diff --git a/src/main/java/net/tfminecraft/magic/artifact/ArtifactCareStore.java b/src/main/java/net/tfminecraft/magic/artifact/ArtifactCareStore.java
index d8fe2c1..1a5ab32 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/tfminecraft/magic/artifact/ArtifactCareStore.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/tfminecraft/magic/artifact/ArtifactCareStore.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 import net.tfminecraft.magic.attunement.ArtifactCareCache;
 import net.tfminecraft.magic.model.ElementDef;
 import net.tfminecraft.magic.registry.ElementRegistry;
+import net.tfminecraft.magic.util.MagicNumbers;
 
 public final class ArtifactCareStore {
 
@@ -93,6 +94,7 @@ public static boolean apply(ItemStack stack, boolean housed, long nowMs, Persist
         if (stack == null || stack.getType().isAir() || ChargeIds.isCharge(stack)) {
             return false;
         }
+        boolean storesAura = storesAura(stack);
         ItemMeta meta = metaOf(stack);
         PersistentDataContainer root = meta.getPersistentDataContainer();
         long last = readLong(root, ArtifactKeys.careLastTick());
@@ -107,13 +109,18 @@ public static boolean apply(ItemStack stack, boolean housed, long nowMs, Persist
         if (ArtifactCareCache.muffledEnabled && last > 0L) {
             if (housed) {
                 muffle = clamp01(muffle - ArtifactCareCache.muffledRecoverPerHour * dtHours);
-            } else {
+            } else if (storesAura) {
                 muffle = clamp01(muffle + ArtifactCareCache.muffledOffPerHour * dtHours);
             }
         }
         boolean force = persist == Persist.ALWAYS;
         boolean visible = ArtifactLore.careVisibleWouldChange(stack, muffle, dtHours);
-        if (!force && !visible) {
+        boolean anchorEmptyClock = ArtifactCareCache.muffledEnabled
+                && !housed
+                && !storesAura
+                && last > 0L
+                && emptyStorageClockIsStale(dtHours);
+        if (!force && !visible && !anchorEmptyClock) {
             return false;
         }
         if (ArtifactCareCache.muffledEnabled) {
@@ -145,6 +152,25 @@ public static void stampUser(ItemStack stack, String characterId, long nowMs) {
         stack.setItemMeta(meta);
     }
 
+    private static boolean storesAura(ItemStack stack) {
+        Artifact artifact = Artifact.fromItem(stack);
+        return artifact != null && artifact.hasStoredAura();
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Chest scans persist only when lore would change. An empty artifact has no lore
+     * change, so its clock would stay put and a later fill would muffle for the empty time.
+     * Anchor once the gap would have shown on the muffle percent, and leave shorter gaps
+     * alone so an open chest is not rewritten on every scan.
+     */
+    private static boolean emptyStorageClockIsStale(double dtHours) {
+        double gained = ArtifactCareCache.muffledOffPerHour * dtHours;
+        if (gained <= 0.0) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        return !MagicNumbers.format(gained * 100.0).equals(MagicNumbers.format(0));
+    }
+
     private static void decayFill(ItemStack stack, double dtHours) {
         if (dtHours <= 0.0) {
             return;
diff --git a/src/main/resources/config.yml b/src/main/resources/config.yml
index 073ed4a..15f3b1b 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/config.yml
+++ b/src/main/resources/config.yml
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ attunement:
   # Muffle 0-1. Scales with tick.seconds_per_hour (3600 = real time).
   # Off: 1/24 per hour (full muffle in 24h). Recover: 1/168 per hour (clear in 7d).
   # Accepted: player inv, pedestal, artifact_display, item frames.
-  # Chests and other containers raise muffle. No chat.
+  # Chests and other containers raise muffle only while aura is stored. No chat.
   muffled:
     recover_per_hour: 0.00595238095
     off_per_hour: 0.04166666667
diff --git a/src/test/java/net/tfminecraft/magic/artifact/ArtifactCareTest.java b/src/test/java/net/tfminecraft/magic/artifact/ArtifactCareTest.java
index 0dd46fc..d57a255 100644
--- a/src/test/java/net/tfminecraft/magic/artifact/ArtifactCareTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/net/tfminecraft/magic/artifact/ArtifactCareTest.java
@@ -115,6 +115,62 @@ void housedArtifactsRecoverAndUnhousedArtifactsMuffleOnlyAfterFirstTick() {
     assertEquals(0, ArtifactCareStore.usableMax(10, 2));
   }
 
+  @Test
+  void unhousedArtifactsMuffleOnlyWhileAuraIsStored() {
+    var empty = artifact();
+    var emptied = Artifact.fromItem(empty);
+    emptied.setFill("fire", 0);
+    emptied.persistPdc(empty);
+    try (var lore = mockStatic(ArtifactLore.class)) {
+      assertTrue(ArtifactCareStore.tick(empty, false, 1000));
+      assertTrue(ArtifactCareStore.tick(empty, false, 11000));
+      assertEquals(0, ArtifactCareStore.readMuffle(empty));
+      assertEquals(11000, ArtifactCareStore.readLastTickMs(empty));
+
+      emptied.setFill("fire", 5);
+      emptied.persistPdc(empty);
+      assertTrue(ArtifactCareStore.tick(empty, false, 12000));
+      assertEquals(.1, ArtifactCareStore.readMuffle(empty), 1e-10);
+
+      var drained = artifact();
+      assertTrue(ArtifactCareStore.setMuffle(drained, .4, 1000));
+      var drainedAura = Artifact.fromItem(drained);
+      drainedAura.setFill("fire", 0);
+      drainedAura.persistPdc(drained);
+      assertTrue(ArtifactCareStore.tick(drained, false, 5000));
+      assertEquals(.4, ArtifactCareStore.readMuffle(drained), 1e-10);
+      assertTrue(ArtifactCareStore.tick(drained, true, 7000));
+      assertEquals(0, ArtifactCareStore.readMuffle(drained), 1e-10);
+    }
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  void emptyUnhousedArtifactsAnchorTheClockWhenAChestScanWouldSkipThem() {
+    var item = artifact();
+    var aura = Artifact.fromItem(item);
+    aura.setFill("fire", 0);
+    aura.persistPdc(item);
+    try (var lore = mockStatic(ArtifactLore.class)) {
+      assertTrue(ArtifactCareStore.tick(item, false, 1000));
+      assertTrue(ArtifactCareStore.apply(item, false, 11000, ArtifactCareStore.Persist.IF_VISIBLE));
+      assertEquals(0, ArtifactCareStore.readMuffle(item));
+      assertEquals(11000, ArtifactCareStore.readLastTickMs(item));
+      lore.verify(() -> ArtifactLore.apply(any()), never());
+
+      assertFalse(ArtifactCareStore.apply(item, false, 11000, ArtifactCareStore.Persist.IF_VISIBLE));
+      assertEquals(11000, ArtifactCareStore.readLastTickMs(item));
+      ArtifactCareCache.muffledOffPerHour = .00001;
+      assertFalse(ArtifactCareStore.apply(item, false, 12000, ArtifactCareStore.Persist.IF_VISIBLE));
+      assertEquals(11000, ArtifactCareStore.readLastTickMs(item));
+      ArtifactCareCache.muffledOffPerHour = .1;
+
+      aura.setFill("fire", 5);
+      aura.persistPdc(item);
+      assertTrue(ArtifactCareStore.tick(item, false, 12000));
+      assertEquals(.1, ArtifactCareStore.readMuffle(item), 1e-10);
+    }
+  }
+
   @Test
   void setMuffleClampsTheValueAndResetsTheCareClock() {
     var item = artifact();