diff --git a/lan-client/engine.js b/lan-client/engine.js
index fce6293..0995b57 100644
--- a/lan-client/engine.js
+++ b/lan-client/engine.js
@@ -10877,16 +10877,20 @@ function parseDeckList(text) {
     let line = raw.trim();
     if (!line) continue;
 
-    // Section headers
-    if (/^\/\/\s*/i.test(line) || /^(COMMANDER|COMPANION|SIDEBOARD|MAYBEBOARD|MAINBOARD|DECK|LAND)[:\s]*$/i.test(line)) {
-      const cleaned = line.replace(/^\/\/\s*/, '').replace(/:$/, '').trim().toLowerCase();
+    // Section headers — supports "// Commander", "Commander:", "[Commander]", "[Main]", "[metadata]"
+    if (/^\/\/\s*/i.test(line) || /^\[?(COMMANDER|COMPANION|SIDEBOARD|MAYBEBOARD|MAINBOARD|MAIN|DECK|LAND|METADATA)\]?[:\s]*$/i.test(line)) {
+      const cleaned = line.replace(/^\/\/\s*/, '').replace(/[\[\]:]/g, '').trim().toLowerCase();
       if (/commander/i.test(cleaned))    currentSection = 'commander';
       else if (/companion/i.test(cleaned)) currentSection = 'companion';
       else if (/sideboard/i.test(cleaned)) currentSection = 'sideboard';
+      else if (/metadata/i.test(cleaned)) currentSection = 'metadata';
       else currentSection = 'mainboard';
       continue;
     }
 
+    // Skip metadata lines like "Name=Elven Empire"
+    if (currentSection === 'metadata') continue;
+
     // Skip comment lines
     if (/^#/.test(line) || /^\*/.test(line)) continue;
 
@@ -12719,7 +12723,44 @@ async function loadPreconForPlayer(playerIdx, preconId) {
   var player = gameState.players[playerIdx];
   if (!player) return;
 
-  var parsedCards = parseDeckList(precon.decklist);
+  // Try to get decklist text: embedded first, then fetch from backend .dck file
+  var decklistText = precon.decklist || '';
+  if (!decklistText && precon.fileName) {
+    // Fetch .dck file from backend if available
+    if (typeof AIBridge !== 'undefined' && AIBridge.connector.connected) {
+      try {
+        var deckData = await AIBridge.deckSource.fetchPreconDeck(precon.fileName);
+        if (deckData && deckData.decklist) {
+          decklistText = deckData.decklist;
+        } else if (deckData && typeof deckData === 'string') {
+          decklistText = deckData;
+        }
+      } catch (e) {
+        console.warn('[loadPreconForPlayer] Backend deck fetch failed:', e);
+      }
+    }
+    // Fallback: try to fetch .dck file directly from precon-decks/ (same origin)
+    if (!decklistText) {
+      try {
+        var resp = await fetch('precon-decks/' + precon.fileName);
+        if (resp.ok) {
+          decklistText = await resp.text();
+        }
+      } catch (e) {
+        // Fallback: try relative to backend
+        try {
+          var resp2 = await fetch('/precon-decks/' + precon.fileName);
+          if (resp2.ok) {
+            decklistText = await resp2.text();
+          }
+        } catch (e2) {
+          console.warn('[loadPreconForPlayer] Could not fetch .dck file:', precon.fileName);
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+
+  var parsedCards = parseDeckList(decklistText);
   if (!parsedCards.length) return;
 
   var allCardNames = [];
diff --git a/lan-client/ui.js b/lan-client/ui.js
index 2caeaca..4cf7ab2 100644
--- a/lan-client/ui.js
+++ b/lan-client/ui.js
@@ -1123,7 +1123,23 @@ function initSetupScreen() {
     // Sync AI config to engine globals
     setupAiPlayers = _localAiSet;
     setupAiDifficulty = _localAiDiff;
-    initGame(selectedPlayerCount, playerNames, startingLife);
+    setupPlayerCount = selectedPlayerCount;
+    setupStartingLife = startingLife;
+
+    // Sync player names to engine globals
+    for (let i = 0; i < playerNames.length; i++) {
+      var nameInput = document.getElementById('player-name-' + i);
+      if (nameInput) nameInput.value = playerNames[i];
+    }
+
+    // If any deck choices were made, use startGameWithDecks (async deck loading)
+    var hasDecks = typeof setupDeckChoices !== 'undefined' &&
+      Object.keys(setupDeckChoices).length > 0;
+    if (hasDecks && typeof startGameWithDecks === 'function') {
+      startGameWithDecks();
+    } else {
+      initGame(selectedPlayerCount, playerNames, startingLife);
+    }
   };
 
   // Trigger display update for player count
@@ -1461,15 +1477,9 @@ function initGame(playerCount, playerNames, startingLife) {
     }
   }
 
-  // Assign precon decks if selected
-  for (let i = 0; i < playerCount; i++) {
-    const sel = document.getElementById('deck-sel-' + i);
-    if (sel && sel.value) {
-      const preconList2 = (typeof PRECON_DATA !== 'undefined') ? PRECON_DATA : (typeof PRECONS !== 'undefined') ? PRECONS : [];
-      const precon = preconList2.find(p => p.id === sel.value);
-      if (precon) loadPreconDeck(i, precon);
-    }
-  }
+  // NOTE: Precon deck loading is handled by the "Begin Battle" button
+  // which calls startGameWithDecks() when setupDeckChoices has entries.
+  // The old deck-sel-{i} dropdown path is removed.
 
   // Mark AI players
   setupAiPlayers.forEach(function(idx) {
diff --git a/routes/precon.py b/routes/precon.py
index 593d443..f17ab7f 100644
--- a/routes/precon.py
+++ b/routes/precon.py
@@ -29,6 +29,31 @@ async def list_precons():
     return {"precons": PRECON_INDEX}        # reads current value every call
 
 
+@router.get("/api/lab/precons/deck")
+async def get_precon_deck(fileName: str):
+    """Return the raw decklist content of a precon .dck file.
+    Query: ?fileName=Elven_Empire.dck
+    """
+    if not fileName:
+        raise HTTPException(400, "fileName query parameter is required")
+    # Sanitize: only allow .dck files, no path traversal
+    if '..' in fileName or '/' in fileName or '\\' in fileName:
+        raise HTTPException(400, "Invalid fileName")
+    if not fileName.endswith('.dck'):
+        raise HTTPException(400, "Only .dck files are supported")
+
+    src = _get_precon_dir() / fileName
+    if not src.exists():
+        raise HTTPException(404, f"Precon not found: {fileName}")
+
+    try:
+        content = src.read_text(encoding='utf-8')
+    except OSError as e:
+        raise HTTPException(500, f"Failed to read deck file: {e}")
+
+    return {"fileName": fileName, "decklist": content}
+
+
 @router.post("/api/lab/precons/install")
 async def install_precon(req: dict):
     """Install a precon deck to the Forge decks directory.