diff --git a/code/game/bg_slidemove.c b/code/game/bg_slidemove.c
index 6c7b307..007a5ea 100644
--- a/code/game/bg_slidemove.c
+++ b/code/game/bg_slidemove.c
@@ -234,18 +234,20 @@ void PM_StepSlideMove( qboolean gravity ) {
 	vec3_t		start_o, start_v;
 	vec3_t		down_o, down_v;
 	trace_t		trace;
-//	float		down_dist, up_dist;
-//	vec3_t		delta, delta2;
 	vec3_t		up, down;
+	vec3_t		projected;
 	float		stepSize;
 
 	VectorCopy (pm->ps->origin, start_o);
 	VectorCopy (pm->ps->velocity, start_v);
 
 	if ( PM_SlideMove( gravity ) == 0 ) {
-		return;		// we got exactly where we wanted to go first try	
+		return;		// we got exactly where we wanted to go first try
 	}
 
+	// QL: compute projected position (where player would be without collision)
+	VectorMA( start_o, pml.frametime, start_v, projected );
+
 	// QL pm_airSteps: allow step-ups with upward velocity.
 	// Q3 blocked step-ups during jumps unless ground was directly below.
 	// This prevented smooth stair traversal while bunny-hopping.
@@ -289,23 +291,19 @@ void PM_StepSlideMove( qboolean gravity ) {
 		}
 	}
 
-#if 0
-	// if the down trace can trace back to the original position directly, don't step
-	pm->trace( &trace, pm->ps->origin, pm->mins, pm->maxs, start_o, pm->ps->clientNum, pm->tracemask);
-	if ( trace.fraction == 1.0 ) {
-		// use the original move
-		VectorCopy (down_o, pm->ps->origin);
-		VectorCopy (down_v, pm->ps->velocity);
-		if ( pm->debugLevel ) {
-			Com_Printf("%i:bend\n", c_pmove);
-		}
-	} else 
-#endif
-	{
-		// use the step move
+	// QL master gate: trace from original position to final position.
+	// If the trace hits geometry (fraction < 1.0), a real step was crossed.
+	// On flat ground with micro-bumps, the trace is clear and this entire
+	// block is skipped — filtering out false positives.
+	pm->trace( &trace, start_o, pm->mins, pm->maxs, pm->ps->origin,
+			   pm->ps->clientNum, pm->tracemask );
+
+	if ( trace.fraction < 1.0 ) {
 		float	delta;
 
 		delta = pm->ps->origin[2] - start_o[2];
+
+		// step sound events
 		if ( delta > 2 ) {
 			if ( delta < 7 ) {
 				PM_AddEvent( EV_STEP_4 );
@@ -317,6 +315,35 @@ void PM_StepSlideMove( qboolean gravity ) {
 				PM_AddEvent( EV_STEP_16 );
 			}
 		}
+
+		// QL air-step friction: 3% horizontal speed penalty per airborne step-up
+		if ( !pml.groundPlane && delta > 0 && start_v[2] > 0 ) {
+			pm->ps->velocity[0] *= 0.97f;
+			pm->ps->velocity[1] *= 0.97f;
+		}
+
+		// QL step jump gate: validate stair geometry at projected position.
+		// Traces DOWN at where the player would be without collision.
+		// Walls fail (startsolid), flat ground fails (delta<=0), stairs pass.
+		if ( delta > 0 && pm->ps->pm_type == PM_NORMAL
+			&& pm->waterlevel < 2 && PM_CanJump() ) {
+			vec3_t		stepStart, stepEnd;
+			trace_t		stepTrace;
+
+			VectorCopy( projected, stepStart );
+			VectorCopy( projected, stepEnd );
+			stepStart[2] += STEPSIZE;
+			stepEnd[2] -= STEPSIZE;
+
+			pm->trace( &stepTrace, stepStart, pm->mins, pm->maxs,
+					   stepEnd, pm->ps->clientNum, pm->tracemask );
+
+			if ( !stepTrace.startsolid && !stepTrace.allsolid
+				&& stepTrace.plane.normal[2] >= MIN_WALK_NORMAL ) {
+				PM_Jump();
+			}
+		}
+
 		if ( pm->debugLevel ) {
 			Com_Printf("%i:stepped\n", c_pmove);
 		}