diff --git a/lib/solvers/ChipPartitionsSolver/ChipPartitionsSolver.ts b/lib/solvers/ChipPartitionsSolver/ChipPartitionsSolver.ts
index 8335b60..93a16a2 100644
--- a/lib/solvers/ChipPartitionsSolver/ChipPartitionsSolver.ts
+++ b/lib/solvers/ChipPartitionsSolver/ChipPartitionsSolver.ts
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ export class ChipPartitionsSolver extends BaseSolver {
     const decapChipIdSet = new Set<ChipId>()
     const decapGroupPartitions: ChipId[][] = []
 
+    // Use IdentifyDecouplingCapsSolver groups if available
     if (this.decouplingCapGroups && this.decouplingCapGroups.length > 0) {
       for (const group of this.decouplingCapGroups) {
         const capsOnly: ChipId[] = []
@@ -70,6 +71,20 @@ export class ChipPartitionsSolver extends BaseSolver {
       }
     }
 
+    // Fallback: detect decoupling-cap-like chips not identified by the solver
+    const fallbackGroups = this.findDecouplingCapFallbackGroups(
+      inputProblem,
+      decapChipIdSet,
+    )
+    for (const capsOnly of fallbackGroups) {
+      if (capsOnly.length >= 2) {
+        decapGroupPartitions.push(capsOnly)
+        for (const capId of capsOnly) {
+          decapChipIdSet.add(capId)
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
     // 2) Build adjacency graph for NON-decap chips based on strong pin connections
     const nonDecapChipIds = chipIds.filter((id) => !decapChipIdSet.has(id))
     const adjacencyMap = new Map<ChipId, Set<ChipId>>()
@@ -180,6 +195,68 @@ export class ChipPartitionsSolver extends BaseSolver {
     return partition
   }
 
+  /**
+   * Fallback detection for decoupling-cap-like chips when IdentifyDecouplingCapsSolver
+   * doesn't identify them (e.g. when availableRotations metadata is not set).
+   *
+   * Criteria: 2 pins, pins on y+/y- sides, strong connection to a chip with >2 pins
+   */
+  private findDecouplingCapFallbackGroups(
+    inputProblem: InputProblem,
+    alreadyMarked: Set<ChipId>,
+  ): ChipId[][] {
+    const chipIds = Object.keys(inputProblem.chipMap).filter(
+      (id) => !alreadyMarked.has(id),
+    )
+
+    // Find cap candidates: 2 pins, y+/y- sides, connected to a complex chip
+    const capToMainChip = new Map<ChipId, ChipId>()
+    for (const chipId of chipIds) {
+      const chip = inputProblem.chipMap[chipId]
+      if (!chip || chip.pins.length !== 2) continue
+
+      // Check for y+/y- pin sides
+      const sides = chip.pins
+        .map((p) => inputProblem.chipPinMap[p]?.side)
+        .filter(Boolean)
+      if (!sides.includes("y+") || !sides.includes("y-")) continue
+
+      // Find strong connections to complex chips (>2 pins)
+      for (const pinId of chip.pins) {
+        for (const [connKey, connected] of Object.entries(
+          inputProblem.pinStrongConnMap,
+        )) {
+          if (!connected) continue
+          const [a, b] = connKey.split("-")
+          const otherPinId = a === pinId ? b : b === pinId ? a : null
+          if (!otherPinId) continue
+
+          const otherOwner = this.findPinOwner(otherPinId, inputProblem)
+          if (
+            otherOwner &&
+            otherOwner !== chipId &&
+            !alreadyMarked.has(otherOwner)
+          ) {
+            const otherChip = inputProblem.chipMap[otherOwner]
+            if (otherChip && otherChip.pins.length > 2) {
+              capToMainChip.set(chipId, otherOwner)
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Group caps by their main chip
+    const groups = new Map<ChipId, ChipId[]>()
+    for (const [capId, mainChipId] of capToMainChip) {
+      const group = groups.get(mainChipId) || []
+      group.push(capId)
+      groups.set(mainChipId, group)
+    }
+
+    return Array.from(groups.values())
+  }
+
   /**
    * Creates a new InputProblem containing only the components in the given partition
    */
diff --git a/lib/solvers/PackInnerPartitionsSolver/SingleInnerPartitionPackingSolver.ts b/lib/solvers/PackInnerPartitionsSolver/SingleInnerPartitionPackingSolver.ts
index 88db103..f6325f9 100644
--- a/lib/solvers/PackInnerPartitionsSolver/SingleInnerPartitionPackingSolver.ts
+++ b/lib/solvers/PackInnerPartitionsSolver/SingleInnerPartitionPackingSolver.ts
@@ -38,6 +38,13 @@ export class SingleInnerPartitionPackingSolver extends BaseSolver {
   }
 
   override _step() {
+    // Specialized layout for decoupling capacitors: clean horizontal row
+    if (this.partitionInputProblem.partitionType === "decoupling_caps") {
+      this.layout = this.createDecouplingCapsLayout()
+      this.solved = true
+      return
+    }
+
     // Initialize PackSolver2 if not already created
     if (!this.activeSubSolver) {
       const packInput = this.createPackInput()
@@ -64,6 +71,38 @@ export class SingleInnerPartitionPackingSolver extends BaseSolver {
     }
   }
 
+  private createDecouplingCapsLayout(): OutputLayout {
+    const chipPlacements: Record<string, Placement> = {}
+    const chips = Object.entries(this.partitionInputProblem.chipMap)
+    const gap =
+      this.partitionInputProblem.decouplingCapsGap ??
+      this.partitionInputProblem.chipGap ??
+      0.1
+
+    // Sort by chipId for deterministic ordering
+    chips.sort(([a], [b]) => a.localeCompare(b))
+
+    // Calculate total width for centering
+    let totalWidth = 0
+    for (const [, chip] of chips) {
+      totalWidth += chip.size.x
+    }
+    totalWidth += (chips.length - 1) * gap
+    const startX = -totalWidth / 2
+
+    let currentX = startX
+    for (const [chipId, chip] of chips) {
+      chipPlacements[chipId] = {
+        x: currentX + chip.size.x / 2,
+        y: 0,
+        ccwRotationDegrees: 0,
+      }
+      currentX += chip.size.x + gap
+    }
+
+    return { chipPlacements, groupPlacements: {} }
+  }
+
   private createPackInput(): PackInput {
     // Fall back to filtered mapping (weak + strong)
     const pinToNetworkMap = createFilteredNetworkMapping({
diff --git a/lib/solvers/PartitionPackingSolver/PartitionPackingSolver.ts b/lib/solvers/PartitionPackingSolver/PartitionPackingSolver.ts
index 149d617..8c9fdc7 100644
--- a/lib/solvers/PartitionPackingSolver/PartitionPackingSolver.ts
+++ b/lib/solvers/PartitionPackingSolver/PartitionPackingSolver.ts
@@ -296,7 +296,7 @@ export class PartitionPackingSolver extends BaseSolver {
       components: packComponents,
       minGap: this.inputProblem.partitionGap, // Use partitionGap from input problem
       packOrderStrategy: "largest_to_smallest",
-      packPlacementStrategy: "minimum_sum_squared_distance_to_network",
+      packPlacementStrategy: "shortest_connection_along_outline",
     }
   }