diff --git a/internal/api/library_fixtures_test.go b/internal/api/library_fixtures_test.go
index dd685fb2..6c6a7d2f 100644
--- a/internal/api/library_fixtures_test.go
+++ b/internal/api/library_fixtures_test.go
@@ -89,6 +89,72 @@ func seedTrack(t *testing.T, pool *pgxpool.Pool, albumID, artistID pgtype.UUID,
 	return tr
 }
 
+// seedTrackWithGenre is seedTrack but lets the caller set Genre. Used by
+// tests that exercise the contextual recommendation path, since session
+// vectors collect tags from tracks.genre.
+func seedTrackWithGenre(t *testing.T, pool *pgxpool.Pool, albumID, artistID pgtype.UUID, title string, trackNumber int, durationMs int32, genre string) dbq.Track {
+	t.Helper()
+	var tn *int32
+	if trackNumber > 0 {
+		v := int32(trackNumber)
+		tn = &v
+	}
+	tr, err := dbq.New(pool).UpsertTrack(context.Background(), dbq.UpsertTrackParams{
+		Title:       title,
+		AlbumID:     albumID,
+		ArtistID:    artistID,
+		TrackNumber: tn,
+		DiscNumber:  nil,
+		DurationMs:  durationMs,
+		FilePath:    "/seed/" + title + ".flac",
+		FileSize:    1024,
+		FileFormat:  "flac",
+		Bitrate:     nil,
+		Mbid:        nil,
+		Genre:       &genre,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("UpsertTrack(%s): %v", title, err)
+	}
+	return tr
+}
+
+// insertOpenSessionWithVector creates a play_session with ended_at NULL and
+// inserts a play_event in it whose session_vector_at_play is the given JSON.
+// Used to simulate "user is mid-listen" for the radio handler's current-vector
+// lookup. The play_event references a placeholder track inserted on the fly
+// so the FK is valid; the placeholder is not used for radio scoring.
+func insertOpenSessionWithVector(t *testing.T, pool *pgxpool.Pool, userID, anyArtistID pgtype.UUID, vectorJSON []byte) {
+	t.Helper()
+	q := dbq.New(pool)
+	al, err := q.UpsertAlbum(context.Background(), dbq.UpsertAlbumParams{
+		Title: "PlaceholderAlbum", SortTitle: "PlaceholderAlbum", ArtistID: anyArtistID,
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("placeholder album: %v", err)
+	}
+	ph, err := q.UpsertTrack(context.Background(), dbq.UpsertTrackParams{
+		Title: "Placeholder", AlbumID: al.ID, ArtistID: anyArtistID,
+		FilePath: "/seed/placeholder.flac", DurationMs: 100_000, FileSize: 1024, FileFormat: "flac",
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("placeholder track: %v", err)
+	}
+	var sessionID pgtype.UUID
+	if err := pool.QueryRow(context.Background(),
+		`INSERT INTO play_sessions (user_id, started_at, last_event_at, client_id)
+		 VALUES ($1, now() - interval '5 minutes', now(), 'test') RETURNING id`,
+		userID).Scan(&sessionID); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("insert session: %v", err)
+	}
+	if _, err := pool.Exec(context.Background(),
+		`INSERT INTO play_events (user_id, track_id, session_id, started_at, session_vector_at_play)
+		 VALUES ($1, $2, $3, now() - interval '1 minute', $4)`,
+		userID, ph.ID, sessionID, vectorJSON); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("insert play_event: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
 // seedTrackWithFile creates a fresh temp directory, writes fileBody to
 // <dir>/<title>.<ext>, and inserts a Track row whose file_path points at it.
