diff --git a/core/inference/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/core/inference/PromptRenderer.kt b/core/inference/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/core/inference/PromptRenderer.kt
index a52d821a..6f4bf2ac 100644
--- a/core/inference/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/core/inference/PromptRenderer.kt
+++ b/core/inference/src/main/kotlin/com/correx/core/inference/PromptRenderer.kt
@@ -23,15 +23,18 @@ object PromptRenderer {
     }
 
     fun render(contextPack: ContextPack): List<ChatMessage> {
-        val sorted = contextPack.layers.entries.sortedBy { it.key.ordinal }
-        val systemContent = sorted
-            .filter { it.key == ContextLayer.L0 }
-            .flatMap { it.value }
-            .joinToString("\n\n") { it.content }
-            .takeIf { it.isNotBlank() }
-        val conversationMessages = contextPack.layers.entries
-            .filter { it.key != ContextLayer.L0 }
+        // Every SYSTEM-role entry folds into the single leading system message, whatever its
+        // layer (L0 additionally folds regardless of role). Strict chat templates (e.g. Qwen)
+        // reject any system message that is not the first message, so recalled memory, stage
+        // summaries, and retrieval entries must never render as standalone system turns.
+        val (systemEntries, conversationEntries) = contextPack.layers.entries
             .flatMap { (layer, entries) -> entries.map { layer to it } }
+            .partition { (layer, entry) -> layer == ContextLayer.L0 || entry.role == EntryRole.SYSTEM }
+        val systemContent = systemEntries
+            .sortedWith(compareBy({ it.first.ordinal }, { it.second.ordinal }))
+            .joinToString("\n\n") { it.second.content }
+            .takeIf { it.isNotBlank() }
+        val conversationMessages = conversationEntries
             .sortedWith(compareBy({ it.second.ordinal }, { layerPriority(it.first) }))
             .map { (_, entry) -> entry.toChatMessage() }
         val messages = buildList {
diff --git a/testing/deterministic/src/test/kotlin/PromptRendererOrderingTest.kt b/testing/deterministic/src/test/kotlin/PromptRendererOrderingTest.kt
index 7e6c6553..45058fb9 100644
--- a/testing/deterministic/src/test/kotlin/PromptRendererOrderingTest.kt
+++ b/testing/deterministic/src/test/kotlin/PromptRendererOrderingTest.kt
@@ -67,6 +67,29 @@ class PromptRendererOrderingTest {
             budgetLimit = 4000,
         )
         val messages = PromptRenderer.render(pack)
-        assertEquals(listOf("memory", "question"), messages.map { it.content })
+        assertEquals(listOf("system" to "memory", "user" to "question"), messages.map { it.role to it.content })
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    fun `non-L0 SYSTEM entries fold into the single leading system message`() {
+        // Strict chat templates (Qwen) 400 on any system message after index 0. Recalled L3
+        // memory and L2 summaries carry EntryRole.SYSTEM and must merge into the system block.
+        val pack = ContextPack(
+            id = ContextPackId("p"),
+            sessionId = sessionId,
+            stageId = stageId,
+            layers = mapOf(
+                ContextLayer.L0 to listOf(entry("sys", ContextLayer.L0, EntryRole.SYSTEM, "systemPrompt")),
+                ContextLayer.L1 to listOf(entry("question", ContextLayer.L1, EntryRole.USER, "chat")),
+                ContextLayer.L3 to listOf(entry("recalled", ContextLayer.L3, EntryRole.SYSTEM, "recalledMemory")),
+            ),
+            budgetUsed = 30,
+            budgetLimit = 4000,
+        )
+        val messages = PromptRenderer.render(pack)
+        assertEquals(
+            listOf("system" to "sys\n\nrecalled", "user" to "question"),
+            messages.map { it.role to it.content },
+        )
     }
 }