diff --git a/Assets/_Project/Scripts/Client/Presentation/StagingAmbiance.cs b/Assets/_Project/Scripts/Client/Presentation/StagingAmbiance.cs
index 05fe242be..e04b83bcc 100644
--- a/Assets/_Project/Scripts/Client/Presentation/StagingAmbiance.cs
+++ b/Assets/_Project/Scripts/Client/Presentation/StagingAmbiance.cs
@@ -68,10 +68,17 @@ namespace ProjectM.Client
 
         void OnEnable() => CacheCamera();
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// NEVER drive a camera that a real rig owns. This component rides Env_SeabedKit.prefab, which Game.unity
+        /// instantiates as well as ArtStaging — so on 2026-08-07 the drift below wrote _cam.position every
+        /// LateUpdate against PrototypeCameraRig's follow, slamming the camera from its intended y~15.7 back to
+        /// the authored y~1.5 each frame. Live symptom: "so far zoomed in and shaking" (measured: y oscillating
+        /// 1.16 ↔ 13.56, 7.4 units per tick). Gate on the RIG, not on a scene name — scene-name checks are banned.
+        /// </summary>
         void CacheCamera()
         {
             var cam = Camera.main != null ? Camera.main : Object.FindFirstObjectByType<Camera>();
-            if (cam == null) return;
+            if (cam == null || cam.GetComponent<PrototypeCameraRig>() != null) { _cam = null; return; }
             if (_cam != cam.transform) { _cam = cam.transform; _camBase = _cam.position; }
         }