diff --git a/internal/api/handlers/taste_seed.go b/internal/api/handlers/taste_seed.go
index e5ca3204..ef70b37b 100644
--- a/internal/api/handlers/taste_seed.go
+++ b/internal/api/handlers/taste_seed.go
@@ -32,11 +32,11 @@ type tasteSeedSubmitResponse struct {
 
 // HandleTasteSeedItems handles GET /recommendations/taste-seed/items.
 //
-// Returns a paginated, hydrated list of "popular on this server" posters used
-// for the new-user taste-seeding picker. Blends server-watched popularity with
-// TMDB rating so fresh servers (no watch history yet) still surface meaningful
-// content. The user_state field carries the existing is_favorite flag, so the
-// UI can pre-select items the profile already favorited.
+// Returns a paginated, hydrated list of posters used for the new-user
+// taste-seeding picker. Blends server-watched popularity with rating reliability
+// and recency so fresh servers (no watch history yet) still surface recognizable
+// content. The user_state field carries the existing is_favorite flag, so the UI
+// can pre-select items the profile already favorited.
 func (h *RecommendationsHandler) HandleTasteSeedItems(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 	if h.recsRepo == nil || h.Fetcher == nil {
 		writeJSON(w, http.StatusOK, tasteSeedItemsResponse{Items: []sectionItemResponse{}})
diff --git a/internal/recommendations/repo.go b/internal/recommendations/repo.go
index 22c5b374..47d7920a 100644
--- a/internal/recommendations/repo.go
+++ b/internal/recommendations/repo.go
@@ -39,6 +39,35 @@ func ensureCanonicalDimensions(vec []float32) ([]float32, error) {
 const embeddingLockSettingKey = "recommendations.embedding_lock"
 const minHNSWEfSearch = 200
 
+const tasteSeedCandidateQuery = `
+			WITH watched_counts AS (
+				SELECT COALESCE(e.series_id, wp.media_item_id) AS item_id,
+				       COUNT(DISTINCT wp.user_id::text || ':' || COALESCE(wp.profile_id, '')) AS watch_count
+				FROM   user_watch_progress wp
+				LEFT JOIN episodes e ON e.content_id = wp.media_item_id
+				WHERE  (wp.completed = true OR (wp.duration_seconds > 0 AND wp.position_seconds / wp.duration_seconds >= 0.5))
+				  AND  wp.updated_at > NOW() - INTERVAL '180 days'
+				GROUP  BY 1
+			)
+			SELECT mi.content_id
+			FROM   media_items mi
+			LEFT JOIN watched_counts wc ON wc.item_id = mi.content_id
+			WHERE  mi.status = 'matched'
+			  AND  mi.type IN ('movie', 'series')
+			  AND  mi.poster_path IS NOT NULL
+			  AND  mi.poster_path <> ''
+			ORDER  BY COALESCE(wc.watch_count, 0) DESC,
+			          CASE
+			            WHEN mi.rating_imdb IS NOT NULL THEN 2
+			            WHEN mi.rating_tmdb IS NOT NULL AND mi.rating_tmdb < 9.5 THEN 1
+			            ELSE 0
+			          END DESC,
+			          mi.rating_imdb DESC NULLS LAST,
+			          CASE WHEN mi.rating_tmdb < 9.5 THEN mi.rating_tmdb END DESC NULLS LAST,
+			          mi.year DESC NULLS LAST,
+			          mi.content_id ASC
+			LIMIT  $1 OFFSET $2`
+
 // Repo provides database operations for the recommendation system.
 type Repo struct {
 	pool *pgxpool.Pool
@@ -1298,34 +1327,12 @@ func (r *Repo) GetTopRatedItems(ctx context.Context, minRatings, limit int) ([]S
 
