diff --git a/web/templates/entry_view.html b/web/templates/entry_view.html
index 48e2cdc..2cbe8e6 100644
--- a/web/templates/entry_view.html
+++ b/web/templates/entry_view.html
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ function showToast(message, duration = 3000) {
 }
 </script>
 
-<!-- Highlighter: strict (only highlight exactly the selected fields) -->
+<!-- Highlighter: prefer template/session over localStorage; sync LS to avoid stale "subject only" -->
 <script>
 (function(){
   const FIELD_TO_SELECTOR = {
@@ -480,7 +480,6 @@ function showToast(message, duration = 3000) {
     talk_number:   "#talk_title-text"
   };
 
-  // Run on fresh load + bfcache restores
   if (document.readyState === "complete" || document.readyState === "interactive") run();
   else document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", run, { once: true });
   window.addEventListener("pageshow", run);
@@ -500,37 +499,44 @@ function showToast(message, duration = 3000) {
     } catch(_) {}
     if (!enabled) { ran = true; return; }
 
-    // 2) Load the last search (STRICT: no defaulting to "subject")
-    let q = (localStorage.getItem('lastSearchQ') || '').trim();
-    let fields = [];
-    try { fields = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('lastSearchFields') || '[]'); } catch(_) {}
-
-    // Fallback to template/session only if LS missing
-    if ((!q || !fields.length)) {
-      q = (window.__lastSearchQ || '').trim();
-      if (Array.isArray(window.__lastSearchFields)) fields = window.__lastSearchFields.slice();
-    }
-
-    // Final fallback: JSON script tag
-    if ((!q || !fields.length)) {
+    // 2) GATHER CANDIDATES
+    // Template/session (authoritative for THIS navigation)
+    let tmplQ = (window.__lastSearchQ || '').trim();
+    let tmplFields = Array.isArray(window.__lastSearchFields) ? window.__lastSearchFields.slice() : [];
+    // JSON script fallback
+    if (!tmplQ || !tmplFields.length) {
       const dataEl = document.getElementById("last-search-data");
       if (dataEl) {
         try {
           const payload = JSON.parse(dataEl.textContent || "{}");
-          q = (payload.q || "").trim();
-          fields = Array.isArray(payload.fields) ? payload.fields : [];
+          tmplQ = (payload.q || "").trim();
+          tmplFields = Array.isArray(payload.fields) ? payload.fields : tmplFields;
         } catch(_) {}
       }
     }
+    // localStorage (may be stale; use only if template/session absent)
+    let lsQ = (localStorage.getItem('lastSearchQ') || '').trim();
+    let lsFields = [];
+    try { lsFields = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('lastSearchFields') || '[]'); } catch(_) {}
+
+    // 3) CHOOSE SOURCE (template/session wins if present)
+    let q = tmplQ || lsQ || '';
+    let fields = (tmplQ && tmplFields.length) ? tmplFields
+               : (lsQ && lsFields.length ? lsFields : []);
 
-    // If nothing was selected, highlight nothing (matches user intent)
     if (!q || !fields.length) { ran = true; return; }
 
-    // 3) Tokenize query (keep quoted phrases; strip wildcards)
+    // 4) SYNC localStorage to what we actually used (prevents stale "subject" sticking)
+    try {
+      localStorage.setItem('lastSearchQ', q);
+      localStorage.setItem('lastSearchFields', JSON.stringify(fields));
+    } catch(_) {}
+
+    // 5) Tokenize query (keep quoted phrases; strip wildcards)
     const tokens = tokenize(q).map(t => t.replaceAll("*","").replaceAll("?","")).filter(Boolean);
     if (!tokens.length) { ran = true; return; }
 
-    // 4) Highlight only in the fields actually selected
+    // 6) Highlight only the fields actually selected
     for (const f of fields) {
       const sel = FIELD_TO_SELECTOR[f];
       if (!sel) continue;
@@ -599,4 +605,5 @@ function showToast(message, duration = 3000) {
 
 
 
+
 {% endblock %}