diff --git a/Aetheria.State.Verify/Program.cs b/Aetheria.State.Verify/Program.cs
index 991069a69..61bf646ff 100644
--- a/Aetheria.State.Verify/Program.cs
+++ b/Aetheria.State.Verify/Program.cs
@@ -4781,9 +4781,7 @@ static void RequireRuntimeMenuTabsUseEveSurface(string root)
         "HandleTabSurfaceCommand(",
         "AetheriaEveUnitySurfaceHost.RenderRuntime(",
         "AetheriaEveUnitySurfaceHost.Hide(_tabSurfaceDocument)",
-        "AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.Build(ComposeTabSurface())",
-        "ComposeTabSurface(",
-        "AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.Compose(",
+        "AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.Build(",
         "new AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabModelOption(",
         "ResolveVisibleTabs(",
         "SetObservedEntityIndex(AetheriaUnityObservedEntityIndex observedEntityIndex)",
@@ -4848,8 +4846,10 @@ static void RequireRuntimeMenuTabsUseEveSurface(string root)
         "string.Equals(request.Command, AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.CommandFor(",
         "ResolveClient().State.CurrentDocking()",
         "AetheriaRuntimeObservedDockingState",
+        "ComposeTabSurface(",
         "ProjectTabSurfaceState(",
         "ProjectTabSurface(",
+        "AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.Compose(",
         "AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.Project(",
         "new AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabProjectionOption(",
         "new AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabSurfaceEntry(",
@@ -4880,7 +4880,8 @@ static void RequireRuntimeMenuTabsUseEveSurface(string root)
     {
         "public sealed class AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabModelOption",
         "public static string NormalizeTabKey(string tabKey)",
-        "public static AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceState Compose(",
+        "public static AetheriaRuntimeSurfaceDocument Build(",
+        "private static AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceState ComposeState(",
         "public int Order { get; }",
         ".OrderBy(tab => tab.Order)",
         "new AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabSurfaceEntry(",
@@ -4896,6 +4897,13 @@ static void RequireRuntimeMenuTabsUseEveSurface(string root)
             string.Join(", ", missingProjectionBuilderSymbols));
     }
 
+    if (menuTabsSurfaceBuilder.Contains("public static AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceState Compose(", StringComparison.Ordinal) ||
+        menuTabsSurfaceBuilder.Contains("public static AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceState Project(", StringComparison.Ordinal))
+    {
+        throw new InvalidOperationException(
+            "Runtime menu tab composition must stay behind Build(...); do not re-expose Compose/Project as the public tab surface path.");
+    }
+
     var requiredDockedStoryObserverSymbols = new[]
     {
         "TryResolveDockedLocalStory(out _currentLocation)",
diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/UI/Menu/MenuPanel.cs b/Assets/Scripts/UI/Menu/MenuPanel.cs
index 4684e7a6b..f802505b2 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/UI/Menu/MenuPanel.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/UI/Menu/MenuPanel.cs
@@ -117,7 +117,14 @@ public class MenuPanel : MonoBehaviour
             transform,
             _tabSurfaceDocument,
             "Aetheria Runtime Menu Tabs Surface",
-            AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.Build(ComposeTabSurface()),
+            AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.Build(
+                ToRuntimeTabKey(CurrentTab),
+                ResolveVisibleTabs()
+                    .Select(tabBinding => new AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabModelOption(
+                        ToRuntimeTabKey(tabBinding.Tab),
+                        GetTabLabel(tabBinding),
+                        (int)tabBinding.Tab)),
+                DateTime.UtcNow.ToString("O")),
             HandleTabSurfaceCommand,
             _tabSurfaceChrome);
     }
@@ -151,20 +158,6 @@ public class MenuPanel : MonoBehaviour
         AetheriaEveUnitySurfaceHost.Hide(_tabSurfaceDocument);
     }
 
-    private AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceState ComposeTabSurface()
-    {
-        var visibleTabs = ResolveVisibleTabs();
-        return AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.Compose(
-            ToRuntimeTabKey(CurrentTab),
-            visibleTabs
-                .Select(tabBinding => new AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabModelOption(
-                    ToRuntimeTabKey(tabBinding.Tab),
-                    GetTabLabel(tabBinding),
-                    (int)tabBinding.Tab))
-                .ToArray(),
-            DateTime.UtcNow.ToString("O"));
-    }
-
     private MenuTabBinding[] ResolveVisibleTabs()
     {
         var isDocked = TryResolveCurrentDocking(out var docking) && docking.IsDocked;
diff --git a/Packages/org.gamecult.aetheria.state/Runtime/AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.cs b/Packages/org.gamecult.aetheria.state/Runtime/AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.cs
index 4353dfcf4..735b6f904 100644
--- a/Packages/org.gamecult.aetheria.state/Runtime/AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.cs
+++ b/Packages/org.gamecult.aetheria.state/Runtime/AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceBuilder.cs
@@ -66,7 +66,18 @@ namespace GameCult.Aetheria.State.Verse
             return $"aetheria.runtime_menu.tab.{NormalizeTabKey(tabKey)}";
         }
 
-        public static AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceState Compose(
+        public static AetheriaRuntimeSurfaceDocument Build(
+            string currentTabKey,
+            IEnumerable<AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabModelOption> visibleTabs,
+            string updatedAtUtc,
+            long version = 1)
+        {
+            return Build(
+                ComposeState(currentTabKey, visibleTabs, updatedAtUtc),
+                version);
+        }
+
+        private static AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabsSurfaceState ComposeState(
             string currentTabKey,
             IEnumerable<AetheriaRuntimeMenuTabModelOption> visibleTabs,
             string updatedAtUtc)