diff --git a/docs/code-bridge/requests/REQ-2026-04-16-vanilla-versions-fix.md b/docs/code-bridge/archive/REQ-2026-04-16-vanilla-versions-fix.md
similarity index 100%
rename from docs/code-bridge/requests/REQ-2026-04-16-vanilla-versions-fix.md
rename to docs/code-bridge/archive/REQ-2026-04-16-vanilla-versions-fix.md
diff --git a/services/arbiter-3.0/src/views/admin/modpack-installer/_vanilla_form.ejs b/services/arbiter-3.0/src/views/admin/modpack-installer/_vanilla_form.ejs
index 2323492..c6aef84 100644
--- a/services/arbiter-3.0/src/views/admin/modpack-installer/_vanilla_form.ejs
+++ b/services/arbiter-3.0/src/views/admin/modpack-installer/_vanilla_form.ejs
@@ -189,61 +189,7 @@
   </form>
 </div>
 
-<script>
-  // Load MC versions dynamically (Paper-supported only)
-  fetch('/admin/modpack-installer/mc-versions?paper=1', { headers: { 'HX-Request': 'true' } })
-    .then(function(r) { return r.json(); })
-    .then(function(versions) {
-      var sel = document.getElementById('vf-mcversion');
-      sel.innerHTML = '';
-      versions.forEach(function(v, i) {
-        var opt = document.createElement('option');
-        opt.value = v.version;
-        opt.dataset.mc = v.version;
-        opt.dataset.java = v.java_version;
-        opt.textContent = v.version + (i === 0 ? ' (latest)' : '');
-        if (i === 0) opt.selected = true;
-        sel.appendChild(opt);
-      });
-      if (versions.length > 0) {
-        document.getElementById('vf-java').value = versions[0].java_version;
-      }
-    });
-
-  // Load node stats
-  fetch('/admin/modpack-installer/node-info', { headers: { 'HX-Request': 'true' } })
-    .then(function(r) { return r.json(); })
-    .then(function(d) {
-      window._vfNodes = d;
-      vfShowNode(document.getElementById('vf-node').value);
-    });
-  vfRefreshPort();
-
-  function vfShowNode(node) {
-    var el = document.getElementById('vf-node-usage');
-    var n = (window._vfNodes || {})[node];
-    if (!n) { el.textContent = ''; return; }
-    el.innerHTML = 'RAM: <strong>' + Math.round(n.ramUsedMb/1024) + 'GB / ' + Math.round(n.ramTotalMb/1024) + 'GB</strong> · Disk: <strong>' + Math.round(n.diskUsedMb/1024) + 'GB / ' + Math.round(n.diskTotalMb/1024) + 'GB</strong>';
-  }
-
-  function vfRefreshPort() {
-    var node = document.getElementById('vf-node').value;
-    vfShowNode(node);
-    fetch('/admin/modpack-installer/next-port?node=' + node, { headers: { 'HX-Request': 'true' } })
-      .then(function(r) { return r.json(); })
-      .then(function(d) { document.getElementById('vf-port').value = d.port; });
-  }
-
-  function vfUpdateJava(sel) {
-    var opt = sel.options[sel.selectedIndex];
-    if (opt && opt.dataset.java) {
-      document.getElementById('vf-java').value = opt.dataset.java;
-    } else {
-      // Fallback: derive from version string
-      var mc = (opt && opt.dataset.mc) || '';
-      var major = parseInt(mc.split('.')[0]) || 0;
-      var minor = parseInt(mc.split('.')[1]) || 0;
-      document.getElementById('vf-java').value = major >= 26 ? 21 : minor <= 16 ? 8 : minor <= 20 ? 17 : 21;
-    }
-  }
-</script>
+<!-- NOTE: No <script> block here. Browsers don't execute scripts injected via innerHTML.
+     All init logic (version loading, node stats, port assignment, helper functions)
+     lives in index.ejs loadVanillaForm() where it runs in a proper script context.
