diff --git a/internal/network/multiplayer_test.go b/internal/network/multiplayer_test.go
index c88860c..213dfba 100644
--- a/internal/network/multiplayer_test.go
+++ b/internal/network/multiplayer_test.go
@@ -270,6 +270,47 @@ func TestIntegrationFourClientsVisibilityMovementLeaveAndLight(t *testing.T) {
 	srv.Entities().Remove(mobID)
 }
 
+func TestEntityVisibilityWaitsForResidentChunk(t *testing.T) {
+	cfg := server.DefaultConfig()
+	cfg.WorldDir = ""
+	srv, err := server.NewWithCache(cfg, world.NewCache(-1, world.GenerateFlat))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	recorder := &recordingConn{}
+	h := &handler{conn: NewConn(recorder), srv: srv, log: slog.Default(), viewDistance: 2}
+	h.conn.Profile = server.Profile{Name: "Alice", UUID: server.OfflineUUID("Alice")}
+	h.session, err = srv.RegisterPlayer(h.conn.Profile, h.conn.Send)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer srv.UnregisterPlayer(h.session)
+	srv.SetPlayerTransform(h.session, 8, 80, 8, 0, 0, true)
+	h.streamer = &streamer{resident: make(map[[2]int32]bool)}
+	srv.Entities().Add(&world.Entity{
+		TypeID: 100, TypeName: "minecraft:pig", X: 24, Y: 80, Z: 8,
+	})
+
+	if err := h.syncVisibleEntities(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if got := countPackets(recorder.take(t), protocol.PlayAddEntity); got != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("add-entity packets before chunk = %d, want 0", got)
+	}
+
+	h.streamer.setResident([2]int32{1, 0}, true)
+	if err := h.syncVisibleEntities(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	assertPacketIDs(t, recorder.take(t), protocol.PlayAddEntity)
+
+	h.streamer.setResident([2]int32{1, 0}, false)
+	if err := h.syncVisibleEntities(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	assertPacketIDs(t, recorder.take(t), protocol.PlayRemoveEntities)
+}
+
 func countPackets(packets []protocol.Packet, id int32) int {
 	count := 0
 	for _, packet := range packets {
diff --git a/internal/network/play.go b/internal/network/play.go
index b878be3..e6072fc 100644
--- a/internal/network/play.go
+++ b/internal/network/play.go
@@ -261,7 +261,8 @@ func (h *handler) syncVisibleEntities() error {
 
 	currentEntities := make(map[int32]visibleEntity)
 	for _, player := range players {
-		if player.EntityID == viewer.EntityID || !playerVisible(viewer, player, h.visibilityRadius()) {
+		if player.EntityID == viewer.EntityID || !playerVisible(viewer, player, h.visibilityRadius()) ||
+			!h.entityChunkResident(player.X, player.Z) {
 			continue
 		}
 		currentEntities[player.EntityID] = visibleEntity{
@@ -275,7 +276,7 @@ func (h *handler) syncVisibleEntities() error {
 		}
 	}
 	for _, entity := range h.srv.Entities().All() {
-		if entityVisible(viewer, entity, h.visibilityRadius()) {
+		if entityVisible(viewer, entity, h.visibilityRadius()) && h.entityChunkResident(entity.X, entity.Z) {
 			currentEntities[entity.ID] = visibleEntity{entity: entity, onGround: true}
 		}
 	}
@@ -314,6 +315,15 @@ func (h *handler) syncVisibleEntities() error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func (h *handler) entityChunkResident(x, z float64) bool {
+	if h.streamer == nil {
+		return true
+	}
+	cx := int32(int64(math.Floor(x)) >> 4)
+	cz := int32(int64(math.Floor(z)) >> 4)
+	return h.streamer.isResident(cx, cz)
+}
+
 func playerVisible(viewer, target server.PlayerSnapshot, radius int) bool {
 	return chunksWithin(viewer.X, viewer.Z, target.X, target.Z, radius)
 }
diff --git a/internal/network/streamer.go b/internal/network/streamer.go
index dd1df8e..959d123 100644
--- a/internal/network/streamer.go
+++ b/internal/network/streamer.go
@@ -41,6 +41,12 @@ type streamer struct {
 	centerZ   int32
 	hasCenter bool
 
+	// resident is the cross-goroutine view of chunks whose level_chunk packet
+	// has reached the connection. Entity sync uses it to avoid exposing mobs or
+	// players before the terrain under them exists client-side.
+	residentMu sync.RWMutex
+	resident   map[[2]int32]bool
+
 	viewRadius int // chunks within this Chebyshev radius are sent to the client
 	genRadius  int // viewRadius + 1: pre-generated but not sent (predictive ring)
 	poolSize   int // parallel generation workers
@@ -75,6 +81,7 @@ func newStreamer(cache *world.Cache, conn *Conn, log *slog.Logger, viewDistance
 		log:        log,
 		recenter:   make(chan recenterReq, 4),
 		loaded:     make(map[[2]int32]bool),
+		resident:   make(map[[2]int32]bool),
 		viewRadius: viewDistance,
 		genRadius:  viewDistance + 1,
 		poolSize:   pool,
@@ -173,6 +180,7 @@ func (s *streamer) processRecenter(ctx context.Context, cx, cz int32) (recenterR
 	// only server-side by tickets and never left loaded on the client.
 	for key := range s.loaded {
 		if !view[key] {
+			s.setResident(key, false)
 			s.sendForgetLevelChunk(key[0], key[1])
 			delete(s.loaded, key)
 		}
@@ -344,9 +352,27 @@ func (s *streamer) parallelSend(ctx context.Context, keys [][2]int32) {
 			}
 		}
 		s.loaded[[2]int32{j.cx, j.cz}] = true
+		s.setResident([2]int32{j.cx, j.cz}, true)
 	}
 }
 
+func (s *streamer) setResident(key [2]int32, present bool) {
+	s.residentMu.Lock()
+	if present {
+		s.resident[key] = true
+	} else {
+		delete(s.resident, key)
+	}
+	s.residentMu.Unlock()
+}
+
+func (s *streamer) isResident(cx, cz int32) bool {
+	s.residentMu.RLock()
+	present := s.resident[[2]int32{cx, cz}]
+	s.residentMu.RUnlock()
+	return present
+}
+
 // parallelPreload warms terrain for the given chunks without calculating light,
 // encoding frames, or sending packets. Errors are ignored.
 func (s *streamer) parallelPreload(ctx context.Context, keys [][2]int32) {