diff --git a/crates/perry-codegen/src/codegen/helpers.rs b/crates/perry-codegen/src/codegen/helpers.rs
index bad890eaf..2b8d43066 100644
--- a/crates/perry-codegen/src/codegen/helpers.rs
+++ b/crates/perry-codegen/src/codegen/helpers.rs
@@ -568,7 +568,7 @@ pub(super) fn init_static_fields_late(
     // class whose static_methods include a block not yet hooked via
     // init (e.g. class expressions that bypass the stmt-decl path);
     // calling it here keeps the legacy behavior of "always run, just
-    // late" for those.
+    // late" for those. (#2278)
     for c in &hir.classes {
         for sm in &c.static_methods {
             if !sm.name.starts_with("__perry_static_init_") {
@@ -599,7 +599,9 @@ pub(super) fn init_static_fields_late(
 /// Returns true if `stmt` is a top-level `Expr(StaticMethodCall)`
 /// invoking the (`class_name`, `method_name`) pair — the shape HIR
 /// lowering emits at the class-decl position for each
-/// `__perry_static_init_*` synthetic method.
+/// `__perry_static_init_*` synthetic method. Used by
+/// `init_static_fields_late` to skip per-(class, block) pairs that
+/// have already been invoked inline. (#2278)
 fn init_calls_static_block(stmt: &perry_hir::Stmt, class_name: &str, method_name: &str) -> bool {
     if let perry_hir::Stmt::Expr(perry_hir::Expr::StaticMethodCall {
         class_name: c,
diff --git a/crates/perry-hir/src/lower/stmt.rs b/crates/perry-hir/src/lower/stmt.rs
index 9357d9781..298c7e5b3 100644
--- a/crates/perry-hir/src/lower/stmt.rs
+++ b/crates/perry-hir/src/lower/stmt.rs
@@ -874,7 +874,7 @@ pub(crate) fn lower_stmt(
                     // is kept for class expressions that bypass this
                     // declaration path; it skips blocks already invoked
                     // via this inline call. Closes the `test_gap_class_advanced`
-                    // "static block initialized" diff.
+                    // "static block initialized" diff (#2278).
                     for sm in &class.static_methods {
                         if sm.name.starts_with("__perry_static_init_") {
                             module.init.push(Stmt::Expr(Expr::StaticMethodCall {
diff --git a/test-parity/node-suite/object/class-static-block.ts b/test-parity/node-suite/object/class-static-block.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ae594740d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test-parity/node-suite/object/class-static-block.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,59 @@
+// Issue #2278 — `static { ... }` blocks on a class declaration must
+// run at the class declaration's source position (per ES spec), not
+// at the end of module init. Pre-fix every read after the class
+// declaration saw the field's zero default because Perry deferred the
+// static-block call to `init_static_fields_late` (after every
+// module-level stmt). Surfaced by bisecting `test_gap_class_advanced.ts`
+// for #1635 — the single residual failure.
+
+// Basic case from the issue: declared-typed boolean field, assigned in
+// a static block, read in the next module-level stmt.
+class WithStaticBlock {
+  static initialized: boolean;
+  static {
+    WithStaticBlock.initialized = true;
+  }
+}
+console.log("initialized:", WithStaticBlock.initialized);
+
+// Static block sees the field's declared initializer and overrides it.
+class WithFieldAndBlock {
+  static value: number = 1;
+  static {
+    WithFieldAndBlock.value = 42;
+  }
+}
+console.log("value:", WithFieldAndBlock.value);
+
+// Multiple assignments inside a single block.
+class MultiAssign {
+  static a: number;
+  static b: string;
+  static {
+    MultiAssign.a = 7;
+    MultiAssign.b = "ok";
+  }
+}
+console.log("a:", MultiAssign.a, "b:", MultiAssign.b);
+
+// Two static blocks on the same class run in declaration order.
+class TwoBlocks {
+  static counter: number;
+  static {
+    TwoBlocks.counter = 0;
+  }
+  static {
+    TwoBlocks.counter = TwoBlocks.counter + 10;
+  }
+}
+console.log("counter:", TwoBlocks.counter);
+
+// The class is visible by name inside its own static block (this is
+// the `WithStaticBlock.initialized = true` shape from the issue).
+class SelfRef {
+  static label: string;
+  static {
+    SelfRef.label = "self-ref ok";
+  }
+}
+console.log("label:", SelfRef.label);