diff --git a/internal/world/biome_lookup.go b/internal/world/biome_lookup.go
index 736f4b3..3eddccf 100644
--- a/internal/world/biome_lookup.go
+++ b/internal/world/biome_lookup.go
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ func depthRange(v any) (worldgen.ClimateRange, bool) {
 var (
 	biomeTable     *worldgen.ParameterTable
 	biomeTableOnce sync.Once
+	biomeOrder     []string
 )
 
 // loadBiomeTable parses the embedded biome parameters once and returns the full
@@ -76,18 +77,28 @@ func loadBiomeTable() *worldgen.ParameterTable {
 			panic(fmt.Sprintf("world: parsing embedded biome_parameters.json: %v", err))
 		}
 		params := make([]worldgen.BiomeParameter, 0, len(raw.Biomes))
+		seen := make(map[string]bool)
 		for _, e := range raw.Biomes {
 			dp, ok := depthRange(e.Param.Depth)
 			if !ok {
 				continue // malformed depth; skip defensively
 			}
 			params = append(params, makeBiomeParameter(e, dp))
+			if !seen[e.Biome] {
+				seen[e.Biome] = true
+				biomeOrder = append(biomeOrder, e.Biome)
+			}
 		}
 		biomeTable = worldgen.NewParameterTable(params)
 	})
 	return biomeTable
 }
 
+func possibleBiomeOrder() []string {
+	loadBiomeTable()
+	return biomeOrder
+}
+
 // makeBiomeParameter converts a raw JSON entry into a BiomeParameter, mapping
 // the [min,max] ranges to quantized ClimateRanges. depth is a ClimateRange
 // (exact range for scalar depths, explicit range for cave biomes).
diff --git a/internal/world/feature_sorter_test.go b/internal/world/feature_sorter_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..4feb09f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/world/feature_sorter_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+package world
+
+import (
+	"slices"
+	"testing"
+
+	"regionio/internal/worldgen"
+)
+
+func TestOverworldFeatureStepsBuildWithoutCycles(t *testing.T) {
+	set, err := worldgen.LoadFeatureSet()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	steps, err := set.FeatureSteps(possibleBiomeOrder())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if len(steps) != 11 {
+		t.Fatalf("feature steps = %d, want 11", len(steps))
+	}
+	ores := steps[undergroundOresStage]
+	for _, name := range []string{"minecraft:ore_clay", "minecraft:ore_diamond", "minecraft:ore_tuff"} {
+		if !slices.Contains(ores, name) {
+			t.Errorf("underground ores missing %s", name)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/worldgen/features.go b/internal/worldgen/features.go
index a0b3dde..7dc4d5c 100644
--- a/internal/worldgen/features.go
+++ b/internal/worldgen/features.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"fmt"
 	"path"
+	"sort"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 )
@@ -22,6 +23,11 @@ type FeatureSet struct {
 	BlockTags  map[string][]string
 }
 
+type IndexedFeature struct {
+	Name  string
+	Index int
+}
+
 type ConfiguredFeature struct {
 	Type   string
 	Config json.RawMessage
@@ -210,6 +216,105 @@ func LoadFeatureSet() (*FeatureSet, error) {
 	return featureSet, featureSetErr
 }
 
