diff --git a/src/AcDream.App/UI/Layout/ToolbarController.cs b/src/AcDream.App/UI/Layout/ToolbarController.cs
index 12b4f77b..0cfd9d4c 100644
--- a/src/AcDream.App/UI/Layout/ToolbarController.cs
+++ b/src/AcDream.App/UI/Layout/ToolbarController.cs
@@ -109,9 +109,23 @@ public sealed class ToolbarController
         if (combatState is not null)
             combatState.CombatModeChanged += SetCombatMode;
 
-        // Re-bind any deferred slot whenever the repo learns about a new/updated item.
-        repo.ObjectAdded   += _ => Populate();
-        repo.ObjectUpdated += _ => Populate();
+        // D.5.4: the table now holds ALL objects (creatures, NPCs, etc.), so filter
+        // to our 18 shortcut guids — else every creature spawn in a busy zone
+        // needlessly re-populates the bar (gmToolbarUI::SetDelayedShortcutNum pattern).
+        repo.ObjectAdded   += o => { if (IsShortcutGuid(o.ObjectId)) Populate(); };
+        repo.ObjectUpdated += o => { if (IsShortcutGuid(o.ObjectId)) Populate(); };
+        repo.ObjectRemoved += o => { if (IsShortcutGuid(o.ObjectId)) Populate(); };
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Returns true if <paramref name="guid"/> is one of the currently-active shortcut guids.
+    /// Used to gate repo-event subscriptions so we don't re-populate on every creature spawn.
+    /// </summary>
+    private bool IsShortcutGuid(uint guid)
+    {
+        foreach (var sc in _shortcuts())
+            if (sc.ObjectGuid == guid) return true;
+        return false;
     }
 
     /// <summary>
diff --git a/tests/AcDream.App.Tests/UI/Layout/ToolbarControllerTests.cs b/tests/AcDream.App.Tests/UI/Layout/ToolbarControllerTests.cs
index 9bd13b00..9668a586 100644
--- a/tests/AcDream.App.Tests/UI/Layout/ToolbarControllerTests.cs
+++ b/tests/AcDream.App.Tests/UI/Layout/ToolbarControllerTests.cs
@@ -314,4 +314,111 @@ public class ToolbarControllerTests
         foreach (var id in Row1)
             Assert.Null(slots[id].Cell.EmptyDigits);
     }
+
+    // ── E1: Guid filter + ObjectRemoved tests (D.5.4) ───────────────────────
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// ObjectAdded for a guid NOT in the shortcut list does NOT call iconIds again
+    /// (no spurious Populate on creature/NPC spawns in a busy zone).
+    /// D.5.4: ToolbarController filters to shortcut guids only.
+    /// The iconIds spy lets us count how many times Populate actually ran.
+    /// </summary>
+    [Fact]
+    public void ObjectAdded_nonShortcutGuid_doesNotCallIconIds()
+    {
+        var (layout, _, _) = FakeToolbar();
+        var repo = new ClientObjectTable();
+        repo.AddOrUpdate(new ClientObject { ObjectId = 0x5001u, WeenieClassId = 1u, IconId = 0x06001234u });
+        var shortcuts = new List<PlayerDescriptionParser.ShortcutEntry>
+        { new(Index: 0, ObjectGuid: 0x5001u, SpellId: 0, Layer: 0) };
+
+        int iconCallCount = 0;
+        ToolbarController.Bind(layout, repo, () => shortcuts,
+            iconIds: (_,_,_,_,_) => { iconCallCount++; return 0x77u; }, useItem: _ => { });
+
+        int callsAfterBind = iconCallCount; // 1 call from initial Populate
+
+        // Fire ObjectAdded with a completely unrelated guid (a creature, NOT a shortcut).
+        repo.AddOrUpdate(new ClientObject { ObjectId = 0xDEADBEEFu, WeenieClassId = 42u, IconId = 0u });
+
+        // iconIds must NOT have been called again — the filter blocked Populate.
+        Assert.Equal(callsAfterBind, iconCallCount);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// ObjectAdded for a guid that IS in the shortcut list calls iconIds again (deferred bind).
