diff --git a/src/game.rs b/src/game.rs
index f391f22..322d87c 100644
--- a/src/game.rs
+++ b/src/game.rs
@@ -1541,6 +1541,19 @@ impl Game {
                         }
                     }
                 }
+                // at least 10% of the imps (at least one) claim floor while there is floor to claim
+                let imps = 1 + self.ents.iter().filter(|o| o.alive && !o.hero && o.kind == EK::Worker).count();
+                let claiming = self.ents.iter().filter(|o| o.alive && !o.hero && o.kind == EK::Worker && matches!(o.job, Job::Claim(_))).count();
+                let quota = ((imps as f32 * 0.1).ceil() as usize).max(1);
+                if claiming < quota {
+                    if let Some(p) = self.map.search(cur, self.map.walk_cost(), |i| self.claimable(i, me), true) {
+                        let end = p.last().copied().unwrap_or(cur);
+                        self.map.t[end].reserved = me;
+                        e.path = p;
+                        e.job = Job::Claim(end);
+                        return;
+                    }
+                }
                 if let Some(p) = self.map.search(cur, self.map.walk_cost(), |i| self.dig_neighbor(i, me).is_some(), true) {
                     let end = p.last().copied().unwrap_or(cur);
                     if let Some(t) = self.dig_neighbor(end, me) {
@@ -3101,6 +3114,39 @@ mod tests {
         }
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn some_imps_always_claim() {
+        // lots of digging work: still at least 10% (min. one) of the imps claim the dug-out floor
+        let mut g = Game::new(11, 64, 64);
+        let (cx, cy) = g.map.core;
+        for _ in 0..8 {
+            let (x, y) = (g.ents[0].x, g.ents[0].y);
+            g.spawn(EK::Worker, false, x, y, 1);
+        }
+        g.mark_rect(cx - 12, cy - 12, cx + 12, cy + 12, true);
+        let (mut samples, mut ok) = (0, 0);
+        for step in 0..(150 * 20) {
+            g.update(0.05);
+            if step % 20 != 0 || step < 200 {
+                continue;
+            }
+            let digging = g.map.t.iter().any(|t| t.marked);
+            let claimable = (0..g.map.t.len()).any(|i| g.claimable(i, u32::MAX));
+            if digging && claimable {
+                let imps = g.worker_count();
+                let quota = ((imps as f32 * 0.1).ceil() as usize).max(1);
+                let claiming = g.ents.iter().filter(|e| e.alive && e.kind == EK::Worker && matches!(e.job, Job::Claim(_))).count();
+                samples += 1;
+                if claiming >= quota {
+                    ok += 1;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        println!("claim quota met in {}/{} samples", ok, samples);
+        assert!(samples > 10);
+        assert!(ok * 10 >= samples * 8);
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn imps_reinforce_walls() {
         let mut g = Game::new(3, 64, 64);