diff --git a/cmd/sdrd/decision_budget.go b/cmd/sdrd/decision_budget.go
index 019b18b..29553c6 100644
--- a/cmd/sdrd/decision_budget.go
+++ b/cmd/sdrd/decision_budget.go
@@ -1,24 +1,35 @@
 package main
 
-import "sdr-wideband-suite/internal/pipeline"
+import (
+	"sort"
+
+	"sdr-wideband-suite/internal/pipeline"
+)
 
 func enforceDecisionBudgets(decisions []pipeline.SignalDecision, maxRecord int, maxDecode int) (int, int) {
 	recorded := 0
 	decoded := 0
+	order := make([]int, len(decisions))
 	for i := range decisions {
-		if decisions[i].ShouldRecord {
+		order[i] = i
+	}
+	sort.SliceStable(order, func(i, j int) bool {
+		return decisions[order[i]].Candidate.SNRDb > decisions[order[j]].Candidate.SNRDb
+	})
+	for _, idx := range order {
+		if decisions[idx].ShouldRecord {
 			if maxRecord > 0 && recorded >= maxRecord {
-				decisions[i].ShouldRecord = false
-				decisions[i].Reason = "recording budget exceeded"
+				decisions[idx].ShouldRecord = false
+				decisions[idx].Reason = "recording budget exceeded"
 			} else {
 				recorded++
 			}
 		}
-		if decisions[i].ShouldAutoDecode {
+		if decisions[idx].ShouldAutoDecode {
 			if maxDecode > 0 && decoded >= maxDecode {
-				decisions[i].ShouldAutoDecode = false
-				if decisions[i].Reason == "" {
-					decisions[i].Reason = "decode budget exceeded"
+				decisions[idx].ShouldAutoDecode = false
+				if decisions[idx].Reason == "" {
+					decisions[idx].Reason = "decode budget exceeded"
 				}
 			} else {
 				decoded++
diff --git a/cmd/sdrd/decision_budget_test.go b/cmd/sdrd/decision_budget_test.go
index 0827efd..f519ea6 100644
--- a/cmd/sdrd/decision_budget_test.go
+++ b/cmd/sdrd/decision_budget_test.go
@@ -8,21 +8,21 @@ import (
 
 func TestEnforceDecisionBudgets(t *testing.T) {
 	decisions := []pipeline.SignalDecision{
-		{ShouldRecord: true, ShouldAutoDecode: true},
-		{ShouldRecord: true, ShouldAutoDecode: true},
-		{ShouldRecord: true, ShouldAutoDecode: false},
+		{Candidate: pipeline.Candidate{SNRDb: 5}, ShouldRecord: true, ShouldAutoDecode: true},
+		{Candidate: pipeline.Candidate{SNRDb: 15}, ShouldRecord: true, ShouldAutoDecode: true},
+		{Candidate: pipeline.Candidate{SNRDb: 10}, ShouldRecord: true, ShouldAutoDecode: false},
 	}
 	recorded, decoded := enforceDecisionBudgets(decisions, 1, 1)
 	if recorded != 1 || decoded != 1 {
 		t.Fatalf("unexpected counts: record=%d decode=%d", recorded, decoded)
 	}
-	if decisions[0].ShouldRecord != true || decisions[0].ShouldAutoDecode != true {
-		t.Fatalf("expected first decision to remain allowed")
+	if !decisions[1].ShouldRecord || !decisions[1].ShouldAutoDecode {
+		t.Fatalf("expected highest SNR decision to remain allowed")
 	}
-	if decisions[1].ShouldRecord || decisions[1].ShouldAutoDecode {
-		t.Fatalf("expected second decision to be budgeted off")
+	if decisions[0].ShouldRecord || decisions[0].ShouldAutoDecode {
+		t.Fatalf("expected lowest SNR decision to be budgeted off")
 	}
 	if decisions[2].ShouldRecord {
-		t.Fatalf("expected third decision to be budgeted off")
+		t.Fatalf("expected mid SNR decision to be budgeted off by record budget")
 	}
 }