diff --git a/tools/e2e/41-physics.mjs b/tools/e2e/41-physics.mjs
index 42eafbc8..a83b0442 100644
--- a/tools/e2e/41-physics.mjs
+++ b/tools/e2e/41-physics.mjs
@@ -290,33 +290,60 @@ export async function physics(t) {
     await mouse('mouseMoved', from.x, from.y + ((to.y - from.y) * i) / 10, 'left', { buttons: 1 });
     await sleep(16);
   }
+  const target = REST - LIFT;
   const crateY = "__gm.world()?.entities.find((e) => e.objectId === 'phys-crate')?.worldY";
-  const sampleCrate = async (ms) => {
-    const ys = [];
-    const start = Date.now();
-    while (Date.now() - start < ms) {
-      ys.push(await evaluate(crateY));
-      await sleep(50);
-    }
-    return ys;
-  };
-  const held = await sampleCrate(1000);
+  // The last move reaches the body a few frames later: preview, physics step, drawn one step
+  // behind. Reading right away raced it and caught the ninth move's height (#282).
+  const arrived = await waitUntil(`Math.abs(${crateY} - ${target}) < 1.5`, {
+    timeout: 2000,
+    label: 'the crate reached the pointer',
+  }).then(
+    () => true,
+    () => false,
+  );
+  // Every frame recorded in the page, so the count follows the frames and not the round trips.
+  await evaluate(`(() => {
+    const out = (window.__dragSamples = []);
+    const sample = () => {
+      out.push({ t: performance.now(), y: ${crateY} });
+      if (!window.__dragSamplesDone) requestAnimationFrame(sample);
+    };
+    window.__dragSamplesDone = false;
+    requestAnimationFrame(sample);
+  })()`);
+  await sleep(1000);
   await shot('41-drag-while-playing');
   const dragInfo = { grab, selected: (await state()).selection?.objectId };
+  const holdEnd = await evaluate('performance.now()');
   await mouse('mouseReleased', to.x, to.y, 'left');
-  const released = await sampleCrate(150);
+  const letGo = await evaluate('performance.now()');
+  await sleep(300);
+  await evaluate('window.__dragSamplesDone = true');
+  const dragSamples = await json('window.__dragSamples');
   const log = (await json('__gm.world()'))?.log ?? [];
   await stop();
-  const target = REST - LIFT;
+  const held = dragSamples.filter((s) => s.t < holdEnd).map((s) => s.y);
+  const released = dragSamples.filter((s) => s.t >= letGo);
+  // 200 ms of free fall from rest is under 20 below the hold, a body let go at speed is not.
+  const fell = released.filter((s) => s.t - letGo <= 200).at(-1)?.y;
   check(
     'a body dragged while playing hangs where the pointer holds it and is let go at rest',
-    held.length > 10 &&
+    arrived &&
+      held.length >= 30 &&
       held.every((y) => Math.abs(y - target) < 1.5) &&
-      Math.abs(released[0] - target) < 3 &&
-      released.at(-1) > target + 1 &&
-      released.at(-1) < target + 40 &&
+      Math.abs(released[0]?.y - target) < 3 &&
+      fell > target + 1 &&
+      fell < target + 40 &&
       !log.some((line) => line.includes('moved directly')),
-    JSON.stringify({ target, held: [held[0], held.at(-1)], released, log, dragInfo }),
+    JSON.stringify({
+      target,
+      arrived,
+      held: { frames: held.length, first: held[0], last: held.at(-1) },
+      released: released.slice(0, 3).map((s) => s.y),
+      fell,
+      log,
+      dragInfo,
+    }),
   );
 
   const bodies = [crateBody?.id, ballBody?.id].filter(Boolean);