diff --git a/src/core/search/hybrid.ts b/src/core/search/hybrid.ts
index 094281870..de0a95eb4 100644
--- a/src/core/search/hybrid.ts
+++ b/src/core/search/hybrid.ts
@@ -487,18 +487,12 @@ export async function runPostFusionStages(
   if (opts.recency !== 'off') {
     try {
       const dates = await engine.getEffectiveDates(refs);
-      // 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');
+      const { DEFAULT_RECENCY_DECAY, DEFAULT_FALLBACK } = await import('./recency-decay.ts');
       applyRecencyBoost(
         results,
         dates,
         opts.recency,
-        opts.decayMap ?? resolveRecencyDecayMap(),
+        opts.decayMap ?? DEFAULT_RECENCY_DECAY,
         opts.fallback ?? DEFAULT_FALLBACK,
         Date.now(),
         floorThreshold,
diff --git a/test/hybrid-recency-config.test.ts b/test/hybrid-recency-config.test.ts
deleted file mode 100644
index 04b95ded0..000000000
--- a/test/hybrid-recency-config.test.ts
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,96 +0,0 @@
-/**
- * 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);
-  });
-});