diff --git a/game/reconstructed/btplayer.cpp b/game/reconstructed/btplayer.cpp
index d44ffe8..884bcdb 100644
--- a/game/reconstructed/btplayer.cpp
+++ b/game/reconstructed/btplayer.cpp
@@ -687,6 +687,20 @@ void
 	// scoreboard (they read +0x278), so the pod's penalty may never have been
 	// visible; our port has ONE currentScore, so it shows.
 	//
+	// #45 receipt (ungated): this cost is dispatched by a DIRECT base-handler
+	// call, so it never reaches the BT matchlog and only the running total
+	// exposes it -- which is how a combat death costing -500 while a SELF-KILL
+	// cost nothing went unnoticed.  Say out loud whether it fires and why not.
+	DEBUG_STREAM << "[deathcost] player " << BTMatchHostOf(GetEntityID())
+		<< ":" << (int)GetEntityID()
+		<< " advDmg=" << (int)advancedDamageOn
+		<< " role=" << (scenarioRole != 0 ? "bound" : "NULL")
+		<< " penalty=" << (scenarioRole != 0
+				? (float)scenarioRole->GetSpecialCaseDeathPenalty() : 0.0f)
+		<< " scoreBefore=" << (float)currentScore
+		<< ((advancedDamageOn && scenarioRole != 0) ? "  -> APPLYING" : "  -> SKIPPED")
+		<< "\n" << std::flush;
+
 	if (advancedDamageOn && scenarioRole != 0)		// this+0x264 (binary derefs role unguarded)
 	{
 		BTPlayer::ScoreMessage death_cost(