diff --git a/src/game/engine/src/autoloads/turn_manager.gd b/src/game/engine/src/autoloads/turn_manager.gd
index 9ec294ea..1e94901f 100644
--- a/src/game/engine/src/autoloads/turn_manager.gd
+++ b/src/game/engine/src/autoloads/turn_manager.gd
@@ -190,16 +190,18 @@ func end_turn() -> void:
 	var player: RefCounted = GameState.get_current_player()  # Player
 	var game_map: RefCounted = GameState.get_game_map()  # GameMap
 	if player != null and game_map != null:
-		# Processing order per design spec:
-		# 1. Food (growth)  2. Production  3. Gold (economy)
-		# 4. Science  5. Culture (borders)  6. Happiness (golden age)
+		# Processing order: culture FIRST so new tiles are available for
+		# citizen assignment during growth. Otherwise new pop can't work
+		# the tile just claimed this turn.
+		# 1. Culture (borders)  2. Food (growth)  3. Production
+		# 4. Gold (economy)  5. Science  6. Happiness (golden age)
 		# 7. Mana  8. Victory  9. Healing  10. Improvements
-		var proc := _processor as TurnProcessorScript
+		var proc: TurnProcessorScript = _processor as TurnProcessorScript
+		proc._process_culture(player, game_map)
 		proc._process_growth(player)
 		proc._process_production(player)
 		proc._process_economy(player, game_map)
 		proc._process_research(player)
-		proc._process_culture(player, game_map)
 		proc._process_golden_age(player, game_map)
 		proc._process_mana(player, game_map)
 		proc._process_healing(player)