 // Returns the inserted Track and the directory (callers drop sidecar covers
diff --git a/internal/api/radio_test.go b/internal/api/radio_test.go
index 732ec5bd..9002efeb 100644
--- a/internal/api/radio_test.go
+++ b/internal/api/radio_test.go
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ import (
 	"net/http"
 	"net/http/httptest"
 	"testing"
+
+	"git.fabledsword.com/bvandeusen/minstrel/internal/recommendation"
 )
 
 func callRadio(h *handlers, user interface{}, query string) *httptest.ResponseRecorder {
@@ -128,3 +130,74 @@ func TestHandleRadio_LimitClampedToMax(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("len = %d, want 6", len(resp.Tracks))
 	}
 }
+
+func TestHandleRadio_ContextualMatch_BoostsRankingOverControl(t *testing.T) {
+	h, pool := testHandlers(t)
+	truncateLibrary(t, pool)
+	user := seedUser(t, pool, "alice", "x", false)
+
+	// Two artists in distinct genres, so we can construct a "rock vibe" session
+	// and a contextual match.
+	rockArtist := seedArtist(t, pool, "RockArtist")
+	rockAlbum := seedAlbum(t, pool, rockArtist.ID, "RockAlbum", 2020)
+	jazzArtist := seedArtist(t, pool, "JazzArtist")
+	jazzAlbum := seedAlbum(t, pool, jazzArtist.ID, "JazzAlbum", 2020)
+
+	// Seed track is unrelated to both (don't want it to dominate scoring).
+	popArtist := seedArtist(t, pool, "PopArtist")
+	popAlbum := seedAlbum(t, pool, popArtist.ID, "PopAlbum", 2020)
+	seed := seedTrack(t, pool, popAlbum.ID, popArtist.ID, "Seed", 1, 100_000)
+
+	// Target: a rock track. Control: a jazz track. Both will be scored.
+	target := seedTrackWithGenre(t, pool, rockAlbum.ID, rockArtist.ID, "Target", 1, 100_000, "rock")
+	control := seedTrackWithGenre(t, pool, jazzAlbum.ID, jazzArtist.ID, "Control", 1, 100_000, "jazz")
+	_ = control // present in DB; we look it up by title in the response
+
+	// Build the user's "rock vibe" current context: insert an open play_session
+	// with a play_event whose session_vector_at_play matches the rock vibe.
+	rockVec := recommendation.SessionVector{
+		Artists: []string{rockArtist.ID.String()},
+		Tags:    map[string]int{"rock": 3},
+	}
+	rockVecJSON, err := json.Marshal(rockVec)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("marshal rockVec: %v", err)
+	}
+	insertOpenSessionWithVector(t, pool, user.ID, rockArtist.ID, rockVecJSON)
+
+	// Insert a contextual_like on the target track whose stored vector matches
+	// the rock vibe. Direct DB insert — we want full control over the vector
+	// for this test.
+	if _, err := pool.Exec(context.Background(),
+		`INSERT INTO contextual_likes (user_id, track_id, session_vector) VALUES ($1, $2, $3)`,
+		user.ID, target.ID, rockVecJSON); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("insert contextual_like: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Request radio. The deterministic RNG (rng=0.5 → jitter contribution = 0)
+	// means rankings are reproducible for this test.
+	w := callRadio(h, user, "seed_track="+uuidToString(seed.ID))
+	if w.Code != http.StatusOK {
+		t.Fatalf("status = %d body=%s", w.Code, w.Body.String())
+	}
+	var resp RadioResponse
+	if err := json.Unmarshal(w.Body.Bytes(), &resp); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("decode: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	targetIdx, controlIdx := -1, -1
+	for i, tr := range resp.Tracks {
+		if tr.Title == "Target" {
+			targetIdx = i
+		}
+		if tr.Title == "Control" {
+			controlIdx = i
+		}
+	}
+	if targetIdx == -1 || controlIdx == -1 {
+		t.Fatalf("target=%d control=%d, expected both present (resp.Tracks=%v)", targetIdx, controlIdx, resp.Tracks)
+	}
+	if targetIdx >= controlIdx {
+		t.Errorf("target ranked at %d, control at %d: contextual match should put target above control", targetIdx, controlIdx)
+	}
+}