diff --git a/app/scheduler.py b/app/scheduler.py
index c232fff..d8b540d 100644
--- a/app/scheduler.py
+++ b/app/scheduler.py
@@ -218,9 +218,10 @@ async def _get_sentiment_priority_tickers(db: AsyncSession) -> list[str]:
     """Symbols to fetch sentiment for, budgeted to stay in the free search tier.
 
     Scope: only tickers that matter — watchlist + open paper trades + top-N by
-    composite score. Skip any refreshed within ``sentiment_fresh_hours``. Cap the
-    run at ``sentiment_max_per_run``, oldest/missing first. Once the relevant set
-    is fresh, runs make zero grounded searches until it ages out.
+    composite score + the momentum leaders the activation gate qualifies on. Skip
+    any refreshed within ``sentiment_fresh_hours``. Cap the run at
+    ``sentiment_max_per_run``, oldest/missing first. Once the relevant set is
+    fresh, runs make zero grounded searches until it ages out.
     """
     from app.models.paper_trade import PaperTrade
     from app.models.score import CompositeScore
@@ -244,6 +245,31 @@ async def _get_sentiment_priority_tickers(db: AsyncSession) -> list[str]:
     )
     relevant.update(r[0] for r in top.all())
 
+    # Momentum leaders: the tickers that can clear the activation gate, which
+    # selects the top ``min_momentum_percentile`` slice by 12-1 momentum — a
+    # different axis than composite score. The gate qualifies setups on this
+    # percentile, so without including them a freshly-qualifying ticker carries no
+    # sentiment and gets enhanced as neutral. Pre-fetching their sentiment here (in
+    # the daily pipeline, sentiment runs right after the OHLCV refresh) means the
+    # following R:R scan reads real sentiment for the setups it qualifies.
+    # Best-effort: a momentum/config failure must not stop sentiment collection.
+    try:
+        from app.services import momentum_service
+        from app.services.admin_service import get_activation_config
+
+        activation = await get_activation_config(db)
+        min_pct = float(activation.get("min_momentum_percentile", 0.0))
+        if min_pct > 0:
+            percentiles = await momentum_service.compute_momentum_percentiles(db)
+            leaders = [sym for sym, pct in percentiles.items() if pct >= min_pct]
+            if leaders:
+                rows = await db.execute(
+                    select(Ticker.id).where(Ticker.symbol.in_(leaders))
+                )
+                relevant.update(r[0] for r in rows.all())
+    except Exception:
+        logger.exception("Sentiment momentum-leader scoping failed; using base relevant set")
+
     if not relevant:
         return []
 
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_sentiment_priority.py b/tests/unit/test_sentiment_priority.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..376e68d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/unit/test_sentiment_priority.py
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+"""Tests for sentiment-collection scoping (``_get_sentiment_priority_tickers``).
+
+The activation gate qualifies setups on 12-1 momentum percentile, a different
+axis than composite score. These tests pin the fix that adds the gate's momentum
+leaders to the sentiment relevant-set so a freshly-qualifying ticker isn't left
+without sentiment.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from datetime import date, datetime, timedelta, timezone
+
+import pytest
+
+from app import scheduler
+from app.models.ohlcv import OHLCVRecord
+from app.models.settings import SystemSetting
+from app.models.ticker import Ticker
+
+
+@pytest.fixture
+async def session():
+    from tests.conftest import _test_session_factory
+
+    async with _test_session_factory() as s:
+        yield s
+
+
+async def _seed_history(session, symbol: str, rate: float, n: int = 280) -> Ticker:
+    """Seed a ticker with a full year+ of daily closes growing at ``rate``."""
+    t = Ticker(symbol=symbol)
+    session.add(t)
+    await session.flush()
+    base = date(2024, 1, 1)
+    for i in range(n):
+        close = 100.0 * (rate ** i)
+        session.add(OHLCVRecord(
+            ticker_id=t.id,
+            date=base + timedelta(days=i),
+            open=close, high=close, low=close, close=close,
+            volume=1_000_000,
+        ))
+    await session.commit()
+    return t
+
+
+async def _set_min_momentum(session, value: str) -> None:
+    session.add(SystemSetting(
+        key="activation_min_momentum_percentile",
+        value=value,
+        updated_at=datetime.now(timezone.utc),
+    ))
+    await session.commit()
+
+
+async def test_momentum_leader_is_included_without_composite_or_watchlist(session):
+    """A top-percentile momentum ticker is fetched even when it has no composite
+    score, no watchlist entry, and no open trade — the case that previously left
+    qualifying setups with no sentiment."""
+    await _seed_history(session, "LEADER", rate=1.010)   # strong uptrend → pct 100
+    await _seed_history(session, "LAGGARD", rate=0.999)   # declining → pct 0
+    await _set_min_momentum(session, "80")
+
+    symbols = await scheduler._get_sentiment_priority_tickers(session)
+
+    assert "LEADER" in symbols
+    # Below the gate's percentile and not otherwise relevant → not fetched.
+    assert "LAGGARD" not in symbols
+
+
+async def test_momentum_leaders_skipped_when_gate_disabled(session):
+    """With the momentum gate off (min percentile 0), the leader is no longer
+    pulled in solely on momentum — scoping falls back to the base relevant set."""
+    await _seed_history(session, "LEADER", rate=1.010)
+    await _seed_history(session, "LAGGARD", rate=0.999)
+    await _set_min_momentum(session, "0")
+
+    symbols = await scheduler._get_sentiment_priority_tickers(session)
+
+    assert "LEADER" not in symbols
+    assert "LAGGARD" not in symbols