diff --git a/crates/algo/examples/bench_stack_entropy.rs b/crates/algo/examples/bench_stack_entropy.rs
new file mode 100644
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/algo/examples/bench_stack_entropy.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+//! Stack Mode Entropy timings and exact output hashes, including lookup preparation.
+//! Run the same example on both revisions: `cargo run --release -p photocraft-algo --example
+//! bench_stack_entropy -- [--quick] [--reps N] [--threads N] [--json path]`.
+//! Full cases use 24/36 MP; quick cases use 1/16 as many pixels. The deep-stack fallback is
+//! deliberately small. Input generation, output hashing and deallocation are outside timings.
+
+use std::path::PathBuf;
+use std::time::Instant;
+
+use photocraft_algo::stack::{Stat, combine};
+use photocraft_testkit::perf::{self, Summary};
+use serde_json::json;
+
+struct Options {
+    quick: bool,
+    reps: usize,
+    threads: Option<usize>,
+    json: Option<PathBuf>,
+}
+
+fn options() -> Result<Options, String> {
+    let mut o = Options { quick: false, reps: 5, threads: None, json: None };
+    let mut args = std::env::args().skip(1);
+    while let Some(arg) = args.next() {
+        match arg.as_str() {
+            "--quick" => o.quick = true,
+            "--reps" => o.reps = args.next().ok_or("--reps needs an integer")?.parse().map_err(|_| "invalid --reps")?,
+            "--threads" => o.threads = Some(args.next().ok_or("--threads needs an integer")?.parse().map_err(|_| "invalid --threads")?),
+            "--json" => o.json = Some(args.next().ok_or("--json needs a path")?.into()),
+            _ => return Err(format!("unknown option: {arg}")),
+        }
+    }
+    if !(1..=25).contains(&o.reps) || o.threads.is_some_and(|n| !(1..=64).contains(&n)) {
+        return Err("expected 1..=25 repetitions and 1..=64 threads".into());
+    }
+    Ok(o)
+}
+
+fn benchmark(o: &Options) -> Result<(), String> {
+    let mut rows = Vec::new();
+    let cases = [
+        ("3 layers opaque 24 MP", 3, 24_000_000, false),
+        ("7 layers varying alpha 24 MP", 7, 24_000_000, true),
+        ("3 layers opaque 36 MP", 3, 36_000_000, false),
+        ("257 layers varying alpha", 257, 8192, true),
+    ];
+    for (name, count, pixels, masked) in cases {
+        let pixels = if o.quick && pixels > 8192 { pixels / 16 } else { pixels };
+        let layers: Vec<Vec<[f32; 4]>> = (0..count)
+            .map(|k| {
+                (0..pixels)
+                    .map(|i| {
+                        [
+                            ((i * 31 + k * 17) % 256) as f32 / 255.0,
+                            ((i / 7 + k * 29) % 32) as f32 / 31.0,
+                            ((i + k * 13) % 1024) as f32 / 255.0 - 0.5,
+                            if masked && k > i % (count + 1) { 0.0 } else { 1.0 },
+                        ]
+                    })
+                    .collect()
+            })
+            .collect();
+        // Warm the worker pool and input pages before collecting samples.
+        std::hint::black_box(combine(&layers, Stat::Entropy));
+        let mut samples = Vec::with_capacity(o.reps);
+        let mut hash = 0u64;
+        for rep in 0..o.reps {
+            let start = Instant::now();
+            let out = std::hint::black_box(combine(&layers, Stat::Entropy));
+            samples.push(start.elapsed().as_secs_f64() * 1000.0);
+            if rep == 0 {
+                hash = out.iter().flatten().fold(0xcbf29ce484222325, |h, v| (h ^ u64::from(v.to_bits())).wrapping_mul(0x100000001b3));
+            }
+        }
+        let p50 = Summary::of(&samples).map_or(0.0, |s| s.p50);
+        println!("{name}: {pixels} pixels, {p50:.3} ms p50, hash {hash:016x}, samples_ms={samples:?}");
+        let mut row = perf::row(name, &samples, perf::process_peak_rss_bytes(), None);
+        row["output_hash"] = json!(format!("{hash:016x}"));
+        row["pixels"] = json!(pixels);
+        rows.push(row);
+    }
+    if let Some(path) = &o.json {
+        let report = perf::report("bench_stack_entropy", json!({"quick": o.quick, "threads": o.threads}), rows, None);
+        std::fs::write(path, serde_json::to_vec_pretty(&report).map_err(|e| e.to_string())?).map_err(|e| format!("write {}: {e}", path.display()))?;
+    }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+fn run() -> Result<(), String> {
+    let o = options()?;
+    #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
+    if let Some(threads) = o.threads {
+        let pool = rayon::ThreadPoolBuilder::new().num_threads(threads).build().map_err(|e| e.to_string())?;
+        return pool.install(|| benchmark(&o));
+    }
+    benchmark(&o)
+}
+
+fn main() {
+    if let Err(e) = run() {
+        eprintln!("{e}");
+        std::process::exit(1);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/crates/algo/src/stack.rs b/crates/algo/src/stack.rs
--- a/crates/algo/src/stack.rs
+++ b/crates/algo/src/stack.rs
@@ -37,8 +37,54 @@ impl EntropyScratch {
     }
 }
 
+/// One shared table per combine, never per pixel or worker. Rows cover the contributing sample
+/// count, which can change at every pixel because of transparency or unequal layer lengths.
