diff --git a/OpenNest.Core/PlateManager.cs b/OpenNest.Core/PlateManager.cs
index f7618dc..47617e0 100644
--- a/OpenNest.Core/PlateManager.cs
+++ b/OpenNest.Core/PlateManager.cs
@@ -19,6 +19,10 @@ namespace OpenNest
     {
         private readonly Nest nest;
         private bool disposed;
+        private bool suppressNavigation;
+        private bool batching;
+        private Plate subscribedLast;
+        private Plate subscribedSecondToLast;
 
         public event EventHandler<PlateChangedEventArgs> CurrentPlateChanged;
         public event EventHandler PlateListChanged;
@@ -40,6 +44,8 @@ namespace OpenNest
 
         public bool IsLast => CurrentIndex + 1 >= Count;
 
+        public bool CanRemoveCurrent => Count > 1 && CurrentPlate != null && CurrentPlate.Parts.Count > 0;
+
         public void LoadFirst()
         {
             if (Count == 0)
@@ -87,6 +93,109 @@ namespace OpenNest
             FireCurrentPlateChanged();
         }
 
+        public void EnsureSentinel()
+        {
+            suppressNavigation = true;
+            try
+            {
+                if (Count == 0 || nest.Plates[^1].Parts.Count > 0)
+                    nest.CreatePlate();
+
+                while (Count > 1
+                    && nest.Plates[^1].Parts.Count == 0
+                    && nest.Plates[^2].Parts.Count == 0)
+                {
+                    nest.Plates.RemoveAt(Count - 1);
+                }
+            }
+            finally
+            {
+                suppressNavigation = false;
+            }
+
+            SubscribeToTailPlates();
+        }
+
+        public void BeginBatch()
+        {
+            batching = true;
+        }
+
+        public void EndBatch()
+        {
+            batching = false;
+            EnsureSentinel();
+            PlateListChanged?.Invoke(this, EventArgs.Empty);
+            FireCurrentPlateChanged();
+        }
+
+        public Plate GetOrCreateEmpty()
+        {
+            for (var i = Count - 1; i >= 0; i--)
+            {
+                if (nest.Plates[i].Parts.Count == 0)
+                    return nest.Plates[i];
+            }
+
+            return nest.CreatePlate();
+        }
+
+        public void RemoveCurrent()
+        {
+            if (Count < 2)
+                return;
+
+            nest.Plates.RemoveAt(CurrentIndex);
+        }
+
+        private void SubscribeToTailPlates()
+        {
+            UnsubscribeFromTailPlates();
+
+            if (Count > 0)
+            {
+                subscribedLast = nest.Plates[^1];
+                subscribedLast.PartAdded += OnTailPartAdded;
+                subscribedLast.PartRemoved += OnTailPartRemoved;
+            }
+
+            if (Count > 1)
+            {
+                subscribedSecondToLast = nest.Plates[^2];
+                subscribedSecondToLast.PartAdded += OnTailPartAdded;
+                subscribedSecondToLast.PartRemoved += OnTailPartRemoved;
+            }
+        }
+
+        private void UnsubscribeFromTailPlates()
+        {
+            if (subscribedLast != null)
+            {
+                subscribedLast.PartAdded -= OnTailPartAdded;
+                subscribedLast.PartRemoved -= OnTailPartRemoved;
+                subscribedLast = null;
+            }
+
+            if (subscribedSecondToLast != null)
+            {
+                subscribedSecondToLast.PartAdded -= OnTailPartAdded;
+                subscribedSecondToLast.PartRemoved -= OnTailPartRemoved;
+                subscribedSecondToLast = null;
+            }
+        }
+
+        private void OnTailPartAdded(object sender, ItemAddedEventArgs<Part> e)
+        {
+            if (!batching)
+                EnsureSentinel();
+        }
+
+        private void OnTailPartRemoved(object sender, ItemRemovedEventArgs<Part> e)
+        {
+            if (!batching)
+                EnsureSentinel();
+        }
+
         private void OnPlateAdded(object sender, ItemAddedEventArgs<Plate> e)
         {
             PlateListChanged?.Invoke(this, EventArgs.Empty);
@@ -98,6 +207,9 @@ namespace OpenNest
                 CurrentIndex = Count - 1;
 
             PlateListChanged?.Invoke(this, EventArgs.Empty);
+
+            if (!suppressNavigation)
+                FireCurrentPlateChanged();
         }
 
         private void FireCurrentPlateChanged()
@@ -111,6 +223,7 @@ namespace OpenNest
                 return;
 
