diff --git a/packages/programs-react/src/utils/mockTrace.test.ts b/packages/programs-react/src/utils/mockTrace.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..531cfab43
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/programs-react/src/utils/mockTrace.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+/**
+ * Tests for call-stack construction, with focus on the flat
+ * tail-call back-edge shape: a single instruction that carries
+ * both a `return` and an `invoke` context.
+ */
+
+import { describe, it, expect } from "vitest";
+import type { Program } from "@ethdebug/format";
+import {
+  buildCallStack,
+  buildPcToInstructionMap,
+  type TraceStep,
+} from "./mockTrace.js";
+
+/** Build a minimal instruction with a context at an offset. */
+function instr(offset: number, context: unknown): Program.Instruction {
+  return {
+    offset,
+    operation: { mnemonic: "JUMPDEST", arguments: [] },
+    context,
+  } as unknown as Program.Instruction;
+}
+
+describe("buildCallStack flat return+invoke back-edge", () => {
+  // A self-recursive tail loop:
+  //   pc 0  — entry, invoke `sum` (push a frame)
+  //   pc 4  — loop body (no call context)
+  //   pc 10 — back-edge JUMP: flat context carrying BOTH the
+  //           previous iteration's `return` and the next
+  //           iteration's `invoke` on one instruction (the
+  //           shape bugc emits for a TCO-replaced tail call).
+  const backEdge = instr(10, {
+    return: { identifier: "sum" },
+    invoke: { jump: true, identifier: "sum" },
+  });
+
+  const program = {
+    instructions: [
+      instr(0, { invoke: { jump: true, identifier: "sum" } }),
+      instr(4, { code: {} }),
+      backEdge,
+    ],
+  } as unknown as Program;
+
+  const pcToInstruction = buildPcToInstructionMap(program);
+
+  // Entry and back-edge are NOT consecutive steps, so the
+  // caller-JUMP/callee-JUMPDEST dedup does not apply — this is
+  // the arrangement that exposes the bug.
+  const trace: TraceStep[] = [
+    { pc: 0, opcode: "JUMPDEST" }, // step 0: push sum
+    { pc: 4, opcode: "JUMPDEST" }, // step 1: loop body
+    { pc: 10, opcode: "JUMP" }, // step 2: back-edge → reuse
+    { pc: 4, opcode: "JUMPDEST" }, // step 3: loop body
+    { pc: 10, opcode: "JUMP" }, // step 4: back-edge → reuse
+  ];
+
+  it("keeps the stack at constant depth across the back-edge", () => {
+    // Reused in place: one frame in, one frame out — depth 1.
+    expect(buildCallStack(trace, pcToInstruction, 2)).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(buildCallStack(trace, pcToInstruction, 4)).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
+
+  it("reuses the top frame with the next iteration's identity", () => {
+    const stack = buildCallStack(trace, pcToInstruction, 2);
+    expect(stack[0].identifier).toBe("sum");
+    expect(stack[0].callType).toBe("internal");
+    // Points at the back-edge step, not the original entry.
+    expect(stack[0].stepIndex).toBe(2);
+  });
+
+  it("still pushes and pops ordinary (non-flat) calls", () => {
+    // A normal invoke on one instruction, a normal return on
+    // another — depth should rise then fall.
+    const normalProgram = {
+      instructions: [
+        instr(0, { invoke: { jump: true, identifier: "helper" } }),
+        instr(8, { return: { identifier: "helper" } }),
+      ],
+    } as unknown as Program;
+    const map = buildPcToInstructionMap(normalProgram);
+    const normalTrace: TraceStep[] = [
+      { pc: 0, opcode: "JUMPDEST" },
+      { pc: 8, opcode: "JUMP" },
+    ];
+    expect(buildCallStack(normalTrace, map, 0)).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(buildCallStack(normalTrace, map, 1)).toHaveLength(0);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/programs-react/src/utils/mockTrace.ts b/packages/programs-react/src/utils/mockTrace.ts
index 26a912fc7..7710b724d 100644
--- a/packages/programs-react/src/utils/mockTrace.ts
+++ b/packages/programs-react/src/utils/mockTrace.ts
@@ -299,6 +299,33 @@ export function buildCallStack(
       continue;
     }
 
+    // A tail-call back-edge carries both a `return` (the previous
+    // iteration) and an `invoke` (the next iteration) on a single
+    // instruction. The activation is reused, not nested or
+    // unwound, so depth is unchanged: replace the top frame in
+    // place rather than pushing a second frame or popping it away.
+    // Identity comes from the invoke leaf.
+    const ctx = instruction.context as Record<string, unknown> | undefined;
+    const backEdgeInvoke = ctx ? findInvokeField(ctx) : undefined;
+    if (ctx && backEdgeInvoke && hasReturnContext(ctx)) {
+      const argResult = extractArgInfo(instruction);
+      const frame: CallFrame = {
+        identifier:
+          (backEdgeInvoke.identifier as string | undefined) ??
+          callInfo.identifier,
+        stepIndex: i,
+        callType: invokeCallType(backEdgeInvoke),
+        argumentNames: argResult?.names,
+        argumentPointers: argResult?.pointers,
+      };
+      if (stack.length > 0) {
+        stack[stack.length - 1] = frame;
+      } else {
+        stack.push(frame);
+      }
+      continue;
+    }
+
     if (callInfo.kind === "invoke") {
       // The compiler emits invoke on both the caller JUMP
       // and callee entry JUMPDEST for the same call. These
@@ -384,6 +411,35 @@ function extractArgInfo(
   };
 }
 
+/**
+ * Determine the call type of a raw invoke record from its
+ * discriminant key.
+ */
+function invokeCallType(inv: Record<string, unknown>): CallFrame["callType"] {
+  if ("jump" in inv) return "internal";
+  if ("message" in inv) return "external";
+  if ("create" in inv) return "create";
+  return undefined;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Whether an instruction's context carries a `return` — either
+ * directly or nested one level inside a gather. Mirrors
+ * findInvokeField so the flat (multi-discriminator) and gather
+ * back-edge shapes are both recognized.
+ */
+function hasReturnContext(ctx: Record<string, unknown>): boolean {
+  if ("return" in ctx) {
+    return true;
+  }
+  if ("gather" in ctx && Array.isArray(ctx.gather)) {
+    return ctx.gather.some(
+      (item) => item && typeof item === "object" && "return" in item,
+    );
+  }
+  return false;
+}
+
 function findInvokeField(
   ctx: Record<string, unknown>,
 ): Record<string, unknown> | undefined {