--- a/addons/core/Scripts/Game/ERR/40_Chat/ERR_NativeSmoke.c
+++ b/addons/core/Scripts/Game/ERR/40_Chat/ERR_NativeSmoke.c
@@ -1,5 +1,36 @@
 // Explicit, local Workbench diagnostic only. Never compiled into game/server builds.
 #ifdef WORKBENCH
+class ERR_DeathDiagnostic
+{
+ static bool Enabled()
+ {
+  string smoke;
+  string outcome;
+  if (!System.GetCLIParam("errSmoke", smoke) || smoke != "1") return false;
+  return System.GetCLIParam("errSmokeOutcome", outcome) && outcome == "player-death";
+ }
+ static void Event(string stage)
+ {
+  if (Enabled()) PrintFormat("ERR DEATH DIAGNOSTIC: %1", stage);
+ }
+ static void Actor(string stage, IEntity actor)
+ {
+  if (!Enabled()) return;
+  bool revivable;
+  bool unconscious;
+  SCR_CharacterDamageManagerComponent medical;
+  CharacterControllerComponent controller;
+  if (actor)
+  {
+   medical = SCR_CharacterDamageManagerComponent.Cast(actor.FindComponent(SCR_CharacterDamageManagerComponent));
+   controller = CharacterControllerComponent.Cast(actor.FindComponent(CharacterControllerComponent));
+  }
+  if (medical) revivable = medical.ERR_IsRevivablePlayer();
+  if (controller) unconscious = controller.IsUnconscious();
+  PrintFormat("ERR DEATH DIAGNOSTIC: %1 actor=%2 alive=%3 revivable=%4 unconscious=%5", stage, actor, ERR_Actors.Alive(actor), revivable, unconscious);
+ }
+}
+
 modded class ERR_GameMode
 {
 	protected bool m_ERRTestPatrolHQ;
@@ -756,7 +787,10 @@
 			if (m_ERRTestPlayerDeath)
 			{
 				m_ERRSmokeStep = 9;
+				ERR_DeathDiagnostic.Actor("fixture before Kill", m_ERRSmokePlayer);
 				SCR_CharacterDamageManagerComponent.Cast(m_ERRSmokePlayer.FindComponent(SCR_CharacterDamageManagerComponent)).Kill(Instigator.CreateInstigator(m_ERRSmokePlayer));
+				ERR_DeathDiagnostic.Actor("fixture after Kill", m_ERRSmokePlayer);
+				if (ERR_DeathDiagnostic.Enabled()) GetGame().GetCallqueue().CallLater(ERR_DeathSample, 250, false);
 				m_ERRSmokeWait = now + 4000;
 				return;
 			}
@@ -1048,10 +1082,15 @@
 			m_ERRSmokeWait = now + 5000;
 		}
 	}
+	protected void ERR_DeathSample()
+	{
+		ERR_DeathDiagnostic.Actor("fixture queued 250ms sample", m_ERRSmokePlayer);
+	}
 	void ~ERR_GameMode()
 	{
 		if (GetGame())
 		{
+			GetGame().GetCallqueue().Remove(ERR_DeathSample);
 			GetGame().GetCallqueue().Remove(ERR_SmokeTick);
 			GetGame().GetCallqueue().Remove(ERR_PrisonScreenshot);
 			GetGame().GetCallqueue().Remove(ERR_EndScreenshot);
--- a/addons/core/Scripts/Game/ERR/00_Core/ERR_PlayerMedical.c
+++ b/addons/core/Scripts/Game/ERR/00_Core/ERR_PlayerMedical.c
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@
  // the native damage pipeline. The lethal damage itself is clamped synchronously.
