diff --git a/changelog.d/fixes/15458-priority-order-vs-stickiness.md b/changelog.d/fixes/15458-priority-order-vs-stickiness.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..ab7ddf37b084
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/fixes/15458-priority-order-vs-stickiness.md
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+- **fix(combo):** keep declared priority order ahead of session stickiness ([#15458](https://github.com/diegosouzapw/OmniRoute/pull/15458)) — thanks @skygunner
diff --git a/open-sse/services/combo/sessionStickiness.ts b/open-sse/services/combo/sessionStickiness.ts
index 7347730a6028..6929dff9b62d 100644
--- a/open-sse/services/combo/sessionStickiness.ts
+++ b/open-sse/services/combo/sessionStickiness.ts
@@ -85,9 +85,7 @@ interface StickyEntry {
  * Injectable saturation fetcher seam (for unit tests).
  * Returns HeadroomSaturation or undefined when unknown.
  */
-export type SaturationFetcher = (
-  connectionId: string
-) => Promise<HeadroomSaturation | undefined>;
+export type SaturationFetcher = (connectionId: string) => Promise<HeadroomSaturation | undefined>;
 
 // ─── Saturation fetcher seam ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
@@ -187,9 +185,7 @@ export type QuotaExhaustionChecker = (connectionId: string) => boolean;
 let _quotaExhaustionOverride: QuotaExhaustionChecker | null = null;
 
 /** Test-only: inject the quota-exhaustion checker; pass null to restore default. */
-export function __setStickinessQuotaCheckerForTests(
-  checker: QuotaExhaustionChecker | null
-): void {
+export function __setStickinessQuotaCheckerForTests(checker: QuotaExhaustionChecker | null): void {
   _quotaExhaustionOverride = checker;
 }
 
@@ -450,6 +446,16 @@ export interface ApplyStickinessResult {
   stuck: boolean;
 }
 
+/**
+ * #15241: when the caller needs to preserve the combo's declared first target,
+ * a sticky binding pointing at a mid-list connection must not silently become
+ * runtime try-slot #1. The binding's hygiene gates below still run; only the
+ * promotion is barred.
+ */
+export interface ApplyStickinessOptions {
+  respectDeclaredOrder?: boolean;
+}
+
 /**
  * Attempt to promote the sticky connection to the front of `orderedTargets`.
  *
@@ -469,12 +475,15 @@ export interface ApplyStickinessResult {
  * @param orderedTargets  Targets already ordered by the combo strategy.
  * @param messages        Request body.messages.
  * @param namespace       Combo identity that owns this sticky binding.
+ * @param options         #15241 — `respectDeclaredOrder` bars a mid-list promotion
+ *                        for strategies whose first target is operator-declared.
  * @returns               Result with (possibly reordered) targets.
  */
 export async function applySessionStickiness(
   orderedTargets: ResolvedComboTarget[],
   messages: Array<{ role?: string; content?: unknown }> | null | undefined,
-  namespace?: string
+  namespace?: string,
+  options?: ApplyStickinessOptions
 ): Promise<ApplyStickinessResult> {
   const noOp: ApplyStickinessResult = { targets: orderedTargets, messageHash: null, stuck: false };
 
@@ -530,6 +539,12 @@ export async function applySessionStickiness(
       return { targets: orderedTargets, messageHash, stuck: false };
     }
 
+    // #15241: a caller preserving an operator-declared head keeps its order —
+    // a mid-list sticky connection stays mid-list.
+    if (options?.respectDeclaredOrder && stickyIdx > 0) {
+      return { targets: orderedTargets, messageHash, stuck: false };
+    }
+
     // Promote the sticky target to position 0
     const reordered = [
       orderedTargets[stickyIdx],
diff --git a/open-sse/services/combo/targetResolution.ts b/open-sse/services/combo/targetResolution.ts
index e55f9ac767bd..cf79de23b46b 100644
--- a/open-sse/services/combo/targetResolution.ts
+++ b/open-sse/services/combo/targetResolution.ts
@@ -535,7 +535,12 @@ async function applyContinuityFilters(
         // #7270: normalize both wire shapes (.messages / Responses-API .input) so the
         // stickiness key is derivable on the /v1/responses surface, not just Chat Completions.
         normalizeStickinessMessages(body as { messages?: unknown; input?: unknown }),
-        combo.name
+        combo.name,
+        // #15241: priority is an operator-declared failover order. A mid-list
+        // success must not silently become runtime try-slot #1 while the stored
+        // hop list still names another head. Other strategies keep their existing
+        // session-stickiness behavior.
+        { respectDeclaredOrder: strategy === "priority" }
       );
   let orderedTargets = sticky.targets;
   if (!cacheStrategyAffinityApplied) {
diff --git a/tests/unit/combo-session-stickiness.test.ts b/tests/unit/combo-session-stickiness.test.ts
index 2d4d93e14dbd..85e8e86b837a 100644
--- a/tests/unit/combo-session-stickiness.test.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/combo-session-stickiness.test.ts
@@ -37,7 +37,9 @@ const {
 