 // GetTasteSeedCandidates returns movie/series content IDs ordered for the
 // taste-seeding picker: server engagement first (most-watched in the last
-// 180 days), then TMDB rating, then recency. This blend ensures fresh servers
-// (no watch history) still surface meaningful posters via TMDB ratings while
-// established servers prioritize what users actually watch. Episodes are
-// resolved to their parent series. Items without a poster are excluded.
+// 180 days), then rating reliability and rating score, then recency. This keeps
+// fresh servers from front-loading single-vote TMDB 10.0 obscurities while
+// established servers prioritize what users actually watch. Episodes are resolved
+// to their parent series. Items without a poster are excluded.
 func (r *Repo) GetTasteSeedCandidates(ctx context.Context, limit, offset int) ([]string, error) {
-	rows, err := r.pool.Query(ctx, `
-		WITH watched_counts AS (
-			SELECT COALESCE(e.series_id, wp.media_item_id) AS item_id,
-			       COUNT(DISTINCT wp.user_id::text || ':' || COALESCE(wp.profile_id, '')) AS watch_count
-			FROM   user_watch_progress wp
-			LEFT JOIN episodes e ON e.content_id = wp.media_item_id
-			WHERE  (wp.completed = true OR (wp.duration_seconds > 0 AND wp.position_seconds / wp.duration_seconds >= 0.5))
-			  AND  wp.updated_at > NOW() - INTERVAL '180 days'
-			GROUP  BY 1
-		)
-		SELECT mi.content_id
-		FROM   media_items mi
-		LEFT JOIN watched_counts wc ON wc.item_id = mi.content_id
-		WHERE  mi.status = 'matched'
-		  AND  mi.type IN ('movie', 'series')
-		  AND  mi.poster_path IS NOT NULL
-		  AND  mi.poster_path <> ''
-		ORDER  BY COALESCE(wc.watch_count, 0) DESC,
-		          mi.rating_tmdb DESC NULLS LAST,
-		          mi.year DESC NULLS LAST,
-		          mi.content_id ASC
-		LIMIT  $1 OFFSET $2`,
-		limit, offset)
+	rows, err := r.pool.Query(ctx, tasteSeedCandidateQuery, limit, offset)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("get taste seed candidates: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/internal/recommendations/repo_test.go b/internal/recommendations/repo_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..da5e52ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/recommendations/repo_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+package recommendations
+
+import (
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestTasteSeedCandidateQueryOrdersByReliableColdStartSignals(t *testing.T) {
+	query := strings.Join(strings.Fields(tasteSeedCandidateQuery), " ")
+
+	assertQueryTermsInOrder(t, query,
+		"ORDER BY COALESCE(wc.watch_count, 0) DESC",
+		"WHEN mi.rating_imdb IS NOT NULL THEN 2",
+		"WHEN mi.rating_tmdb IS NOT NULL AND mi.rating_tmdb < 9.5 THEN 1",
+		"ELSE 0 END DESC",
+		"mi.rating_imdb DESC NULLS LAST",
+		"CASE WHEN mi.rating_tmdb < 9.5 THEN mi.rating_tmdb END DESC NULLS LAST",
+		"mi.year DESC NULLS LAST",
+		"mi.content_id ASC",
+	)
+
+	if strings.Contains(query, "ORDER BY COALESCE(wc.watch_count, 0) DESC, mi.rating_tmdb DESC NULLS LAST") {
+		t.Fatal("taste seed query must not rank cold-start candidates by raw TMDB rating directly")
+	}
+}
+
+func assertQueryTermsInOrder(t *testing.T, query string, terms ...string) {
+	t.Helper()
+
+	searchFrom := 0
+	for _, term := range terms {
+		idx := strings.Index(query[searchFrom:], term)
+		if idx < 0 {
+			t.Fatalf("query term %q missing or out of order in query:\n%s", term, query)
+		}
+		searchFrom += idx + len(term)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/web/src/hooks/queries/tasteSeed.ts b/web/src/hooks/queries/tasteSeed.ts
index ad61531d..853bd4cf 100644
--- a/web/src/hooks/queries/tasteSeed.ts
+++ b/web/src/hooks/queries/tasteSeed.ts
@@ -17,10 +17,10 @@ interface TasteSeedSubmitResponse {
 const TASTE_SEED_PAGE_SIZE = 30;
 
 /**
- * Fetches popular catalog posters for the taste-seeding picker. Blends
- * server-engagement popularity with TMDB rating so even a fresh server with no
- * watch history surfaces meaningful posters. Items already favorited by the
- * profile carry user_state.is_favorite=true so the UI can pre-select them.
+ * Fetches catalog posters for the taste-seeding picker. Blends server engagement
+ * with rating reliability and recency so even a fresh server with no watch
+ * history surfaces meaningful posters. Items already favorited by the profile
+ * carry user_state.is_favorite=true so the UI can pre-select them.
  */
 export function useTasteSeedItems(enabled = true) {
   return useInfiniteQuery({