diff --git a/src/graphics/renderers/GameRenderer.cpp b/src/graphics/renderers/GameRenderer.cpp
index 1869064..09a82ac 100644
--- a/src/graphics/renderers/GameRenderer.cpp
+++ b/src/graphics/renderers/GameRenderer.cpp
@@ -2282,22 +2282,10 @@ void GameRenderer::renderCoopPlayingState(
                 sf.seq = seq;
                 sf.piece = game->current(side);
                 sf.tileSize = finalBlockSize;
-                // Target to first visible row (row 0)
+                // Note: targetX/targetY are recomputed during drawing using the live
+                // current piece so movement/rotation during the fade stays correct.
                 sf.targetX = gridX + static_cast<float>(sf.piece.x) * finalBlockSize;
-                // IMPORTANT: In classic mode, pieces can spawn with their first filled
-                // cell not at cy=0 within the 4x4. To avoid appearing one row too low
-                // (and then jumping up), align the topmost filled cell to row 0.
-                int minCy = 4;
-                for (int cy = 0; cy < 4; ++cy) {
-                    for (int cx = 0; cx < 4; ++cx) {
-                        if (!CoopGame::cellFilled(sf.piece, cx, cy)) continue;
-                        minCy = std::min(minCy, cy);
-                    }
-                }
-                if (minCy == 4) {
-                    minCy = 0;
-                }
-                sf.targetY = gridY - static_cast<float>(minCy) * finalBlockSize;
+                sf.targetY = gridY;
             } else {
                 // Reuse exact horizontal smoothing from single-player
                 constexpr float HORIZONTAL_SMOOTH_MS = 55.0f;
@@ -2373,24 +2361,54 @@ void GameRenderer::renderCoopPlayingState(
     // Draw any active spawn fades (alpha ramp into first row). Draw before
     // the regular active pieces; while the spawn fade is active the piece's
     // real position is above the grid and will not be drawn by drawPiece.
-    auto drawSpawnFadeIfActive = [&](SpawnFadeState &sf) {
+    auto drawSpawnFadeIfActive = [&](SpawnFadeState &sf, CoopGame::PlayerSide side) {
         if (!sf.active) return;
-        Uint32 now = SDL_GetTicks();
-        float elapsed = static_cast<float>(now - sf.startTick);
+
+        // If the piece has already changed, stop the fade.
+        const uint64_t currentSeq = game->currentPieceSequence(side);
+        if (sf.seq != currentSeq) {
+            sf.active = false;
+            return;
+        }
+
+        const CoopGame::Piece& livePiece = game->current(side);
+        float elapsed = static_cast<float>(nowTicks - sf.startTick);
         float t = sf.durationMs <= 0.0f ? 1.0f : std::clamp(elapsed / sf.durationMs, 0.0f, 1.0f);
         Uint8 alpha = static_cast<Uint8>(std::lround(255.0f * t));
         if (blocksTex) SDL_SetTextureAlphaMod(blocksTex, alpha);
-        // Draw piece at target (first row)
+
+        // Align the topmost filled cell to row 0 (first visible row), like classic.
+        int minCy = 4;
         for (int cy = 0; cy < 4; ++cy) {
             for (int cx = 0; cx < 4; ++cx) {
-                if (!CoopGame::cellFilled(sf.piece, cx, cy)) continue;
+                if (!CoopGame::cellFilled(livePiece, cx, cy)) continue;
+                minCy = std::min(minCy, cy);
+            }
+        }
+        if (minCy == 4) {
+            minCy = 0;
+        }
+        sf.targetX = gridX + static_cast<float>(livePiece.x) * sf.tileSize;
+        sf.targetY = gridY - static_cast<float>(minCy) * sf.tileSize;
+
+        // Draw the live piece at the fade target.
+        for (int cy = 0; cy < 4; ++cy) {
+            for (int cx = 0; cx < 4; ++cx) {
+                if (!CoopGame::cellFilled(livePiece, cx, cy)) continue;
                 float px = sf.targetX + static_cast<float>(cx) * sf.tileSize;
                 float py = sf.targetY + static_cast<float>(cy) * sf.tileSize;
-                drawBlockTexturePublic(renderer, blocksTex, px, py, sf.tileSize, sf.piece.type);
+                drawBlockTexturePublic(renderer, blocksTex, px, py, sf.tileSize, livePiece.type);
             }
         }
         if (blocksTex) SDL_SetTextureAlphaMod(blocksTex, 255);
-        if (t >= 1.0f) sf.active = false;
+
+        // Critical: only deactivate once the real piece is actually drawable.
+        // Otherwise (notably for I spawning at y=-2) there can be a brief gap where
+        // the fade ends but the real piece is still fully above the visible grid.
+        const bool pieceHasAnyVisibleCell = (livePiece.y + minCy) >= 0;
+        if (t >= 1.0f && pieceHasAnyVisibleCell) {
+            sf.active = false;
+        }
     };
 
     auto drawPiece = [&](const CoopGame::Piece& p, const std::pair<float, float>& offsets, bool isGhost) {
@@ -2419,8 +2437,8 @@ void GameRenderer::renderCoopPlayingState(
     const auto leftOffsets = computeOffsets(CoopGame::PlayerSide::Left, s_leftSmooth);
     const auto rightOffsets = computeOffsets(CoopGame::PlayerSide::Right, s_rightSmooth);
     // Draw transient spawn fades (if active) into the first visible row
-    drawSpawnFadeIfActive(s_leftSpawnFade);
-    drawSpawnFadeIfActive(s_rightSpawnFade);
+    drawSpawnFadeIfActive(s_leftSpawnFade, CoopGame::PlayerSide::Left);
+    drawSpawnFadeIfActive(s_rightSpawnFade, CoopGame::PlayerSide::Right);
 
     // Draw classic-style ghost pieces (landing position), grid-aligned.
     // This intentionally does NOT use smoothing offsets.