diff --git a/app/src/androidTest/java/com/projectsacrifice/game/LateLevelScenarios.java b/app/src/androidTest/java/com/projectsacrifice/game/LateLevelScenarios.java
index 437fffc..2ca71ce 100644
--- a/app/src/androidTest/java/com/projectsacrifice/game/LateLevelScenarios.java
+++ b/app/src/androidTest/java/com/projectsacrifice/game/LateLevelScenarios.java
@@ -122,13 +122,19 @@ final class LateLevelScenarios {
                         snapshot -> snapshot.playerAlive() && snapshot.playerX() < 250f)
                 .step("Approach the launch saw", 2_500L,
                         LevelPlaytestBot.Input.right(),
-                        snapshot -> snapshot.playerX() >= 350f)
+                        LevelPlaytestBot.whileDeathsAtMost(1,
+                                LevelPlaytestBot.groundedAliveAtOrBeyond(280f)))
                 .step("Take off before the launch saw", 1_000L,
                         LevelPlaytestBot.Input.rightJump(),
-                        snapshot -> snapshot.playerAlive() && snapshot.playerY() <= 680f)
+                        LevelPlaytestBot.whileDeathsAtMost(1,
+                                snapshot -> snapshot.playerAlive()
+                                        && !snapshot.playerOnGround()
+                                        && snapshot.playerY() <= 680f))
                 .step("Clear the launch saw", 2_000L,
                         LevelPlaytestBot.Input.right(),
-                        snapshot -> snapshot.playerAlive() && snapshot.playerX() >= 680f)
+                        LevelPlaytestBot.whileDeathsAtMost(1,
+                                snapshot -> snapshot.playerAlive()
+                                        && snapshot.playerX() >= 680f))
                 .step("Approach the delivered lift body", 1_500L,
                         LevelPlaytestBot.Input.right(),
                         snapshot -> snapshot.playerX() >= 730f)
@@ -143,13 +149,19 @@ final class LateLevelScenarios {
                         snapshot -> snapshot.playerAlive() && snapshot.playerX() < 250f)
                 .step("Return to the launch saw", 2_500L,
                         LevelPlaytestBot.Input.right(),
-                        snapshot -> snapshot.playerX() >= 350f)
+                        LevelPlaytestBot.whileDeathsAtMost(2,
+                                LevelPlaytestBot.groundedAliveAtOrBeyond(280f)))
                 .step("Take off before the saw again", 1_000L,
                         LevelPlaytestBot.Input.rightJump(),
-                        snapshot -> snapshot.playerAlive() && snapshot.playerY() <= 680f)
+                        LevelPlaytestBot.whileDeathsAtMost(2,
+                                snapshot -> snapshot.playerAlive()
+                                        && !snapshot.playerOnGround()
+                                        && snapshot.playerY() <= 680f))
                 .step("Clear the saw again", 2_000L,
                         LevelPlaytestBot.Input.right(),
-                        snapshot -> snapshot.playerAlive() && snapshot.playerX() >= 680f)
+                        LevelPlaytestBot.whileDeathsAtMost(2,
+                                snapshot -> snapshot.playerAlive()
+                                        && snapshot.playerX() >= 680f))
                 .step("Approach the lift body again", 1_500L,
                         LevelPlaytestBot.Input.right(),
                         snapshot -> snapshot.playerX() >= 730f)
@@ -190,13 +202,19 @@ final class LateLevelScenarios {
                         snapshot -> snapshot.playerAlive() && snapshot.playerX() < 250f)
                 .step("Approach the saw for the final crossing", 2_500L,
                         LevelPlaytestBot.Input.right(),
-                        snapshot -> snapshot.playerX() >= 350f)
+                        LevelPlaytestBot.whileDeathsAtMost(3,
+                                LevelPlaytestBot.groundedAliveAtOrBeyond(280f)))
                 .step("Take off for the final saw crossing", 1_000L,
                         LevelPlaytestBot.Input.rightJump(),
-                        snapshot -> snapshot.playerAlive() && snapshot.playerY() <= 680f)
+                        LevelPlaytestBot.whileDeathsAtMost(3,
+                                snapshot -> snapshot.playerAlive()
+                                        && !snapshot.playerOnGround()
+                                        && snapshot.playerY() <= 680f))
                 .step("Clear the saw for the final crossing", 2_000L,
                         LevelPlaytestBot.Input.right(),
-                        snapshot -> snapshot.playerAlive() && snapshot.playerX() >= 680f)
+                        LevelPlaytestBot.whileDeathsAtMost(3,
+                                snapshot -> snapshot.playerAlive()
+                                        && snapshot.playerX() >= 680f))
                 .step("Approach the retained lift body", 1_500L,
                         LevelPlaytestBot.Input.right(),
                         snapshot -> snapshot.playerX() >= 730f)
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/projectsacrifice/game/LevelPlaytestBot.java b/app/src/main/java/com/projectsacrifice/game/LevelPlaytestBot.java
index 343fbd0..e0c6c85 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/projectsacrifice/game/LevelPlaytestBot.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/projectsacrifice/game/LevelPlaytestBot.java
@@ -47,6 +47,23 @@ public final class LevelPlaytestBot {
         boolean reached(GameView.AutomationSnapshot snapshot);
     }
 
