diff --git a/src/agent/library/skills.js b/src/agent/library/skills.js
index 715455073..669ab4e2d 100644
--- a/src/agent/library/skills.js
+++ b/src/agent/library/skills.js
@@ -846,12 +846,27 @@ export async function discard(bot, itemName, num=-1) {
      * await skills.discard(bot, "oak_log");
      **/
     let discarded = 0;
+    // Helper: find an item by name anywhere in the inventory slots (including off-hand)
+    function findItemByName(name) {
+        // prefer the inventory.items() convenience list
+        let it = bot.inventory.items().find(i => i.name === name);
+        if (it) return it;
+        // fallback: scan all slots (this will include off-hand and armor slots)
+        const slots = bot.inventory.slots || {};
+        for (const key of Object.keys(slots)) {
+            const slot = slots[key];
+            if (slot && slot.name === name) return slot;
+        }
+        return null;
+    }
+
     while (true) {
-        let item = bot.inventory.items().find(item => item.name === itemName);
+        let item = findItemByName(itemName);
         if (!item) {
             break;
         }
         let to_discard = num === -1 ? item.count : Math.min(num - discarded, item.count);
+        // Use toss with the item type (toss will remove from any slot containing that type)
         await bot.toss(item.type, null, to_discard);
         discarded += to_discard;
         if (num !== -1 && discarded >= num) {
diff --git a/src/mindcraft/mindcraft.js b/src/mindcraft/mindcraft.js
index a168d03a5..f5c0b4376 100644
--- a/src/mindcraft/mindcraft.js
+++ b/src/mindcraft/mindcraft.js
@@ -21,7 +21,18 @@ export async function init(host_public=false, port=8080, auto_open_ui=true) {
         setTimeout(() => {
             // check if browser listener is already open
             if (numStateListeners() === 0) {
-                open('http://localhost:'+port);
+                // dynamically import `open` only when we need to open the UI so
+                // running the code (or tests) without the `open` package
+                // installed won't fail at module import time.
+                (async () => {
+                    try {
+                        const openModule = await import('open');
+                        const open = openModule?.default || openModule;
+                        open('http://localhost:'+port);
+                    } catch (e) {
+                        console.warn('`open` package not available, skipping auto-open of UI');
+                    }
+                })();
             }
         }, 3000);
     }
diff --git a/tests/test_discard_offhand.js b/tests/test_discard_offhand.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..5bd3ea058
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_discard_offhand.js
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+(async () => {
+    // lightweight test for skills.discard to ensure items in off-hand slots are found
+    const path = '../src/agent/library/skills.js';
+    const skills = await import(path);
+
+    const tossCalls = [];
+
+    const bot = {
+        inventory: {
+            // no items() entries (simulates bug where off-hand isn't included)
+            items: () => [],
+            // slots: include an off-hand slot with index commonly 45 in mineflayer (varies) — we don't rely on index meaning
+            slots: {
+                0: null,
+                1: null,
+                40: { type: 5000, name: 'torch', count: 2 }, // off-hand-like slot
+            },
+        },
+        // toss should be called with (type, null, count)
+        toss: async (type, _null, count) => {
+            tossCalls.push({ type, count });
+            // simulate removing the item from slots
+            for (const k of Object.keys(bot.inventory.slots)) {
+                const s = bot.inventory.slots[k];
+                if (s && s.type === type) {
+                    s.count -= count;
+                    if (s.count <= 0) bot.inventory.slots[k] = null;
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+        },
+    };
+
+    console.log('Running discard test (off-hand)');
+    const ok = await skills.discard(bot, 'torch', 1);
+    console.log('discard returned:', ok);
+    console.log('tossCalls:', JSON.stringify(tossCalls));
+
+    if (!ok) {
+        console.error('TEST FAILED: discard returned false');
+        process.exit(1);
+    }
+    if (tossCalls.length !== 1) {
+        console.error('TEST FAILED: toss was not called exactly once');
+        process.exit(1);
+    }
+    if (tossCalls[0].count !== 1) {
+        console.error('TEST FAILED: toss called with wrong count', tossCalls[0]);
+        process.exit(1);
+    }
+
+    console.log('TEST PASSED');
+})();