+// FeatureSteps mirrors FeatureSorter.buildFeaturesPerStep. biomeOrder must be
+// BiomeSource.possibleBiomes encounter order because it assigns the stable
+// identity used to break otherwise unconstrained graph ties.
+func (s *FeatureSet) FeatureSteps(biomeOrder []string) ([][]string, error) {
+	type node struct {
+		stage, identity int
+		name            string
+	}
+	identities := make(map[string]int)
+	nodes := make(map[[2]int]node)
+	edges := make(map[[2]int]map[[2]int]bool)
+	maxStages := 0
+	for _, biomeName := range biomeOrder {
+		biome, ok := s.Biomes[biomeName]
+		if !ok {
+			continue
+		}
+		if len(biome.Features) > maxStages {
+			maxStages = len(biome.Features)
+		}
+		var previous [2]int
+		hasPrevious := false
+		for stage, names := range biome.Features {
+			for _, name := range names {
+				identity, ok := identities[name]
+				if !ok {
+					identity = len(identities)
+					identities[name] = identity
+				}
+				key := [2]int{stage, identity}
+				nodes[key] = node{stage: stage, identity: identity, name: name}
+				if hasPrevious {
+					if edges[previous] == nil {
+						edges[previous] = make(map[[2]int]bool)
+					}
+					edges[previous][key] = true
+				}
+				previous, hasPrevious = key, true
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	less := func(a, b [2]int) bool {
+		return a[0] < b[0] || a[0] == b[0] && a[1] < b[1]
+	}
+	keys := make([][2]int, 0, len(nodes))
+	for key := range nodes {
+		keys = append(keys, key)
+	}
+	sort.Slice(keys, func(i, j int) bool { return less(keys[i], keys[j]) })
+	visited := make(map[[2]int]bool)
+	visiting := make(map[[2]int]bool)
+	ordered := make([][2]int, 0, len(keys))
+	var visit func([2]int) error
+	visit = func(key [2]int) error {
+		if visited[key] {
+			return nil
+		}
+		if visiting[key] {
+			return fmt.Errorf("worldgen: feature order cycle")
+		}
+		visiting[key] = true
+		children := make([][2]int, 0, len(edges[key]))
+		for child := range edges[key] {
+			children = append(children, child)
+		}
+		sort.Slice(children, func(i, j int) bool { return less(children[i], children[j]) })
+		for _, child := range children {
+			if err := visit(child); err != nil {
+				return err
+			}
+		}
+		delete(visiting, key)
+		visited[key] = true
+		ordered = append(ordered, key)
+		return nil
+	}
+	for _, key := range keys {
+		if err := visit(key); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+	}
+	steps := make([][]string, maxStages)
+	for i := len(ordered) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
+		n := nodes[ordered[i]]
+		steps[n.stage] = append(steps[n.stage], n.name)
+	}
+	return steps, nil
+}
+
+func IndexedFeatures(step []string, wanted map[string]bool) []IndexedFeature {
+	result := make([]IndexedFeature, 0, len(wanted))
+	for index, name := range step {
+		if wanted[name] {
+			result = append(result, IndexedFeature{Name: name, Index: index})
+		}
+	}
+	return result
+}
+
 func (s *FeatureSet) Ore(name string) (OreFeatureConfig, error) {
 	configured, ok := s.Configured[name]
 	if !ok || configured.Type != "minecraft:ore" {
diff --git a/internal/worldgen/features_test.go b/internal/worldgen/features_test.go
index 20286a2..e7832ff 100644
--- a/internal/worldgen/features_test.go
+++ b/internal/worldgen/features_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 package worldgen
 
-import "testing"
+import (
+	"reflect"
+	"testing"
+)
 
