diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index b8956f6..a481857 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,19 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented here. Format follows
 [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.1.0/); versioning follows
 [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/).
 
+## [Unreleased]
+
+### Changed
+
+- Mouse post-processing pipeline reworked to remove endpoint artifacts:
+  hard forward clip → backtrack-tolerant soft monotonic with tanh
+  overshoot compression (`soften_forward`); tail-drag endpoint snapping →
+  whole-curve smoothstep residual correction (`warp_endpoints`); abrupt
+  start damping → continuous smoothstep damping (`damp_start`);
+  gaussian smoothing now applied to both axes.
+- `tests/unit/data/golden_mouse.npz` re-baselined against the new
+  pipeline (intentional behavior change; scroll goldens unchanged).
+
 ## [0.2.0] - 2026-05-12
 
 ### Changed (breaking)
diff --git a/tests/unit/data/golden_mouse.npz b/tests/unit/data/golden_mouse.npz
index 079f08c..6fca28e 100644
Binary files a/tests/unit/data/golden_mouse.npz and b/tests/unit/data/golden_mouse.npz differ
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_mouse.py b/tests/unit/test_mouse.py
index ff8a5af..b2398bf 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_mouse.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_mouse.py
@@ -85,3 +85,52 @@ def test_mouse_model_click_events_have_matching_coords() -> None:
     assert up[2] > down[2]
     # Within click_dist bounds 20..500
     assert 20 <= up[2] - down[2] <= 500
+
+
+def test_no_sharp_turns_or_walls_near_endpoint() -> None:
+    """Guard against the two endpoint artifact classes:
+
+    - jagged hook/zigzag chains (two or more >90° turns between
+      consecutive substantial segments) in the final approach (the old
+      tail-drag created hooks); a single reversal is the natural
+      overshoot-and-correct gesture and is allowed;
+    - vertical walls: many points stacked at the target's forward
+      position (the old clip(0,1) stacked overshoot at forward=1).
+    """
+    import numpy as np
+
+    from ai_mouse import generate
+
+    cases = [((100, 300), (900, 350)), ((100, 100), (700, 600)),
+             ((800, 200), (150, 550))]
+    for (start, end) in cases:
+        for seed in range(6):
+            pts = generate(start, end, seed=seed, click=False)
+            arr = np.array([(x, y) for x, y, _ in pts], dtype=float)
+            tail = arr[-12:]
+            seg = np.diff(tail, axis=0)
+            lens = np.linalg.norm(seg, axis=1)
+            # Only consider substantial segments: integer-pixel staircase
+            # on 1-2 px steps produces spurious 90° angles.
+            keep = lens >= 3.0
+            headings = np.arctan2(seg[keep][:, 1], seg[keep][:, 0])
+            if len(headings) >= 2:
+                turns = np.abs(np.diff(np.unwrap(headings)))
+                sharp = int(np.sum(np.degrees(turns) > 90.0))
+                # A single large-angle reversal is the natural
+                # overshoot-and-correct gesture (soften_forward allows
+                # overshoot; warp_endpoints pins the final point). Two or
+                # more mean a jagged hook/zigzag chain — the artifact class.
+                assert sharp <= 1, (
+                    f"{start}->{end} seed={seed}: {sharp} turns >90° "
+                    f"in final approach"
+                )
+            # Vertical wall: >=4 consecutive tail points within 2 px of
+            # the target x while spanning >10 px of y.
+            near_x = np.abs(tail[:, 0] - end[0]) <= 2.0
+            run = 0
+            for i, flag in enumerate(near_x[:-1]):  # exclude final point
+                run = run + 1 if flag else 0
+                assert run < 4 or np.ptp(tail[near_x][:, 1]) <= 10.0, (
+                    f"{start}->{end} seed={seed}: vertical wall at target x"
+                )