diff --git a/src/core/search/hybrid.ts b/src/core/search/hybrid.ts
index de0a95eb4..094281870 100644
--- a/src/core/search/hybrid.ts
+++ b/src/core/search/hybrid.ts
@@ -487,12 +487,18 @@ export async function runPostFusionStages(
   if (opts.recency !== 'off') {
     try {
       const dates = await engine.getEffectiveDates(refs);
-      const { DEFAULT_RECENCY_DECAY, DEFAULT_FALLBACK } = await import('./recency-decay.ts');
+      // Resolve the effective decay map (defaults + gbrain.yml `recency:` +
+      // GBRAIN_RECENCY_DECAY env) instead of the baked-in defaults. The
+      // get_recent_salience SQL path already goes through resolveRecencyDecayMap()
+      // (see sql-ranking.ts); using DEFAULT_RECENCY_DECAY directly here meant the
+      // hot hybridSearch path silently ignored operator overrides, leaving
+      // non-default vault layouts on DEFAULT_FALLBACK regardless of tuning.
+      const { resolveRecencyDecayMap, DEFAULT_FALLBACK } = await import('./recency-decay.ts');
       applyRecencyBoost(
         results,
         dates,
         opts.recency,
-        opts.decayMap ?? DEFAULT_RECENCY_DECAY,
+        opts.decayMap ?? resolveRecencyDecayMap(),
         opts.fallback ?? DEFAULT_FALLBACK,
         Date.now(),
         floorThreshold,
diff --git a/test/hybrid-recency-config.test.ts b/test/hybrid-recency-config.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..04b95ded0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/hybrid-recency-config.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+/**
+ * runPostFusionStages must honor operator recency config (GBRAIN_RECENCY_DECAY
+ * env / gbrain.yml `recency:`), not just the baked-in DEFAULT_RECENCY_DECAY.
+ *
+ * Regression guard: the hybrid recency stage previously imported
+ * DEFAULT_RECENCY_DECAY directly, so overrides reached only the
+ * get_recent_salience SQL path and were silently dropped on the hot
+ * hybridSearch path. These tests pin a custom prefix via the env var and
+ * assert the boost the hybrid path applies reflects that config.
+ */
+
+import { describe, test, expect, afterEach } from 'bun:test';
+import { runPostFusionStages } from '../src/core/search/hybrid.ts';
+import type { SearchResult } from '../src/core/types.ts';
+import type { BrainEngine } from '../src/core/engine.ts';
+
+const DAY_MS = 86_400_000;
+// DEFAULT_FALLBACK from recency-decay.ts, mirrored to keep the test focused on
+// the function under test (the value an unpatched hybrid path would apply).
+const DEFAULT_FALLBACK_HL = 90;
+const DEFAULT_FALLBACK_COEFF = 0.5;
+
+/**
+ * Minimal engine stub: only getEffectiveDates is exercised because the test
+ * disables backlinks/salience. Every result is dated `daysOld` ago so the
+ * decay factor is deterministic. Other methods throw to surface accidental use.
+ */
+function makeEngine(daysOld: number): BrainEngine {
+  const d = new Date(Date.now() - daysOld * DAY_MS);
+  return new Proxy({}, {
+    get(_t, prop) {
+      if (prop === 'getEffectiveDates') {
+        return async (refs: Array<{ slug: string; source_id: string }>) => {
+          const m = new Map<string, Date>();
+          for (const r of refs) m.set(`${r.source_id}::${r.slug}`, d);
+          return m;
+        };
+      }
+      return () => { throw new Error(`unexpected engine call: ${String(prop)}`); };
+    },
+  }) as unknown as BrainEngine;
+}
+
+function makeResult(slug: string): SearchResult {
+  return {
+    slug,
+    page_id: 1,
+    title: slug,
+    type: 'note',
+    chunk_text: 'x',
+    chunk_source: 'compiled_truth',
+    chunk_id: 1,
+    chunk_index: 0,
+    score: 1.0,
+    stale: false,
+    source_id: 'default',
+  } as unknown as SearchResult;
+}
+
+const RECENCY_ONLY = { applyBacklinks: false, salience: 'off', recency: 'on' } as const;
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  delete process.env.GBRAIN_RECENCY_DECAY;
+});
+
+describe('runPostFusionStages recency config wiring', () => {
+  test('GBRAIN_RECENCY_DECAY evergreen override suppresses the boost on the hybrid path', async () => {
+    // `custom/` is absent from DEFAULT_RECENCY_DECAY. Without honoring the env,
+    // the slug falls to DEFAULT_FALLBACK (90d/0.5) and gets boosted. Declaring
+    // it evergreen (0/0) must short-circuit the boost — proof the env reached
+    // the hybrid stage.
+    process.env.GBRAIN_RECENCY_DECAY = 'custom/:0:0';
+    const results = [makeResult('custom/foo')];
+    await runPostFusionStages(makeEngine(30), results, RECENCY_ONLY);
+
+    expect(results[0].recency_boost).toBeUndefined();
+    expect(results[0].score).toBe(1.0);
+  });
+
+  test('GBRAIN_RECENCY_DECAY custom coefficient/halflife flows into the applied factor', async () => {
+    // Pin an aggressive config for a prefix the defaults don't carry. The
+    // applied factor must match the custom config, not DEFAULT_FALLBACK.
+    const halflife = 14, coefficient = 2.0, daysOld = 14;
+    process.env.GBRAIN_RECENCY_DECAY = `custom/:${halflife}:${coefficient}`;
+    const results = [makeResult('custom/foo')];
+    await runPostFusionStages(makeEngine(daysOld), results, RECENCY_ONLY);
+
+    // factor = 1 + coefficient * halflife / (halflife + daysOld); at daysOld==halflife → 1 + coefficient/2.
+    const expected = 1 + coefficient * halflife / (halflife + daysOld);
+    const fallbackFactor = 1 + DEFAULT_FALLBACK_COEFF * DEFAULT_FALLBACK_HL / (DEFAULT_FALLBACK_HL + daysOld);
+    expect(results[0].recency_boost).toBeCloseTo(expected, 4);
+    // Sanity: the custom factor is distinguishable from the fallback the
+    // unpatched hybrid path would have applied.
+    expect(Math.abs(expected - fallbackFactor)).toBeGreaterThan(0.1);
+  });
+});