diff --git a/src/features/editScene/EditorApp.cpp b/src/features/editScene/EditorApp.cpp
index 6e1a0de..96b34b2 100644
--- a/src/features/editScene/EditorApp.cpp
+++ b/src/features/editScene/EditorApp.cpp
@@ -330,6 +330,8 @@ void EditorApp::setup()
 		// Wire up AnimationTreeSystem for animation state machine control
 		m_smartObjectSystem->setAnimationTreeSystem(
 			m_animationTreeSystem.get());
+		// Wire up EditorApp for game mode detection
+		m_smartObjectSystem->setEditorApp(this);
 
 		// Setup CellGrid system
 		m_cellGridSystem =
diff --git a/src/features/editScene/systems/SmartObjectSystem.cpp b/src/features/editScene/systems/SmartObjectSystem.cpp
index ecdf2b1..43e5582 100644
--- a/src/features/editScene/systems/SmartObjectSystem.cpp
+++ b/src/features/editScene/systems/SmartObjectSystem.cpp
@@ -8,12 +8,16 @@
 #include "../components/ActionDebug.hpp"
 #include "../components/NavMesh.hpp"
 #include "../components/AnimationTree.hpp"
+#include "../components/PlayerController.hpp"
+#include "../components/EntityName.hpp"
+#include "../EditorApp.hpp"
 #include "NavMeshSystem.hpp"
 #include "BehaviorTreeSystem.hpp"
 #include "AnimationTreeSystem.hpp"
 #include <OgreLogManager.h>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <cmath>
+#include <unordered_set>
 
 SmartObjectSystem *SmartObjectSystem::s_instance = nullptr;
 
@@ -188,6 +192,36 @@ void SmartObjectSystem::update(float deltaTime)
 				db = &database;
 		});
 
+	// Determine if we're in game mode. In game mode, player-controlled
+	// characters are managed by PlayerControllerSystem and should NOT
+	// be processed by SmartObjectSystem to avoid animation conflicts.
+	// In editor mode, player characters can still be tested via ActionDebug.
+	bool isGameMode = false;
+	if (m_editorApp &&
+	    m_editorApp->getGameMode() == EditorApp::GameMode::Game &&
+	    m_editorApp->getGamePlayState() ==
+		    EditorApp::GamePlayState::Playing) {
+		isGameMode = true;
+	}
+
+	// Build a set of entity IDs that are player-controlled characters.
+	std::unordered_set<flecs::entity_t> playerCharacterIds;
+	if (isGameMode) {
+		m_world.query<PlayerControllerComponent>().each(
+			[&](flecs::entity, PlayerControllerComponent &pc) {
+				if (pc.targetCharacterName.empty())
+					return;
+				m_world.query<EntityNameComponent>().each(
+					[&](flecs::entity e,
+					    EntityNameComponent &en) {
+						if (en.name ==
+						    pc.targetCharacterName)
+							playerCharacterIds
+								.insert(e.id());
+					});
+			});
+	}
+
 	// Process each character with a blackboard (AI-driven characters)
 	m_world.query<CharacterComponent, TransformComponent, GoapBlackboard>()
 		.each([&](flecs::entity e, CharacterComponent &cc,
@@ -196,6 +230,12 @@ void SmartObjectSystem::update(float deltaTime)
 			(void)trans;
 			(void)bb;
 
+			// Skip player-controlled characters - they are managed
+			// by PlayerControllerSystem, not by SmartObjectSystem AI.
+			if (playerCharacterIds.find(e.id()) !=
+			    playerCharacterIds.end())
+				return;
+
 			auto &state = m_states[e.id()];
 			state.scanTimer += deltaTime;
 
@@ -597,6 +637,12 @@ void SmartObjectSystem::update(float deltaTime)
 			(void)trans;
 			(void)debug;
 
+			// Skip player-controlled characters - they are managed
+			// by PlayerControllerSystem, not by SmartObjectSystem AI.
+			if (playerCharacterIds.find(e.id()) !=
+			    playerCharacterIds.end())
+				return;
+
 			auto &state = m_states[e.id()];
 
 			// When the behavior tree is running (via ActionDebug),
diff --git a/src/features/editScene/systems/SmartObjectSystem.hpp b/src/features/editScene/systems/SmartObjectSystem.hpp
index c04f514..3be9be4 100644
--- a/src/features/editScene/systems/SmartObjectSystem.hpp
+++ b/src/features/editScene/systems/SmartObjectSystem.hpp
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 class NavMeshSystem;
 class BehaviorTreeSystem;
 class AnimationTreeSystem;
+class EditorApp;
 
 /**
  * System that manages Smart Object interactions.
@@ -42,6 +43,18 @@ public:
 		m_animTreeSystem = system;
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Set the EditorApp for game mode detection.
+	 * When in game mode, player-controlled characters are skipped
+	 * to avoid animation conflicts with PlayerControllerSystem.
+	 * In editor mode, player characters can still be tested via
+	 * ActionDebug.
+	 */
+	void setEditorApp(EditorApp *app)
+	{
+		m_editorApp = app;
+	}
+
 	void update(float deltaTime);
 
 	/**
@@ -100,6 +113,7 @@ private:
 	NavMeshSystem *m_navSystem;
 	BehaviorTreeSystem *m_btSystem;
 	AnimationTreeSystem *m_animTreeSystem;
+	EditorApp *m_editorApp = nullptr;
 
 	std::unordered_map<flecs::entity_t, CharacterState> m_states;