diff --git a/BuildController.gd b/BuildController.gd
index aba4f36..8ac9ed7 100644
--- a/BuildController.gd
+++ b/BuildController.gd
@@ -297,6 +297,12 @@ func _on_action_pressed() -> void:
 		_refresh_load_ore()
 		_refresh_skill_menu()
 	elif current_building.building_type == GameState.BUILDING_SHIP_CRAFTER:
+		# Remembered explicitly: _process() clears current_building while any
+		# menu is open, so by the next frame the panel would no longer know
+		# which crafter it belongs to. Losing this line makes every button in
+		# the panel bail out at its `== 0` guard while the panel itself still
+		# opens - which reads as "the buttons do nothing".
+		craft_building_id = current_building.building_id
 		craft_menu.visible = true
 		_refresh_craft_status()
 	elif current_building.building_type == GameState.BUILDING_SHIP_LAB:
@@ -640,6 +646,7 @@ func _refresh_craft_status() -> void:
 
 func _on_craft_interceptor() -> void:
 	if craft_building_id == 0:
+		_say("No crafter selected - reopen this panel from the building")
 		return
 	# Still refused when there is nowhere to put the vessel - queueing an
 	# order that can never be delivered would just bank vessels_owed forever.
@@ -679,6 +686,7 @@ func _report_order(product: String) -> void:
 
 func _on_store_ore() -> void:
 	if craft_building_id == 0:
+		_say("No crafter selected - reopen this panel from the building")
 		return
 	if GameState.fleet_cargo <= 0:
 		_say("The fleet is carrying nothing - load ore at the mothership first")
@@ -689,6 +697,7 @@ func _on_store_ore() -> void:
 
 func _on_craft_transporter() -> void:
 	if craft_building_id == 0:
+		_say("No crafter selected - reopen this panel from the building")
 		return
 	if not GameState.queue_order(craft_building_id, GameState.PRODUCT_TRANSPORTER):
 		# Two different refusals, and the player needs to know WHICH.
@@ -801,6 +810,7 @@ func _refresh_lab() -> void:
 
 func _on_craft_shield() -> void:
 	if craft_building_id == 0:
+		_say("No crafter selected - reopen this panel from the building")
 		return
 	if not GameState.shield_vessel_unlocked():
 		_say("Shield vessels must be unlocked at a ship lab first")
diff --git a/tests/test_crafter_feedback.gd b/tests/test_crafter_feedback.gd
index dad13d2..87f7d0b 100644
--- a/tests/test_crafter_feedback.gd
+++ b/tests/test_crafter_feedback.gd
@@ -20,11 +20,20 @@ extends SceneTree
 #      overwritten on the very next frame, which is what made a working
 #      button look dead
 #   5. the message is the FIRST line, not buried under the standing state
+#   6. the panel is opened the way the GAME opens it - park the fleet on the
+#      crafter and press the action button - and every button then works
+#
+# Point 6 exists because this test used to set craft_building_id by hand.
+# That skipped the one step that was actually broken: opening the panel
+# stopped recording WHICH crafter, so every handler bailed out at its `== 0`
+# guard while the panel still opened. Reported four times as "the buttons do
+# nothing", and invisible to every test that set the id itself.
 
 var game_state: Node
 var scene: Node
 var controller: Node
 var crafter_id: int = 0
+var fleet: Node
 var stage: int = 0
 var elapsed: float = 0.0
 
@@ -42,6 +51,15 @@ func _initialize() -> void:
 	scene = load("res://Main.tscn").instantiate()
 	root.add_child(scene)
 	controller = scene.get_node("BuildController")
+	fleet = scene.get_node("Fleet")
+
+
+func _tap(button: Control) -> void:
+	for pressed in [true, false]:
+		var ev: InputEventScreenTouch = InputEventScreenTouch.new()
+		ev.pressed = pressed
+		ev.position = button.size / 2.0
+		button._gui_input(ev)
 
 
 func _first_line() -> String:
@@ -54,17 +72,37 @@ func _process(delta: float) -> bool:
 		0:
 			scene.get_node("AsteroidField").set_process(false)
 			scene.get_node("EnemySpawner").set_process(false)
+			for a in get_nodes_in_group("asteroids"):
+				if is_instance_valid(a):
+					a.queue_free()
 			scene.get_node("BuildingField").place(GameState.BUILDING_SHIP_CRAFTER, Vector2(500.0, 0.0))
 			crafter_id = int(game_state.buildings[-1].id)
+			# Park the fleet ON it and let the action button debounce in.
+			for ship in fleet.ships:
+				ship.position = Vector2(500.0, 0.0)
+			fleet.move_to(Vector2(500.0, 0.0))
 			elapsed = 0.0
 			stage = 1
 			return false
 		1:
-			if elapsed < 0.3:
+			if elapsed < 1.2:
 				return false
-			controller.craft_building_id = crafter_id
-			controller.craft_menu.visible = true
-			controller._refresh_craft_status()
+			# --- 6. open it the way the game does ------------------------
+			if controller.current_building == null:
+				print("TEST_CRAFTER_FEEDBACK: FAIL (fleet parked on the crafter never registered)")
+				quit(1)
+				return true
+			_tap(controller.action_button)
+			if not controller.craft_menu.visible:
+				print("TEST_CRAFTER_FEEDBACK: FAIL (the action button did not open the crafter panel)")
+				quit(1)
+				return true
+			if controller.craft_building_id != crafter_id:
+				print("craft_building_id=%d, crafter is %d" % [controller.craft_building_id, crafter_id])
+				print("TEST_CRAFTER_FEEDBACK: FAIL (opening the panel did not record which crafter - every button will bail out)")
+				quit(1)
+				return true
+			print("panel opened from the building, bound to crafter %d" % controller.craft_building_id)
 
 			# --- 1. store with an empty hold ----------------------------
 			controller._on_store_ore()