debug/test_level_builder.gd

@@ -136,10 +136,11 @@ func _build_player() -> void:
 	player.add_child(camera)
 
 	# set_script() does NOT call _ready(); bootstrap manually after children are in place
-	if sm.has_method("_ready"):
-		sm._ready()
+	# IMPORTANT: player._ready() MUST run BEFORE sm._ready() so the machine has valid params
 	if player.has_method("_ready"):
 		player._ready()
+	if sm.has_method("_ready"):
+		sm._ready()
 
 
 func _build_ui() -> void: