diff --git a/internal/host/items.go b/internal/host/items.go
index 3b3803b..d4270a2 100644
--- a/internal/host/items.go
+++ b/internal/host/items.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package host
 
 import (
+	"encoding/gob"
 	"math"
 	"reflect"
 
@@ -22,6 +23,14 @@ const (
 	nestedItemVersionName = "bedrock_gophers_version"
 )
 
+func init() {
+	gob.Register(map[string]any{})
+	gob.Register([]any{})
+	gob.Register([]byte{})
+	gob.Register([]int32{})
+	gob.Register([]int64{})
+}
+
 func (p *Players) InventorySize(invocation native.InvocationID, id native.InventoryID) (uint32, bool) {
 	value, ok := readPlayer(p, invocation, id.Player, func(connected *player.Player) uint32 {
 		if id.Kind == native.InventoryOffhand {
@@ -336,6 +345,10 @@ func itemStackFromNativeDepth(value native.ItemStack, depth int) (stack item.Sta
 		if !ok {
 			return item.Stack{}, false
 		}
+		values, ok = normalizeItemNBTMap(values)
+		if !ok {
+			return item.Stack{}, false
+		}
 		for key, entry := range values {
 			stack = stack.WithValue(key, entry)
 		}
@@ -543,6 +556,47 @@ func byteArray(value any) ([]byte, bool) {
 	return result, true
 }
 
+func normalizeItemNBTMap(value map[string]any) (map[string]any, bool) {
+	result := make(map[string]any, len(value))
+	for key, entry := range value {
+		normalized, ok := normalizeItemNBTValue(entry)
+		if !ok {
+			return nil, false
+		}
+		result[key] = normalized
+	}
+	return result, true
+}
+
+func normalizeItemNBTValue(value any) (any, bool) {
+	switch typed := value.(type) {
+	case map[string]any:
+		return normalizeItemNBTMap(typed)
+	case []any:
+		result := make([]any, len(typed))
+		for index, entry := range typed {
+			normalized, ok := normalizeItemNBTValue(entry)
+			if !ok {
+				return nil, false
+			}
+			result[index] = normalized
+		}
+		return result, true
+	}
+	reflected := reflect.ValueOf(value)
+	if !reflected.IsValid() {
+		return nil, false
+	}
+	if (reflected.Kind() == reflect.Array || reflected.Kind() == reflect.Slice) && reflected.Type().Elem().Kind() == reflect.Uint8 {
+		result := make([]byte, reflected.Len())
+		for index := range result {
+			result[index] = byte(reflected.Index(index).Uint())
+		}
+		return result, true
+	}
+	return value, true
+}
+
 // ItemStackFromNative decodes a plugin item stack using Dragonfly registries.
 func ItemStackFromNative(value native.ItemStack) (item.Stack, bool) {
 	return itemStackFromNative(value)
diff --git a/internal/host/items_test.go b/internal/host/items_test.go
index 84124bd..b0458df 100644
--- a/internal/host/items_test.go
+++ b/internal/host/items_test.go
@@ -1,7 +1,9 @@
 package host
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"context"
+	"encoding/gob"
 	"reflect"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -58,6 +60,55 @@ func TestPlayersInventoryItemRoundTrip(t *testing.T) {
 	})
 }
 
+func TestItemStackFromNativeNormalizesByteArrayValues(t *testing.T) {
+	valuesNBT, ok := marshalItemNBT(map[string]any{
+		"bytes": fixedByteArray([]byte{1, 2, 3}),
+		"nested": map[string]any{
+			"raw": fixedByteArray([]byte{4, 5}),
+		},
+	})
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("encode values")
+	}
+	stack, ok := itemStackFromNative(native.ItemStack{
+		Identifier: "minecraft:diamond_sword",
+		Count:      1,
+		ValuesNBT:  valuesNBT,
+	})
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("decode item stack")
+	}
+	value, ok := stack.Value("bytes")
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("missing bytes value")
+	}
+	bytesValue, ok := value.([]byte)
+	if !ok || !bytes.Equal(bytesValue, []byte{1, 2, 3}) {
+		t.Fatalf("stack bytes=%#v ok=%v", value, ok)
+	}
+	nested, ok := stack.Value("nested")
+	if !ok {
+		t.Fatal("missing nested value")
+	}
+	raw, ok := nested.(map[string]any)["raw"].([]byte)
+	if !ok || !bytes.Equal(raw, []byte{4, 5}) {
+		t.Fatalf("nested raw=%#v ok=%v", nested, ok)
+	}
+	values := stack.Values()
+	type mapValue struct {
+		K string
+		V any
+	}
+	encoded := []mapValue{
+		{K: "bytes", V: values["bytes"]},
+		{K: "nested", V: values["nested"]},
+		{K: "stats", V: map[string]any{"uses": int32(0), "rarity": "demo"}},
+	}
+	if err := gob.NewEncoder(new(bytes.Buffer)).Encode(encoded); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("gob encode values: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestPlayersInventoryAddClearAndOffhand(t *testing.T) {
 	withPlayer(t, func(player *player.Player) {
 		players := NewPlayers()