diff --git a/src/atocore/memory/service.py b/src/atocore/memory/service.py
index c59f133..81e73d0 100644
--- a/src/atocore/memory/service.py
+++ b/src/atocore/memory/service.py
@@ -896,6 +896,7 @@ def get_memories_for_context(
         from atocore.memory.reinforcement import _normalize, _tokenize
 
         query_tokens = _tokenize(_normalize(query))
+        query_tokens = _prepare_memory_query_tokens(query_tokens, project=project)
         if not query_tokens:
             query_tokens = None
 
@@ -980,11 +981,11 @@ def _rank_memories_for_query(
 ) -> list["Memory"]:
     """Rerank a memory list by lexical overlap with a pre-tokenized query.
 
-    Primary key: overlap_density (overlap_count / memory_token_count),
-    which rewards short focused memories that match the query precisely
-    over long overview memories that incidentally share a few tokens.
-    Secondary: absolute overlap count. Tertiary: domain-tag match.
-    Quaternary: confidence.
+    Primary key: absolute overlap count, which keeps a richer memory
+    matching multiple query-intent terms ahead of a short memory that
+    only happens to share one term. Secondary: overlap_density
+    (overlap_count / memory_token_count), so ties still prefer short
+    focused memories. Tertiary: domain-tag match. Quaternary: confidence.
 
     Phase 3: domain_tags contribute a boost when they appear in the
     query text. A memory tagged [optics, thermal] for a query about
@@ -1010,10 +1011,46 @@ def _rank_memories_for_query(
                 tag_hits += 1
 
         scored.append((density, overlap, tag_hits, mem.confidence, mem))
-    scored.sort(key=lambda t: (t[0], t[1], t[2], t[3]), reverse=True)
+    scored.sort(key=lambda t: (t[1], t[0], t[2], t[3]), reverse=True)
     return [mem for _, _, _, _, mem in scored]
 
 
+_MEMORY_QUERY_STOP_TOKENS = {
+    "how",
+    "what",
+    "when",
+    "where",
+    "which",
+    "who",
+    "why",
+    "current",
+    "status",
+    "project",
+    "machine",
+}
+
+_MEMORY_QUERY_TOKEN_EXPANSIONS = {
+    "remotely": {"remote"},
+}
+
+
+def _prepare_memory_query_tokens(
+    query_tokens: set[str],
+    project: str | None = None,
+) -> set[str]:
+    """Remove project-scope noise and add tiny intent-preserving expansions."""
+    prepared = set(query_tokens)
+    for token in list(prepared):
+        prepared.update(_MEMORY_QUERY_TOKEN_EXPANSIONS.get(token, set()))
+
+    prepared -= _MEMORY_QUERY_STOP_TOKENS
+    if project:
+        for part in project.lower().replace("_", "-").split("-"):
+            if part:
+                prepared.discard(part)
+    return prepared
+
+
 def _row_to_memory(row) -> Memory:
     """Convert a DB row to Memory dataclass."""
     import json as _json
diff --git a/tests/test_memory.py b/tests/test_memory.py
index 71c7d1c..fd41692 100644
--- a/tests/test_memory.py
+++ b/tests/test_memory.py
@@ -428,6 +428,76 @@ def test_context_builder_tag_boost_orders_results(isolated_db):
     assert idx_tagged < idx_untagged
 
 
+def test_project_memory_ranking_ignores_scope_noise(isolated_db):
+    """Project words should not crowd out the actual query intent."""
+    from atocore.memory.service import create_memory, get_memories_for_context
+
+    create_memory(
+        "project",
+        "Norman is the end operator for p06-polisher and requires an explicit manual mode to operate the machine.",
+        project="p06-polisher",
+        confidence=0.7,
+    )
+    create_memory(
+        "project",
+        "Polisher Control firmware spec document titled 'Fulum Polisher Machine Control Firmware Spec v1' lives in PKM.",
+        project="p06-polisher",
+        confidence=0.7,
+    )
+    create_memory(
+        "project",
+        "Machine design principle: works fully offline and independently; network connection is for remote access only",
+        project="p06-polisher",
+        confidence=0.5,
+    )
+    create_memory(
+        "project",
+        "Use Tailscale mesh for RPi remote access to provide SSH, file transfer, and NAT traversal without port forwarding.",
+        project="p06-polisher",
+        confidence=0.5,
+    )
+
+    text, _ = get_memories_for_context(
+        memory_types=["project"],
+        project="p06-polisher",
+        budget=360,
+        query="how do we access the polisher machine remotely",
+    )
+
+    assert "Tailscale" in text
+    assert text.find("remote access only") < text.find("Tailscale")
+    assert "manual mode" not in text
+
+
+def test_project_memory_ranking_prefers_multiple_intent_hits(isolated_db):
+    """A rich memory with several query hits should beat a terse one-hit memory."""
+    from atocore.memory.service import create_memory, get_memories_for_context
+
+    create_memory(
+        "project",
+        "CGH vendor selected for p05. Active integration coordination with Katie/AOM.",
+        project="p05-interferometer",
+        confidence=0.7,
+    )
+    create_memory(
+        "knowledge",
+        "Vendor-summary current signal: 4D is the strongest technical Twyman-Green candidate; "
+        "a certified used Zygo Verifire SV around $55k emerged as a strong value path.",
+        project="p05-interferometer",
+        confidence=0.9,
+    )
+
+    text, _ = get_memories_for_context(
+        memory_types=["project", "knowledge"],
+        project="p05-interferometer",
+        budget=220,
+        query="what is the current vendor signal for the interferometer procurement",
+    )
+
+    assert "4D" in text
+    assert "Zygo" in text
+
+
 def test_expire_stale_candidates_keeps_reinforced(isolated_db):
     from atocore.memory.service import create_memory, expire_stale_candidates
     from atocore.models.database import get_connection