diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 474a2eeae..400b34322 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -26,6 +26,8 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Performance
 
+- **Unstable sorts for unique query metadata** (#795). Prepared-query slot names, an `or`'s branch variables and a subplan's imported variables sort with `sort_unstable`: their keys are unique, or, for a join variable named twice, the tied entries are identical, so order and plans are unchanged. Release builds shrink by 1,008 bytes (native CLI), 1,752 bytes (WASI) and 1,886 bytes (browser `--lib`); prepare and planning time is unchanged within noise. No API, dependency or file-format change.
+
 - **Release certified aggregate groups** (#781). Ordered aggregation now includes ordinary `sum`/`avg`, fixed-scalar `min`/`max`, and Integer/nil `sum-distinct`. Effective grouping tuples may include hidden `:with` keys, constants and repetitions when they reduce to one ascending Integer/Boolean dimension; existing single numeric/Boolean keys remain supported. Arguments are certified from constants, metadata or raw attribute history using the pinned reader, with pending/staged data and unsupported origins retaining full-input evaluation. Every `:with` Sort is retained. Limits count emitted groups after min/max drops; a retained Sort still drains its input. Completed groups are released, but one growing distinct group remains linear. Small selective grouped queries pay proof startup cost. Common result-buffer memory failures can precede later unread source failures, as on the existing ordered-count path; registered finalizers retain full-drain behavior. No aggregate semantics, syntax, public API, dependency or storage format changes.
 
 - **Resolve expression keyword literals once per operator** (#774). `=` and `!=` reuse a literal keyword's entity UUID across input rows, including nested expressions, rule bodies and prepared slots. The cache contains only literals from that expression and is discarded with the operator; dynamic operands retain the existing comparison semantics. No API, dependency or file-format change. See the [measurements](docs/benchmarks/774-expression-keywords.md).
diff --git a/CLAUDE.md b/CLAUDE.md
index 0dcdb0b51..28e239f0f 100644
--- a/CLAUDE.md
+++ b/CLAUDE.md
@@ -218,7 +218,7 @@ Auto-migrates v7 → v8 on open (spec §9, with a backup meta page). v1–v6 are
 
 ## Test Coverage
 
-**2056 tests** (2037 active, 19 ignored; unit + integration + doc). Engine answers once checked by the executor are frozen in `tests/answers/` (#551).
+**2057 tests** (2038 active, 19 ignored; unit + integration + doc). Engine answers once checked by the executor are frozen in `tests/answers/` (#551).
 See `docs/TEST_COVERAGE.md` for the full per-file breakdown.
 
 The #760 deterministic storage suite adds three native unit tests in a separate `--cfg minigraf_shuttle` build, outside the default count. Run only `graph::storage::deterministic::` with that cfg; ordinary unit tests do not enter its scheduler. `deterministic-schedules.yml` runs relevant v3 PRs on Linux/macOS/Windows plus Linux MSRV, and larger nightly/manual searches with replay artifacts. The identical main workflow activates the v3 schedule after both PRs merge. See `docs/testing/deterministic-schedules.md` for scope, controls and findings.
diff --git a/docs/TEST_COVERAGE.md b/docs/TEST_COVERAGE.md
index f497e6f5c..abe8ec034 100644
--- a/docs/TEST_COVERAGE.md
+++ b/docs/TEST_COVERAGE.md
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
 
 | | Default features | With `--features test-hooks` |
 |---|---|---|
-| **Active** | 2,037 | 2,072 |
+| **Active** | 2,038 | 2,073 |
 | **Ignored** | 19 | 20 |
-| **Total** | 2,056 | 2,092 |
+| **Total** | 2,057 | 2,093 |
 
 Counts above are the current Cargo test inventory (active versus ignored),
-including #777, #789 and #781. Verification results below identify which suites ran.
+including #777, #789, #781 and #795. Verification results below identify which suites ran.
 
 **#781 verification (2026-10-29)**: 24 active tests and two ignored measurement
 probes are added. On implementation `90cb88924`, the complete default suite
@@ -110,6 +110,8 @@ execution was not repeated; its 2,066-test inventory was verified.
 
 ## Covered Areas
 
+- **Unique query metadata sorts** (#795; `src/query/engine/tests.rs`, one test): a join variable named twice in a `not-join` or `or-join`, the only equal-key tie in the planner's import sort, returns the rows of the same clause with it named once, under the chosen, hashed and correlated body forms.
+
 - **Certified ordered aggregates** (#781; `src/query/engine/aggregate_order_tests.rs`, `order/tests.rs`, `order/arguments.rs`, `tests/input_order_test.rs`): sum/avg, scalar extrema, Integer/nil distinct sums, complete effective tuples, hidden `:with` keys, output remapping and raw-history argument domains. The original #641 count-only eligibility coverage is extended with explicit scalar/numeric answers, retained Sort, dropped groups, source-error/resource-error competition, pending/staged invalidation, optional-proof rollback, portable committed readers, and separately bounded Aggregate/IdSpace controls. Unproved tuples/arguments and registered finalizers retain full-input behavior.
 
