diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/Editor/DrawnPoseWiringVerify.cs b/Assets/Scripts/Editor/DrawnPoseWiringVerify.cs
index 3815ab27d..96aba2819 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/Editor/DrawnPoseWiringVerify.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/Editor/DrawnPoseWiringVerify.cs
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ namespace Aetheria.EditorTools
         {
             var settings = AssetDatabase.LoadAssetAtPath<GameSettings>("Assets/Resources/Settings.asset")?.GameplaySettings
                 ?? throw new InvalidOperationException("No Settings.asset.");
+            settings.FloaterLayerHeight = -1.5f; // nonzero, so a presenter that drops the floater layer fails
 
             var wired = SessionState.GetString(Wiring, "").Split('|').Select(entry => entry.Split('=')).ToDictionary(pair => pair[0], pair => pair[1]);
             var pickupPrefab = AssetDatabase.LoadAssetAtPath<GameObject>(wired["SimpleCommodityPickup"])?.GetComponent<ItemPickup>();
@@ -178,6 +179,8 @@ namespace Aetheria.EditorTools
                 want = mine.Body.Position + mineVelocity * lead;
                 Require(Mathf.Abs(seen.x - want.x) < Tolerance && Mathf.Abs(seen.z - want.y) < Tolerance,
                     $"MineInstance at lead {lead}: drawn x/z {seen.x},{seen.z}, the step plus velocity times lead {want.x},{want.y}.");
+                Require(Mathf.Abs(seen.y - DrawAhead.FloaterHeight(zone, settings, new float2(want.x, want.y), lead)) < Tolerance,
+                    $"MineInstance y {seen.y} is not on the floater layer.");
 
                 // The round's line is a function of the drawn time: it moves RoundSpeed * lead along its direction between leads.
                 seen = projectile.transform.position;
diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/ServerShared/Behaviors/Pickup.cs b/Assets/Scripts/ServerShared/Behaviors/Pickup.cs
index 0e4747183..29cd9c383 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/ServerShared/Behaviors/Pickup.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/ServerShared/Behaviors/Pickup.cs
@@ -167,5 +167,5 @@ public class Pickup : Behavior, IAlwaysUpdatedBehavior
     }
 
     private void Publish(GrabPhase phase, FloatingItem item, float duration) =>
-        Entity.Capabilities.PublishGrab(new GrabEvent(item.Id, phase, float3(item.Body.Position.x, Entity.Position.y, item.Body.Position.y), duration));
+        Entity.Capabilities.PublishGrab(new GrabEvent(item.Id, phase, float3(item.Body.Position.x, DrawAhead.FloaterHeight(Entity.Zone, Entity.ItemManager.GameplaySettings, item.Body.Position, 0), item.Body.Position.y), duration));
 }
diff --git a/tests/Aetheria.Shared.Tests/ContactTests.cs b/tests/Aetheria.Shared.Tests/ContactTests.cs
index 2efc5431c..bccd2a90d 100644
--- a/tests/Aetheria.Shared.Tests/ContactTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Aetheria.Shared.Tests/ContactTests.cs
@@ -98,9 +98,9 @@ public sealed class ContactTests : IDisposable
         var cache = AetheriaStores.Open(Path.Combine(_root, Guid.NewGuid().ToString("N") + ".cc"), catalogWritable: true);
         _caches.Add(cache);
         cache.Upsert(new VerseGrammar { Revision = 1 });
-        HullData Hull(string name, Shape shape, float mass) => new HullData
+        HullData Hull(string name, Shape shape, float mass, HullType type = HullType.Ship) => new HullData
         {
-            Name = name, HullType = HullType.Ship, Shape = shape, Durability = 1000000, Mass = mass, Armor = 0,
+            Name = name, HullType = type, Shape = shape, Durability = 1000000, Mass = mass, Armor = 0,
             Hardpoints = { new HardpointData { Type = HardpointType.Sensors, Position = new int2(0, 0), Shape = new Shape() } }
         };
         cache.Upsert(Hull("Solid", Solid(5, 5), 1000));
@@ -109,6 +109,9 @@ public sealed class ContactTests : IDisposable
         cache.Upsert(Hull("Mid", Solid(5, 5), 3000));
         cache.Upsert(Hull("Ell", Ell(), 1000));
         cache.Upsert(Hull("Longinus", ShippedLonginus(), 1000));
+        // The orbital hulls carry their real types, so a filter by runtime kind and one by hull type are told apart.
+        cache.Upsert(Hull("Station", Solid(5, 5), 1000000, HullType.Station));
+        cache.Upsert(Hull("Turret", Solid(5, 5), 1000, HullType.Turret));
         cache.FlushAsync().Wait();
 
         var ledger = new ProvenanceLedger();
@@ -390,9 +393,9 @@ public sealed class ContactTests : IDisposable
     {
         var lab = Build();
         var ship = lab.Add("Solid", float3(0, 0, 0), float2(10, 0));
-        var station = lab.AddOrbital("Heavy", float3(10, 0, 0), float2(0, 0));
+        var station = lab.AddOrbital("Station", float3(10, 0, 0), float2(0, 0));
         // Behind the ship and faster than it, so it closes on the ship as the station does.
-        var turret = lab.AddOrbital("Solid", float3(-10, 0, 0), float2(30, 0));
+        var turret = lab.AddOrbital("Turret", float3(-10, 0, 0), float2(30, 0));
         lab.Step();
         Assert.Empty(lab.Events);
         Assert.Equal(float2(10, 0), ship.Velocity);
@@ -408,7 +411,7 @@ public sealed class ContactTests : IDisposable
         var lab = Build(.5f);
         var a = lab.Add("Solid", float3(0, 0, 0), float2(10, 0));
         var b = lab.Add("Solid", float3(10, 0, 0), float2(-10, 0));
-        lab.AddOrbital("Heavy", float3(5, 0, 0), float2(0, 0));
+        lab.AddOrbital("Station", float3(5, 0, 0), float2(0, 0));
         lab.Step();
 
         var contact = Assert.Single(lab.Events);
diff --git a/tests/Aetheria.Shared.Tests/PickupTests.cs b/tests/Aetheria.Shared.Tests/PickupTests.cs
index d88ed5e53..78e1d478a 100644
--- a/tests/Aetheria.Shared.Tests/PickupTests.cs
+++ b/tests/Aetheria.Shared.Tests/PickupTests.cs
@@ -74,7 +74,8 @@ public sealed class PickupTests : IDisposable
             TargetDetectionInfoThreshold = .1f, TargetGearInfoThreshold = .8f,
             FiringArc = 170, CommitHorizon = .5f, SchematicCellSize = 1f,
             UnaidedAccuracy = .05f, UnaidedTracking = 10f, UnaidedPrecision = 2f, AgentMinHitProbability = 0f,
-            LootDropProbability = 0, LootDropVelocity = 25, FloatingItemLifetime = lifetime
+            LootDropProbability = 0, LootDropVelocity = 25, FloatingItemLifetime = lifetime,
+            ShipLayerHeight = 3f, FloaterLayerHeight = -1.5f
         };
         var cache = AetheriaStores.Open(Path.Combine(_root, Guid.NewGuid().ToString("N") + ".cc"), catalogWritable: true);
         _caches.Add(cache);
@@ -244,6 +245,22 @@ public sealed class PickupTests : IDisposable
         }
     }
 
+    // The beam ends on the loot where the loot is drawn: the field plus the floater layer, not the grabbing ship's plane
+    // (ruling orbitals-above-floaters-below).
+    [Fact]
+    public void AGrabPointRidesTheFloaterLayerNotTheShips()
+    {
+        using var bag = new CompositeDisposable();
+        var lab = Build(Beam());
+        var ship = Spawn(lab, float3(0, 0, 0));
+        var item = Drift(lab, 40, 0);
+        var events = Watch(ship, bag);
+        ship.TractorCommand = 1;
+        for (var tick = 1; tick <= 150; tick++) lab.Zone.Update(1 / 60f);
+        Assert.NotEmpty(events);
+        Assert.All(events, e => Assert.Equal(lab.Zone.GetHeight(e.TargetPosition.xz, lab.Zone.ExactTime) - 1.5f, e.TargetPosition.y, 3));
+    }
+
     [Fact]
     public void GrabEventsNameTheFloatingItem()
     {