diff --git a/engine/MUNGA_L4/L4CTRL.cpp b/engine/MUNGA_L4/L4CTRL.cpp
index 2fe8c78..59917b7 100644
--- a/engine/MUNGA_L4/L4CTRL.cpp
+++ b/engine/MUNGA_L4/L4CTRL.cpp
@@ -2670,6 +2670,16 @@ void
 			);
 
 			Check(&keyboardGroup[rio_event.Data.Keyboard.Unit]);
+			{
+				static int s_klog = -1;
+				if (s_klog < 0) s_klog = (getenv("BT_PAD_LOG") != 0) ? 1 : 0;
+				if (s_klog)
+					DEBUG_STREAM << "[lbe4key] unit "
+						<< (int)rio_event.Data.Keyboard.Unit
+						<< " key " << (int)new_key
+						<< " mode 0x" << std::hex << (unsigned)mode_mask
+						<< std::dec << "\n" << std::flush;
+			}
 			keyboardGroup[rio_event.Data.Keyboard.Unit].
 				ForceUpdate(&new_key, mode_mask);
 
diff --git a/engine/MUNGA_L4/L4PADRIO.cpp b/engine/MUNGA_L4/L4PADRIO.cpp
index 345deb9..d0df651 100644
--- a/engine/MUNGA_L4/L4PADRIO.cpp
+++ b/engine/MUNGA_L4/L4PADRIO.cpp
@@ -466,6 +466,18 @@ void
 				<< (pressed ? "HELD" : "released") << "\n" << std::flush;
 	}
 
+	// PANIC (0x3d): the pod's guarded PANIC key reports through the PILOT
+	// KEYPAD bank -- the binary's ONLY panic press binding is
+	// keyboardGroup[KeyboardPilot].Add(mode 0x200000, mech, msg 0x19 =
+	// EjectPilot) in the RIO mapper ctor (FUN_004d266c @004d266c); there is
+	// NO buttonGroup[0x3d] consumer anywhere (0x3d is the LAMP address, mode-
+	// linked via MakeLinkedLamp).  Mirror that wiring for the desktop click:
+	// a Panic press ALSO lands as a pilot-keypad key, so the ARMED mode
+	// binding fires the eject; a healthy press is a mode-masked no-op --
+	// exactly the pod behaviour.
+	if (address == 0x3D && pressed)
+		EmitKeypad(LBE4ControlsManager::KeyboardPilot, 0);
+
 	RIOEvent event;
 	event.Type = pressed ? ButtonPressedEvent : ButtonReleasedEvent;
 	event.Data.Unit = address;
@@ -479,6 +491,9 @@ void
 	event.Type = KeyEvent;
 	event.Data.Keyboard.Unit = unit;
 	event.Data.Keyboard.Key = key;
+	if (getenv("BT_PAD_LOG"))
+		DEBUG_STREAM << "[padkey] unit " << unit << " key " << key
+			<< " queued\n" << std::flush;
 	PushEvent(event);
 }
 
diff --git a/game/reconstructed/btl4mppr.hpp b/game/reconstructed/btl4mppr.hpp
index 5c120c9..dbff654 100644
--- a/game/reconstructed/btl4mppr.hpp
+++ b/game/reconstructed/btl4mppr.hpp
@@ -74,8 +74,17 @@
 	//
 	public:
 		enum {
-			KeypressMessageID = MechControlsMapper::NextMessageID,
-			StringMatchMessageID,
+			// PINNED to the binary literals (FUN_004d266c passes 0x19/0x1a
+			// straight into the group Adds; corrected 2026-08-03).  The chain
+			// arithmetic (MechControlsMapper::NextMessageID) lands on 0x17 --
+			// TWO mapper ids between 0x16 ToggleVoiceAssist and 0x19 are
+			// unreconstructed -- and the mis-numbered Keypress send was
+			// SILENTLY swallowed by the Mech (no 0x17 handler), which is why
+			// the armed pilot-keypad press never ejected.  Mech::EjectPilot is
+			// id 0x19 on the MECH's receiver: the panic-mode keypad binding
+			// sends THIS id to the OWNER, and the collision is the design.
+			KeypressMessageID = 0x19,
+			StringMatchMessageID,				// 0x1a (unregistered; stringManager route)
 			NextMessageID
 		};
 
@@ -307,8 +316,12 @@
 		// was previously self-consistent at the wrong value (0x2a), so it
 		// worked by accident -- now it matches the binary.
 		// (Faithful-fidelity note: the binary RIO table also carries its OWN
-		// Keypress id 0x19 -> @004d2514; our ctor still registers the shared
-		// L4 Keypress (0x17, @004d1bf0) -- see the Gitea backlog issue.)
+		// Keypress id: FIXED 2026-08-03 -- KeypressMessageID is now pinned to
+		// the binary's 0x19 (the old chain arithmetic landed on 0x17, and the
+		// panic-mode pilot-keypad send was silently swallowed by the Mech --
+		// no 0x17 handler -- so the armed eject press never fired).  Remaining
+		// refinement: the ctor registers the shared L4 Keypress BODY
+		// (@004d1bf0); the RIO-specific body is @004d2514.)
 		//
 		enum {
 			Aux1QuadMessageID = MechControlsMapper::Aux1QuadMessageID,	// 3
diff --git a/game/reconstructed/mech.cpp b/game/reconstructed/mech.cpp
index a149d87..32814c7 100644
--- a/game/reconstructed/mech.cpp
+++ b/game/reconstructed/mech.cpp
@@ -599,6 +599,9 @@ void
 	}
 	if (IsDisabled())									// @0049fb54 -- no ejecting from a wreck
 	{
+		DEBUG_STREAM << "[eject] " << GetEntityID()
+			<< " REFUSED (disabled: movementMode "
+			<< MovementMode() << ")" << std::endl << std::flush;
 		return;
 	}