diff --git a/internal/recommendations/accuracy_test.go b/internal/recommendations/accuracy_test.go
index 42b2b361f1..e78d4247db 100644
--- a/internal/recommendations/accuracy_test.go
+++ b/internal/recommendations/accuracy_test.go
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ func TestApplyGenreCapCountsAllGenres(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-func TestHNSWEfSearchUsesCandidateLimitFloor(t *testing.T) {
+func TestHNSWEfSearchStaysWithinPgvectorRange(t *testing.T) {
 	tests := []struct {
 		name           string
 		candidateLimit int
@@ -42,6 +42,10 @@ func TestHNSWEfSearchUsesCandidateLimitFloor(t *testing.T) {
 		{name: "raises small scans", candidateLimit: 40, want: minHNSWEfSearch},
 		{name: "keeps exact floor", candidateLimit: minHNSWEfSearch, want: minHNSWEfSearch},
 		{name: "keeps larger scans", candidateLimit: 900, want: 900},
+		{name: "keeps pgvector maximum", candidateLimit: maxHNSWEfSearch, want: maxHNSWEfSearch},
+		{name: "caps just above maximum", candidateLimit: maxHNSWEfSearch + 1, want: maxHNSWEfSearch},
+		{name: "caps genre discover pool", candidateLimit: 1200, want: maxHNSWEfSearch},
+		{name: "caps largest ANN limit", candidateLimit: 2000, want: maxHNSWEfSearch},
 	}
 
 	for _, tt := range tests {
diff --git a/internal/recommendations/hnsw_ef_search_db_test.go b/internal/recommendations/hnsw_ef_search_db_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8cf49afdcf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/recommendations/hnsw_ef_search_db_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+package recommendations
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"slices"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5"
+	"github.com/jackc/pgx/v5/pgxpool"
+
+	"github.com/Silo-Server/silo-server/internal/catalog"
+)
+
+// TestFindTasteProfileCandidatesWithGenresAboveEfSearchMaximumDB covers the
+// Watch Tonight discover path: a genre filter multiplies the candidate pool by
+// five, so a pool of 240 asks pgvector for 1200 ANN candidates, above the
+// largest hnsw.ef_search it accepts.
+func TestFindTasteProfileCandidatesWithGenresAboveEfSearchMaximumDB(t *testing.T) {
+	newEngineTestPool(t) // skips without a migrated database
+	ctx := t.Context()
+	cfg, err := pgxpool.ParseConfig(os.Getenv("SILO_TEST_DATABASE_URL"))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	// pgvector checks hnsw.ef_search once its library is loaded in the backend.
+	// A pooled production connection has usually run a vector query already,
+	// so load it on every connection rather than relying on a fresh one.
+	cfg.AfterConnect = func(ctx context.Context, conn *pgx.Conn) error {
+		_, err := conn.Exec(ctx, `SELECT '[1]'::vector`)
+		return err
+	}
+	pool, err := pgxpool.NewWithConfig(ctx, cfg)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(pool.Close)
+
+	const prefix = "test-hnsw-ef-search-"
+	cleanupRecoMediaItems(t, pool, prefix)
+	var want []string
+	for i := range 3 {
+		id := fmt.Sprintf("%smovie-%d", prefix, i)
+		seedRecoMediaItem(t, pool, id, "movie", "matched")
+		if _, err := pool.Exec(ctx, `UPDATE media_items SET genres = '{Drama}' WHERE content_id = $1`, id); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		if _, err := pool.Exec(ctx, `
+			INSERT INTO media_item_embeddings (media_item_id, embedding, model, canonical_text)
+			VALUES ($1, (SELECT array_agg((g % ($2 + 2) + 1)::real) FROM generate_series(1, 3072) g)::vector, 'test-model', $1)
+		`, id, i); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("seed embedding %s: %v", id, err)
+		}
+		want = append(want, id)
+	}
+
+	embedding := make([]float32, CanonicalEmbeddingDimensions)
+	for i := range embedding {
+		embedding[i] = float32(i%2 + 1)
+	}
+	const watchTonightGenrePool = 240
+	items, genres, err := NewRepo(pool).FindTasteProfileCandidates(ctx, embedding, nil, []string{"Drama"}, watchTonightGenrePool, catalog.AccessFilter{})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("FindTasteProfileCandidates with genres and limit %d: %v", watchTonightGenrePool, err)
+	}
+	var got []string
+	for _, item := range items {
+		if slices.Contains(want, item.MediaItemID) {
+			got = append(got, item.MediaItemID)
+			if !slices.Equal(genres[item.MediaItemID], []string{"Drama"}) {
+				t.Fatalf("genres for %s = %v, want [Drama]", item.MediaItemID, genres[item.MediaItemID])
+			}
+		}
+	}
+	slices.Sort(got)
+	if !slices.Equal(got, want) {
+		t.Fatalf("taste profile candidates = %v, want the seeded Drama movies %v", got, want)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/recommendations/repo.go b/internal/recommendations/repo.go
index 0375b683d5..917985f6f8 100644
--- a/internal/recommendations/repo.go
+++ b/internal/recommendations/repo.go
@@ -24,6 +24,12 @@ func ensureCanonicalDimensions(vec []float32) ([]float32, error) {
 const embeddingLockSettingKey = "recommendations.embedding_lock"
 const minHNSWEfSearch = 200
 
+// maxHNSWEfSearch is the largest hnsw.ef_search pgvector accepts. A larger
+// value fails set_config, so the candidate scan never runs. With iterative
+// scans the index keeps returning rows past ef_search, so the cap does not
+// stop a larger LIMIT at 1000 candidates.
+const maxHNSWEfSearch = 1000
+
 // watchedActivityCTE unifies video watch progress and ebook reader progress
 // into one activity stream. Episodes roll up to their parent series via
 // COALESCE(e.series_id, ...). The ebook completed flag is derived from the
@@ -116,7 +122,7 @@ func NewRepo(pool *pgxpool.Pool) *Repo {
 }
 
 func hnswEfSearch(candidateLimit int) int {
-	return max(candidateLimit, minHNSWEfSearch)
+	return min(max(candidateLimit, minHNSWEfSearch), maxHNSWEfSearch)
 }
 
 func (r *Repo) withHNSWCandidateScan(ctx context.Context, candidateLimit int, fn func(pgx.Tx) error) error {
diff --git a/scripts/ci/db-contracts.txt b/scripts/ci/db-contracts.txt
index c6a94e2e66..2726418dab 100644
--- a/scripts/ci/db-contracts.txt
+++ b/scripts/ci/db-contracts.txt
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@
 ./internal/notifications TestEmailVerificationDispatchRetriesUncertainSendOnceWithSameMessage
 ./internal/notifications TestEmailVerificationDispatchStopsAfterSecondUncertainty
 
+# Recommendation candidate scans stay within pgvector's hnsw.ef_search range.
+./internal/recommendations TestFindTasteProfileCandidatesWithGenresAboveEfSearchMaximumDB
+
 # Image cache jobs run again for artwork the target no longer holds.
 ./internal/metadata TestEnqueueRequeuesSucceededJobOnlyWhenAskedDB