diff --git a/packages/compiler/test/page-loop-locals.test.ts b/packages/compiler/test/page-loop-locals.test.ts
index f4c28c84..56cde1fe 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/test/page-loop-locals.test.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/test/page-loop-locals.test.ts
@@ -83,3 +83,38 @@ test("a page with no loop-local markers does not define the encoder", () => {
   );
   expect(code).not.toContain("__wrnexusEncodeLoopLocals");
 });
+
+// The tests above assert the marker is EMITTED. This one executes the generated
+// module and asserts it RENDERS with the loop's real values -- generated text
+// that reads correctly can still render wrong, and the whole point of the
+// marker is what the runtime finds in the DOM at click time.
+test("a page loop handler's locals render as real, decodable values", async () => {
+  const code = generate(
+    parse(`page Packs {
+  state packs = [{ code: "small" }, { code: "large" }]
+  functions { client async function pick(c) { console.log(c) } }
+  view {
+    {#each packs as pack}
+      <button @click="pick(pack.code)">{pack.code}</button>
+    {/each}
+  }
+}`),
+  ).replace(/^import \{ buildApiRequest[^\n]*\n/m, "");
+
+  const js = new Bun.Transpiler({ loader: "ts" }).transformSync(code);
+  const mod = await import("data:text/javascript;base64," + Buffer.from(js).toString("base64"));
+  const html: string = await mod.default({
+    req: new Request("http://x/"),
+    cookies: {},
+    session: {},
+  });
+
+  const markers = [...html.matchAll(/data-wrn-loop-locals="([^"]+)"/g)].map((m) => m[1]!);
+  expect(markers.length).toBe(2);
+
+  const decoded = markers.map((m) => JSON.parse(Buffer.from(m, "base64").toString("utf8")));
+  expect(decoded[0].pack).toEqual({ code: "small" });
+  expect(decoded[1].pack).toEqual({ code: "large" });
+  expect(decoded[0].__wi).toBe(0);
+  expect(decoded[1].__wi).toBe(1);
+});