diff --git a/openfut-utas-host/src/lib.rs b/openfut-utas-host/src/lib.rs
index c72278b..6e594e1 100644
--- a/openfut-utas-host/src/lib.rs
+++ b/openfut-utas-host/src/lib.rs
@@ -2382,6 +2382,73 @@ fn club_type_filter(token: Option<&str>) -> Option<ClubTypeFilter> {
     Some(filter)
 }
 
+/// DIAGNOSTIC, `OPENFUT_FIFA17_KIT_PROBE=1`, staging only, default OFF.
+///
+/// Appends two synthetic kits to `?type=kit` so one client restart can settle
+/// which of the two remaining kit-ingest hypotheses is right. It answers a
+/// question no static reading has: the client is served two kits, returns
+/// `total=2 emitted=2`, and yet NO cardtype-7 record is ever resident (measured
+/// read-only over 3.6 GB of process memory, while player and staff records from
+/// the same response family ARE resident).
+///
+/// Two shapes, because two things could be rejecting the item:
+///
+/// * `6300007` MINIMAL — exactly the field set a STAFF item carries, which is
+///   known to ingest, plus `cardsubtypeid` 9. If only this one appears, one of
+///   the kit-only extras (`assetId`, `cardassetid`, `teamid`, `category`,
+///   `year`) is what makes the client discard the item.
+/// * `6300008` NAMED — the full kit shape plus `name`/`localizedName`/
+///   `description`. The cardtype-7 parse arm is documented to copy exactly those
+///   three, and OpenFUT sends none of them. If only this one appears, they are
+///   required rather than optional.
+///
+/// If NEITHER appears, `?type=kit` is not the route that populates the
+/// collection `FUN_1800d73d0` scans, and the search moves to which route does.
+///
+/// Both ids are real `fcc_kitcards` carddbids for team 21 (`6300007` year 1972
+/// category 2, `6300008` year 0 category 5), so nothing here invents an id the
+/// client cannot resolve. They are served `free`, never active, so they cannot
+/// disturb the real active-kit assignment. Instance ids are outside Core's
+/// range so they can never collide with an owned row.
+///
+/// Deliberately small: the one response that has ever crashed this client was 30
+/// items across five families (2026-08-05). This is two items in one family.
+fn append_kit_shape_probe(label: &str, items: &mut Vec<Value>) {
+    if label != "kit" || !kit_probe_enabled() {
+        return;
+    }
+    items.push(json!({
+        "id": 100009007,
+        "resourceId": 6300007,
+        "cardsubtypeid": 9,
+        "itemType": "kit",
+        "itemState": "free",
+        "owners": 1,
+        "untradeable": false,
+    }));
+    items.push(json!({
+        "id": 100009008,
+        "resourceId": 6300008,
+        "assetId": 6300008,
+        "cardassetid": 35,
+        "cardsubtypeid": 9,
+        "itemType": "kit",
+        "itemState": "free",
+        "owners": 1,
+        "untradeable": false,
+        "teamid": 21,
+        "category": 5,
+        "year": 0,
+        "name": "OpenFUT Probe Kit",
+        "localizedName": "OpenFUT Probe Kit",
+        "description": "kit ingest probe",
+    }));
+    eprintln!(
+        "utas-host owner=RUST route=club KIT_PROBE armed: appended 6300007 (minimal) \
+         and 6300008 (named) — diagnostic only"
+    );
+}
+
 /// Filter already-shaped `/club` items to SPECIALS (`rareflag > 1`) and paginate
 /// the filtered set locally. Returns `(page, total_specials)`. Pure — the whole
 /// point is that "special" pagination is over the filtered set, never Core's
@@ -2548,11 +2615,12 @@ pub fn handle_club(query: &str, deps: &ClubDeps<'_>) -> (WireResponse, ClubLog)
             };
             let (body, stats) =
                 shape_club_response_with_kits(&visible, deps.entities, deps.assets, active);
-            let all = body
+            let mut all = body
                 .get("itemData")
                 .and_then(Value::as_array)
                 .cloned()
                 .unwrap_or_default();
+            append_kit_shape_probe(filter_arm.label, &mut all);
             let (paged, total) = if core_q.special {
                 special_filter_page(&all, offset, limit)
             } else {
@@ -5601,6 +5669,15 @@ fn equippables_enabled() -> bool {
     *ENABLED.get_or_init(|| std::env::var("OPENFUT_FIFA17_EQUIPPABLES").as_deref() == Ok("1"))
 }
 
+/// Append the two diagnostic kits described on [`append_kit_shape_probe`].
+///
+/// Default OFF, staging only. Flip the env var off to revert with a restart and
+/// no rebuild.
+fn kit_probe_enabled() -> bool {
+    static ENABLED: std::sync::OnceLock<bool> = std::sync::OnceLock::new();
+    *ENABLED.get_or_init(|| std::env::var("OPENFUT_FIFA17_KIT_PROBE").as_deref() == Ok("1"))
+}
+
 /// A JSON response with an explicit status.
 fn json_status(status: u16, v: &Value) -> WireResponse {
     let body = serde_json::to_vec(v).unwrap_or_default();