diff --git a/src/game/engine/src/modules/ai/ai_tactical.gd b/src/game/engine/src/modules/ai/ai_tactical.gd
index b6b5719c..8ba3f5d0 100644
--- a/src/game/engine/src/modules/ai/ai_tactical.gd
+++ b/src/game/engine/src/modules/ai/ai_tactical.gd
@@ -255,7 +255,8 @@ func _step_toward(
 	var unit_type: String = "flying" if unit.is_flying() else "land"
 	# Use a large path budget so the full route to a distant target is found;
 	# the movement loop below caps actual steps to unit.movement_remaining.
-	var path_budget: int = maxi(unit.movement_remaining, HexUtilsScript.hex_distance(unit.position, target))
+	var dist: int = HexUtilsScript.hex_distance(unit.position, target)
+	var path_budget: int = maxi(unit.movement_remaining, dist)
 	var path: Array[Vector2i] = PathfinderScript.find_path(
 		game_map, unit.position, target, path_budget, unit_type
 	)