diff --git a/crates/horizon-client/src/game/dragon.rs b/crates/horizon-client/src/game/dragon.rs
index fff03ef1c..a2602fb96 100644
--- a/crates/horizon-client/src/game/dragon.rs
+++ b/crates/horizon-client/src/game/dragon.rs
@@ -2598,7 +2598,9 @@ impl Game<'_> {
     }
     pub(super) fn fight_ready(&mut self) -> bool {
         self.load_fight();
-        self.fight.loaded
+        // spawnExitPortal runs from scanState and the dragon's death, both
+        // only with players in the fight.
+        self.fight.loaded && self.fight.players
     }
     pub(super) fn exit_portal(&self) -> Option<[i32; 3]> {
         self.fight.exit_portal
diff --git a/docs/architecture.md b/docs/architecture.md
index 0350bd1ea..8e19046f8 100644
--- a/docs/architecture.md
+++ b/docs/architecture.md
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ file selects ~103.
 | 29 | Title, worlds, startup (49) | `L/title.rs` + `L/title/`, `G/startup_menu.rs`, `L/title_edition.rs` | world_options; `cargo test -p horizon-client --lib title` |
 | 30 | Dedicated server, horizon-server (48) | `G/dedicated.rs`, `G/dedicated/status.rs`, `crates/horizon-server/`, `crates/horizon-server-files/` | dedicated_server, server_files, user_cache, online_mode, server_ops_feedback |
 | 31 | Particles and client effects (46) | `L/particles.rs`, `G/render_tick.rs`, `G/level_particles.rs`, `L/animate_tick.rs` | particle_providers, block_particles, entity_particles, emitter_particles, marker_particles |
-| 32 | Bosses and the End (45) | `G/dragon.rs`, `G/wither.rs`, `G/end.rs` | server_dragon, end_podium, end_gateway |
+| 32 | Bosses and the End (45) | `G/dragon.rs`, `G/wither.rs`, `G/end.rs` | server_dragon, forced_end, end_podium, end_gateway |
 | 33 | Protocol and packets (44) | `crates/horizon-protocol/src/` (`packets/play.rs`, `entity_data.rs`, `connection.rs`) | dedicated_server, online_mode, secure_chat; `cargo test -p horizon-protocol` |
 | 34 | Multiplayer and LAN screens, friends (44) | `L/multiplayer.rs`, `G/lan_screen.rs`, `G/friends.rs`, `L/friends_screen.rs`, `crates/horizon-friends/`, `crates/horizon-relay/` | lan, world_options; `python3 tools/test_friends.py` |
 | 35 | Dispensers (43) | `G/dispenser.rs`, `G/dispense_fixture.rs` (the harness side) | dispenser |
diff --git a/tools/test_forced_end_parity.py b/tools/test_forced_end_parity.py
new file mode 100755
index 000000000..81a92e4ed
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/test_forced_end_parity.py
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""The End of a dedicated server nobody has entered, force-loaded from the console, against vanilla's.
+
+A vanilla dedicated server and Horizon's each open a copy of one world vanilla generated (its End not made yet).
+With no player online, the console force-loads the End's main island and its arena. A FORCED ticket keeps its level active
+(`ServerChunkCache.hasActiveTickets`, `TicketType.FORCED`), so the chunks are generated, loaded and ticked
+without a player in the dimension. With nobody in the fight, `EnderDragonFight.tick` neither scans the state nor
+places the exit portal: no bedrock and no torches around 0, 0. Both servers must answer the same.
+"""
+import os
+import re
+import subprocess
+import sys
+import time
+
+try:
+    from . import lab, test_rust_parity as base
+    from .test_dedicated_server_parity import Server, wait_ticks
+    from .test_locator_bar_parity import generate_world, server_dir
+except ImportError:
+    import lab
+    import test_rust_parity as base
+    from test_dedicated_server_parity import Server, wait_ticks
+    from test_locator_bar_parity import generate_world, server_dir
+
+NAME = 'forced-end-parity'
+END = 'execute in minecraft:the_end'
+QUERIES = [
+    f'{END} run fill -3 0 -3 3 255 3 minecraft:air replace minecraft:bedrock',
+    f'{END} run fill -3 0 -3 3 255 3 minecraft:air replace minecraft:wall_torch',
+]
+
+
+def answer(server, command, n):
+    start = len(server.lines)
+    server.console(command)
+    server.console(f'say done {n}')
+    server.wait_for(rf'\[Server\] done {n}$', timeout=120)
+    replies = [l.split(']: ', 1)[-1] for l in server.lines[start:] if 'done ' not in l]
+    return ' / '.join(r for r in replies if r) or '(no reply)'
+
+
+def run_side(label, command, build, world):
+    directory = build / label
+    server_dir(directory, world)
+    server = Server(command, directory, label)
+    try:
+        server.wait_for(r'Done \(')
+        # The main island's arena (EnderDragonFight.isArenaLoaded: chunks -8..8), in pieces of at most 256 chunks.
+        for area in ('-128 -128 143 -1', '-128 0 143 143'):
+            server.console(f'{END} run forceload add {area}')
+        deadline = time.time() + 600
+        for poll in range(1_000_000):
+            reply = answer(server, f'{END} if loaded 0 0 0', f'loaded {poll}')
+            if 'passed' in reply:
+                break
+            if time.time() > deadline:
+                raise AssertionError(f'{label}: the End centre never loaded')
+            time.sleep(2)
+        wait_ticks(server, 200)
+        return {q: answer(server, q, i) for i, q in enumerate(QUERIES)}
+    finally:
+        server.stop()
+
+
+def main():
+    _, jars, libraries = base.verify_artifacts()
+    build = lab.LOCAL / NAME
+    build.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+    dependencies = os.pathsep.join(map(str, [jars['server'], *libraries]))
+    subprocess.run(['cargo', 'build', '--release', '-p', 'horizon-client', '--bin', 'horizon-client'], cwd=lab.ROOT,
+                   check=True, capture_output=True)
+    binary = lab.cargo_target() / 'release' / ('horizon-client.exe' if os.name == 'nt' else 'horizon-client')
+    vanilla_server = ['java', '-Xmx2g', '-Duser.timezone=UTC', '-cp', dependencies, 'net.minecraft.server.Main', 'nogui']
+    horizon_server = [binary, '--resources', lab.LOCAL / 'horizon-client/26.3', '--dedicated', '--nogui']
+    world = generate_world(vanilla_server, build)
+    vanilla = run_side('vanilla', vanilla_server, build, world)
+    horizon = run_side('horizon', horizon_server, build, world)
+    normal = lambda s: re.sub(r'\s+', ' ', s).strip()
+    problems = [f'{q}\n  vanilla: {vanilla[q]}\n  horizon: {horizon[q]}'
+                for q in QUERIES if normal(vanilla[q]) != normal(horizon[q])]
+    if problems:
+        raise AssertionError('the forced End differs:\n' + '\n'.join(problems))
+    print(f'forced End: loaded and ticked with nobody in it, no exit portal, as vanilla ({vanilla[QUERIES[0]]})')
+
+
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    try:
+        main()
+    except AssertionError as error:
+        sys.exit(f'{NAME}: {error}')