diff --git a/Assets/Scripts/Game/Shark.cs b/Assets/Scripts/Game/Shark.cs
index c7ed521..97fa306 100644
--- a/Assets/Scripts/Game/Shark.cs
+++ b/Assets/Scripts/Game/Shark.cs
@@ -153,40 +153,50 @@ public class Shark : MonoBehaviour
             animator.SetBool("canMove", true);
         }
 
-        // Do stuff only if the spawn animation has finished.
-        if (spawnFinished)
+        if (killed)
         {
-            if (killed && !isDead)
+            if (!isDead)
             {
                 isDead = true;
-                animator.SetTrigger("killed");
+
+                if (animator != null)
+                {
+                    // Keep death state stable even if Any State transitions exist for movement.
+                    animator.SetBool("canMove", false);
+                    animator.Play("SharkDeath", 0, 0.0f);
+                }
+
                 audioSource.PlayOneShot(deathSound);
                 player.score += sharkKillPoints;
                 StartCoroutine(DestroyShark());
-            } 
-            else
+            }
+
+            return;
+        }
+
+        // Do stuff only if the spawn animation has finished.
+        if (spawnFinished)
+        {
+            UpdateMovement();
+            animator.SetInteger("angle", angle);
+
+            if (!isAngry && !isTired && Random.value < angryProbability)
             {
-                UpdateMovement();
-                animator.SetInteger("angle", angle);
+                isAngry = true;
+                angryTimer = angryDuration;
+                audioSource.PlayOneShot(angrySound);
+            }
 
-                if (!isAngry && !isTired && Random.value < angryProbability)
-                {
-                    isAngry = true;
-                    angryTimer = angryDuration;
-                    audioSource.PlayOneShot(angrySound);
-                }
+            if (isAngry && !isTired && angryTimer <= 0f)
+            {
+                isAngry = false;
+                isTired = true;
+                audioSource.PlayOneShot(tiredSound);
+            }
 
-                if (isAngry && !isTired && angryTimer <= 0f)
-                {
-                    isAngry = false;
-                    isTired = true;
-                    audioSource.PlayOneShot(tiredSound);
-                }
-
-                if (isAngry)
-                {
-                    angryTimer -= Time.fixedDeltaTime;
-                }
+            if (isAngry)
+            {
+                angryTimer -= Time.fixedDeltaTime;
             }
         }
     }
@@ -281,11 +291,22 @@ public class Shark : MonoBehaviour
 
     private IEnumerator DestroyShark()
     {
-        // Wait two loops of the death animation before destroying the shark object.
-        yield return new WaitUntil(
-            () => animator.GetCurrentAnimatorStateInfo(0).IsName("SharkDeath") && 
-                  animator.GetCurrentAnimatorStateInfo(0).normalizedTime >= 2.0f
-        );
+        // Wait until the death state has looped twice, with a timeout fallback so this cannot hang forever.
+        float elapsed = 0.0f;
+        const float maxWaitSeconds = 5.0f;
+
+        while (elapsed < maxWaitSeconds)
+        {
+            AnimatorStateInfo stateInfo = animator.GetCurrentAnimatorStateInfo(0);
+            if (stateInfo.IsName("SharkDeath") && stateInfo.normalizedTime >= 2.0f)
+            {
+                break;
+            }
+
+            elapsed += Time.deltaTime;
+            yield return null;
+        }
+
         Destroy(gameObject);
     }
 
@@ -326,6 +347,19 @@ public class Shark : MonoBehaviour
 
     public void KillShark()
     {
+        if (killed)
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
         killed = true;
+
+        if (animator != null)
+        {
+            // Stop movement-related Any State transitions, then force the death animation.
+            animator.SetBool("canMove", false);
+            animator.ResetTrigger("killed");
+            animator.Play("SharkDeath", 0, 0.0f);
+        }
     }
 }