diff --git a/include/game/game_handler.hpp b/include/game/game_handler.hpp
index ff5adc36..6504402b 100644
--- a/include/game/game_handler.hpp
+++ b/include/game/game_handler.hpp
@@ -2455,6 +2455,7 @@ private:
     std::unordered_map<uint64_t, OnlineItemInfo> onlineItems_;
     std::unordered_map<uint32_t, ItemQueryResponseData> itemInfoCache_;
     std::unordered_set<uint32_t> pendingItemQueries_;
+    float pendingItemQueryTimer_ = 0.0f;
 
     // Deferred SMSG_ITEM_PUSH_RESULT notifications for items whose info wasn't
     // cached at arrival time; emitted once the query response arrives.
diff --git a/src/game/game_handler.cpp b/src/game/game_handler.cpp
index 766dec0a..f9906c8d 100644
--- a/src/game/game_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/game/game_handler.cpp
@@ -1116,6 +1116,17 @@ for (auto& [guid, entity] : entityController_->getEntityManager().getEntities())
 void GameHandler::updateTimers(float deltaTime) {
     if (spellHandler_) spellHandler_->updateTimers(deltaTime);
 
+    // Periodically clear stale pending item queries so they can be retried.
+    // Without this, a lost/malformed response leaves the entry stuck forever.
+    pendingItemQueryTimer_ += deltaTime;
+    if (pendingItemQueryTimer_ >= 5.0f) {
+        pendingItemQueryTimer_ = 0.0f;
+        if (!pendingItemQueries_.empty()) {
+            LOG_DEBUG("Clearing ", pendingItemQueries_.size(), " stale pending item queries");
+            pendingItemQueries_.clear();
+        }
+    }
+
     if (auctionSearchDelayTimer_ > 0.0f) {
         auctionSearchDelayTimer_ -= deltaTime;
         if (auctionSearchDelayTimer_ < 0.0f) auctionSearchDelayTimer_ = 0.0f;
diff --git a/src/game/inventory_handler.cpp b/src/game/inventory_handler.cpp
index 09e4e622..b0ff75ca 100644
--- a/src/game/inventory_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/game/inventory_handler.cpp
@@ -2352,6 +2352,13 @@ void InventoryHandler::handleItemQueryResponse(network::Packet& packet) {
         ? owner_.packetParsers_->parseItemQueryResponse(packet, data)
         : ItemQueryResponseParser::parse(packet, data);
     if (!parsed) {
+        // Extract entry from raw packet so we can clear the pending query even on parse failure.
+        // Without this, the entry stays in pendingItemQueries_ forever, blocking retries.
+        if (packet.getSize() >= 4) {
+            packet.setReadPos(0);
+            uint32_t rawEntry = packet.readUInt32() & ~0x80000000u;
+            owner_.pendingItemQueries_.erase(rawEntry);
+        }
         LOG_WARNING("handleItemQueryResponse: parse failed, size=", packet.getSize());
         return;
     }