diff --git a/version-rust/src/main.rs b/version-rust/src/main.rs
index 2add3bc..71cc3c5 100644
--- a/version-rust/src/main.rs
+++ b/version-rust/src/main.rs
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@ fn cmd_sorter(args: &SorterArgs) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
                     "subfaction": i.subfaction,
                     "class": i.klass,
                     "unit": i.unit,
-                    "score": (i.match_score * 1000.0).round() / 1000.0,
+                    "score": (i.match_score * 1000.0).round_ties_even() / 1000.0,
                     "kind": i.match_kind,
                     "inner_count": i.inner_names.len(),
                     "target": i.target
diff --git a/version-rust/src/sorter.rs b/version-rust/src/sorter.rs
index 5db6389..7091a58 100644
--- a/version-rust/src/sorter.rs
+++ b/version-rust/src/sorter.rs
@@ -906,16 +906,22 @@ fn compute_match_name(
                 }
             }
             let cands: Vec<(f64, usize, bool)> = [same, other].into_iter().flatten().collect();
-            if !cands.is_empty() {
-                let normals: Vec<&(f64, usize, bool)> = cands.iter().filter(|c| !c.2).collect();
-                let winner = if normals.is_empty() {
-                    cands.iter().max_by(|a, b| a.0.total_cmp(&b.0)).unwrap()
-                } else {
-                    normals.iter().max_by(|a, b| a.0.total_cmp(&b.0)).unwrap()
-                };
-                return Some(winner.clone());
+            if cands.is_empty() {
+                return None;
             }
-            None
+            // python `max(normals or cands, key=score)` keeps the FIRST
+            // maximum; a normal (non-weak) candidate always beats a weak one.
+            let has_normal = cands.iter().any(|c| !c.2);
+            let mut winner: Option<(f64, usize, bool)> = None;
+            for c in &cands {
+                if has_normal && c.2 {
+                    continue;
+                }
+                if winner.as_ref().is_none_or(|w| c.0 > w.0) {
+                    winner = Some(c.clone());
+                }
+            }
+            return winner;
         } else {
             pool_best(clean, &pool, ctx, threshold, cache)
         }