+    /// This is the filtered-path counterpart of DeferredRebind_whenItemArrivesLate.
+    /// </summary>
+    [Fact]
+    public void ObjectAdded_shortcutGuid_callsIconIds()
+    {
+        var (layout, slots, _) = FakeToolbar();
+        var repo = new ClientObjectTable(); // item NOT present yet
+        var shortcuts = new List<PlayerDescriptionParser.ShortcutEntry>
+        { new(Index: 1, ObjectGuid: 0x5003u, SpellId: 0, Layer: 0) };
+
+        int iconCallCount = 0;
+        ToolbarController.Bind(layout, repo, () => shortcuts,
+            iconIds: (_,_,_,_,_) => { iconCallCount++; return 0x99u; }, useItem: _ => { });
+
+        Assert.Equal(0, iconCallCount); // not called — item absent during initial Populate
+        Assert.Equal(0u, slots[Row1[1]].Cell.ItemId);
+
+        // Now the shortcut item arrives — filter must PASS and Populate re-run.
+        repo.AddOrUpdate(new ClientObject { ObjectId = 0x5003u, WeenieClassId = 1u, IconId = 0x06005678u });
+
+        Assert.Equal(1, iconCallCount);              // iconIds called exactly once for the deferred bind
+        Assert.Equal(0x5003u, slots[Row1[1]].Cell.ItemId);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// ObjectRemoved for a guid that IS in the shortcut list clears the slot.
+    /// D.5.4: subscribes to ObjectRemoved so a removed item evicts its icon.
+    /// </summary>
+    [Fact]
+    public void ObjectRemoved_shortcutGuid_clearsSlot()
+    {
+        var (layout, slots, _) = FakeToolbar();
+        var repo = new ClientObjectTable();
+        repo.AddOrUpdate(new ClientObject { ObjectId = 0x5004u, WeenieClassId = 1u, IconId = 0x06001234u });
+        var shortcuts = new List<PlayerDescriptionParser.ShortcutEntry>
+        { new(Index: 3, ObjectGuid: 0x5004u, SpellId: 0, Layer: 0) };
+
+        ToolbarController.Bind(layout, repo, () => shortcuts,
+            iconIds: (_,_,_,_,_) => 0xAAu, useItem: _ => { });
+
+        Assert.Equal(0x5004u, slots[Row1[3]].Cell.ItemId); // bound
+
+        // Remove the item from the session (server despawn / trade away).
+        // Populate re-runs: item is gone from repo → slot clears.
+        repo.Remove(0x5004u);
+
+        Assert.Equal(0u, slots[Row1[3]].Cell.ItemId);
+    }
+
+    /// <summary>
+    /// ObjectRemoved for a guid NOT in the shortcut list does NOT call iconIds again.
+    /// D.5.4: the ObjectRemoved subscription also filters to shortcut guids.
+    /// </summary>
+    [Fact]
+    public void ObjectRemoved_nonShortcutGuid_doesNotCallIconIds()
+    {
+        var (layout, _, _) = FakeToolbar();
+        var repo = new ClientObjectTable();
+        repo.AddOrUpdate(new ClientObject { ObjectId = 0x5005u, WeenieClassId = 1u, IconId = 0x06001234u });
+        repo.AddOrUpdate(new ClientObject { ObjectId = 0xCAFEBABEu, WeenieClassId = 99u, IconId = 0u });
+        var shortcuts = new List<PlayerDescriptionParser.ShortcutEntry>
+        { new(Index: 4, ObjectGuid: 0x5005u, SpellId: 0, Layer: 0) };
+
+        int iconCallCount = 0;
+        ToolbarController.Bind(layout, repo, () => shortcuts,
+            iconIds: (_,_,_,_,_) => { iconCallCount++; return 0xBBu; }, useItem: _ => { });
+
+        int callsAfterBind = iconCallCount; // 1 call for the shortcut item
+
+        // Remove an unrelated object — filter must block Populate.
+        repo.Remove(0xCAFEBABEu);
+
+        Assert.Equal(callsAfterBind, iconCallCount); // unchanged
+    }
 }