diff --git a/benchmarks/kernels/benchmark_sparse_indexer_topk.py b/benchmarks/kernels/benchmark_sparse_indexer_topk.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..68a1a22d7cff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/benchmarks/kernels/benchmark_sparse_indexer_topk.py
@@ -0,0 +1,321 @@
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright contributors to the vLLM project
+
+"""Benchmark sparse indexer decode TopK dispatch.
+
+This targets ``torch.ops._C.persistent_topk``, which is used by the sparse MLA
+indexer decode path after fp8/fp4 paged MQA logits are produced.
+
+Example:
+  python benchmarks/kernels/benchmark_sparse_indexer_topk.py --grid glm
+  python benchmarks/kernels/benchmark_sparse_indexer_topk.py --grid full \
+    --output sparse_indexer_topk.csv
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import argparse
+import csv
+import dataclasses
+import itertools
+import math
+import statistics
+from pathlib import Path
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
+
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+    import torch
+
+
+TOPK = 2048
+RADIX_THRESHOLD = 32768
+DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_BYTES = 1024 * 1024
+
+
+@dataclasses.dataclass(frozen=True)
+class Shape:
+    batch_size: int
+    next_n: int
+    stride: int
+    pattern: str
+
+    @property
+    def num_rows(self) -> int:
+        return self.batch_size * self.next_n
+
+
+def parse_int_list(value: str) -> list[int]:
+    return [int(item) for item in value.split(",") if item]
+
+
+def parse_str_list(value: str) -> list[str]:
+    return [item for item in value.split(",") if item]
+
+
+def legacy_route(num_rows: int, effective_max_len: int) -> str:
+    if effective_max_len <= TOPK:
+        return "persistent"
+    return "filtered" if num_rows > 32 else "persistent"
+
+
+def heuristic_route(num_rows: int, effective_max_len: int) -> str:
+    if effective_max_len <= TOPK:
+        return "persistent"
+    if effective_max_len <= RADIX_THRESHOLD:
+        return "filtered"
+    return "filtered" if num_rows > 32 else "persistent"
+
+
+def estimate_max_seq_len(shape: Shape) -> int:
+    if shape.pattern == "short_padded":
+        return min(shape.stride, max(TOPK + 1, 8192))
+    return shape.stride
+
+
+def make_lengths(shape: Shape, device: torch.device) -> torch.Tensor:
+    batch_size = shape.batch_size
+    stride = shape.stride
+    next_n = shape.next_n
+
+    if shape.pattern == "uniform":
+        seq_lens = torch.full((batch_size,), stride, dtype=torch.int32, device=device)
+    elif shape.pattern == "short_padded":
+        length = min(stride, max(TOPK + 1, 8192))
+        seq_lens = torch.full((batch_size,), length, dtype=torch.int32, device=device)
+    elif shape.pattern == "mixed_clustered":
+        short = min(stride, max(TOPK + 1, stride // 4))
+        long = stride
+        seq_lens = torch.full((batch_size,), long, dtype=torch.int32, device=device)
+        seq_lens[::2] = short
+    elif shape.pattern == "mixed_interleaved":
+        values = torch.linspace(TOPK + 1, stride, batch_size, device=device)
+        seq_lens = values.round().to(torch.int32)
+    elif shape.pattern == "trivial_heavy":
+        seq_lens = torch.full((batch_size,), TOPK, dtype=torch.int32, device=device)
+        seq_lens[-1:] = stride
+    elif shape.pattern == "ramp":
+        values = torch.arange(1, batch_size + 1, device=device, dtype=torch.float32)
+        values = TOPK + values * (stride - TOPK) / max(batch_size, 1)
+        seq_lens = values.round().to(torch.int32)
+    else:
+        raise ValueError(f"unknown length pattern: {shape.pattern}")
+
+    seq_lens = seq_lens.clamp(min=1, max=stride)
+    if next_n == 1:
+        return seq_lens
+
+    offsets = torch.arange(next_n, device=device, dtype=torch.int32)
+    lengths = seq_lens.unsqueeze(1) - next_n + 1 + offsets
+    return lengths.clamp(min=1, max=stride).flatten()
+
+
+def make_logits(shape: Shape, lengths: torch.Tensor, device: torch.device) -> torch.Tensor:
+    logits = torch.randn(
+        (shape.num_rows, shape.stride), dtype=torch.float32, device=device
+    )
+    row_ids = torch.arange(shape.stride, dtype=torch.int32, device=device)
+    logits.masked_fill_(row_ids.unsqueeze(0) >= lengths.unsqueeze(1), float("-inf"))
+    return logits
+
+
+def topk_values_match(
+    logits: torch.Tensor,
+    output: torch.Tensor,
+    lengths: torch.Tensor,
+    topk: int,
+    atol: float = 1e-4,
