diff --git a/worlds/witness/__init__.py b/worlds/witness/__init__.py
index ac9197bd..471d030d 100644
--- a/worlds/witness/__init__.py
+++ b/worlds/witness/__init__.py
@@ -84,7 +84,8 @@ class WitnessWorld(World):
             "victory_location": int(self.player_logic.VICTORY_LOCATION, 16),
             "panelhex_to_id": self.player_locations.CHECK_PANELHEX_TO_ID,
             "item_id_to_door_hexes": static_witness_items.get_item_to_door_mappings(),
-            "door_hexes_in_the_pool": self.player_items.get_door_ids_in_pool(),
+            "door_items_in_the_pool": self.player_items.get_door_item_ids_in_pool(),
+            "doors_that_shouldnt_be_locked": [int(h, 16) for h in self.player_logic.FORBIDDEN_DOORS],
             "symbols_not_in_the_game": self.player_items.get_symbol_ids_not_in_pool(),
             "disabled_entities": [int(h, 16) for h in self.player_logic.COMPLETELY_DISABLED_ENTITIES],
             "hunt_entities": [int(h, 16) for h in self.player_logic.HUNT_ENTITIES],
@@ -150,7 +151,8 @@ class WitnessWorld(World):
         )
         self.player_regions: WitnessPlayerRegions = WitnessPlayerRegions(self.player_locations, self)
 
-        self.log_ids_to_hints = {}
+        self.log_ids_to_hints: Dict[int, CompactHintData] = {}
+        self.laser_ids_to_hints: Dict[int, CompactHintData] = {}
 
         self.determine_sufficient_progression()
 
@@ -325,9 +327,6 @@ class WitnessWorld(World):
                 self.options.local_items.value.add(item_name)
 
     def fill_slot_data(self) -> Dict[str, Any]:
-        self.log_ids_to_hints: Dict[int, CompactHintData] = {}
-        self.laser_ids_to_hints: Dict[int, CompactHintData] = {}
-
         already_hinted_locations = set()
 
         # Laser hints
diff --git a/worlds/witness/player_items.py b/worlds/witness/player_items.py
index 2fb987bb..e40d261d 100644
--- a/worlds/witness/player_items.py
+++ b/worlds/witness/player_items.py
@@ -222,20 +222,15 @@ class WitnessPlayerItems:
         # Sort the output for consistency across versions if the implementation changes but the logic does not.
         return sorted(output)
 
-    def get_door_ids_in_pool(self) -> List[int]:
+    def get_door_item_ids_in_pool(self) -> List[int]:
         """
-        Returns the total set of all door IDs that are controlled by items in the pool.
+        Returns the ids of all door items that exist in the pool.
         """
-        output: List[int] = []
 
-        for item_name, item_data in self.item_data.items():
-            if not isinstance(item_data.definition, DoorItemDefinition):
-                continue
-
-            output += [int(hex_string, 16) for hex_string in item_data.definition.panel_id_hexes
-                       if hex_string not in self._logic.FORBIDDEN_DOORS]
-
-        return output
+        return [
+            cast_not_none(item_data.ap_code) for item_data in self.item_data.values()
+            if isinstance(item_data.definition, DoorItemDefinition)
+        ]
 
     def get_symbol_ids_not_in_pool(self) -> List[int]:
         """
@@ -257,5 +252,3 @@ class WitnessPlayerItems:
                 output[cast_not_none(item.ap_code)] = [cast_not_none(static_witness_items.ITEM_DATA[child_item].ap_code)
                                                        for child_item in item.definition.child_item_names]
         return output
-
-
diff --git a/worlds/witness/test/test_door_shuffle.py b/worlds/witness/test/test_door_shuffle.py
index d593a84b..ca4d6e0a 100644
--- a/worlds/witness/test/test_door_shuffle.py
+++ b/worlds/witness/test/test_door_shuffle.py
@@ -1,3 +1,6 @@
+from typing import cast
+
+from .. import WitnessWorld
 from ..test import WitnessMultiworldTestBase, WitnessTestBase
 
 
@@ -32,6 +35,10 @@ class TestForbiddenDoors(WitnessMultiworldTestBase):
         {
             "early_caves": "add_to_pool",
         },
+        {
+            "early_caves": "add_to_pool",
+            "door_groupings": "regional",
+        },
     ]
 
     common_options = {
@@ -40,11 +47,35 @@ class TestForbiddenDoors(WitnessMultiworldTestBase):
     }
 
     def test_forbidden_doors(self) -> None:
-        self.assertTrue(
-            self.get_items_by_name("Caves Mountain Shortcut (Panel)", 1),
-            "Caves Mountain Shortcut (Panel) should exist in panels shuffle, but it didn't."
-        )
-        self.assertFalse(
-            self.get_items_by_name("Caves Mountain Shortcut (Panel)", 2),
-            "Caves Mountain Shortcut (Panel) should be removed when Early Caves is enabled, but it still exists."
-        )
+        with self.subTest("Test that Caves Mountain Shortcut (Panel) exists if Early Caves is off"):
+            self.assertTrue(
+                self.get_items_by_name("Caves Mountain Shortcut (Panel)", 1),
+                "Caves Mountain Shortcut (Panel) should exist in panels shuffle, but it didn't."
+            )
+
+        with self.subTest("Test that Caves Mountain Shortcut (Panel) doesn't exist if Early Caves is start_to_pool"):
+            self.assertFalse(
+                self.get_items_by_name("Caves Mountain Shortcut (Panel)", 2),
+                "Caves Mountain Shortcut (Panel) should be removed when Early Caves is enabled, but it still exists."
+            )
+
+        with self.subTest("Test that slot data is set up correctly for a panels seed with Early Caves"):
+            slot_data = cast(WitnessWorld, self.multiworld.worlds[3])._get_slot_data()
+
+            self.assertIn(
+                WitnessWorld.item_name_to_id["Caves Panels"],
+                slot_data["door_items_in_the_pool"],
+                'Caves Panels should still exist in slot_data under "door_items_in_the_pool".'
+            )
+
+            self.assertIn(
+                0x021D7,
+                slot_data["item_id_to_door_hexes"][WitnessWorld.item_name_to_id["Caves Panels"]],
+                "Caves Panels should still contain Caves Mountain Shortcut Panel as a door they unlock.",
+            )
+
+            self.assertIn(
+                0x021D7,
+                slot_data["doors_that_shouldnt_be_locked"],
+                "Caves Mountain Shortcut Panel should be marked as \"shouldn't be locked\".",
+            )