diff --git a/solitaire_engine/src/game_plugin/mod.rs b/solitaire_engine/src/game_plugin/mod.rs
index 8826002..83baa47 100644
--- a/solitaire_engine/src/game_plugin/mod.rs
+++ b/solitaire_engine/src/game_plugin/mod.rs
@@ -265,6 +265,7 @@ impl Plugin for GamePlugin {
                         .ambiguous_with(NewGameRequestWriters),
                 )
                     .chain()
+                    .after(crate::settings_plugin::SettingsMutation)
                     .before(GameMutation),
             )
             .init_resource::<AutoSaveTimer>()
diff --git a/solitaire_engine/src/hud_plugin/mod.rs b/solitaire_engine/src/hud_plugin/mod.rs
index 21b5f7a..06c03a4 100644
--- a/solitaire_engine/src/hud_plugin/mod.rs
+++ b/solitaire_engine/src/hud_plugin/mod.rs
@@ -473,7 +473,13 @@ impl Plugin for HudPlugin {
                 apply_hud_visibility.before(LayoutSystem::UpdateOnResize),
             )
             .add_systems(Update, restore_hud_on_modal)
-            .add_systems(Update, (update_hud_avatar, handle_avatar_button))
+            .add_systems(
+                Update,
+                (
+                    update_hud_avatar.after(crate::settings_plugin::SettingsMutation),
+                    handle_avatar_button,
+                ),
+            )
             .add_systems(Update, update_won_previously.after(GameMutation))
             .add_systems(Update, announce_auto_complete.after(GameMutation))
             .add_systems(
diff --git a/solitaire_engine/src/schedule_checks.rs b/solitaire_engine/src/schedule_checks.rs
index a06b12a..8680681 100644
--- a/solitaire_engine/src/schedule_checks.rs
+++ b/solitaire_engine/src/schedule_checks.rs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ mod tests {
     /// ordering edge — add `.before`/`.after` (order matters) or
     /// `.ambiguous_with` (provably order-independent) at the registration
     /// site. When triage lowers the real count, lower this constant too.
-    const AMBIGUITY_BASELINE: usize = 198;
+    const AMBIGUITY_BASELINE: usize = 171;
 
     fn cluster_app() -> App {
         let mut app = App::new();
diff --git a/solitaire_engine/src/settings_plugin/mod.rs b/solitaire_engine/src/settings_plugin/mod.rs
index cee3276..9aae03b 100644
--- a/solitaire_engine/src/settings_plugin/mod.rs
+++ b/solitaire_engine/src/settings_plugin/mod.rs
@@ -79,6 +79,14 @@ pub struct PendingWindowGeometry {
 #[derive(Message, Debug, Clone)]
 pub struct SettingsChangedEvent(pub Settings);
 
+/// System set for the systems that mutate [`SettingsResource`] every frame
+/// (hotkeys and window-geometry persistence). Ordered before
+/// [`crate::game_plugin::GameMutation`]; readers of settings should sit
+/// after this set (directly, or transitively via `.after(GameMutation)`)
+/// so they observe the current frame's settings deterministically (#143).
+#[derive(SystemSet, Debug, Clone, PartialEq, Eq, Hash)]
+pub struct SettingsMutation;
+
 /// Marker on the root Settings panel entity.
 #[derive(Component, Debug)]
 pub struct SettingsPanel;
@@ -372,15 +380,31 @@ impl Plugin for SettingsPlugin {
             // also runs cleanly under `MinimalPlugins` (tests).
             .add_message::<WindowResized>()
             .add_message::<WindowMoved>()
+            // Settings changes land before game logic runs: the mutator
+            // chain (volume keys → geometry record → geometry persist) is a
+            // deterministic spine, and the whole set precedes GameMutation so
+            // every reader already ordered after GameMutation sees this
+            // frame's settings transitively (ambiguity burn-down, #143).
+            .configure_sets(
+                Update,
+                SettingsMutation.before(crate::game_plugin::GameMutation),
+            )
             .add_systems(
                 Update,
                 (
                     handle_volume_keys,
+                    record_window_geometry_changes,
+                    persist_window_geometry_after_debounce,
+                )
+                    .chain()
+                    .in_set(SettingsMutation),
+            )
+            .add_systems(
+                Update,
+                (
                     toggle_settings_screen,
                     scroll_settings_panel,
                     crate::ui_modal::touch_scroll_panel::<SettingsPanelScrollable>,
-                    record_window_geometry_changes,
-                    persist_window_geometry_after_debounce,
                 ),
             );
 
diff --git a/solitaire_engine/src/ui_focus.rs b/solitaire_engine/src/ui_focus.rs
index d78e67a..553fc38 100644
--- a/solitaire_engine/src/ui_focus.rs
+++ b/solitaire_engine/src/ui_focus.rs
@@ -149,7 +149,7 @@ impl Plugin for UiFocusPlugin {
                     clear_hud_focus_on_unhover,
                     handle_focus_keys,
                     update_focus_overlay,
-                    pulse_focus_overlay,
+                    pulse_focus_overlay.after(crate::settings_plugin::SettingsMutation),
                 )
                     .chain(),
             );
diff --git a/solitaire_engine/src/ui_modal.rs b/solitaire_engine/src/ui_modal.rs
index f268f6a..450c173 100644
--- a/solitaire_engine/src/ui_modal.rs
+++ b/solitaire_engine/src/ui_modal.rs
@@ -695,7 +695,8 @@ impl Plugin for UiModalPlugin {
                 advance_modal_enter,
                 paint_modal_buttons,
             )
-                .chain(),
+                .chain()
+                .after(crate::settings_plugin::SettingsMutation),
         );
         // Click-outside-to-dismiss is independent of the open
         // animation chain — it reads `just_pressed(Left)` and runs