From c35258e6153a856086a7a171504f34db746a1540 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: DuvelCorp <tom@t0m.be>
Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2026 11:25:53 +0200
Subject: [PATCH] Reuse best-matching pet record on stable scan to stop shell
 duplication

---
 api/core-scan-stablemaster.lua | 51 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++------
 1 file changed, 42 insertions(+), 9 deletions(-)

diff --git a/api/core-scan-stablemaster.lua b/api/core-scan-stablemaster.lua
index 766710e..b2bd6f0 100644
--- a/api/core-scan-stablemaster.lua
+++ b/api/core-scan-stablemaster.lua
@@ -2138,16 +2138,45 @@ local function MTH_PETS_SelectPetIdBySnapshot(store, snapshot, previousPetId)
 	if snapshot.signature and snapshot.signature ~= "" then
 		local list = store.signatureIndex[snapshot.signature]
 		if type(list) == "table" then
-			local count = 0
-			local candidateId = nil
+			local liveIds = {}
 			for _, listedId in pairs(list) do
-				if listedId and store.activeById[listedId] then
-					count = count + 1
-					candidateId = listedId
+				if listedId and store.activeById[tostring(listedId)] then
+					table.insert(liveIds, tostring(listedId))
 				end
 			end
-			if count == 1 then
-				return candidateId
+			local liveCount = table.getn(liveIds)
+			if liveCount == 1 then
+				return liveIds[1]
+			elseif liveCount > 1 then
+				-- Several records share this name+family (earlier fragmentation, or two
+				-- pets with the same name). Reuse the best existing match instead of
+				-- minting yet another empty shell that only worsens the fragmentation:
+				-- require a level match, then prefer loyalty match and records that
+				-- already carry tame/spellbook history, then most recently seen.
+				local snapLevel = tonumber(snapshot.level)
+				local snapLoyalty = tonumber(snapshot.loyaltyLevel)
+				local bestId = nil
+				local bestScore = -1
+				local bestSeen = -1
+				for i = 1, liveCount do
+					local rowId = liveIds[i]
+					local row = store.activeById[rowId]
+					if type(row) == "table" and snapLevel and tonumber(row.level) == snapLevel then
+						local score = 0
+						if snapLoyalty and tonumber(row.loyaltyLevel) == snapLoyalty then score = score + 2 end
+						if MTH_PETS_RowHasAnyTameMetadata(row) then score = score + 1 end
+						if type(row.petSpellbook) == "table" then score = score + 1 end
+						local seen = tonumber(row.lastSeen) or tonumber(row.lastUpdated) or 0
+						if score > bestScore or (score == bestScore and seen > bestSeen) then
+							bestScore = score
+							bestSeen = seen
+							bestId = rowId
+						end
+					end
+				end
+				if bestId then
+					return bestId
+				end
 			end
 		end
 	end
@@ -2364,10 +2393,14 @@ local function MTH_PETS_RecordStableSlot(pets, slot, raw1, raw2, raw3, raw4, raw
 		local snapshotGuid = snapshot and snapshot.guid or nil
 		local signatureMatches = (existingSignature and snapshotSignature and existingSignature == snapshotSignature) and true or false
 		local guidMatches = (existingGuid and snapshotGuid and existingGuid ~= "" and existingGuid == snapshotGuid) and true or false
+		-- An empty shell must not lock the slot: a richer same-signature record may
+		-- exist that we should re-adopt instead (self-heals earlier fragmentation).
+		local existingHasData = MTH_PETS_RowHasAnyTameMetadata(existingRow)
+			or type(existingRow.petSpellbook) == "table" or existingRow.petNumber ~= nil
 
-		if signatureMatches or guidMatches then
+		if guidMatches or (signatureMatches and existingHasData) then
 			petId = existingId
-		else
+		elseif not signatureMatches then
 			MTH_PETS_LogConsistency("RecordStableSlot remapping stale slot=" .. tostring(slotNumber)
 				.. " existingId=" .. tostring(existingId)
 				.. " existingSignature='" .. tostring(existingSignature or "") .. "'"