diff --git a/assets/images/level1-background.png b/assets/images/level1-background.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..10c5219
Binary files /dev/null and b/assets/images/level1-background.png differ
diff --git a/src/scenes/BootScene.js b/src/scenes/BootScene.js
index 0f36caa..9c008f5 100644
--- a/src/scenes/BootScene.js
+++ b/src/scenes/BootScene.js
@@ -11,6 +11,9 @@ export default class BootScene extends Phaser.Scene {
         // Key must match the name Phaser derives from the TSX source: 'platforms'
         this.load.image('platforms', '../../assets/sprites/platforms.png');
 
+        // Level 1 background image
+        this.load.image('level1-bg', '../../assets/images/level1-background.png');
+
         // Player spritesheet (128x256 per frame)
         this.load.spritesheet('player', '../../assets/sprites/player.png', {
             frameWidth: 128,
diff --git a/src/scenes/Level1Scene.js b/src/scenes/Level1Scene.js
index a62dce1..6edd0c0 100644
--- a/src/scenes/Level1Scene.js
+++ b/src/scenes/Level1Scene.js
@@ -67,6 +67,11 @@ export default class Level1Scene extends Phaser.Scene {
             }
         }
 
+        // -------------------------
+        // Background image
+        // -------------------------
+        this.add.image(0, 0, 'level1-bg').setOrigin(0, 0).setDisplaySize(30 * 128, 20 * 128).setScrollFactor(0.3);
+
         const map = this.make.tilemap({ key: 'level1' });
 
         // 'platforms' = name Phaser derives from the external tileset source 'platforms.tsx'
@@ -183,13 +188,15 @@ export default class Level1Scene extends Phaser.Scene {
     }
 
     update(time, delta) {
-        // Store velocity BEFORE player.update() so we know if player was falling
-        this._prevVelocityY = this._player.body.velocity.y;
-
         this._player.update(time, delta);
         this._checkButtonPress();
 
         this._livesText.setText('Lives: ' + this._player.lives);
+
+        // Store velocity at END of frame so next frame's _checkButtonPress sees the
+        // pre-landing velocity. Physics zeroes velocity.y before update() is called,
+        // so capturing it here (post-physics, post-input) gives the correct falling speed.
+        this._prevVelocityY = this._player.body.velocity.y;
     }
 
     /**