             disposed = true;
+            UnsubscribeFromTailPlates();
             nest.Plates.ItemAdded -= OnPlateAdded;
             nest.Plates.ItemRemoved -= OnPlateRemoved;
         }
diff --git a/OpenNest.Tests/PlateManagerTests.cs b/OpenNest.Tests/PlateManagerTests.cs
index 787a675..4e7a494 100644
--- a/OpenNest.Tests/PlateManagerTests.cs
+++ b/OpenNest.Tests/PlateManagerTests.cs
@@ -205,4 +205,191 @@ public class PlateManagerTests
         nest.CreatePlate();
         Assert.False(eventFired);
     }
+
+    // Task 3: Sentinel plate invariant
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void EnsureSentinel_EmptyNest_CreatesOnePlate()
+    {
+        var nest = CreateNest();
+        using var mgr = new PlateManager(nest);
+        mgr.EnsureSentinel();
+        Assert.Equal(1, nest.Plates.Count);
+        Assert.Equal(0, nest.Plates[0].Parts.Count);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void EnsureSentinel_LastPlateHasParts_CreatesNewEmpty()
+    {
+        var nest = CreateNest();
+        var plate = nest.CreatePlate();
+        plate.Parts.Add(MakePart());
+        using var mgr = new PlateManager(nest);
+        mgr.EnsureSentinel();
+        Assert.Equal(2, nest.Plates.Count);
+        Assert.Equal(0, nest.Plates[^1].Parts.Count);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void EnsureSentinel_TwoTrailingEmpties_TrimsToOne()
+    {
+        var nest = CreateNest();
+        nest.CreatePlate();
+        nest.CreatePlate();
+        using var mgr = new PlateManager(nest);
+        mgr.EnsureSentinel();
+        Assert.Equal(1, nest.Plates.Count);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void EnsureSentinel_PreservesCurrentIndex()
+    {
+        var nest = CreateNest();
+        var plate = nest.CreatePlate();
+        plate.Parts.Add(MakePart());
+        using var mgr = new PlateManager(nest);
+        mgr.EnsureSentinel();
+        Assert.Equal(0, mgr.CurrentIndex);
+        Assert.Same(plate, mgr.CurrentPlate);
+    }
+
+    // Task 4: Reactive tail-plate subscriptions
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void PartAddedToLastPlate_CreatesSentinel()
+    {
+        var nest = CreateNest();
+        nest.CreatePlate();
+        using var mgr = new PlateManager(nest);
+        mgr.EnsureSentinel();
+        var initialCount = nest.Plates.Count;
+        nest.Plates[^1].Parts.Add(MakePart());
+        Assert.Equal(initialCount + 1, nest.Plates.Count);
+        Assert.Equal(0, nest.Plates[^1].Parts.Count);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void PartRemovedFromSecondToLast_TrimsExtraEmpty()
+    {
+        var nest = CreateNest();
+        var plate = nest.CreatePlate();
+        plate.Parts.Add(MakePart());
+        using var mgr = new PlateManager(nest);
+        mgr.EnsureSentinel();
+        Assert.Equal(2, nest.Plates.Count);
+        nest.Plates[0].Parts.RemoveAt(0);
+        Assert.Equal(1, nest.Plates.Count);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void ReactiveSubscription_ResubscribesAfterPlateListChange()
+    {
+        var nest = CreateNest();
+        var plate1 = nest.CreatePlate();
+        plate1.Parts.Add(MakePart());
+        using var mgr = new PlateManager(nest);
+        mgr.EnsureSentinel();
+        nest.Plates[^1].Parts.Add(MakePart());
+        Assert.Equal(3, nest.Plates.Count);
+        nest.Plates[^1].Parts.Add(MakePart());
+        Assert.Equal(4, nest.Plates.Count);
+        Assert.Equal(0, nest.Plates[^1].Parts.Count);
+    }
+
+    // Task 5: Batch mode and plate operations
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void BeginBatch_DefersSentinelEnforcement()
+    {
+        var nest = CreateNest();
+        var plate = nest.CreatePlate();
+        plate.Parts.Add(MakePart());
+        using var mgr = new PlateManager(nest);
+        mgr.EnsureSentinel();
+
+        mgr.BeginBatch();
+        nest.Plates[^1].Parts.Add(MakePart());
+        Assert.Equal(2, nest.Plates.Count);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void EndBatch_EnforcesSentinelAndFiresEvents()
+    {
+        var nest = CreateNest();
+        var plate = nest.CreatePlate();
+        plate.Parts.Add(MakePart());
+        using var mgr = new PlateManager(nest);
+        mgr.EnsureSentinel();
+
+        mgr.BeginBatch();
+        nest.Plates[^1].Parts.Add(MakePart());
+
+        var listChangedCount = 0;
+        mgr.PlateListChanged += (s, e) => listChangedCount++;
+
+        mgr.EndBatch();
+
+        Assert.Equal(3, nest.Plates.Count);
+        Assert.Equal(0, nest.Plates[^1].Parts.Count);
+        Assert.True(listChangedCount > 0);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void GetOrCreateEmpty_ReturnsSentinelWhenEmpty()
+    {
+        var nest = CreateNest();
+        var plate1 = nest.CreatePlate();
+        plate1.Parts.Add(MakePart());
+        using var mgr = new PlateManager(nest);
+        mgr.EnsureSentinel();
+
+        var result = mgr.GetOrCreateEmpty();
+        Assert.Same(nest.Plates[^1], result);
+        Assert.Equal(0, result.Parts.Count);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void GetOrCreateEmpty_NoEmptyPlate_CreatesNew()
+    {
+        var nest = CreateNest();
+        var plate1 = nest.CreatePlate();
+        plate1.Parts.Add(MakePart());
+        using var mgr = new PlateManager(nest);
+
+        var result = mgr.GetOrCreateEmpty();
+        Assert.Equal(0, result.Parts.Count);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void RemoveCurrent_RemovesPlateAndClampsIndex()
+    {
+        var nest = CreateNest();
+        var plate1 = nest.CreatePlate();
+        plate1.Parts.Add(MakePart());
+        var plate2 = nest.CreatePlate();
+        plate2.Parts.Add(MakePart());
+        using var mgr = new PlateManager(nest);
+        mgr.LoadLast();
+
+        mgr.RemoveCurrent();
+
+        Assert.Equal(1, nest.Plates.Count);
+        Assert.Equal(0, mgr.CurrentIndex);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void CanRemoveCurrent_OnlyIfMultiplePlatesAndHasParts()
+    {
+        var nest = CreateNest();
+        var plate1 = nest.CreatePlate();
+        using var mgr = new PlateManager(nest);
+
+        Assert.False(mgr.CanRemoveCurrent);
+
+        plate1.Parts.Add(MakePart());
+        Assert.False(mgr.CanRemoveCurrent);
+
+        nest.CreatePlate();
+        Assert.True(mgr.CanRemoveCurrent);
+    }
 }