diff --git a/include/game/game_utils.hpp b/include/game/game_utils.hpp
index 5237d924..e0f0ac74 100644
--- a/include/game/game_utils.hpp
+++ b/include/game/game_utils.hpp
@@ -23,5 +23,25 @@ inline bool isPreWotlk() {
     return isClassicLikeExpansion() || isActiveExpansion("tbc");
 }
 
+// Shared item link formatter used by inventory, quest, spell, and social handlers.
+// Centralised here so quality color table changes propagate everywhere.
+inline std::string buildItemLink(uint32_t itemId, uint32_t quality, const std::string& name) {
+    static const char* kQualHex[] = {
+        "9d9d9d",  // 0 Poor
+        "ffffff",  // 1 Common
+        "1eff00",  // 2 Uncommon
+        "0070dd",  // 3 Rare
+        "a335ee",  // 4 Epic
+        "ff8000",  // 5 Legendary
+        "e6cc80",  // 6 Artifact
+        "e6cc80",  // 7 Heirloom
+    };
+    uint32_t qi = quality < 8 ? quality : 1u;
+    char buf[512];
+    snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "|cff%s|Hitem:%u:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0|h[%s]|h|r",
+             kQualHex[qi], itemId, name.c_str());
+    return buf;
+}
+
 } // namespace game
 } // namespace wowee
diff --git a/src/game/game_handler.cpp b/src/game/game_handler.cpp
index f9906c8d..ae88df3c 100644
--- a/src/game/game_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/game/game_handler.cpp
@@ -90,28 +90,6 @@ bool isAuthCharPipelineOpcode(LogicalOpcode op) {
 
 } // end anonymous namespace
 
-// Build a WoW-format item link for use in system chat messages.
-// The chat renderer in game_screen.cpp parses this format and draws the
-// item name in its quality colour with a small icon and tooltip.
-// Format: |cff<rrggbb>|Hitem:<id>:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0|h[<name>]|h|r
-std::string buildItemLink(uint32_t itemId, uint32_t quality, const std::string& name) {
-    static const char* kQualHex[] = {
-        "9d9d9d",  // 0 Poor
-        "ffffff",  // 1 Common
-        "1eff00",  // 2 Uncommon
-        "0070dd",  // 3 Rare
-        "a335ee",  // 4 Epic
-        "ff8000",  // 5 Legendary
-        "e6cc80",  // 6 Artifact
-        "e6cc80",  // 7 Heirloom
-    };
-    uint32_t qi = quality < 8 ? quality : 1u;
-    char buf[512];
-    snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "|cff%s|Hitem:%u:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0|h[%s]|h|r",
-             kQualHex[qi], itemId, name.c_str());
-    return buf;
-}
-
 namespace {
 
 bool isActiveExpansion(const char* expansionId) {
diff --git a/src/game/inventory_handler.cpp b/src/game/inventory_handler.cpp
index bcba01e8..ae05c9f8 100644
--- a/src/game/inventory_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/game/inventory_handler.cpp
@@ -18,8 +18,6 @@
 namespace wowee {
 namespace game {
 
-// Free functions defined in game_handler.cpp
-std::string buildItemLink(uint32_t itemId, uint32_t quality, const std::string& name);
 std::string formatCopperAmount(uint32_t amount);
 
 InventoryHandler::InventoryHandler(GameHandler& owner)
diff --git a/src/game/social_handler.cpp b/src/game/social_handler.cpp
index b8337b6b..956987d4 100644
--- a/src/game/social_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/game/social_handler.cpp
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@
 namespace wowee {
 namespace game {
 
-// Free function defined in game_handler.cpp
-std::string buildItemLink(uint32_t itemId, uint32_t quality, const std::string& name);
 
 static bool packetHasRemaining(const network::Packet& packet, size_t need) {
     const size_t size = packet.getSize();
diff --git a/src/game/spell_handler.cpp b/src/game/spell_handler.cpp
index cf6511ee..fa6ab658 100644
--- a/src/game/spell_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/game/spell_handler.cpp
@@ -60,23 +60,6 @@ static audio::SpellSoundManager::MagicSchool schoolMaskToMagicSchool(uint32_t ma
     return audio::SpellSoundManager::MagicSchool::ARCANE;
 }
 
-static std::string buildItemLink(uint32_t itemId, uint32_t quality, const std::string& name) {
-    static const char* kQualHex[] = {
-        "9d9d9d",  // 0 Poor
-        "ffffff",  // 1 Common
-        "1eff00",  // 2 Uncommon
-        "0070dd",  // 3 Rare
-        "a335ee",  // 4 Epic
-        "ff8000",  // 5 Legendary
-        "e6cc80",  // 6 Artifact
-        "e6cc80",  // 7 Heirloom
-    };
-    uint32_t qi = quality < 8 ? quality : 1u;
-    char buf[512];
-    snprintf(buf, sizeof(buf), "|cff%s|Hitem:%u:0:0:0:0:0:0:0:0|h[%s]|h|r",
-             kQualHex[qi], itemId, name.c_str());
-    return buf;
-}
 
 static std::string displaySpellName(GameHandler& handler, uint32_t spellId) {
     if (spellId == 0) return {};