diff --git a/crates/ml/src/cuda_pipeline/iql_value_kernel.cu b/crates/ml/src/cuda_pipeline/iql_value_kernel.cu
index 9073364e0..9ca063639 100644
--- a/crates/ml/src/cuda_pipeline/iql_value_kernel.cu
+++ b/crates/ml/src/cuda_pipeline/iql_value_kernel.cu
@@ -729,8 +729,15 @@ void iql_adv_sigma_ema_update(
         readiness_buf[2] = cv_max;
 
         float anchor = fmaxf(cv_max, cv_initial);
-        float improvement = (anchor - cv) / fmaxf(anchor, 1e-6f);
-        readiness_buf[0] = fminf(fmaxf(improvement, 0.0f), 1.0f);
+        float improvement = fminf(fmaxf((anchor - cv) / fmaxf(anchor, 1e-6f), 0.0f), 1.0f);
+        /* Adaptive-rate EMA: smooth readiness transitions to prevent
+           per-sample support from snapping discontinuously. Tracks fast
+           when readiness changes rapidly, smooths when stable. */
+        float prev_r = readiness_buf[0];
+        float r_err = fabsf(improvement - prev_r);
+        float r_alpha = r_err / (r_err + 0.05f);
+        r_alpha = fminf(fmaxf(r_alpha, 0.01f), 0.3f);
+        readiness_buf[0] = (1.0f - r_alpha) * prev_r + r_alpha * improvement;
     }
 }