diff --git a/src/app/actions/recommendations.ts b/src/app/actions/recommendations.ts
index 6908b748..f7453fea 100644
--- a/src/app/actions/recommendations.ts
+++ b/src/app/actions/recommendations.ts
@@ -305,6 +305,14 @@ export async function skipRecommendation(
 
   // Insert a replacement pick. Same difficulty if possible. Excludes
   // anything the user has already seen (any status).
+  const { data: profile, error: profileErr } = await service
+    .from('profiles')
+    .select('level')
+    .eq('id', user.id)
+    .single();
+
+  if (profileErr) return err('persist_failed', profileErr.message);
+
   const { data: profile } = await service
     .from('profiles')
     .select('level')
@@ -338,6 +346,14 @@ async function pickReplacement(args: {
     .eq('user_id', userId);
   const excludeIds = new Set((seen ?? []).map((r) => r.issue_id));
 
+  const allowedDifficulties = new Set<string>();
+  if (userLevel >= 0) allowedDifficulties.add('E');
+  if (userLevel >= 1) allowedDifficulties.add('M');
+  if (userLevel >= 2) allowedDifficulties.add('H');
+
+  // Try same tier first, then any allowed tier
+  for (const fallback of [false, true]) {
+    let q = service
   // Try same tier first, then any tier. Health >= 40 filter mirrors filterAndRank.
   for (const where of [{ difficulty: preferDifficulty }, null]) {
     const q = service
@@ -348,6 +364,11 @@ async function pickReplacement(args: {
       .in('difficulty', where ? [where.difficulty] : allowedDifficulties)
       .order('scored_at', { ascending: false })
       .limit(50);
+    if (!fallback) {
+      q = q.eq('difficulty', preferDifficulty);
+    } else {
+      q = q.in('difficulty', Array.from(allowedDifficulties));
+    }
     const { data: pool } = await q;
     const pick = (pool ?? []).find((i) => !excludeIds.has(i.id));
     if (!pick) continue;
diff --git a/src/lib/pipeline/recommend.test.ts b/src/lib/pipeline/recommend.test.ts
index 3c493fd2..c9446adb 100644
--- a/src/lib/pipeline/recommend.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/pipeline/recommend.test.ts
@@ -105,6 +105,21 @@ describe('filterAndRank', () => {
     expect(result).toEqual([]);
   });
 
+  it('falls back to other allowed tiers but respects max difficulty cap', () => {
+    const issues = [
+      issue({ id: 1, difficulty: 'H' }),
+      issue({ id: 2, difficulty: 'M' }),
+      issue({ id: 3, difficulty: 'E' }),
+    ];
+    const result = filterAndRank(issues, {
+      level: 1,
+      excludeIssueIds: new Set(),
+      allowFallback: true,
+    });
+    expect(result).toHaveLength(2);
+    expect(result.map((r) => r.difficulty).sort()).toEqual(['E', 'M']);
+  });
+
   it('does not fallback to higher difficulty tiers', () => {
     const issues = [issue({ id: 1, difficulty: 'M' }), issue({ id: 2, difficulty: 'M' })];
 
diff --git a/src/lib/pipeline/recommend.ts b/src/lib/pipeline/recommend.ts
index 8363b301..6de14b13 100644
--- a/src/lib/pipeline/recommend.ts
+++ b/src/lib/pipeline/recommend.ts
@@ -100,6 +100,14 @@ export function filterAndRank(pool: readonly ScoredIssue[], opts: RecommendOptio
   // Fallback: if any tier came up empty, optionally borrow from adjacent (only easier).
   if (opts.allowFallback && result.length < totalDesired(mix)) {
     const seen = new Set(result.map((r) => r.id));
+    const allowedDifficulties = new Set<string>();
+    if (opts.level >= 0) allowedDifficulties.add('E');
+    if (opts.level >= 1) allowedDifficulties.add('M');
+    if (opts.level >= 2) allowedDifficulties.add('H');
+
+    const extras = eligible
+      .filter((i) => !seen.has(i.id) && allowedDifficulties.has(i.difficulty))
+      .sort((a, b) => rankScore(b) - rankScore(a));
     const allowedDifficulties = getAllowedDifficulties(opts.level);
 
     const extras = eligible