diff --git a/src/atocore/memory/service.py b/src/atocore/memory/service.py
index 81e73d0..fdff6cd 100644
--- a/src/atocore/memory/service.py
+++ b/src/atocore/memory/service.py
@@ -50,6 +50,9 @@ MEMORY_STATUSES = [
     "graduated",  # Phase 5: memory has become an entity; content frozen, forward pointer in properties
 ]
 
+DEFAULT_CONTEXT_MEMORY_LIMIT = 30
+QUERY_CONTEXT_MEMORY_LIMIT = 120
+
 
 @dataclass
 class Memory:
@@ -909,12 +912,13 @@ def get_memories_for_context(
     # ``_rank_memories_for_query`` via Python's stable sort.
     pool: list[Memory] = []
     seen_ids: set[str] = set()
+    candidate_limit = QUERY_CONTEXT_MEMORY_LIMIT if query_tokens is not None else DEFAULT_CONTEXT_MEMORY_LIMIT
     for mtype in memory_types:
         for mem in get_memories(
             memory_type=mtype,
             project=project,
             min_confidence=0.5,
-            limit=30,
+            limit=candidate_limit,
         ):
             if mem.id in seen_ids:
                 continue
diff --git a/tests/test_memory.py b/tests/test_memory.py
index fd41692..9b41a46 100644
--- a/tests/test_memory.py
+++ b/tests/test_memory.py
@@ -498,6 +498,66 @@ def test_project_memory_ranking_prefers_multiple_intent_hits(isolated_db):
     assert "Zygo" in text
 
 
+def test_project_memory_query_ranks_beyond_confidence_prefilter(isolated_db):
+    """Query-time ranking should see older low-confidence but exact-intent memories."""
+    from atocore.memory.service import create_memory, get_memories_for_context
+
+    for idx in range(35):
+        create_memory(
+            "project",
+            f"High confidence p06 filler memory {idx}: Polisher Control planning note.",
+            project="p06-polisher",
+            confidence=0.9,
+        )
+    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
+
+
+def test_project_memory_query_prefers_exact_cam_fact(isolated_db):
+    from atocore.memory.service import create_memory, get_memories_for_context
+
+    create_memory(
+        "project",
+        "Polisher Control firmware spec document titled 'Fulum Polisher Machine Control Firmware Spec v1' lives in PKM.",
+        project="p06-polisher",
+        confidence=0.9,
+    )
+    create_memory(
+        "project",
+        "Polisher Control doc must cover manual mode for Norman as a required deliverable per the plan.",
+        project="p06-polisher",
+        confidence=0.9,
+    )
+    create_memory(
+        "project",
+        "Cam amplitude and offset are mechanically set by operator and read via encoders; no actuators control them.",
+        project="p06-polisher",
+        confidence=0.5,
+    )
+
+    text, _ = get_memories_for_context(
+        memory_types=["project"],
+        project="p06-polisher",
+        budget=300,
+        query="how is cam amplitude controlled on the polisher",
+    )
+
+    assert "encoders" 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