diff --git a/src/video.rs b/src/video.rs
index 320b212ed..18c8a1dff 100644
--- a/src/video.rs
+++ b/src/video.rs
@@ -1359,6 +1359,35 @@ pub fn quality_for_height(height: u32) -> &'static str {
         .unwrap_or("1080p")
 }
 
+/// Best muxed (audio+video) file for a height cap: smallest height at
+/// or above the cap, else the tallest available. Same semantics as
+/// [`select_hls_format`]. Only directly fetchable files qualify, so a
+/// DRM or link-less entry can never shadow a playable one — and the
+/// quality cap survives: callers used to take the crate's
+/// `best_audio_video_format`, which is first-in-extractor-order (lowest
+/// first on x.com) regardless of the requested height.
+fn select_muxed_format(formats: &[Format], want: Option<u32>) -> Option<StreamSel> {
+    let mut cands: Vec<(&Format, u32)> = formats
+        .iter()
+        .filter(|f| f.format_type().is_audio_and_video())
+        .filter_map(|f| {
+            let h = f.video_resolution.height.filter(|&h| h > 0)?;
+            StreamSel::from_format(f).ok().map(|_| (f, h))
+        })
+        .collect();
+    cands.sort_by_key(|(_, h)| *h);
+    match want {
+        Some(cap) => cands
+            .iter()
+            .find(|(_, h)| *h >= cap)
+            .or_else(|| cands.last())
+            .and_then(|(f, _)| StreamSel::from_format(f).ok()),
+        None => cands
+            .last()
+            .and_then(|(f, _)| StreamSel::from_format(f).ok()),
+    }
+}
+
 /// Stored quality value to a height cap: `None` (Best) takes the
 /// tallest variant available.
 fn quality_height(value: &str) -> Option<u32> {
@@ -1789,7 +1818,8 @@ struct StreamPlan {
 ///    dropped and then shadowed by the muxed adoption below (x.com
 ///    VODs: direct mp4s are muxed, so the combo lists HLS only).
 /// 2. Direct splits: pinned HTTPS id, else the quality preset.
-/// 3. Single-part adoption for a still-missing side: muxed files, then
+/// 3. Single-part adoption for a still-missing side: muxed files (at
+///    the requested height, not first-in-extractor-order), then
 ///    Unclassified video containers (TikTok-style sparse extractors).
 ///    Gated on the missing side — not on audio absence — because those
 ///    pages also list a separate audio track, which used to skip both
@@ -1858,10 +1888,10 @@ fn plan_streams(
         && (!audio_only_request || audio_sel.is_none())
     {
         let muxed = video_sel.take_if(|v| v.has_audio).or_else(|| {
-            video
-                .best_audio_video_format()
-                .ok()
-                .and_then(|m| StreamSel::from_format(m).ok())
+            // Height-aware: a bare "first muxed file" pick is lowest
+            // first on extractors that list ascending (x.com), ignoring
+            // the requested quality entirely.
+            select_muxed_format(&video.formats, quality_height(quality))
         });
         if let Some(m) = muxed {
             audio_sel = Some(m);
diff --git a/src/video_tests.rs b/src/video_tests.rs
index e4482463b..419e49559 100644
--- a/src/video_tests.rs
+++ b/src/video_tests.rs
@@ -1848,21 +1848,73 @@ fn plan_pinned_hls_wins_over_muxed_adoption() {
 #[test]
 fn plan_muxed_only_still_adopts_without_pin() {
     // No pin, no splits: the muxed file adopts as before (precedence
-    // over the HLS preset is unchanged).
+    // over the HLS preset is unchanged) — but at the requested height,
+    // not first-in-extractor-order.
     let video = x_like_video();
     let plan = plan_streams(&video, "1080p", false, None, true, 1);
     assert!(plan.video_sel.is_none());
-    assert_eq!(plan.audio_sel.expect("adopted").format_id, "http-320");
+    assert_eq!(plan.audio_sel.expect("adopted").format_id, "http-720");
     assert!(plan.audio_only);
     assert!(plan.hls_sel.is_none());
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn plan_muxed_adoption_honors_height_cap() {
+    // First-in-order used to win regardless of quality (x.com lists
+    // ascending, so Best match downloaded the lowest). Now the cap
+    // picks smallest-at-or-above, tallest when nothing qualifies.
+    let video = test_video(serde_json::json!([
+        test_format_full(
+            "m320",
+            "avc1.64001f",
+            "mp4a.40.2",
+            Some(320),
+            None,
+            "https",
+            false
+        ),
+        test_format_full(
+            "m720",
+            "avc1.64001f",
+            "mp4a.40.2",
+            Some(720),
+            None,
+            "https",
+            false
+        ),
+        test_format_full(
+            "m1080",
+            "avc1.64001f",
+            "mp4a.40.2",
+            Some(1080),
+            None,
+            "https",
+            false
+        ),
+    ]));
+    for (quality, want) in [
+        ("best", "m1080"),
+        ("1080p", "m1080"),
+        ("720p", "m720"),
+        ("480p", "m720"),
+    ] {
+        let plan = plan_streams(&video, quality, false, None, true, 1);
+        assert_eq!(
+            plan.audio_sel.expect("adopted").format_id,
+            want,
+            "quality {quality}"
+        );
+        assert!(plan.audio_only, "quality {quality}");
+    }
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn plan_stale_hls_pin_degrades_to_muxed_adoption() {
-    // A vanished HLS pin behaves like no pin: preset, then adoption.
+    // A vanished HLS pin behaves like no pin: preset, then adoption
+    // (at the dialog-picked height, not the lowest listing).
     let video = x_like_video();
     let plan = plan_streams(&video, "1080p", false, Some("gone"), true, 1);
-    assert_eq!(plan.audio_sel.expect("adopted").format_id, "http-320");
+    assert_eq!(plan.audio_sel.expect("adopted").format_id, "http-720");
     assert!(plan.audio_only);
     assert!(plan.hls_sel.is_none());
 }