diff --git a/client/public/changelog.json b/client/public/changelog.json
index f16602e..46933d9 100644
--- a/client/public/changelog.json
+++ b/client/public/changelog.json
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
     {
       "date": "February 28, 2026",
       "items": [
+        "Added Item Management menu with z, to transfer items or delete them. Shift+D is gone now.",
         "Added initial delay and loop delay for widgets, letting you do looped audio that has pauses."
       ]
     },
diff --git a/client/public/help.json b/client/public/help.json
index 468ac94..a8722f7 100644
--- a/client/public/help.json
+++ b/client/public/help.json
@@ -88,10 +88,6 @@
         {
           "keys": "Enter",
           "description": "Use item"
-        },
-        {
-          "keys": "Piano mode",
-          "description": "When using a piano: press question mark for piano help. 1-9 (and 0 for the 10th slot) changes instrument, -/= changes octave, ASDFGHJKL;' plays C major notes, WETYUOP] plays sharps, Z starts/pauses/resumes recording, X plays recording, Enter plays demo, C stops demo/playback/recording, Escape exits"
         }
       ]
     },
diff --git a/client/public/version.js b/client/public/version.js
index 2705062..bc2eef4 100644
--- a/client/public/version.js
+++ b/client/public/version.js
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 // Maintainer-controlled web client version.
 // Format: YYYY.MM.DD Rn (example: 2026.02.20 R2)
-window.CHGRID_WEB_VERSION = "2026.03.01 R330";
+window.CHGRID_WEB_VERSION = "2026.03.01 R331";
 // Optional display timezone for timestamps. Falls back to America/Detroit if unset/invalid.
 window.CHGRID_TIME_ZONE = "America/Detroit";
diff --git a/server/app/server.py b/server/app/server.py
index 1234d92..c6070a9 100644
--- a/server/app/server.py
+++ b/server/app/server.py
@@ -2094,6 +2094,13 @@ class SignalingServer:
             await self._activate_authenticated_client(client)
             return
 
+        if isinstance(packet, PingPacket):
+            await self._send(
+                client.websocket,
+                PongPacket(type="pong", clientSentAt=packet.clientSentAt),
+            )
+            return
+
         if not client.world_ready:
             PACKET_LOGGER.info("ignoring pre-ready packet id=%s type=%s", client.id, packet.type)
             return
@@ -2332,13 +2339,6 @@ class SignalingServer:
             )
             return
 
-        if isinstance(packet, PingPacket):
-            await self._send(
-                client.websocket,
-                PongPacket(type="pong", clientSentAt=packet.clientSentAt),
-            )
-            return
-
         if isinstance(packet, ItemAddPacket):
             if not self._client_has_permission(client, "item.create"):
                 await self._send_item_result(client, False, "add", "Not authorized to create items.")
diff --git a/server/tests/test_server_message_handling.py b/server/tests/test_server_message_handling.py
index a36a4d6..796a023 100644
--- a/server/tests/test_server_message_handling.py
+++ b/server/tests/test_server_message_handling.py
@@ -314,6 +314,34 @@ async def test_auth_login_defers_activation_until_welcome_ready(monkeypatch: pyt
     assert any("has logged in" in getattr(packet, "message", "") for packet in broadcast_payloads)
 
 
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_ping_works_before_welcome_ready(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
+    server = SignalingServer("127.0.0.1", 8765, None, None)
+    username = f"ping_{uuid.uuid4().hex[:8]}"
+    server.auth_service.register(username, "password99")
+    ws = _fake_ws()
+    client = ClientConnection(websocket=ws, id="u1", nickname="tester")
+
+    send_payloads: list[object] = []
+
+    async def fake_send(websocket: ServerConnection, packet: object) -> None:
+        send_payloads.append(packet)
+
+    monkeypatch.setattr(server, "_send", fake_send)
+
+    await server._handle_message(
+        client,
+        json.dumps({"type": "auth_login", "username": username, "password": "password99"}),
+    )
+    assert client.world_ready is False
+
+    await server._handle_message(client, json.dumps({"type": "ping", "clientSentAt": -1}))
+
+    pong_packets = [packet for packet in send_payloads if getattr(packet, "type", "") == "pong"]
+    assert pong_packets
+    assert pong_packets[-1].clientSentAt == -1
+
+
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
 async def test_auth_resume_failure_message_is_generic(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch) -> None:
     server = SignalingServer("127.0.0.1", 8765, None, None)