 // ─── helpers ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
-function makeTarget(connectionId: string): import("../../open-sse/services/combo/types.ts").ResolvedComboTarget {
+function makeTarget(
+  connectionId: string
+): import("../../open-sse/services/combo/types.ts").ResolvedComboTarget {
   return {
     kind: "model",
     stepId: `step-${connectionId}`,
@@ -466,3 +468,48 @@ test("peekStickyConnectionId: reflects the current binding without mutating it",
   // Peeking again must not clear or otherwise mutate the binding.
   assert.equal(peekStickyConnectionId(hash), "conn-peek");
 });
+
+// ─── #15241: operator-declared order outranks stickiness promotion ───────────
+
+test("#15241: respectDeclaredOrder keeps the declared head over a mid-list sticky connection", async () => {
+  const messages = [{ role: "user", content: "Priority order" }];
+  const hash = deriveMessageHash(messages)!;
+  recordStickyBinding(hash, "conn-B");
+
+  const targets = [makeTarget("conn-A"), makeTarget("conn-B"), makeTarget("conn-C")];
+  const result = await applySessionStickiness(targets, messages, undefined, {
+    respectDeclaredOrder: true,
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(result.stuck, false, "nothing was promoted, so sticky must not report stuck");
+  assert.equal(result.targets[0].connectionId, "conn-A", "declared head stays first");
+  assert.equal(result.targets[1].connectionId, "conn-B");
+  // the binding survives — only the reorder is barred, a later success refreshes it
+  assert.equal(peekStickyConnectionId(hash), "conn-B");
+});
+
+test("#15241: respectDeclaredOrder leaves a sticky connection already at the head untouched", async () => {
+  const messages = [{ role: "user", content: "Already head" }];
+  const hash = deriveMessageHash(messages)!;
+  recordStickyBinding(hash, "conn-A");
+
+  const targets = [makeTarget("conn-A"), makeTarget("conn-B")];
+  const result = await applySessionStickiness(targets, messages, undefined, {
+    respectDeclaredOrder: true,
+  });
+
+  assert.equal(result.stuck, true, "declared head equals the sticky pin — sticky still applied");
+  assert.equal(result.targets[0].connectionId, "conn-A");
+});
+
+test("#15241: without respectDeclaredOrder a mid-list sticky connection still promotes", async () => {
+  const messages = [{ role: "user", content: "Legacy behavior" }];
+  const hash = deriveMessageHash(messages)!;
+  recordStickyBinding(hash, "conn-B");
+
+  const targets = [makeTarget("conn-A"), makeTarget("conn-B"), makeTarget("conn-C")];
+  const result = await applySessionStickiness(targets, messages);
+
+  assert.equal(result.stuck, true, "strategies without a declared head keep the reorder");
+  assert.equal(result.targets[0].connectionId, "conn-B");
+});
diff --git a/tests/unit/combo-target-resolution-split.test.ts b/tests/unit/combo-target-resolution-split.test.ts
index 9f80ff17fda7..13ae1ac22931 100644
--- a/tests/unit/combo-target-resolution-split.test.ts
+++ b/tests/unit/combo-target-resolution-split.test.ts
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@ const { saveModelsDevCapabilities, clearModelsDevCapabilities } =
   await import("../../src/lib/modelsDevSync.ts");
 const { resolveComboTargetPipeline } =
   await import("../../open-sse/services/combo/targetResolution.ts");
+const { clearAllStickyBindings, recordStickyBinding } =
+  await import("../../open-sse/services/combo/sessionStickiness.ts");
 
 test.after(() => {
   core.resetDbInstance();
@@ -35,6 +37,7 @@ test.after(() => {
 
 test.beforeEach(() => {
   clearModelsDevCapabilities();
+  clearAllStickyBindings();
 });
 
 const noopLog = { info() {}, warn() {}, error() {}, debug() {} } as never;
@@ -94,6 +97,36 @@ test("priority strategy resolves combo models into orderedTargets in declared or
   );
 });
 
+test("#15241 priority pipeline keeps its declared head after a mid-list sticky success", async () => {
+  const priorityWithConnections = {
+    id: "c-sticky-priority",
+    name: "sticky-priority",
+    strategy: "priority",
+    models: [
+      { model: "openai/gpt-4o", connectionId: "conn-priority-a" },
+      { model: "anthropic/claude-3", connectionId: "conn-priority-b" },
+    ],
+    config: {},
+  };
+  const first = await resolveComboTargetPipeline(deps({ combo: priorityWithConnections }));
+  assert.ok(!("earlyResponse" in first));
+  if ("earlyResponse" in first) return;
+  assert.ok(first.sticky.messageHash, "pipeline derives the conversation stickiness key");
+  assert.ok(first.orderedTargets[1]?.connectionId, "second target has a connection id to pin");
+
+  recordStickyBinding(first.sticky.messageHash!, first.orderedTargets[1]!.connectionId!);
+
+  const repeated = await resolveComboTargetPipeline(deps({ combo: priorityWithConnections }));
+  assert.ok(!("earlyResponse" in repeated));
+  if ("earlyResponse" in repeated) return;
+  assert.deepEqual(
+    repeated.orderedTargets.map((target) => target.modelStr),
+    ["openai/gpt-4o", "anthropic/claude-3"],
+    "a prior mid-list success must not become runtime try-slot #1 for priority"
+  );
+  assert.equal(repeated.sticky.stuck, false);
+});
+
 test("returns the derived values the attempt loop consumes", async () => {
   const result = await resolveComboTargetPipeline(deps());
   assert.ok(!("earlyResponse" in result));