+/// The triangular layout stores log2(n) followed by -p*log2(p) for counts 1..=n. Keeping the
+/// division after the sum (rather than normalising each term) preserves the old output bits.
+struct EntropyTerms {
+    values: Vec<f32>,
+}
+
+impl EntropyTerms {
+    // At most 130 KiB, independent of image size and total layer count. Deeper stacks retain
+    // the original calculation; pixels with fewer contributors can still use a cached row.
+    const MAX_SAMPLES: usize = 256;
+
+    fn new(samples: usize, pixels: usize) -> Self {
+        let mut values = Vec::new();
+        // Tiny images do not amortise preparation, especially with hundreds of layers.
+        if samples < 2 || pixels < 256 {
+            return Self { values };
+        }
+        let max = samples.min(Self::MAX_SAMPLES);
+        // max is capped at 256 before any size arithmetic or allocation.
+        let len = (max + 1) * (max + 2) / 2;
+        if values.try_reserve_exact(len).is_err() {
+            return Self { values };
+        }
+        values.extend_from_slice(&[0.0; 3]); // Unused rows for zero and one sample.
+        for samples in 2..=max {
+            let n = samples as f32;
+            values.push(n.log2());
+            for count in 1..=samples {
+                let p = count as f32 / n;
+                values.push(-p * p.log2());
+            }
+        }
+        Self { values }
+    }
+
+    fn row(&self, samples: usize) -> Option<&[f32]> {
+        if !(2..=Self::MAX_SAMPLES).contains(&samples) {
+            return None;
+        }
+        let start = samples * (samples + 1) / 2;
+        self.values.get(start..start + samples + 1)
+    }
+}
+
 /// Shannon entropy (bits) of the 8-bit values in `v`, over log2(N). `v.len() >= 2`.
-fn entropy(v: &[f32], scratch: &mut EntropyScratch) -> f32 {
+fn entropy(v: &[f32], scratch: &mut EntropyScratch, terms: Option<&[f32]>) -> f32 {
     let n = v.len() as f32;
     for x in v {
         let bin = (x.clamp(0.0, 1.0) * 255.0).round() as u8;
@@ -57,8 +103,11 @@ fn entropy(v: &[f32], scratch: &mut EntropyScratch) -> f32 {
         .touched
         .iter()
         .map(|&bin| {
-            let p = scratch.counts[usize::from(bin)] as f32 / n;
-            -p * p.log2()
+            let count = scratch.counts[usize::from(bin)];
+            terms.and_then(|row| row.get(count as usize)).copied().unwrap_or_else(|| {
+                let p = count as f32 / n;
+                -p * p.log2()
+            })
         })
         .sum();
     // Reset only the bins used, so the 256-entry array is never cleared wholesale.
@@ -66,7 +115,7 @@ fn entropy(v: &[f32], scratch: &mut EntropyScratch) -> f32 {
         scratch.counts[usize::from(bin)] = 0;
     }
     scratch.touched.clear();
-    h / n.log2()
+    h / terms.and_then(|row| row.first()).copied().unwrap_or_else(|| n.log2())
 }
 
 /// `x` to the power `k` by repeated squaring. Every step is one IEEE 754 multiplication, so the
@@ -109,7 +158,7 @@ fn stat(v: &mut [f32], s: Stat, scratch: &mut EntropyScratch) -> f32 {
             if v.len() < 2 {
                 return 0.0;
             }
-            return entropy(v, scratch);
+            return entropy(v, scratch, None);
         }
         _ => {}
     }
@@ -147,7 +196,11 @@ pub fn combine(layers: &[Vec<[f32; 4]>], s: Stat) -> Vec<[f32; 4]> {
     // serial loop (Mean, Variance, StdDev, Skewness, Kurtosis); this alone cuts Mean's
     // instructions by a fifth.
     match s {
-        Stat::Entropy => combine_with(layers, |v, sc| stat(v, Stat::Entropy, sc)),
+        Stat::Entropy => {
+            let pixels = layers.iter().map(Vec::len).max().unwrap_or(0);
+            let terms = EntropyTerms::new(layers.len(), pixels);
+            combine_with(layers, |v, sc| if v.len() < 2 { 0.0 } else { entropy(v, sc, terms.row(v.len())) })
+        }
         Stat::Kurtosis => combine_with(layers, |v, sc| stat(v, Stat::Kurtosis, sc)),
         Stat::Maximum => combine_with(layers, |v, sc| stat(v, Stat::Maximum, sc)),
         Stat::Mean => combine_with(layers, |v, sc| stat(v, Stat::Mean, sc)),
diff --git a/crates/algo/src/stack/tests.rs b/crates/algo/src/stack/tests.rs
--- a/crates/algo/src/stack/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/algo/src/stack/tests.rs
@@ -243,6 +243,102 @@ fn entropy_is_deterministic() {
     }
 }
 
+/// The pre-lookup calculation, summing the 8-bit bins in ascending order. This deliberately
+/// does not call `entropy` or use its lookup/scratch, so it catches changes in rounding too.
