diff --git a/Bagnon/utility/itemEvents.lua b/Bagnon/utility/itemEvents.lua
index fbd0dcc..acc1843 100644
--- a/Bagnon/utility/itemEvents.lua
+++ b/Bagnon/utility/itemEvents.lua
@@ -46,14 +46,6 @@ Bagnon.BagEvents = BagEvents
 local slots = {}
 local bagTypes = {}
 local pendingBags = {}
-local retryCounts = {}
-
--- Retry knobs. Server lag spikes on Ascension can easily exceed a second;
--- keep retrying so we don't broadcast an empty slot while item data is still
--- in flight. Accept whatever we read after RETRY_MAX attempts so a genuinely
--- emptied slot eventually resolves.
-local RETRY_INTERVAL = 0.25
-local RETRY_MAX = 12  -- ~3s worst case
 
 local function ToIndex(bag, slot)
 	return (bag < 0 and bag*100 - slot) or bag*100 + slot
@@ -63,20 +55,20 @@ local function GetBagSize(bag)
 	return (bag == KEYRING_CONTAINER and GetKeyRingSize()) or GetContainerNumSlots(bag)
 end
 
+-- Defers a re-check of a bag by ~0.25s; used when a previously occupied slot
+-- reads back nil (lag race between BAG_UPDATE and item data arriving).
 local retryFrame = CreateFrame('Frame')
 retryFrame.elapsed = 0
 retryFrame:Hide()
 retryFrame:SetScript('OnUpdate', function(self, elapsed)
 	self.elapsed = self.elapsed + elapsed
-	if self.elapsed < RETRY_INTERVAL then return end
+	if self.elapsed < 0.25 then return end
 	self.elapsed = 0
+	self:Hide()
 	local bags = pendingBags
 	pendingBags = {}
 	for bag in pairs(bags) do
-		Bagnon.BagEvents:UpdateItems(bag)
-	end
-	if not next(pendingBags) then
-		self:Hide()
+		Bagnon.BagEvents:UpdateItems(bag, true)
 	end
 end)
 
@@ -142,9 +134,8 @@ function BagEvents:RemoveItem(bag, slot)
 	end
 end
 
-function BagEvents:UpdateItem(bag, slot)
-	local index = ToIndex(bag, slot)
-	local data = slots[index]
+function BagEvents:UpdateItem(bag, slot, isRetry)
+	local data = slots[ToIndex(bag, slot)]
 
 	if data then
 		local prevLink = data[1]
@@ -155,17 +146,12 @@ function BagEvents:UpdateItem(bag, slot)
 		local onCooldown = (start > 0 and duration > 0 and enable > 0)
 
 		-- A previously occupied slot reading back nil is usually a lag race between
-		-- BAG_UPDATE and item data arriving from the server. Keep deferring up to
-		-- RETRY_MAX times so a multi-second lag spike doesn't flash items empty.
-		if prevLink and (not link) then
-			local n = (retryCounts[index] or 0) + 1
-			if n < RETRY_MAX then
-				retryCounts[index] = n
-				scheduleRetry(bag)
-				return
-			end
+		-- BAG_UPDATE and item data arriving from the server. Defer once before drawing
+		-- the slot as empty; on the second pass we trust whatever we read.
+		if prevLink and (not link) and (not isRetry) then
+			scheduleRetry(bag)
+			return
 		end
-		retryCounts[index] = nil
 
 		if not(prevLink == link and prevCount == count) then
 			data[1] = link
@@ -178,9 +164,9 @@ function BagEvents:UpdateItem(bag, slot)
 	end
 end
 
-function BagEvents:UpdateItems(bag)
+function BagEvents:UpdateItems(bag, isRetry)
 	for slot = 1, GetBagSize(bag) do
-		self:UpdateItem(bag, slot)
+		self:UpdateItem(bag, slot, isRetry)
 	end
 end