+) -> bool:
+    for row in range(logits.shape[0]):
+        length = int(lengths[row].item())
+        k = min(topk, length)
+        if k <= 0:
+            continue
+        actual_indices = output[row, :k].to(torch.long)
+        actual_values = logits[row, actual_indices].sort(descending=True).values
+        expected_values = logits[row, :length].topk(k).values.sort(descending=True).values
+        if not torch.allclose(actual_values, expected_values, atol=atol, rtol=atol):
+            return False
+    return True
+
+
+def benchmark_one(
+    shape: Shape,
+    args: argparse.Namespace,
+    device: torch.device,
+) -> dict[str, int | float | str | bool]:
+    lengths = make_lengths(shape, device=device)
+    logits = make_logits(shape, lengths, device=device)
+    output = torch.empty((shape.num_rows, TOPK), dtype=torch.int32, device=device)
+    workspace = torch.empty(args.workspace_bytes, dtype=torch.uint8, device=device)
+
+    if args.max_seq_len_mode == "stride":
+        max_seq_len = shape.stride
+    else:
+        max_seq_len = int(lengths.max().item())
+    effective_max_len = max(1, min(shape.stride, max_seq_len))
+
+    def run() -> None:
+        torch.ops._C.persistent_topk(
+            logits, lengths, output, workspace, TOPK, max_seq_len
+        )
+
+    for _ in range(args.warmup):
+        run()
+    torch.cuda.synchronize()
+
+    times_us: list[float] = []
+    start = torch.cuda.Event(enable_timing=True)
+    end = torch.cuda.Event(enable_timing=True)
+    for _ in range(args.iters):
+        start.record()
+        run()
+        end.record()
+        end.synchronize()
+        times_us.append(start.elapsed_time(end) * 1000.0)
+
+    correct = True
+    if args.check:
+        correct = topk_values_match(logits, output, lengths, TOPK)
+
+    times = sorted(times_us)
+    return {
+        "batch_size": shape.batch_size,
+        "next_n": shape.next_n,
+        "num_rows": shape.num_rows,
+        "topk": TOPK,
+        "stride": shape.stride,
+        "pattern": shape.pattern,
+        "max_seq_len": max_seq_len,
+        "effective_max_len": effective_max_len,
+        "legacy_route": legacy_route(shape.num_rows, effective_max_len),
+        "heuristic_route": heuristic_route(shape.num_rows, effective_max_len),
+        "route_changed": legacy_route(shape.num_rows, effective_max_len)
+        != heuristic_route(shape.num_rows, effective_max_len),
+        "correct": correct,
+        "min_us": min(times),
+        "p20_us": times[max(0, math.floor(0.20 * (len(times) - 1)))],
+        "median_us": statistics.median(times),
+        "p80_us": times[max(0, math.floor(0.80 * (len(times) - 1)))],
+        "max_us": max(times),
+    }
+
+
+def build_shapes(args: argparse.Namespace) -> list[Shape]:
+    if args.grid == "glm":
+        batch_sizes = [8, 16, 32]
+        next_ns = [1, 2]
+        strides = [8192, 9216, 16384, 32768]
+        patterns = ["uniform", "short_padded", "mixed_clustered"]
+    elif args.grid == "quick":
+        batch_sizes = [1, 8, 16, 32, 64]
+        next_ns = [1, 2]
+        strides = [8192, 32768, 163840]
+        patterns = ["uniform", "short_padded", "trivial_heavy"]
+    elif args.grid == "full":
+        batch_sizes = [1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64]
+        next_ns = [1, 2, 3, 4]
+        strides = [4096, 8192, 16384, 32768, 65536, 131072, 163840]
+        patterns = [
+            "uniform",
+            "short_padded",
+            "mixed_clustered",
+            "mixed_interleaved",
+            "trivial_heavy",
+            "ramp",
+        ]
+    else:
+        batch_sizes = parse_int_list(args.batch_sizes)
+        next_ns = parse_int_list(args.next_ns)
+        strides = parse_int_list(args.strides)
+        patterns = parse_str_list(args.patterns)
+
+    shapes = [
+        Shape(batch_size=bs, next_n=next_n, stride=stride, pattern=pattern)
+        for bs, next_n, stride, pattern in itertools.product(
+            batch_sizes, next_ns, strides, patterns
+        )
+    ]
+
+    filtered: list[Shape] = []
+    for shape in shapes:
+        input_gb = shape.num_rows * shape.stride * 4 / 1e9
+        if input_gb <= args.max_input_gb:
+            filtered.append(shape)
+    return filtered
+
+
+def main() -> int:
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(description=__doc__)
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--grid", choices=["quick", "glm", "full", "custom"], default="quick"
+    )