+fn entropy_reference(v: &[f32]) -> f32 {
+    if v.len() < 2 {
+        return 0.0;
+    }
+    let mut counts = [0u32; 256];
+    for x in v {
+        counts[(x.clamp(0.0, 1.0) * 255.0).round() as usize] += 1;
+    }
+    let n = v.len() as f32;
+    let h: f32 = counts
+        .iter()
+        .filter(|&&count| count > 0)
+        .map(|&count| {
+            let p = count as f32 / n;
+            -p * p.log2()
+        })
+        .sum();
+    h / n.log2()
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn entropy_terms_preserve_each_operation_and_bound_storage() {
+    let terms = EntropyTerms::new(usize::MAX, usize::MAX);
+    let max = EntropyTerms::MAX_SAMPLES;
+    assert_eq!(terms.values.len(), (max + 1) * (max + 2) / 2);
+    assert!(terms.values.len() * size_of::<f32>() < 130 * 1024);
+    for samples in 2..=max {
+        let row = terms.row(samples).unwrap();
+        let n = samples as f32;
+        assert_eq!(row[0].to_bits(), n.log2().to_bits());
+        for (count, &term) in row.iter().enumerate().skip(1) {
+            let p = count as f32 / n;
+            assert_eq!(term.to_bits(), (-p * p.log2()).to_bits(), "{count}/{samples}");
+        }
+    }
+    for samples in [0, 1, max + 1, usize::MAX] {
+        assert!(terms.row(samples).is_none());
+    }
+    assert!(EntropyTerms::new(1, usize::MAX).values.is_empty());
+    assert!(EntropyTerms::new(usize::MAX, 255).values.is_empty());
+    assert!(EntropyTerms { values: Vec::new() }.row(2).is_none());
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn entropy_lookup_and_fallback_match_reference_bits() {
+    let terms = EntropyTerms::new(EntropyTerms::MAX_SAMPLES, CHUNK);
+    let mut scratch = EntropyScratch::new();
+    let special = [f32::NAN, f32::NEG_INFINITY, f32::INFINITY, -3.0, -0.0, 0.0, 0.5 / 255.0, 0.5, 1.0, 4.0];
+    // Move repeatedly between counts and distributions to exercise scratch reset, duplicate
+    // bins, every cached denominator and the uncached side of the table boundary.
+    for samples in (2..=EntropyTerms::MAX_SAMPLES + 2).chain([513, 3, 256, 2]) {
+        for pattern in 0..4 {
+            let v: Vec<f32> = (0..samples)
+                .map(|i| match pattern {
+                    0 => 0.5,
+                    1 => (i % 256) as f32 / 255.0,
+                    2 => ((i * 137 + samples * 29) % 65536) as f32 / 65535.0,
+                    _ => special[i % special.len()],
+                })
+                .collect();
+            let expected = entropy_reference(&v).to_bits();
+            assert_eq!(entropy(&v, &mut scratch, terms.row(samples)).to_bits(), expected, "cached: n={samples}, pattern={pattern}");
+            assert_eq!(entropy(&v, &mut scratch, None).to_bits(), expected, "fallback: n={samples}, pattern={pattern}");
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn entropy_combine_matches_reference_with_changing_contributor_counts() {
+    for (count, len) in [(19, 2 * CHUNK + 17), (EntropyTerms::MAX_SAMPLES + 1, 513)] {
+        let layers: Vec<Vec<[f32; 4]>> = (0..count)
+            .map(|k| {
+                (0..len.saturating_sub(k % 13))
+                    .map(|i| {
+                        [
+                            ((i * 31 + k * 7) % 256) as f32 / 255.0,
+                            ((i * 17 + k) % 65536) as f32 / 65535.0,
+                            if (i + k).is_multiple_of(23) { f32::NAN } else { (i % 7) as f32 - 2.0 },
+                            if k > i % (count + 1) { 0.0 } else { 0.5 },
+                        ]
+                    })
+                    .collect()
+            })
+            .collect();
+        let expected = bits(&combine_with(&layers, |v, _| entropy_reference(v)));
+        assert_eq!(bits(&combine(&layers, Stat::Entropy)), expected);
+        #[cfg(not(target_arch = "wasm32"))]
+        for threads in [1, 3] {
+            let pool = rayon::ThreadPoolBuilder::new().num_threads(threads).build().unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(pool.install(|| bits(&combine(&layers, Stat::Entropy))), expected, "{threads} threads");
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// Chunking is invisible: a multi-chunk image (with a ragged last chunk and layers of unequal
 /// length) gives, pixel by pixel, what combining that pixel on its own gives.
 #[test]
