diff --git a/src/game-logic.js b/src/game-logic.js
index 4fd262f..c5c7767 100644
--- a/src/game-logic.js
+++ b/src/game-logic.js
@@ -132,3 +132,12 @@ export const reducePlayerProjectileHits = ({
     gameOver: nextHull <= 0,
   };
 };
+
+
+export const resolveTaggedProjectile = (first, second, owner) => {
+  for (const candidate of [first, second]) {
+    if (!candidate || typeof candidate.getData !== 'function') continue;
+    if (candidate.getData('projectileOwner') === owner) return candidate;
+  }
+  return null;
+};
diff --git a/src/game-v4.js b/src/game-v4.js
index 58d9547..ff0db2f 100644
--- a/src/game-v4.js
+++ b/src/game-v4.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import './style.css';
 import airshipSheetUrl from './assets/airships.svg?url';
 import explosionSheetUrl from './assets/explosions.svg?url';
 import { airshipLog, registerDebugSnapshot } from './diagnostics.js';
-import { normalizePlayerDamage, reducePlayerProjectileHits } from './game-logic.js';
+import { normalizePlayerDamage, reducePlayerProjectileHits, resolveTaggedProjectile } from './game-logic.js';
 import { pirateClassForWave, separationVector } from './pirate-ai.js';
 
 const WORLD_SIZE = 2400;
@@ -536,7 +536,8 @@ class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
       shot.body.setAllowGravity(false);
       shot.setData('bornAt', this.time.now);
       shot.setData('damage', damage);
-      if (group === this.pirateShots) shot.setData('playerHitQueued', false);
+      shot.setData('projectileOwner', actor);
+      if (actor === 'pirate') shot.setData('playerHitQueued', false);
       shot.setVelocity(
         Math.cos(angle) * SHOT_SPEED * velocityScale + ship.body.velocity.x * 0.25,
         Math.sin(angle) * SHOT_SPEED * velocityScale + ship.body.velocity.y * 0.25,
@@ -544,8 +545,13 @@ class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     }
   }
 
-  hitPirate(shot, pirate) {
-    if (!shot?.active || !pirate?.active || this.gameState !== 'playing') return;
+  hitPirate(first, second) {
+    if (this.gameState !== 'playing') return;
+
+    const shot = resolveTaggedProjectile(first, second, 'player');
+    const pirate = shot === first ? second : first;
+    if (!shot?.active || !pirate?.active || pirate === this.player) return;
+
     const damage = shot.getData('damage') || 10;
     const { x, y } = shot;
     shot.destroy();
@@ -580,15 +586,27 @@ class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     this.flashShip(pirate, 0xffcccc);
   }
 
-  hitPlayer(shot) {
-    if (!shot?.active || this.gameState !== 'playing') return;
+  hitPlayer(first, second) {
+    if (this.gameState !== 'playing') return;
+
+    const shot = resolveTaggedProjectile(first, second, 'pirate');
+    if (!shot?.active || shot === this.player) {
+      airshipLog('combat:player-hit-rejected', {
+        firstOwner: first?.getData?.('projectileOwner') ?? null,
+        secondOwner: second?.getData?.('projectileOwner') ?? null,
+        firstIsPlayer: first === this.player,
+        secondIsPlayer: second === this.player,
+      }, 'warn');
+      return;
+    }
+
     if (shot.getData('playerHitQueued')) return;
 
     const damage = normalizePlayerDamage(shot.getData('damage'), PIRATE_SHOT_DAMAGE);
 
-    // The Arcade overlap callback only records the collision. Hull mutation
-    // happens from the scene update after the physics step; projectile cleanup
-    // remains on the normal lifetime path to avoid collision-time lifecycle changes.
+    // The overlap callback only records a verified pirate projectile.
+    // Hull mutation and projectile destruction happen on the next scene update,
+    // outside the Arcade Physics callback.
     shot.setData('playerHitQueued', true);
     this.pendingPlayerHits.push({
       shot,
@@ -632,7 +650,14 @@ class GameScene extends Phaser.Scene {
     const { totalDamage, appliedHits, gameOver } = result;
 
     for (const impact of hits) {
-      if (impact.shot?.active) impact.shot.destroy();
+      const shot = impact.shot;
+      if (
+        shot !== this.player
+        && shot?.active
+        && shot?.getData?.('projectileOwner') === 'pirate'
+      ) {
+        shot.destroy();
+      }
     }
 
     if (appliedHits > 0) {
diff --git a/tests/game-logic.test.mjs b/tests/game-logic.test.mjs
index a445c6d..750ebc2 100644
--- a/tests/game-logic.test.mjs
+++ b/tests/game-logic.test.mjs
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import {
   reducePlayerHitQueue,
   reducePlayerProjectileHits,
   reducePlayerVolleyHits,
+  resolveTaggedProjectile,
 } from '../src/game-logic.js';
 
 test('first pirate hit removes exactly the default damage and does not end the game', () => {
@@ -240,3 +241,29 @@ test('multiple distinct pirate projectiles in the same frame all apply damage',
   assert.equal(result.totalDamage, 18);
   assert.equal(result.appliedHits, 3);
 });
+
+
+test('projectile resolver is independent of Phaser overlap argument order', () => {
+  const player = {
+    getData() { return undefined; },
+  };
+  const pirateShot = {
+    getData(key) {
+      return key === 'projectileOwner' ? 'pirate' : undefined;
+    },
+  };
+
+  assert.equal(resolveTaggedProjectile(pirateShot, player, 'pirate'), pirateShot);
+  assert.equal(resolveTaggedProjectile(player, pirateShot, 'pirate'), pirateShot);
+});
+
+test('projectile resolver never mistakes the player for an untagged shot', () => {
+  const player = {
+    getData() { return undefined; },
+  };
+  const untagged = {
+    getData() { return undefined; },
+  };
+
+  assert.equal(resolveTaggedProjectile(player, untagged, 'pirate'), null);
+});
diff --git a/tests/wiring.test.mjs b/tests/wiring.test.mjs
index cf40f73..a2e2fcf 100644
--- a/tests/wiring.test.mjs
+++ b/tests/wiring.test.mjs
@@ -236,3 +236,14 @@ test('non-lethal damage preserves the live player sprite and body', async () =>
   assert.match(source, /if \(this\.player\.alpha !== 1\) this\.player\.setAlpha\(1\)/);
   assert.match(source, /if \(this\.player\.body && !this\.player\.body\.enable\)/);
 });
+
+
+test('player overlap resolves an explicitly tagged pirate projectile before queueing or destroying it', async () => {
+  const source = await read('src/game-v4.js');
+
+  assert.match(source, /shot\.setData\('projectileOwner', actor\)/);
+  assert.match(source, /hitPlayer\(first, second\)/);
+  assert.match(source, /resolveTaggedProjectile\(first, second, 'pirate'\)/);
+  assert.match(source, /if \(!shot\?\.active \|\| shot === this\.player\)/);
+  assert.match(source, /shot !== this\.player[\s\S]*?projectileOwner'\) === 'pirate'[\s\S]*?shot\.destroy\(\)/);
+});