diff --git a/frontend/src/physics/engineSetup.js b/frontend/src/physics/engineSetup.js
index dbfb35b..a0e3121 100644
--- a/frontend/src/physics/engineSetup.js
+++ b/frontend/src/physics/engineSetup.js
@@ -1,31 +1,6 @@
 import Matter from 'matter-js'
 
 export const setupMatterEngine = (engine) => {
-  // Quick hack: override the solver so ropes actually get slack/droop when they're close
-  if (!Matter.Constraint._originalSolve) {
-    Matter.Constraint._originalSolve = Matter.Constraint.solve;
-    Matter.Constraint.solve = function(constraint, timeScale) {
-      if (constraint.isRope) {
-        let pA = constraint.pointA;
-        let pB = constraint.pointB;
-        if (constraint.bodyA) pA = Matter.Vector.add(constraint.bodyA.position, pA);
-        if (constraint.bodyB) pB = Matter.Vector.add(constraint.bodyB.position, pB);
-        
-        if (pA && pB) {
-          const dist = Matter.Vector.magnitude(Matter.Vector.sub(pA, pB));
-          if (dist < (constraint.maxLength || constraint.length) * 0.99) {
-            constraint.stiffness = 0; // drop stiffness to 0 to let the rope droop
-            constraint.render.visible = false; // hide the straight line connection, we'll draw our own bezier curve later
-          } else {
-            constraint.stiffness = 1; // yank it tight
-            constraint.render.visible = true;
-          }
-        }
-      }
-      Matter.Constraint._originalSolve(constraint, timeScale);
-    };
-  }
-
   Matter.Resolver._restingThresh = 0.001 // push resting threshold down so small bounces don't just die instantly
 
   // Matter.js loses energy on elastic collisions, this is a workaround to bump speed back up
diff --git a/frontend/src/physics/helpers.js b/frontend/src/physics/helpers.js
index 8cb6bd6..9a56efa 100644
--- a/frontend/src/physics/helpers.js
+++ b/frontend/src/physics/helpers.js
@@ -85,7 +85,10 @@ export const applyConstraintRender = (constraint, isSelected = false) => {
 
 export const getConstraintWorldPoint = (body, point) => {
   if (body) {
-    return Matter.Vector.add(body.position, point || { x: 0, y: 0 })
+    if (body.isStatic) {
+      return Matter.Vector.add(body.position, point || { x: 0, y: 0 })
+    }
+    return Matter.Vector.add(body.position, Matter.Vector.rotate(point || { x: 0, y: 0 }, body.angle))
   }
 
   return point || { x: 0, y: 0 }
diff --git a/frontend/src/physics/renderLoop.js b/frontend/src/physics/renderLoop.js
index 5ddfd3c..9323df9 100644
--- a/frontend/src/physics/renderLoop.js
+++ b/frontend/src/physics/renderLoop.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import Matter from 'matter-js'
+import { getConstraintWorldPoint } from './helpers'
 
 export const setupRenderLoop = (ctx) => {
   const {
@@ -58,6 +59,31 @@ export const setupRenderLoop = (ctx) => {
           Matter.Vector.rotate(c.pointB, c.bodyB.angle - c.angleB, c.pointB);
           c.angleB = c.bodyB.angle;
       }
+
+      // Check if this constraint is a rope and adjust stiffness/length before physics calculations start
+      if (c.isRope) {
+        if (c.maxLength === undefined || c.maxLength === null) {
+          c.maxLength = c.length || 100;
+        }
+
+        const pA = getConstraintWorldPoint(c.bodyA, c.pointA);
+        const pB = getConstraintWorldPoint(c.bodyB, c.pointB);
+
+        if (pA && pB) {
+          const dist = Matter.Vector.magnitude(Matter.Vector.sub(pA, pB));
+          if (dist < c.maxLength * 0.99) {
+            // Let the rope droop without any push/pull force
+            c.stiffness = 0;
+            c.length = dist;
+            c.render.visible = false;
+          } else {
+            // Tight constraint: prevent moving beyond maxLength
+            c.stiffness = 1;
+            c.length = c.maxLength;
+            c.render.visible = true;
+          }
+        }
+      }
     });
 
     // Kill air resistance to keep momentum pure, and tick motorized gears/rods forward
@@ -156,8 +182,8 @@ export const setupRenderLoop = (ctx) => {
     // Draw rope as a curving quadratic bezier path when it gets slack
     engine.world.constraints.forEach(c => {
       if (c.isRope && c.stiffness === 0) {
-        const pA = c.bodyA ? Matter.Vector.add(c.bodyA.position, c.pointA) : c.pointA;
-        const pB = c.bodyB ? Matter.Vector.add(c.bodyB.position, c.pointB) : c.pointB;
+        const pA = getConstraintWorldPoint(c.bodyA, c.pointA);
+        const pB = getConstraintWorldPoint(c.bodyB, c.pointB);
         
         context.beginPath();
         context.moveTo(pA.x, pA.y);