diff --git a/src/components/admin/round/ranking-dashboard.tsx b/src/components/admin/round/ranking-dashboard.tsx
index e6c2537..825bb9f 100644
--- a/src/components/admin/round/ranking-dashboard.tsx
+++ b/src/components/admin/round/ranking-dashboard.tsx
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ type SortableProjectRowProps = {
   jurorScores: JurorScore[] | undefined
   onSelect: () => void
   isSelected: boolean
+  originalRank: number | undefined // from snapshotOrder — always in sync with localOrder
 }
 
 // ─── Sub-component: SortableProjectRow ────────────────────────────────────────
@@ -102,6 +103,7 @@ function SortableProjectRow({
   jurorScores,
   onSelect,
   isSelected,
+  originalRank,
 }: SortableProjectRowProps) {
   const {
     attributes,
@@ -117,8 +119,9 @@ function SortableProjectRow({
     transition,
   }
 
-  // isOverridden: admin drag-reordered this project from its original snapshot position
-  const isOverridden = entry !== undefined && currentRank !== entry.originalIndex
+  // isOverridden: admin drag-reordered this project from its original snapshot position.
+  // Uses snapshotOrder (set in same effect as localOrder) so they are always in sync.
+  const isOverridden = originalRank !== undefined && currentRank !== originalRank
 
   // Compute yes count from juror scores
   const yesCount = jurorScores?.filter((j) => j.decision === true).length ?? 0
@@ -236,6 +239,9 @@ export function RankingDashboard({ competitionId: _competitionId, roundId }: Ran
     STARTUP: [],
     BUSINESS_CONCEPT: [],
   })
+  // Track the original snapshot order (projectId → 1-based rank) for override detection.
+  // Updated in the same effect as localOrder so they are always in sync.
+  const [snapshotOrder, setSnapshotOrder] = useState<Record<string, number>>({})
   const initialized = useRef(false)
   const pendingReorderCount = useRef(0)
 
@@ -404,6 +410,11 @@ export function RankingDashboard({ competitionId: _competitionId, roundId }: Ran
         STARTUP: startup.map((r) => r.projectId),
         BUSINESS_CONCEPT: concept.map((r) => r.projectId),
       })
+      // Track original order for override detection (same effect = always in sync)
+      const order: Record<string, number> = {}
+      startup.forEach((r, i) => { order[r.projectId] = i + 1 })
+      concept.forEach((r, i) => { order[r.projectId] = i + 1 })
+      setSnapshotOrder(order)
       initialized.current = true
     }
   }, [snapshot])
@@ -853,6 +864,7 @@ export function RankingDashboard({ competitionId: _competitionId, roundId }: Ran
                                   jurorScores={evalScores?.[projectId]}
                                   onSelect={() => setSelectedProjectId(projectId)}
                                   isSelected={selectedProjectId === projectId}
+                                  originalRank={snapshotOrder[projectId]}
                                 />
                               </motion.div>
                               {isCutoffRow && (
diff --git a/src/server/services/ai-ranking.ts b/src/server/services/ai-ranking.ts
index 55c02ca..fe2540f 100644
--- a/src/server/services/ai-ranking.ts
+++ b/src/server/services/ai-ranking.ts
@@ -153,12 +153,13 @@ Return JSON only:
   ]
 }
 
-Rules:
-- Apply filter rules first (remove projects that fail the filter)
-- Apply sort rules next (order remaining projects)
-- Apply limit rules last (keep only top N)
-- Projects not in the ranked output are considered excluded (not ranked last)
-- Use the project_id values exactly as given — do not change them`
+CRITICAL Rules:
+- You MUST include EVERY project in the ranked output — never exclude or filter out any project
+- Apply sort rules to determine the ranking order
+- If filter criteria exist, use them to inform ranking priority (projects meeting all criteria rank higher, those failing criteria rank lower) but still include ALL projects
+- Ignore any limit rules — always return all projects
+- Use the project_id values exactly as given — do not change them
+- Ranks must be contiguous (1, 2, 3, …) with no gaps`
 
 // ─── Helpers ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -471,7 +472,8 @@ export async function executeAIRanking(
     ],
     jsonMode: true,
     temperature: 0,
-    maxTokens: 2000,
+    // ~50 tokens per project entry; scale for large pools with generous buffer
+    maxTokens: Math.max(2000, projects.length * 80),
   })
 
   let response: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof openai.chat.completions.create>>
@@ -531,6 +533,30 @@ export async function executeAIRanking(
     })
     .sort((a, b) => a.rank - b.rank)
 
+  // ─── Ensure ALL projects are included (AI may omit some due to token limits) ──
+  const rankedIds = new Set(rankedProjects.map((r) => r.projectId))
+  const unrankedProjects = projects
+    .filter((p) => !rankedIds.has(p.id))
+    .map((p) => ({
+      projectId: p.id,
+      rank: 0,
+      compositeScore: computeCompositeScore(p, maxEvaluatorCount, criteriaWeights, criterionDefs),
+      avgGlobalScore: p.avgGlobalScore,
+      normalizedAvgScore: p.normalizedAvgScore,
+      passRate: p.passRate,
+      evaluatorCount: p.evaluatorCount,
+    }))
+    .sort((a, b) => b.compositeScore - a.compositeScore)
+
+  let nextRank = rankedProjects.length + 1
+  for (const proj of unrankedProjects) {
+    proj.rank = nextRank++
+    rankedProjects.push(proj)
+  }
+
+  // Re-normalize ranks to be contiguous (1, 2, 3, …)
+  rankedProjects.forEach((p, i) => { p.rank = i + 1 })
+
   return {
     category,
     rankedProjects,