diff --git a/DorkNet.Server.Tests/WatchShop2023Tests.cs b/DorkNet.Server.Tests/WatchShop2023Tests.cs
index 5acc114..0ac264d 100644
--- a/DorkNet.Server.Tests/WatchShop2023Tests.cs
+++ b/DorkNet.Server.Tests/WatchShop2023Tests.cs
@@ -42,6 +42,12 @@ public sealed class WatchShop2023Tests : IClassFixture<DorkNetServerFactory>
             Assert.Equal(JsonValueKind.String, giftDrop.GetProperty("TagList").ValueKind);
             var rarity = giftDrop.GetProperty("Rarity").GetInt32();
             Assert.Contains(rarity, new[] { 0, 10, 20, 30, 50 });
+
+            // Int32 on the 2023 wire — a descriptor STRING here makes the
+            // strict Utf8Json reader throw "Malformed Response" for the
+            // whole storefront payload (expected:'Number Token').
+            Assert.Equal(JsonValueKind.Number, giftDrop.GetProperty("AvatarItemId").ValueKind);
+            Assert.Equal(JsonValueKind.String, giftDrop.GetProperty("AvatarItemDesc").ValueKind);
         }
 
         // Featured strip: bare int ids, every one resolvable in the rows.
diff --git a/DorkNet.Server/Services/StoreService.cs b/DorkNet.Server/Services/StoreService.cs
index 1321617..e337859 100644
--- a/DorkNet.Server/Services/StoreService.cs
+++ b/DorkNet.Server/Services/StoreService.cs
@@ -985,15 +985,13 @@ public class StoreService(DorkNetDbContext db, LevelService level, IConfiguratio
             Tooltip                   = i.Description,
             AvatarItemDesc            = avatarItemDesc,
             AvatarItemDescOrHairDyeDesc = avatarItemDesc,
-            // AvatarItemId is the field the 2023 client's StoreItemListModel
-            // actually reads (store-item +0x38) to resolve the card to a baked
-            // AvatarItem and read its OutfitType for tab placement — verified
-            // vs 2023 ISIL (EMBCEDNHFLB/CLIANCNHNIE, AvatarItem.GIJPCPDKHPO).
-            // AvatarItemDesc alone is NOT the join key, so clothing cards
-            // resolved to OutfitType=-1 and the Shop rendered empty. Ship the
-            // same {guid},,, descriptor (GIJPCPDKHPO accepts bare {guid} or the
-            // composite and falls back to parsing it to the immutable Guid).
-            AvatarItemId              = avatarItemDesc,
+            // AvatarItemId is an Int32 on the 2023 wire (EMBCEDNHFLB
+            // serialiser writes field +0x60 with the same int writer as
+            // GiftDropId; the descriptor string lives in AvatarItemDesc
+            // +0x38). Shipping the {guid},,, descriptor here made the
+            // strict Utf8Json reader throw "Malformed Response" on the
+            // whole giftdropstore payload, so the Shop tab loaded nothing.
+            AvatarItemId              = itemId,
             AvatarItemType            = string.IsNullOrEmpty(avatarItemDesc) ? (int?)null : avatarItemType,
             ConsumableItemDesc        = consumableItemDesc,
             EquipmentPrefabName       = equipmentPrefabName,