  void ERR_RequestKnockout()
  {
+#ifdef WORKBENCH
+  ERR_DeathDiagnostic.Actor("RequestKnockout entry", GetOwner());
+#endif
   if (!Replication.IsServer() || !m_ERRRevivablePlayer || m_ERRKnockoutPending) return;
   CharacterControllerComponent controller = CharacterControllerComponent.Cast(GetOwner().FindComponent(CharacterControllerComponent));
   if (controller && controller.IsUnconscious()) return;
@@ -35,13 +38,22 @@
  }
  protected void ERR_ApplyKnockout()
  {
+#ifdef WORKBENCH
+  ERR_DeathDiagnostic.Actor("ApplyKnockout entry", GetOwner());
+#endif
   m_ERRKnockoutPending = false;
   if (!m_ERRRevivablePlayer || !ERR_Actors.Alive(GetOwner())) return;
   ForceUnconsciousness();
+#ifdef WORKBENCH
+  ERR_DeathDiagnostic.Actor("ApplyKnockout after ForceUnconsciousness", GetOwner());
+#endif
   ERR_HQ.Event("PLAYER CASUALTY", "Lethal injury prevented; prisoner remains alive and can receive medical treatment.");
  }
  override void Kill(notnull Instigator instigator)
  {
+#ifdef WORKBENCH
+  ERR_DeathDiagnostic.Actor("Kill override entry", GetOwner());
+#endif
   if (!m_ERRRevivablePlayer) { super.Kill(instigator); return; }
   ERR_RequestKnockout();
  }
--- a/addons/core/Scripts/Game/ERR/00_Core/ERR_SpawnLogic.c
+++ b/addons/core/Scripts/Game/ERR/00_Core/ERR_SpawnLogic.c
@@ -318,12 +318,30 @@
  }
  protected void ObserveAfterLoss(int playerId, UUID identity, SCR_PlayerController expectedController)
  {
-  if (!expectedController || !m_Identities.Contains(playerId) || m_Identities.Get(playerId) != identity) return;
-  if (GetGame().GetPlayerManager().GetPlayerController(playerId) != expectedController || ERR_Actors.Alive(expectedController.GetControlledEntity())) return;
+#ifdef WORKBENCH
+  ERR_DeathDiagnostic.Event("ObserveAfterLoss entry");
+#endif
+  if (!expectedController || !m_Identities.Contains(playerId) || m_Identities.Get(playerId) != identity)
+  {
+#ifdef WORKBENCH
+  ERR_DeathDiagnostic.Event("ObserveAfterLoss rejected controller/account");
+#endif
+   return;
+  }
+  if (GetGame().GetPlayerManager().GetPlayerController(playerId) != expectedController || ERR_Actors.Alive(expectedController.GetControlledEntity()))
+  {
+#ifdef WORKBENCH
+  ERR_DeathDiagnostic.Event("ObserveAfterLoss rejected controller/body");
+#endif
+   return;
+  }
   ERR_GameMode mode = ERR_GameMode.Get();
   ERR_PlayerLife life;
   if (mode) life = mode.Players().Get(playerId);
   if (life && life.UsedLife) Observe(playerId, ERR_ObserverReason.SPENT_LIFE);
+#ifdef WORKBENCH
+  ERR_DeathDiagnostic.Event("ObserveAfterLoss completed");
+#endif
  }
  override void OnPlayerSpawned_S(int playerId, IEntity entity)
  {
--- a/addons/core/Scripts/Game/ERR/00_Core/ERR_GameMode.c
+++ b/addons/core/Scripts/Game/ERR/00_Core/ERR_GameMode.c
@@ -568,6 +568,9 @@
 	// Transition(). Close the successor before vanilla publishes/restarts the round.
 	protected override void OnGameModeEnd(SCR_GameModeEndData endData)
 	{
+#ifdef WORKBENCH
+  ERR_DeathDiagnostic.Event("OnGameModeEnd entry");
+#endif
 		if (m_NativeEndHandled) return;
 		m_NativeEndHandled = true;
 		StopLocalViewDistance();
@@ -619,6 +622,9 @@
 
 	void ~ERR_GameMode()
 	{
+#ifdef WORKBENCH
+  ERR_DeathDiagnostic.Event("GameMode destructor entry");
+#endif
 		if (GetGame())
 		{
 			GetGame().GetCallqueue().Remove(StartScenario);