diff --git a/config.js b/config.js
index ab78195..338f6bb 100644
--- a/config.js
+++ b/config.js
@@ -344,6 +344,7 @@ window.CONFIG = {
         top: 0.78,                // ~10.1 km, lower deck keeps camera clearance
         bottom: -0.2,             // ~-2.6 km (deck base slightly below terrain)
         nearFade: {
+            enabled: false,       // test: disable the cloud-free near bubble
             start: 0.0,           // world units: clouds fade out very close to camera
             end: 0.1              // full density from this distance onward
         },
diff --git a/vendor/clouds3d.js b/vendor/clouds3d.js
index 8ac1951..978dd66 100644
--- a/vendor/clouds3d.js
+++ b/vendor/clouds3d.js
@@ -1526,8 +1526,13 @@ if (window.CONFIG && window.CONFIG.clouds) {
 CLOUD_TOP = Math.max(0.2, Math.min(CLOUD_TOP, 2.0));
 CLOUD_BOT = Math.min(CLOUD_BOT, CLOUD_TOP - 0.4);
 var CLOUD_NEAR_FADE_CFG = (window.CONFIG && window.CONFIG.clouds && window.CONFIG.clouds.nearFade) || {};
-var CLOUD_NEAR_FADE_START = (typeof CLOUD_NEAR_FADE_CFG.start === 'number') ? Math.max(0, CLOUD_NEAR_FADE_CFG.start) : 0.35;
-var CLOUD_NEAR_FADE_END = Math.max(CLOUD_NEAR_FADE_START + 0.1, (typeof CLOUD_NEAR_FADE_CFG.end === 'number') ? CLOUD_NEAR_FADE_CFG.end : 2.5);
+var CLOUD_NEAR_FADE_ON = CLOUD_NEAR_FADE_CFG.enabled !== false;
+var CLOUD_NEAR_FADE_START = CLOUD_NEAR_FADE_ON
+    ? ((typeof CLOUD_NEAR_FADE_CFG.start === 'number') ? Math.max(0, CLOUD_NEAR_FADE_CFG.start) : 0.35)
+    : 0.0;
+var CLOUD_NEAR_FADE_END = CLOUD_NEAR_FADE_ON
+    ? Math.max(CLOUD_NEAR_FADE_START + 0.001, (typeof CLOUD_NEAR_FADE_CFG.end === 'number') ? CLOUD_NEAR_FADE_CFG.end : 2.5)
+    : 0.001;
 var CLOUDS_ON = !(window.CONFIG && window.CONFIG.clouds && window.CONFIG.clouds.enabled === false);
 var CLOUD_SOFT_EDGES = !(window.CONFIG && window.CONFIG.clouds && window.CONFIG.clouds.softEdges === false);
 var CLOUD_EDGE_SOFT = CLOUD_SOFT_EDGES && (typeof window.CONFIG.clouds.edgeSoftness === 'number')