 - **Aggregate value handling** (#789; `tests/aggregate_value_handling_test.rs`, seven default tests and one with `test-hooks`): all value variants, numeric-only sum/distinct sum, mixed-type extrema, existing nil/nonnumeric groups versus empty queries, grouped and ungrouped queries, hidden `:with` groups and join multiplicity, prepared binds/cursors, recursive rules, transaction-time views and staged rollback, checkpoint/reopen, and default/bounded partition windows over identical populations. Three added accumulator tests check adversarial permutations, signed-zero/NaN bits, infinities, integer boundaries, the explicit total order and distinct membership prediction. Two added engine tests check retained numeric-member accounting, duplicates, QRY-012 boundaries, upstream failures and release on rewind/close. Rewritten error-precedence tests use real UDF finalizer failures under Limit/Offset; ordered-aggregate eligibility and frozen answers are unchanged.
diff --git a/src/query/datalog/prepared.rs b/src/query/datalog/prepared.rs
index 685a072ca..00c565eb3 100644
--- a/src/query/datalog/prepared.rs
+++ b/src/query/datalog/prepared.rs
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ fn collect_slot_names(query: &DatalogQuery) -> Vec<String> {
     }
     collect_slots_from_clauses(&query.where_clauses, &mut names);
     let mut result: Vec<String> = names.into_iter().collect();
-    result.sort();
+    result.sort_unstable();
     result
 }
 
diff --git a/src/query/engine/plan.rs b/src/query/engine/plan.rs
index 02988dc84..f7fb987db 100644
--- a/src/query/engine/plan.rs
+++ b/src/query/engine/plan.rs
@@ -1396,7 +1396,7 @@ impl Builder {
                     .filter(|v| !self.slots.by_var.contains_key(*v))
                     .cloned()
                     .collect();
-                own.sort();
+                own.sort_unstable();
                 if k == 0 {
                     names = own;
                 } else if own != names {
@@ -1438,7 +1438,9 @@ impl Builder {
             .into_iter()
             .filter_map(|v| self.slots.by_var.get(&v).map(|&s| (v, s)))
             .collect();
-        imports.sort_by_key(|&(_, s)| s);
+        // Every name has its own slot, so equal slots are one variable named
+        // twice (`[?x ?x]`): ties are identical.
+        imports.sort_unstable_by_key(|&(_, s)| s);
         let seeded: HashSet<String> = imports.iter().map(|(v, _)| v.clone()).collect();
         let (seeded_order, _) = optimizer::plan_seeded(body.to_vec(), &seeded);
         // A probe per outer row holds nothing: correlated when the first
diff --git a/src/query/engine/tests.rs b/src/query/engine/tests.rs
index 8c843f46a..368b1a54d 100644
--- a/src/query/engine/tests.rs
+++ b/src/query/engine/tests.rs
@@ -1466,6 +1466,50 @@ fn planner_chooses_the_body_form() {
     assert_eq!(forms(constant), ["correlated"]);
 }
 
+/// A join variable named twice imports one slot twice, the only tie in the
+/// planner's import sort (#795): each body form answers as with it named
+/// once.
+#[test]
+fn repeated_join_variable_matches_single() {
+    use crate::query::datalog::optimizer::{Subplans, set_subplans};
+    let db = Minigraf::in_memory().unwrap();
+    db.execute("(transact [[:p1 :a 1] [:p2 :a 2] [:p3 :a 3] [:q1 :b 2] [:q2 :b 3] [:q2 :c 3]])")
+        .unwrap();
+    let sorted = |q: &str| {
+        let QueryResult::QueryResults { results, .. } = db.execute(q).expect(q) else {
+            panic!("expected query results");
+        };
+        let mut out: Vec<String> = results.iter().map(|r| format!("{r:?}")).collect();
+        out.sort();
+        out
+    };
+    let pairs = [
+        (
+            "(query [:find ?e :where [?e :a ?x] (not-join [?x ?x] [?f :b ?x])])",
+            "(query [:find ?e :where [?e :a ?x] (not-join [?x] [?f :b ?x])])",
+            1,
+        ),
+        (
+            "(query [:find ?e ?x :where [?e :a ?x] (not-join [?e ?x ?e] [?f :b ?x] [?f :c ?x])])",
+            "(query [:find ?e ?x :where [?e :a ?x] (not-join [?e ?x] [?f :b ?x] [?f :c ?x])])",
+            2,
+        ),
+        (
+            "(query [:find ?e :where [?e :a ?x] (or-join [?x ?x] [?f :b ?x] [?f :c ?x])])",
+            "(query [:find ?e :where [?e :a ?x] (or-join [?x] [?f :b ?x] [?f :c ?x])])",
+            2,
+        ),
+    ];
+    for mode in [Subplans::Choose, Subplans::Hash, Subplans::Correlated] {
+        let _m = set_subplans(mode);
+        for (twice, once, n) in pairs {
+            let rows = sorted(twice);
+            assert_eq!(rows.len(), n, "{twice}");
+            assert!(rows == sorted(once), "{twice}");
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 /// Which negations the engine runs (#546): every `not` / `not-join`, with
 /// a rule invocation too since rule queries run here (#548).
 #[test]