diff --git a/app/Models/Tenant/LaborCategory.php b/app/Models/Tenant/LaborCategory.php
index ddc9b6b..175d3f7 100644
--- a/app/Models/Tenant/LaborCategory.php
+++ b/app/Models/Tenant/LaborCategory.php
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ namespace App\Models\Tenant;
 use App\Models\Concerns\BelongsToTenant;
 use App\Models\Scopes\TenantScope;
 use Illuminate\Database\Eloquent\Model;
+use Illuminate\Support\Facades\DB;
 
 class LaborCategory extends Model
 {
@@ -16,26 +17,31 @@ class LaborCategory extends Model
     {
         parent::boot();
 
-        // When sort_order is changed to a value already occupied by another record,
-        // shift all records at that position and above up by 1 to make room.
         static::saving(function (self $cat) {
             $new = (int) $cat->sort_order;
             $old = (int) ($cat->getOriginal('sort_order') ?? PHP_INT_MAX);
-
             if ($new === $old) return;
 
-            $conflict = static::withoutGlobalScope(TenantScope::class)
+            // Make room: shift all records at >= new position up by 1.
+            static::withoutGlobalScope(TenantScope::class)
                 ->where('company_id', $cat->company_id)
-                ->where('sort_order', $new)
+                ->where('sort_order', '>=', $new)
                 ->where('id', '!=', $cat->id ?? 0)
-                ->exists();
+                ->increment('sort_order');
+        });
 
-            if ($conflict) {
-                static::withoutGlobalScope(TenantScope::class)
-                    ->where('company_id', $cat->company_id)
-                    ->where('sort_order', '>=', $new)
-                    ->where('id', '!=', $cat->id ?? 0)
-                    ->increment('sort_order', 10);
+        static::saved(function (self $cat) {
+            // Renormalize to 1, 2, 3, … to close any gaps left after the move.
+            $ids = static::withoutGlobalScope(TenantScope::class)
+                ->where('company_id', $cat->company_id)
+                ->orderBy('sort_order')
+                ->orderBy('id')
+                ->pluck('id');
+
+            foreach ($ids as $i => $id) {
+                DB::table('labor_categories')
+                    ->where('id', $id)
+                    ->update(['sort_order' => $i + 1]);
             }
         });
     }
diff --git a/database/migrations/2026_09_08_110000_normalize_labor_category_sort_order.php b/database/migrations/2026_09_08_110000_normalize_labor_category_sort_order.php
index 03b4b23..bab9511 100644
--- a/database/migrations/2026_09_08_110000_normalize_labor_category_sort_order.php
+++ b/database/migrations/2026_09_08_110000_normalize_labor_category_sort_order.php
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ return new class extends Migration
             foreach ($rows as $i => $id) {
                 DB::table('labor_categories')
                     ->where('id', $id)
-                    ->update(['sort_order' => ($i + 1) * 10]);
+                    ->update(['sort_order' => $i + 1]);
             }
         }
     }