diff --git a/libs/common/src/tools/achievements/achievement-manager.ts b/libs/common/src/tools/achievements/achievement-manager.ts
index af88017e640..b0bf720129e 100644
--- a/libs/common/src/tools/achievements/achievement-manager.ts
+++ b/libs/common/src/tools/achievements/achievement-manager.ts
@@ -13,9 +13,11 @@ function active(
   return pipe(
     // refresh when an achievement is earned, but not when metrics
     // update; this may cause metrics to overrun
-    withLatestFrom(metrics$),
     combineLatestWith(earned$),
-    map(([[monitors, metrics], earned]) => {
+    withLatestFrom(metrics$),
+
+    // filter validators to active set
+    map(([[monitors, earned], metrics]) => {
       // compute list of active achievements
       const active = monitors.filter((m) => {
         // 🧠 the filters could be lifted into a function argument & delivered
diff --git a/libs/common/src/tools/achievements/examples/example-validators.ts b/libs/common/src/tools/achievements/examples/example-validators.ts
index 34da205406f..e38f616cc37 100644
--- a/libs/common/src/tools/achievements/examples/example-validators.ts
+++ b/libs/common/src/tools/achievements/examples/example-validators.ts
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ const ThreeItemsCreatedValidator = {
   name: "Three times a charm",
   description: "Add three items to your vault",
   validator: Type.Threshold,
-  active: { metric: ItemCreatedProgress, low: 2, high: 3 },
+  active: { metric: ItemCreatedProgress, low: 1, high: 3 },
   hidden: false,
   trigger(item) {
     return item.action === "vault-item-added";
@@ -99,8 +99,8 @@ const ThreeItemsCreatedValidator = {
     return [progressEvent(ItemCreatedProgress, value)];
   },
   award(_measured, progress) {
-    const value = progress.get(ItemCreatedProgress) ?? 0;
-    return value >= 3 ? [earnedEvent(ItemCreatedAchievement)] : [];
+    const value = progress.get(ItemCreatedProgress);
+    return value === 3 ? [earnedEvent(ThreeItemsCreatedAchievement)] : [];
   },
 } satisfies AchievementValidator;
 
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ const FiveItemsCreatedValidator = {
   name: "fiiivvve GoOoOoOolllllllD RIIIIIINGS!!!!!!",
   description: "Add five items to your vault",
   validator: Type.Threshold,
-  active: { metric: ItemCreatedProgress, low: 3, high: 5 },
+  active: { metric: ItemCreatedProgress, low: 3, high: 6 },
   hidden: false,
   trigger(item) {
     return item.action === "vault-item-added";
@@ -119,8 +119,8 @@ const FiveItemsCreatedValidator = {
     return [progressEvent(ItemCreatedProgress, value)];
   },
   award(_measured, progress) {
-    const value = progress.get(ItemCreatedProgress) ?? 0;
-    return value >= 5 ? [earnedEvent(ItemCreatedAchievement)] : [];
+    const value = progress.get(ItemCreatedProgress);
+    return value === 5 ? [earnedEvent(FiveItemsCreatedAchievement)] : [];
   },
 } satisfies AchievementValidator;