diff --git a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/gamemodes/net/TrackableSerializer.java b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/gamemodes/net/TrackableSerializer.java
index 54d0cfb4be4..907ccae7845 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/gamemodes/net/TrackableSerializer.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/gamemodes/net/TrackableSerializer.java
@@ -65,16 +65,30 @@ static TrackableType<?> trackableTypeFor(byte typeTag) {
      * set so the receiver decodes a detached CardView from the carried name
      * and image key. When {@code tracker} is null, the snapshot check is
      * skipped (used by the client encoder, which has no game-state awareness).
+     *
+     * <p>In non-event mode, CardViews missing from the tracker pass through
+     * unchanged so Java serializes the full object inline (covers ephemeral
+     * choice copies that never enter a tracked zone).
      */
     static Object replace(Object obj, Tracker tracker, boolean eventMode) {
         if (obj instanceof TrackableObject trackable) {
             byte tag = typeTagFor(trackable);
             if (tag < 0) return obj;
 
-            if (!eventMode || tag == TYPE_PLAYER_VIEW) {
+            if (tag == TYPE_PLAYER_VIEW) {
                 return new IdRef(tag, trackable.getId());
             }
 
+            if (!eventMode) {
+                if (tracker != null) {
+                    TrackableType<?> type = trackableTypeFor(tag);
+                    if (type != null && tracker.getObj(type, trackable.getId()) != null) {
+                        return new IdRef(tag, trackable.getId());
+                    }
+                }
+                return obj; // ephemeral or tracker-less encoder — serialize the full object
+            }
+
             boolean preserveSnapshot = false;
             if (tracker != null) {
                 TrackableType<?> type = trackableTypeFor(tag);
diff --git a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/gamemodes/net/client/GameClientHandler.java b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/gamemodes/net/client/GameClientHandler.java
index aea0d0a0b4e..5a9d666dbac 100644
--- a/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/gamemodes/net/client/GameClientHandler.java
+++ b/forge-gui/src/main/java/forge/gamemodes/net/client/GameClientHandler.java
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 import forge.game.card.CardView;
 import forge.game.player.PlayerView;
 import forge.gamemodes.net.CompatibleObjectDecoder;
+import forge.gamemodes.net.CompatibleObjectEncoder;
 import forge.gamemodes.net.GameProtocolHandler;
 import forge.gui.GuiBase;
 import forge.util.IHasForgeLog;
@@ -74,12 +75,14 @@ protected void beforeCall(final ChannelHandlerContext ctx, final ProtocolMethod
                 if (args.length > 0 && args[0] instanceof GameView gameView) {
                     if (this.tracker == null) {
                         this.tracker = new Tracker();
-                        // Set tracker on decoder for IdRef resolution in server messages.
-                        // The client encoder does NOT get a tracker — it uses simple
-                        // IdRef replacement without stale detection. Stale detection
-                        // on the client would create StaleCardRef markers for cards
-                        // updated by delta sync, causing the server to create detached
-                        // CardViews that don't match real game objects.
+                        // Encoder uses the tracker to emit IdRef for client→server
+                        // CardView args (presence check only — stale detection is
+                        // server-only). Ephemerals absent from the tracker
+                        // serialize as full objects in both directions.
+                        CompatibleObjectEncoder encoder = ctx.pipeline().get(CompatibleObjectEncoder.class);
+                        if (encoder != null) {
+                            encoder.setTracker(this.tracker);
+                        }
                         CompatibleObjectDecoder decoder = ctx.pipeline().get(CompatibleObjectDecoder.class);
                         if (decoder != null) {
                             decoder.setTracker(this.tracker);
@@ -128,6 +131,10 @@ protected void beforeCall(final ChannelHandlerContext ctx, final ProtocolMethod
      * This method is used to recursively update the <b>tracker</b>
      * references on all objects and their props.
      *
+     * <p>Inline-serialized CardViews are intentionally NOT registered in the
+     * tracker's id lookup: a tracker miss is the symmetric signal that a
+     * CardView is ephemeral, mirroring the host's encoder check.
+     *
      * @param objs
      */
     private void updateTrackers(final Object[] objs) {