+    parser.add_argument("--batch-sizes", default="1,8,16,32,64")
+    parser.add_argument("--next-ns", default="1,2")
+    parser.add_argument("--strides", default="8192,32768,163840")
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--patterns", default="uniform,short_padded,mixed_clustered,trivial_heavy"
+    )
+    parser.add_argument("--warmup", type=int, default=20)
+    parser.add_argument("--iters", type=int, default=100)
+    parser.add_argument("--max-input-gb", type=float, default=2.0)
+    parser.add_argument(
+        "--max-seq-len-mode", choices=["actual", "stride"], default="actual"
+    )
+    parser.add_argument("--workspace-bytes", type=int, default=DEFAULT_WORKSPACE_BYTES)
+    parser.add_argument("--check", action="store_true")
+    parser.add_argument("--dry-run", action="store_true")
+    parser.add_argument("--output", type=Path, default=None)
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    shapes = build_shapes(args)
+    route_changed_shapes = sum(
+        heuristic_route(s.num_rows, estimate_max_seq_len(s))
+        != legacy_route(s.num_rows, estimate_max_seq_len(s))
+        for s in shapes
+    )
+    print(
+        f"grid={args.grid} shapes={len(shapes)} topk={TOPK} "
+        f"max_input_gb={args.max_input_gb}"
+    )
+    print(f"route_changed_shapes={route_changed_shapes}")
+
+    if args.dry_run:
+        for shape in shapes:
+            print(dataclasses.asdict(shape))
+        return 0
+
+    global torch
+    import torch as torch_module
+    torch = torch_module
+
+    import vllm._custom_ops  # noqa: F401
+    from vllm.platforms import current_platform
+
+    if not current_platform.is_cuda():
+        raise RuntimeError("benchmark_sparse_indexer_topk requires CUDA")
+
+    device = torch.device("cuda")
+    rows: list[dict[str, int | float | str | bool]] = []
+    for idx, shape in enumerate(shapes, start=1):
+        row = benchmark_one(shape, args, device)
+        rows.append(row)
+        print(
+            f"[{idx:03d}/{len(shapes):03d}] bs={shape.batch_size} "
+            f"next_n={shape.next_n} stride={shape.stride} pattern={shape.pattern} "
+            f"route={row['heuristic_route']} median_us={row['median_us']:.3f} "
+            f"correct={row['correct']}"
+        )
+
+    if args.output is not None:
+        args.output.parent.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
+        with args.output.open("w", newline="") as f:
+            writer = csv.DictWriter(f, fieldnames=list(rows[0].keys()))
+            writer.writeheader()
+            writer.writerows(rows)
+        print(f"wrote {args.output}")
+
+    return 0
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    raise SystemExit(main())
diff --git a/csrc/libtorch_stable/topk.cu b/csrc/libtorch_stable/topk.cu
index 7656ba8cf8f8..e08742599f29 100644
--- a/csrc/libtorch_stable/topk.cu
+++ b/csrc/libtorch_stable/topk.cu
@@ -13,6 +13,29 @@
 namespace {
 
 #ifndef USE_ROCM
+template <int TopK>
+bool should_use_filtered_topk(int64_t num_rows, int64_t stride,
+                              int64_t max_seq_len,
+                              int max_smem_per_block) {
+  if (max_smem_per_block < 128 * 1024) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  const auto effective_max_len = static_cast<uint32_t>(
+      std::max<int64_t>(1, std::min(stride, max_seq_len)));
+  if (effective_max_len <= static_cast<uint32_t>(TopK)) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  // FilteredTopK wins for short decode rows on SM90-class GPUs. Keep the
+  // long-context path conservative because the filtered kernel has a fixed
+  // setup cost that is not reliably amortized for small decode batches.
+  if (effective_max_len <= vllm::persistent::RADIX_THRESHOLD) {
+    return true;
+  }
+  return num_rows > 32;
+}
+
 template <int TopK>
 void launch_persistent_topk(const torch::stable::Tensor& logits,
                             const torch::stable::Tensor& lengths,
@@ -33,7 +56,8 @@ void launch_persistent_topk(const torch::stable::Tensor& logits,
     max_smem_per_block = device_prop->sharedMemPerBlockOptin;
   }
 
-  if (num_rows > 32 && max_smem_per_block >= 128 * 1024) {
+  if (should_use_filtered_topk<TopK>(num_rows, stride, max_seq_len,
+                                     max_smem_per_block)) {
     cudaError_t status =
         vllm::FilteredTopKRaggedTransform<float, int32_t, TopK>(
             logits.const_data_ptr<float>(), output.mutable_data_ptr<int32_t>(),