+     See REQ-2026-04-16-vanilla-versions-fix. -->
diff --git a/services/arbiter-3.0/src/views/admin/modpack-installer/index.ejs b/services/arbiter-3.0/src/views/admin/modpack-installer/index.ejs
index febb9f4..69bf7d3 100644
--- a/services/arbiter-3.0/src/views/admin/modpack-installer/index.ejs
+++ b/services/arbiter-3.0/src/views/admin/modpack-installer/index.ejs
@@ -118,6 +118,76 @@
     document.getElementById('pack-details').innerHTML = '<div class="text-gray-500 text-sm p-4">Loading...</div>';
     fetch('/admin/modpack-installer/vanilla-form', { headers: { 'HX-Request': 'true' } })
       .then(function(r) { return r.text(); })
-      .then(function(html) { document.getElementById('pack-details').innerHTML = html; });
+      .then(function(html) {
+        document.getElementById('pack-details').innerHTML = html;
+
+        // Scripts injected via innerHTML don't execute — run init here instead
+        // 1. Load MC versions (Paper-supported only)
+        fetch('/admin/modpack-installer/mc-versions?paper=1', { headers: { 'HX-Request': 'true' } })
+          .then(function(r) { return r.json(); })
+          .then(function(versions) {
+            var sel = document.getElementById('vf-mcversion');
+            if (!sel) return;
+            sel.innerHTML = '';
+            versions.forEach(function(v, i) {
+              var opt = document.createElement('option');
+              opt.value = v.version;
+              opt.dataset.mc = v.version;
+              opt.dataset.java = v.java_version;
+              opt.textContent = v.version + (i === 0 ? ' (latest)' : '');
+              if (i === 0) opt.selected = true;
+              sel.appendChild(opt);
+            });
+            if (versions.length > 0) {
+              var javaEl = document.getElementById('vf-java');
+              if (javaEl) javaEl.value = versions[0].java_version;
+            }
+          });
+
+        // 2. Load node stats
+        fetch('/admin/modpack-installer/node-info', { headers: { 'HX-Request': 'true' } })
+          .then(function(r) { return r.json(); })
+          .then(function(d) {
+            window._vfNodes = d;
+            vfShowNode(document.getElementById('vf-node') ? document.getElementById('vf-node').value : 'NC1');
+          });
+
+        // 3. Load initial port
+        vfRefreshPort();
+      });
+  }
+
+  // Vanilla form helpers (must be in index.ejs scope since _vanilla_form.ejs scripts won't run)
+  function vfShowNode(node) {
+    var el = document.getElementById('vf-node-usage');
+    if (!el) return;
+    var n = (window._vfNodes || {})[node];
+    if (!n) { el.textContent = ''; return; }
+    el.innerHTML = 'RAM: <strong>' + Math.round(n.ramUsedMb/1024) + 'GB / ' + Math.round(n.ramTotalMb/1024) + 'GB</strong> · Disk: <strong>' + Math.round(n.diskUsedMb/1024) + 'GB / ' + Math.round(n.diskTotalMb/1024) + 'GB</strong>';
+  }
+
+  function vfRefreshPort() {
+    var nodeEl = document.getElementById('vf-node');
+    if (!nodeEl) return;
+    var node = nodeEl.value;
+    vfShowNode(node);
+    fetch('/admin/modpack-installer/next-port?node=' + node, { headers: { 'HX-Request': 'true' } })
+      .then(function(r) { return r.json(); })
+      .then(function(d) {
+        var portEl = document.getElementById('vf-port');
+        if (portEl) portEl.value = d.port;
+      });
+  }
+
+  function vfUpdateJava(sel) {
+    var opt = sel.options[sel.selectedIndex];
+    if (opt && opt.dataset.java) {
+      document.getElementById('vf-java').value = opt.dataset.java;
+    } else {
+      var mc = (opt && opt.dataset.mc) || '';
+      var major = parseInt(mc.split('.')[0]) || 0;
+      var minor = parseInt(mc.split('.')[1]) || 0;
+      document.getElementById('vf-java').value = major >= 26 ? 21 : minor <= 16 ? 8 : minor <= 20 ? 17 : 21;
+    }
   }
 </script>