diff --git a/geneticengine/representations/stackgggp/__init__.py b/geneticengine/representations/stackgggp/__init__.py
index c0591637..4b75ebe9 100644
--- a/geneticengine/representations/stackgggp/__init__.py
+++ b/geneticengine/representations/stackgggp/__init__.py
@@ -39,8 +39,13 @@ class Genotype:
 class ListWrapper(RandomSource):
     dna: list[int]
     index: int = 0
+    # Total codon reads (does not wrap); used to detect one full genome pass.
+    consumed: int = 0
 
     def randint(self, min: int, max: int) -> int:
+        if not self.dna:
+            raise IndexError("empty stack genome")
+        self.consumed += 1
         self.index = (self.index + 1) % len(self.dna)
         v = self.dna[self.index]
         return v % (max - min + 1) + min
@@ -52,6 +57,10 @@ def random_float(self, min: float, max: float) -> float:
         v = 1 * (max - min) / k + min
         return v
 
+    def completed_one_pass(self) -> bool:
+        """Whether at least one full pass over ``dna`` has been consumed."""
+        return bool(self.dna) and self.consumed >= len(self.dna)
+
 
 def add_to_stacks(stacks: dict[type, list[Any]], t: type, v: Any):
     if t not in stacks:
@@ -67,13 +76,29 @@ def find_element_that_meets_mh(stack, metahandler):
 
 
 def create_tree_using_stacks(g: Grammar, r: ListWrapper, failures_limit=100):
+    """Map a linear genome to a tree via typed stacks.
+
+    Translation continues until **both**:
+
+    1. the start-symbol stack holds at least one value, and
+    2. the genome has been consumed at least once (``len(dna)`` codon reads),
+
+    ``failures_limit`` applies only until the first start-symbol value appears;
+    after that, mapping continues until one full genome pass. The phenotype is
+    the last start-symbol value observed when both conditions first hold.
+    """
     all_stack_types = g.get_all_mentioned_symbols()
 
     stacks: dict[type, list[Any]] = {k: [] for k in all_stack_types}
 
     failures = 0
+    last_good: Any | None = None
 
-    while not stacks[g.starting_symbol] and failures < failures_limit:
+    while True:
+        if last_good is not None and r.completed_one_pass():
+            return last_good
+        if last_good is None and (failures >= failures_limit or r.completed_one_pass()):
+            break
         try:
             weights = g.get_weights()
             target_type: type[Any] = r.choice_weighted(
@@ -135,11 +160,13 @@ def create_tree_using_stacks(g: Grammar, r: ListWrapper, failures_limit=100):
                 v = apply_constructor(target_type, args)
                 add_to_stacks(stacks, target_type, v)
         except IndexError:
-            failures += 1
-    if stacks[g.starting_symbol]:
-        return stacks[g.starting_symbol][0]
-    else:
-        raise GeneticEngineError("Stack genome not enough.")
+            # Only count mapping failures before the first start-symbol value;
+            # afterwards keep consuming the genome until one full pass is done.
+            if last_good is None:
+                failures += 1
+        if stacks[g.starting_symbol]:
+            last_good = stacks[g.starting_symbol][-1]
+    raise GeneticEngineError("Stack genome not enough.")
 
 
 class StackBasedGGGPRepresentation(
@@ -148,7 +175,11 @@ class StackBasedGGGPRepresentation(
     RepresentationWithCrossover[Genotype],
 ):
     """This representation uses a list of integers to guide the generation of
-    trees in the phenotype."""
+    trees in the phenotype.
+
+    Mapping stops once the start-symbol stack is non-empty **and** the genome
+    has been read at least once; the last start-symbol value is returned.
+    """
 
     def __init__(
         self,
diff --git a/tests/representations/stack/stack_stop_condition_test.py b/tests/representations/stack/stack_stop_condition_test.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..171fcc65
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/representations/stack/stack_stop_condition_test.py
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+"""Stack mapping stops after one full genome pass with a start-symbol value."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from abc import ABC
+from dataclasses import dataclass
+
+from geneticengine.grammar.grammar import extract_grammar
+from geneticengine.representations.stackgggp import ListWrapper, StackBasedGGGPRepresentation, create_tree_using_stacks
+from geneticengine.random.sources import NativeRandomSource
+
+
+class Root(ABC):
+    pass
+
+
+@dataclass
+class Leaf(Root):
+    pass
+
+
+@dataclass
+class Node(Root):
+    a: Root
+    b: Root
+
+
+def test_list_wrapper_tracks_consumed_across_wraps():
+    w = ListWrapper(dna=[10, 20, 30])
+    assert w.consumed == 0
+    assert not w.completed_one_pass()
+    w.randint(0, 9)
+    w.randint(0, 9)
+    w.randint(0, 9)
+    assert w.consumed == 3
+    assert w.completed_one_pass()
+    w.randint(0, 9)  # wraps
+    assert w.consumed == 4
+    assert w.completed_one_pass()
+
+
+def test_stack_mapping_requires_full_genome_pass_before_return():
+    g = extract_grammar([Leaf, Node], Root)
+    rep = StackBasedGGGPRepresentation(g, gene_length=64, failures_limit=10_000)
+    geno = rep.create_genotype(NativeRandomSource(0))
+    wrapper = ListWrapper(dna=list(geno.dna))
+    tree = create_tree_using_stacks(g, wrapper, failures_limit=10_000)
+    assert isinstance(tree, Root)
+    assert wrapper.completed_one_pass()
+    assert wrapper.consumed >= len(geno.dna)
+
+
+def test_stack_mapping_continues_until_genome_consumed():
+    """Even if a start-symbol value appears early, keep reading until one full pass."""
+    g = extract_grammar([Leaf, Node], Root)
+    rep = StackBasedGGGPRepresentation(g, gene_length=128, failures_limit=10_000)
+    geno = rep.create_genotype(NativeRandomSource(1))
+    wrapper = ListWrapper(dna=list(geno.dna))
+    create_tree_using_stacks(g, wrapper, failures_limit=10_000)
+    assert wrapper.consumed >= len(geno.dna)