diff --git a/src/game/spell_handler.cpp b/src/game/spell_handler.cpp
index 59e0d29f..47346c39 100644
--- a/src/game/spell_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/game/spell_handler.cpp
@@ -222,6 +222,14 @@ void SpellHandler::castSpell(uint32_t spellId, uint64_t targetGuid) {
         return;
     }
 
+    // Stop movement before casting — servers reject cast-time spells while moving
+    const uint32_t moveFlags = owner_.movementInfo.flags;
+    const bool isMoving = (moveFlags & 0x0Fu) != 0; // FORWARD|BACKWARD|STRAFE_LEFT|STRAFE_RIGHT
+    if (isMoving) {
+        owner_.movementInfo.flags &= ~0x0Fu;
+        owner_.sendMovement(Opcode::MSG_MOVE_STOP);
+    }
+
     uint64_t target = targetGuid != 0 ? targetGuid : owner_.targetGuid;
     // Self-targeted spells like hearthstone should not send a target
     if (spellId == 8690) target = 0;
diff --git a/src/rendering/character_renderer.cpp b/src/rendering/character_renderer.cpp
index 79412156..2b347ac7 100644
--- a/src/rendering/character_renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/rendering/character_renderer.cpp
@@ -2024,6 +2024,13 @@ void CharacterRenderer::prepareRender(uint32_t frameIndex) {
                             &instance.boneBuffer[frameIndex], &instance.boneAlloc[frameIndex], &allocInfo);
             instance.boneMapped[frameIndex] = allocInfo.pMappedData;
 
+            // Initialize all bone slots to identity so out-of-range indices
+            // produce correct (neutral) transforms instead of GPU garbage
+            if (instance.boneMapped[frameIndex]) {
+                auto* dst = static_cast<glm::mat4*>(instance.boneMapped[frameIndex]);
+                for (int j = 0; j < MAX_BONES; j++) dst[j] = glm::mat4(1.0f);
+            }
+
             VkDescriptorSetAllocateInfo ai{VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_DESCRIPTOR_SET_ALLOCATE_INFO};
             ai.descriptorPool = boneDescPool_;
             ai.descriptorSetCount = 1;
@@ -2147,6 +2154,13 @@ void CharacterRenderer::render(VkCommandBuffer cmd, VkDescriptorSet perFrameSet,
                                 &instance.boneBuffer[frameIndex], &instance.boneAlloc[frameIndex], &allocInfo);
                 instance.boneMapped[frameIndex] = allocInfo.pMappedData;
 
+                // Initialize all bone slots to identity so out-of-range indices
+                // produce correct (neutral) transforms instead of GPU garbage
+                if (instance.boneMapped[frameIndex]) {
+                    auto* dst = static_cast<glm::mat4*>(instance.boneMapped[frameIndex]);
+                    for (int j = 0; j < MAX_BONES; j++) dst[j] = glm::mat4(1.0f);
+                }
+
                 // Allocate descriptor set for bone SSBO
                 VkDescriptorSetAllocateInfo ai{VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_DESCRIPTOR_SET_ALLOCATE_INFO};
                 ai.descriptorPool = boneDescPool_;
@@ -2787,6 +2801,13 @@ void CharacterRenderer::renderShadow(VkCommandBuffer cmd, const glm::mat4& light
                     &inst.boneBuffer[frameIndex], &inst.boneAlloc[frameIndex], &ai);
                 inst.boneMapped[frameIndex] = ai.pMappedData;
 
+                // Initialize all bone slots to identity so out-of-range indices
+                // produce correct (neutral) transforms instead of GPU garbage
+                if (inst.boneMapped[frameIndex]) {
+                    auto* dst = static_cast<glm::mat4*>(inst.boneMapped[frameIndex]);
+                    for (int j = 0; j < MAX_BONES; j++) dst[j] = glm::mat4(1.0f);
+                }
+
                 VkDescriptorSetAllocateInfo dsAI{VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_DESCRIPTOR_SET_ALLOCATE_INFO};
                 dsAI.descriptorPool = boneDescPool_;
                 dsAI.descriptorSetCount = 1;