+    public static SnapshotCondition groundedAliveAtOrBeyond(float minimumX) {
+        return snapshot -> snapshot.playerAlive()
+                && snapshot.playerOnGround()
+                && snapshot.playerX() >= minimumX;
+    }
+
+    public static SnapshotCondition whileDeathsAtMost(
+            int maximumDeaths, SnapshotCondition completion) {
+        return snapshot -> {
+            if (snapshot.deaths() > maximumDeaths) {
+                throw new AssertionError("Route expected at most " + maximumDeaths
+                        + " deaths but observed " + snapshot.deaths());
+            }
+            return completion.reached(snapshot);
+        };
+    }
+
     public static final class Scenario {
         private final int levelNumber;
         private final String name;
diff --git a/app/src/test/java/com/projectsacrifice/game/LevelPlaytestBotTest.java b/app/src/test/java/com/projectsacrifice/game/LevelPlaytestBotTest.java
index b7fa858..98bcc9a 100644
--- a/app/src/test/java/com/projectsacrifice/game/LevelPlaytestBotTest.java
+++ b/app/src/test/java/com/projectsacrifice/game/LevelPlaytestBotTest.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package com.projectsacrifice.game;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertEquals;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertFalse;
 import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
+import static org.junit.Assert.fail;
 
 import org.junit.Test;
 
@@ -127,6 +128,40 @@ public final class LevelPlaytestBotTest {
         assertFalse(snapshot.playerOnMovingPlatform());
     }
 
+    @Test
+    public void groundedApproachWaitsForAliveGroundedPlayerAtCheckpoint() {
+        LevelPlaytestBot.SnapshotCondition checkpoint =
+                LevelPlaytestBot.groundedAliveAtOrBeyond(280f);
+
+        assertFalse(checkpoint.reached(snapshot(true, true, 279f, 1)));
+        assertFalse(checkpoint.reached(snapshot(false, true, 280f, 1)));
+        assertFalse(checkpoint.reached(snapshot(true, false, 280f, 1)));
+        assertTrue(checkpoint.reached(snapshot(true, true, 280f, 1)));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    public void expectedDeathGuardFailsBeforeAnAccidentalRetry() {
+        LevelPlaytestBot.SnapshotCondition guarded = LevelPlaytestBot.whileDeathsAtMost(
+                1, snapshot -> snapshot.playerX() >= 280f);
+
+        assertTrue(guarded.reached(snapshot(true, false, 320f, 1)));
+        try {
+            guarded.reached(snapshot(false, false, 470f, 2));
+            fail("An accidental second death must fail the route immediately");
+        } catch (AssertionError expected) {
+            assertTrue(expected.getMessage(), expected.getMessage().contains("expected at most 1"));
+            assertTrue(expected.getMessage(), expected.getMessage().contains("observed 2"));
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static GameView.AutomationSnapshot snapshot(
+            boolean alive, boolean onGround, float x, int deaths) {
+        return new GameView.AutomationSnapshot(
+                false, alive, false, false, false,
+                10, 0L, x, 760f, deaths, deaths,
+                Float.NaN, Float.NaN, false, false, Float.NaN, onGround);
+    }
+
     private static final class ScriptedDriver implements LevelPlaytestBot.Driver {
         private int startedLevel;
         private long nowMillis;