diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/ServerShared/Entity.cs b/Assets/Scripts/ServerShared/Entity.cs
index bc8087228..f98ef8c32 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/ServerShared/Entity.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/ServerShared/Entity.cs
@@ -2530,9 +2530,12 @@ public class EquippedCargoBay : EquippedItem
     // Try to store the given commodity at the given position
     // If there's a stack at the given position it will be added to
     // Returns true only when ALL of the items are successfully stored
+    // The bay decides what quantity may sit in it: a stack below one unit or above its design's MaxStack is refused with
+    // the bay as it was, so no caller, loot, pickup or restore has to check for it.
     public bool TryStore(SimpleCommodity item, int2 cargoCoord)
     {
         var itemData = ItemManager.GetData(item);
+        if (item.Quantity < 1 || item.Quantity > itemData.MaxStack) return false;
         if (ItemFits(item, cargoCoord))
         {
             foreach (var p in itemData.Shape.Coordinates)
diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/ServerShared/EntitySerializer.cs b/Assets/Scripts/ServerShared/EntitySerializer.cs
index 7f934b937..dc5b27c90 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/ServerShared/EntitySerializer.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/ServerShared/EntitySerializer.cs
@@ -47,6 +47,15 @@ public static class EntitySerializer
         return pack;
     }
 
+    // A saved stack goes back where it was. The bay refuses what cannot sit in it (a stack below one unit, as the typed
+    // -5 purchase of old saves left, or above MaxStack), and the refusal is logged, never silent.
+    private static void RestoreStack(ItemManager itemManager, EquippedCargoBay bay, int2 position, ItemInstance item)
+    {
+        if (bay.TryStore(item, position)) return;
+        var quantity = item is SimpleCommodity commodity ? $" x{commodity.Quantity}" : "";
+        itemManager.Log($"Dropped a saved item the bay refused at {position}: {itemManager.GetData(item).Name}{quantity}");
+    }
+
     public static Entity Unpack(ItemManager itemManager, Zone zone, EntityPack pack)
     {
         return pack switch
@@ -103,12 +112,12 @@ public static class EntitySerializer
         for (var bayIndex = 0; bayIndex < pack.CargoContents.Length; bayIndex++)
             if(entity.CargoBays.Count >= bayIndex + 1)
                 foreach (var (position, item) in pack.CargoContents[bayIndex])
-                    entity.CargoBays[bayIndex].TryStore(item, position);
+                    RestoreStack(itemManager, entity.CargoBays[bayIndex], position, item);
 
         for (var bayIndex = 0; bayIndex < pack.DockingBayContents.Length; bayIndex++)
             if(entity.DockingBays.Count >= bayIndex + 1)
                 foreach (var (position, item) in pack.DockingBayContents[bayIndex])
-                    entity.DockingBays[bayIndex].TryStore(item, position);
+                    RestoreStack(itemManager, entity.DockingBays[bayIndex], position, item);
 
         entity.Temperature = pack.Temperature;
 
diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/ServerShared/StationServices.cs b/Assets/Scripts/ServerShared/StationServices.cs
index 433b0baf1..457b57a55 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/ServerShared/StationServices.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/ServerShared/StationServices.cs
@@ -79,12 +79,13 @@ public static class StationServices
         return BuyResult.Bought;
     }
 
-    // The purchase of `quantity` units of a station stack, one lot of at most MaxStack at a time. `deliver` puts a lot of
-    // that many units where it goes, and each lot is charged for the units it delivered. The first lot the station
-    // cannot sell or the player cannot take ends the purchase, with the lots before it bought.
+    // The purchase of `quantity` units of a station stack, one lot of at most MaxStack at a time. The stock is the
+    // station's: a purchase of more than the stack holds, or of a stack that holds nothing, is refused before anything
+    // moves, so every lot is units the station has and `deliver` moves whole, and each lot is charged for the units it
+    // delivered. The first lot the player cannot take ends the purchase, with the lots before it bought.
     public static BuyResult TryBuyLots(ItemManager items, SimpleCommodity stock, int quantity, ref int credits, Func<int, bool> deliver)
     {
-        if (quantity < 1) return BuyResult.NoRoom;
+        if (quantity < 1 || quantity > stock.Quantity) return BuyResult.NoRoom;
         var maxStack = items.GetData(stock).MaxStack;
         for (var remaining = quantity; remaining > 0;)
         {