKey(tab), StringComparison.Ordinal)",
+        "string.Equals(command.TabKey, ToRuntimeTabKey(tab), StringComparison.Ordinal)",
         "TabButtons.gameObject.SetActive(false)"
     };
 
@@ -3951,7 +3955,10 @@ static void RequireRuntimeMenuTabsUseEveSurface(string root)
         "private static EveSurfaceComponent Node(",
         "ResolveTabSurfaceDocument(",
         "new EveUiToolkitSurfaceLowerer()",
-        "string.Equals(request.Command, AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.CommandFor("
+        "string.Equals(request.Command, AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.CommandFor(",
+        "ProjectTabSurfaceState(",
+        "new AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabSurfaceEntry(",
+        "private static string TabKey("
     };
 
     var hits = forbiddenSymbols
@@ -3965,6 +3972,26 @@ static void RequireRuntimeMenuTabsUseEveSurface(string root)
             string.Join(", ", hits));
     }
 
+    var requiredProjectionBuilderSymbols = new[]
+    {
+        "public sealed class AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabProjectionOption",
+        "public static string NormalizeTabKey(string tabKey)",
+        "public static AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceState Project(",
+        "public int Order { get; }",
+        ".OrderBy(tab => tab.Order)",
+        "new AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabSurfaceEntry(",
+        "string.Equals(key, normalizedCurrent, StringComparison.Ordinal)"
+    };
+    var missingProjectionBuilderSymbols = requiredProjectionBuilderSymbols
+        .Where(symbol => !menuTabsSurfaceBuilder.Contains(symbol, StringComparison.Ordinal))
+        .ToArray();
+    if (missingProjectionBuilderSymbols.Length > 0)
+    {
+        throw new InvalidOperationException(
+            "Shared runtime menu tab surface builder no longer owns tab projection semantics: " +
+            string.Join(", ", missingProjectionBuilderSymbols));
+    }
+
     var requiredDockedStoryObserverSymbols = new[]
     {
         "public bool IsObservedDocked => TryGetObservedDockingBay(out _);",
diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/UI/Menu/MenuPanel.cs b/Assets/Scripts/UI/Menu/MenuPanel.cs
index 818ab549d..95a44c060 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/UI/Menu/MenuPanel.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/UI/Menu/MenuPanel.cs
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ public class MenuPanel : MonoBehaviour
             transform,
             _tabSurfaceDocument,
             "Aetheria Runtime Menu Tabs Surface",
-            AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.Build(ProjectTabSurfaceState()),
+            AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.Build(ProjectTabSurface()),
             HandleTabSurfaceCommand,
             _tabSurfaceChrome);
     }
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ public class MenuPanel : MonoBehaviour
         foreach (var tab in _tabs.Keys)
         {
             if (command.Kind == AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabCommandKind.SelectTab &&
-                string.Equals(command.TabKey, TabKey(tab), StringComparison.Ordinal))
+                string.Equals(command.TabKey, ToRuntimeTabKey(tab), StringComparison.Ordinal))
             {
                 ShowTab(tab);
                 return;
@@ -142,16 +142,16 @@ public class MenuPanel : MonoBehaviour
         AetheriaEveUnitySurfaceHost.Hide(_tabSurfaceDocument);
     }
 
-    private AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceState ProjectTabSurfaceState()
+    private AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceState ProjectTabSurface()
     {
         var visibleTabs = ResolveVisibleTabs();
-        return new AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceState(
-            TabKey(CurrentTab),
+        return AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.Project(
+            ToRuntimeTabKey(CurrentTab),
             visibleTabs
-                .Select(tabBinding => new AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabSurfaceEntry(
-                    TabKey(tabBinding.Tab),
+                .Select(tabBinding => new AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabProjectionOption(
+                    ToRuntimeTabKey(tabBinding.Tab),
                     GetTabLabel(tabBinding),
-                    tabBinding.Tab == CurrentTab))
+                    (int)tabBinding.Tab))
                 .ToArray(),
             DateTime.UtcNow.ToString("O"));
     }
@@ -172,9 +172,9 @@ public class MenuPanel : MonoBehaviour
             : tabBinding.Label;
     }
 
-    private static string TabKey(MenuTab tab)
+    private static string ToRuntimeTabKey(MenuTab tab)
     {
-        return tab.ToString().ToLowerInvariant();
+        return AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.NormalizeTabKey(tab.ToString());
     }
 
 // void Start()
diff --git a/Packages/org.gamecult.aetheria.state/Runtime/AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.cs b/Packages/org.gamecult.aetheria.state/Runtime/AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.cs
index 2f494fa7d..9536d420a 100644
--- a/Packages/org.gamecult.aetheria.state/Runtime/AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.cs
+++ b/Packages/org.gamecult.aetheria.state/Runtime/AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.cs
@@ -36,16 +36,58 @@ namespace GameCult.Aetheria.State.Verse
         public string UpdatedAtUtc { get; }
     }
 
+    public sealed class AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabProjectionOption
+    {
+        public AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabProjectionOption(string key, string label, int order)
+        {
+            Key = key ?? "";
+            Label = label ?? "";
+            Order = order;
+        }
+
+        public string Key { get; }
+        public string Label { get; }
+        public int Order { get; }
+    }
+
     public static class AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder
     {
         public const string SurfaceId = "aetheria.runtime_menu.tabs";
 
-        public static string CommandFor(string tabKey)
+        public static string NormalizeTabKey(string tabKey)
         {
-            var normalized = string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(tabKey)
+            return string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(tabKey)
                 ? "unknown"
                 : tabKey.Trim().ToLowerInvariant();
-            return $"aetheria.runtime_menu.tab.{normalized}";
+        }
+
+        public static string CommandFor(string tabKey)
+        {
+            return $"aetheria.runtime_menu.tab.{NormalizeTabKey(tabKey)}";
+        }
+
+        public static AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceState Project(
+            string currentTabKey,
+            IEnumerable<AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabProjectionOption> visibleTabs,
+            string updatedAtUtc)
+        {
+            var normalizedCurrent = NormalizeTabKey(currentTabKey);
+            return new AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceState(
+                normalizedCurrent,
+                (visibleTabs ?? Array.Empty<AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabProjectionOption>())
+                    .Where(tab => tab != null)
+                    .OrderBy(tab => tab.Order)
+                    .ThenBy(tab => NormalizeTabKey(tab.Key), StringComparer.Ordinal)
+                    .Select(tab =>
+                    {
+                        var key = NormalizeTabKey(tab.Key);
+                        return new AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabSurfaceEntry(
+                            key,
+                            string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(tab.Label) ? key : tab.Label,
+                            string.Equals(key, normalizedCurrent, StringComparison.Ordinal));
+                    })
+                    .ToArray(),
+                updatedAtUtc);
         }
 
         public static AetheriaRuntimeSurfaceDocument Build(