diff --git a/web/templates/entry_view.html b/web/templates/entry_view.html
index 2cbe8e6..fde7d46 100644
--- a/web/templates/entry_view.html
+++ b/web/templates/entry_view.html
@@ -467,7 +467,7 @@ function showToast(message, duration = 3000) {
 }
 </script>
 
-<!-- Highlighter: prefer template/session over localStorage; sync LS to avoid stale "subject only" -->
+<!-- Highlighter: choose the best field source (most fields wins), then sync LS -->
 <script>
 (function(){
   const FIELD_TO_SELECTOR = {
@@ -480,6 +480,7 @@ function showToast(message, duration = 3000) {
     talk_number:   "#talk_title-text"
   };
 
+  // Fire on first paint and on bfcache restores
   if (document.readyState === "complete" || document.readyState === "interactive") run();
   else document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", run, { once: true });
   window.addEventListener("pageshow", run);
@@ -488,7 +489,7 @@ function showToast(message, duration = 3000) {
   async function run(){
     if (ran) return;
 
-    // 1) Respect per-user toggle
+    // 1) Respect per-user toggle (defaults ON if flag missing)
     let enabled = true;
     try {
       const res = await fetch("/api/get-prefs/", { cache: "no-store", credentials: "same-origin" });
@@ -499,34 +500,49 @@ function showToast(message, duration = 3000) {
     } catch(_) {}
     if (!enabled) { ran = true; return; }
 
-    // 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 || "{}");
-          tmplQ = (payload.q || "").trim();
-          tmplFields = Array.isArray(payload.fields) ? payload.fields : tmplFields;
-        } catch(_) {}
+    // 2) Gather candidates from all sources
+    const cand = { tmpl: {q:"", fields:[]}, json: {q:"", fields:[]}, ls: {q:"", fields:[]} };
+
+    // 2a) Template/script-literal variables (set by view)
+    cand.tmpl.q = (window.__lastSearchQ || '').trim();
+    cand.tmpl.fields = Array.isArray(window.__lastSearchFields) ? window.__lastSearchFields.slice() : [];
+
+    // 2b) JSON <script> block (if present)
+    const dataEl = document.getElementById("last-search-data");
+    if (dataEl) {
+      try {
+        const payload = JSON.parse(dataEl.textContent || "{}");
+        cand.json.q = (payload.q || "").trim();
+        cand.json.fields = Array.isArray(payload.fields) ? payload.fields.slice() : [];
+      } catch(_){}
+    }
+
+    // 2c) localStorage (may be stale)
+    cand.ls.q = (localStorage.getItem('lastSearchQ') || '').trim();
+    try { cand.ls.fields = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('lastSearchFields') || '[]') || []; } catch(_) { cand.ls.fields = []; }
+
+    // 3) Pick the best candidate: longest non-empty "fields" wins (ties: prefer template, then JSON, then LS)
+    const order = ["tmpl","json","ls"];
+    let bestKey = "";
+    let best = { q:"", fields:[] };
+
+    for (const k of order) {
+      const item = cand[k];
+      // prefer any candidate with more fields
+      if (item.fields && item.fields.length > (best.fields ? best.fields.length : 0)) {
+        bestKey = k;
+        best = item;
+      } else if (item.fields.length === (best.fields ? best.fields.length : 0)) {
+        // tie-breaker: keep earlier (tmpl > json > ls)
       }
     }
-    // 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 still empty, nothing to do
+    const q = (best.q || "").trim();
+    const fields = Array.isArray(best.fields) ? best.fields.filter(Boolean) : [];
     if (!q || !fields.length) { ran = true; return; }
 
-    // 4) SYNC localStorage to what we actually used (prevents stale "subject" sticking)
+    // 4) Sync LS to the chosen "best" so stale subject-only arrays don't keep overriding
     try {
       localStorage.setItem('lastSearchQ', q);
       localStorage.setItem('lastSearchFields', JSON.stringify(fields));
@@ -536,7 +552,7 @@ function showToast(message, duration = 3000) {
     const tokens = tokenize(q).map(t => t.replaceAll("*","").replaceAll("?","")).filter(Boolean);
     if (!tokens.length) { ran = true; return; }
 
-    // 6) Highlight only the fields actually selected
+    // 6) Highlight only in the fields that were actually selected
     for (const f of fields) {
       const sel = FIELD_TO_SELECTOR[f];
       if (!sel) continue;
@@ -548,7 +564,7 @@ function showToast(message, duration = 3000) {
     ran = true;
   }
 
-  // helpers
+  // --- helpers ---
   function tokenize(s) {
     const out = [];
     let i = 0, buf = "", inQ = false;
@@ -606,4 +622,5 @@ function showToast(message, duration = 3000) {
 
 
 
+
 {% endblock %}