diff --git a/inventoryManager.lua b/inventoryManager.lua
index 27be250..0dd75e0 100644
--- a/inventoryManager.lua
+++ b/inventoryManager.lua
@@ -132,6 +132,66 @@ local activity = {
     smelting   = false,   -- auto-smelt in progress
 }
 
+-------------------------------------------------
+-- Instant cache adjustment (no scan needed)
+-------------------------------------------------
+
+--- Adjust cached counts for a single item move.
+-- delta > 0 means items arrived in chestName;
+-- delta < 0 means items left chestName.
+local function adjustCache(itemName, chestName, delta)
+    if delta == 0 then return end
+
+    -- 1) catalogue: per-chest totals
+    local cat = cache.catalogue
+    if delta > 0 then
+        -- Items added to a chest
+        if not cat[itemName] then cat[itemName] = {} end
+        local found = false
+        for _, entry in ipairs(cat[itemName]) do
+            if entry.chest == chestName then
+                entry.total = entry.total + delta
+                found = true
+                break
+            end
+        end
+        if not found then
+            table.insert(cat[itemName], { chest = chestName, total = delta })
+        end
+    else
+        -- Items removed from a chest
+        if cat[itemName] then
+            for idx, entry in ipairs(cat[itemName]) do
+                if entry.chest == chestName then
+                    entry.total = entry.total + delta  -- delta is negative
+                    if entry.total <= 0 then
+                        table.remove(cat[itemName], idx)
+                    end
+                    break
+                end
+            end
+            -- Remove item from catalogue entirely if no sources left
+            if #cat[itemName] == 0 then
+                cat[itemName] = nil
+            end
+        end
+    end
+
+    -- 2) Rebuild itemList from catalogue (lightweight — just totals)
+    local itemList = {}
+    local grandTotal = 0
+    for name, sources in pairs(cat) do
+        local total = 0
+        for _, s in ipairs(sources) do total = total + s.total end
+        grandTotal = grandTotal + total
+        table.insert(itemList, { name = name, total = total })
+    end
+    table.sort(itemList, function(a, b) return a.total > b.total end)
+
+    cache.itemList   = itemList
+    cache.grandTotal = grandTotal
+end
+
 -------------------------------------------------
 -- Inventory helpers
 -------------------------------------------------
@@ -1157,6 +1217,9 @@ local function sortBarrel()
                 local n = barrel.pushItems(entry.chest, slot)
                 if n and n > 0 then
                     moved = moved + n
+                    adjustCache(item.name, entry.chest, n)
+                    needsRedraw = true
+                    smelterNeedsRedraw = true
                     print(string.format("[SORT] %s x%d -> %s", item.name, n, entry.chest))
                 end
                 if moved >= item.count then break end
@@ -1168,6 +1231,9 @@ local function sortBarrel()
                 local n = barrel.pushItems(chest, slot)
                 if n and n > 0 then
                     moved = moved + n
+                    adjustCache(item.name, chest, n)
+                    needsRedraw = true
+                    smelterNeedsRedraw = true
                     print(string.format("[SORT] %s x%d -> %s", item.name, n, chest))
                 end
                 if moved >= item.count then break end
@@ -1402,6 +1468,9 @@ local function orderItem(itemName, amount)
                     local moved = chest.pushItems(DROPPER_NAME, slot, toMove)
                     if moved and moved > 0 then
                         remaining = remaining - moved
+                        adjustCache(itemName, entry.chest, -moved)
+                        needsRedraw = true
+                        smelterNeedsRedraw = true
                         print(string.format("[ORDER] %s x%d from %s", itemName, moved, entry.chest))
                     end
                     if remaining <= 0 then break end