diff --git a/src/engine/dispatcher.ts b/src/engine/dispatcher.ts
index b3f593e..640421f 100644
--- a/src/engine/dispatcher.ts
+++ b/src/engine/dispatcher.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ function append(state: GameState, lines: TranscriptLine[]): GameState {
   return { ...state, transcript: transcript.slice(-TRANSCRIPT_CAP) }
 }
 
-function getItemsInRoom(state: GameState, world: World, roomId: string): string[] {
+export function getItemsInRoom(state: GameState, world: World, roomId: string): string[] {
   const baseItems = world.rooms[roomId]?.items ?? []
   const dropped = (state.roomState[roomId]?.['droppedItems'] as string[] | undefined) ?? []
   const taken = (state.roomState[roomId]?.['takenItems'] as string[] | undefined) ?? []
diff --git a/src/engine/encounters.ts b/src/engine/encounters.ts
index 8a7278e..8daa9b3 100644
--- a/src/engine/encounters.ts
+++ b/src/engine/encounters.ts
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ export function applyVerbToEncounter(
   if (command.kind === 'verb-target') {
     verb = command.verb
     targetId = command.target.canonical
-  } else if (command.kind === 'verb-only' && command.verb !== 'inventory' && command.verb !== 'wait') {
+  } else if (command.kind === 'verb-only' && command.verb !== 'inventory') {
     verb = command.verb
   } else {
     return null
diff --git a/src/ui/chips.test.ts b/src/ui/chips.test.ts
index 1c52a0d..0253a42 100644
--- a/src/ui/chips.test.ts
+++ b/src/ui/chips.test.ts
@@ -19,6 +19,13 @@ describe('computeChips — sample world', () => {
     expect(chips.find((c) => c.kind === 'item' && c.command === 'take letter')).toBeTruthy()
   })
 
+  it('removes TAKE chip after item is taken', () => {
+    let s = initialStateFor(world)
+    s = dispatch(s, { kind: 'verb-target', verb: 'take', target: { canonical: 'letter', raw: 'letter' } }, world).state
+    const chips = computeChips(s, world)
+    expect(chips.find((c) => c.command === 'take letter')).toBeUndefined()
+  })
+
   it('adds an encounter verb chip when an encounter is active', () => {
     let s = initialStateFor(world)
     s = dispatch(s, { kind: 'go', direction: 'n' }, world).state
diff --git a/src/ui/chips.ts b/src/ui/chips.ts
index d23cf0c..deff75d 100644
--- a/src/ui/chips.ts
+++ b/src/ui/chips.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import type { World } from '../world/types'
 import type { GameState, Direction } from '../engine/types'
+import { getItemsInRoom } from '../engine/dispatcher'
 
 export type ChipKind = 'direction' | 'item' | 'encounter' | 'meta'
 
@@ -33,10 +34,11 @@ export function computeChips(state: GameState, world: World): Chip[] {
     }
   }
 
-  // Item chips: TAKE for visible items.
-  for (const itemId of room.items) {
+  // Item chips: TAKE for visible items (dynamic list excludes taken items).
+  for (const itemId of getItemsInRoom(state, world, state.location)) {
     const item = world.items[itemId]
     if (!item || !item.takeable) continue
+    if (state.inventory.find((inst) => inst.id === itemId)) continue  // already held
     out.push({
       kind: 'item',
       label: `TAKE ${item.names[0]?.toUpperCase() ?? itemId.toUpperCase()}`,