diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 9b625e3a..fb61c501 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,12 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/),
 and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html).
 
+## [2001.4.5]
+
+### Fixed
+* _Actually_ fixed the issue that should have been fixed in 2001.4.4
+  * The previous fix worked for 50% of possible stack sizes, and the wrong 50% was used in testing...
+
 ## [2001.4.4]
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/common/src/main/java/dev/ftb/mods/ftbquests/client/gui/quests/QuestPanel.java b/common/src/main/java/dev/ftb/mods/ftbquests/client/gui/quests/QuestPanel.java
index ee32d2f3..66093ab1 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/dev/ftb/mods/ftbquests/client/gui/quests/QuestPanel.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/dev/ftb/mods/ftbquests/client/gui/quests/QuestPanel.java
@@ -195,6 +195,10 @@ public void drawOffsetBackground(GuiGraphics graphics, Theme theme, int x, int y
 				Color4I c = complete ?
 						ThemeProperties.DEPENDENCY_LINE_COMPLETED_COLOR.get(questScreen.selectedChapter) :
 						ThemeProperties.DEPENDENCY_LINE_UNCOMPLETED_COLOR.get(questScreen.selectedChapter);
+				if (unavailable || qb.quest.getProgressionMode() == ProgressionMode.FLEXIBLE && !questScreen.file.selfTeamData.areDependenciesComplete(qb.quest)) {
+					// dim connection lines for unavailable quests
+					c = c.withAlpha(Math.max(30, c.alphai() / 2));
+				}
 
 				for (QuestButton button : qb.getDependencies()) {
 					if (button.shouldDraw() && button.quest != selectedQuest && qb.quest != selectedQuest && !button.quest.shouldHideDependentLines()) {
diff --git a/common/src/main/java/dev/ftb/mods/ftbquests/item/MissingItem.java b/common/src/main/java/dev/ftb/mods/ftbquests/item/MissingItem.java
index 67bac175..73c23a7e 100644
--- a/common/src/main/java/dev/ftb/mods/ftbquests/item/MissingItem.java
+++ b/common/src/main/java/dev/ftb/mods/ftbquests/item/MissingItem.java
@@ -42,7 +42,12 @@ public static ItemStack readItem(CompoundTag tag) {
 			return stack;
 		}
 
-		return ItemStack.of(tag);
+		// Kludge: vanilla serializes the stack size as a byte, which breaks for a stack >127 items,
+		//   leading to the stack turning into an empty (air) stack
+		//   (note: using ItemStack#copyWithCount will *not* work here)
+		ItemStack stack = ItemStack.of(tag);
+		stack.setCount(tag.getInt("Count"));
+		return stack;
 	}
 
 	public static CompoundTag writeItem(ItemStack stack) {
@@ -53,9 +58,7 @@ public static CompoundTag writeItem(ItemStack stack) {
 		SNBTCompoundTag tag = new SNBTCompoundTag();
 		stack.save(tag);
 
-		// kludge: vanilla saves the stack size as a byte, which means negative sizes for big stacks,
-		//   leading to the stack turning into an empty (air) stack
-		// https://github.com/FTBTeam/FTB-Mods-Issues/issues/1182
+		// kludge: see above!
 		tag.putInt("Count", stack.getCount());
 
 		if (tag.size() == 2) {
diff --git a/gradle.properties b/gradle.properties
index 94fae70c..ab0605d0 100644
--- a/gradle.properties
+++ b/gradle.properties
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@ mod_id=ftbquests
 archives_base_name=ftb-quests
 minecraft_version=1.20.1
 # Build time
-mod_version=2001.4.4
+mod_version=2001.4.5
 maven_group=dev.ftb.mods
 mod_author=FTB Team
 # Curse release