 func TestFeatureDatapackLoadsAndLinks(t *testing.T) {
 	set, err := LoadFeatureSet()
@@ -42,3 +45,38 @@ func TestFeatureDatapackLoadsAndLinks(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("spring lava placement = %+v, err=%v", lavaPlan, err)
 	}
 }
+
+func TestFeatureStepsAgainstVanillaRuntimeVectors(t *testing.T) {
+	set := &FeatureSet{Biomes: map[string]BiomeGeneration{
+		"a": {Features: [][]string{{"f1"}, {"f3", "f4"}}},
+		"b": {Features: [][]string{{"f2", "f1"}, {"f5", "f4"}}},
+	}}
+	for _, test := range []struct {
+		name  string
+		order []string
+		want  [][]string
+	}{
+		{"ab", []string{"a", "b"}, [][]string{{"f2", "f1"}, {"f5", "f3", "f4"}}},
+		{"ba", []string{"b", "a"}, [][]string{{"f2", "f1"}, {"f3", "f5", "f4"}}},
+	} {
+		t.Run(test.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			got, err := set.FeatureSteps(test.order)
+			if err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			if !reflect.DeepEqual(got, test.want) {
+				t.Fatalf("steps = %v, want %v", got, test.want)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestFeatureStepsRejectsCycles(t *testing.T) {
+	set := &FeatureSet{Biomes: map[string]BiomeGeneration{
+		"a": {Features: [][]string{{"f1", "f2"}}},
+		"b": {Features: [][]string{{"f2", "f1"}}},
+	}}
+	if _, err := set.FeatureSteps([]string{"a", "b"}); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal("cyclic feature order succeeded")
+	}
+}
diff --git a/tools/VanillaFeatureSorterVectors.java b/tools/VanillaFeatureSorterVectors.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e501924
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/VanillaFeatureSorterVectors.java
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+import java.lang.reflect.Constructor;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.IdentityHashMap;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.function.Function;
+
+import net.minecraft.SharedConstants;
+import net.minecraft.core.Holder;
+import net.minecraft.core.HolderSet;
+import net.minecraft.server.Bootstrap;
+import net.minecraft.world.level.biome.BiomeGenerationSettings;
+import net.minecraft.world.level.biome.FeatureSorter;
+import net.minecraft.world.level.levelgen.feature.ConfiguredFeature;
+import net.minecraft.world.level.levelgen.feature.Feature;
+import net.minecraft.world.level.levelgen.feature.configurations.NoneFeatureConfiguration;
+import net.minecraft.world.level.levelgen.placement.CountPlacement;
+import net.minecraft.world.level.levelgen.placement.PlacedFeature;
+
+// Emits FeatureSorter vectors from the official 26.1.2 runtime. The graph is
+// synthetic so this helper verifies ordering and identity without booting a
+// world or depending on registry datapack loading.
+public final class VanillaFeatureSorterVectors {
+    private static final Map<PlacedFeature, String> NAMES = new IdentityHashMap<>();
+
+    public static void main(String[] args) throws Exception {
+        SharedConstants.tryDetectVersion();
+        Bootstrap.bootStrap();
+
+        PlacedFeature f1 = feature("f1", 1);
+        PlacedFeature f2 = feature("f2", 2);
+        PlacedFeature f3 = feature("f3", 3);
+        PlacedFeature f4 = feature("f4", 4);
+        PlacedFeature f5 = feature("f5", 5);
+
+        BiomeGenerationSettings a = settings(
+                List.of(List.of(f1), List.of(f3, f4)));
+        BiomeGenerationSettings b = settings(
+                List.of(List.of(f2, f1), List.of(f5, f4)));
+
+        dump("ab", List.of(a, b));
+        dump("ba", List.of(b, a));
+    }
+
+    private static PlacedFeature feature(String name, int count) {
+        ConfiguredFeature<NoneFeatureConfiguration, Feature<NoneFeatureConfiguration>> configured =
+                new ConfiguredFeature<>(Feature.NO_OP, NoneFeatureConfiguration.INSTANCE);
+        PlacedFeature placed = new PlacedFeature(Holder.direct(configured), List.of(CountPlacement.of(count)));
+        NAMES.put(placed, name);
+        return placed;
+    }
+
+    @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
+    private static BiomeGenerationSettings settings(List<List<PlacedFeature>> stages) throws Exception {
+        List<HolderSet<PlacedFeature>> holders = new ArrayList<>();
+        for (List<PlacedFeature> stage : stages) {
+            Holder<PlacedFeature>[] values = stage.stream().map(Holder::direct).toArray(Holder[]::new);
+            holders.add(HolderSet.direct(values));
+        }
+        Constructor<BiomeGenerationSettings> constructor = BiomeGenerationSettings.class
+                .getDeclaredConstructor(HolderSet.class, List.class);
+        constructor.setAccessible(true);
+        return constructor.newInstance(HolderSet.empty(), holders);
+    }
+
+    private static void dump(String label, List<BiomeGenerationSettings> biomes) {
+        Function<BiomeGenerationSettings, List<HolderSet<PlacedFeature>>> stages =
+                BiomeGenerationSettings::features;
+        List<FeatureSorter.StepFeatureData> steps =
+                FeatureSorter.buildFeaturesPerStep(biomes, stages, true);
+        for (int stage = 0; stage < steps.size(); stage++) {
+            FeatureSorter.StepFeatureData step = steps.get(stage);
+            List<String> values = new ArrayList<>();
+            for (int index = 0; index < step.features().size(); index++) {
+                PlacedFeature feature = step.features().get(index);
+                values.add(NAMES.get(feature) + "@" + step.indexMapping().applyAsInt(feature));
+            }
+            System.out.println(label + ".stage" + stage + "=" + String.join(",", values));
+        }
+    }
+}