diff --git a/src/services/InstructionPersistenceClassifier.service.js b/src/services/InstructionPersistenceClassifier.service.js
index 9a660d24..14578018 100644
--- a/src/services/InstructionPersistenceClassifier.service.js
+++ b/src/services/InstructionPersistenceClassifier.service.js
@@ -50,7 +50,9 @@ const QUADRANTS = {
     timeHorizon: 'continuous',
     persistence: 'HIGH',
     description: 'Technical infrastructure, architecture',
-    keywords: ['code', 'technical', 'architecture', 'infrastructure', 'database', 'api'],
+    keywords: ['code', 'technical', 'architecture', 'infrastructure', 'database', 'api',
+               'fix', 'bug', 'error', 'authentication', 'security', 'system', 'implementation',
+               'function', 'method', 'class', 'module', 'component', 'service'],
     verificationLevel: 'TECHNICAL_REVIEW',
     humanOversight: 'TECHNICAL_EXPERTISE',
     examples: ['MongoDB port is 27017', 'Use JWT for authentication']
@@ -60,7 +62,9 @@ const QUADRANTS = {
     timeHorizon: 'variable',
     persistence: 'CONTEXT_DEPENDENT',
     description: 'Innovation, exploration, experimentation',
-    keywords: ['explore', 'experiment', 'innovate', 'brainstorm', 'creative', 'try'],
+    keywords: ['explore', 'experiment', 'innovate', 'brainstorm', 'creative', 'try',
+               'alternative', 'alternatives', 'consider', 'possibility', 'investigate',
+               'research', 'discover', 'prototype', 'test', 'suggest', 'idea'],
     verificationLevel: 'OPTIONAL',
     humanOversight: 'INSIGHT_GENERATION',
     examples: ['Explore alternative approaches', 'Suggest creative solutions']
@@ -186,6 +190,7 @@ class InstructionPersistenceClassifier {
         persistenceScore: this.persistenceLevels[persistence].score,
         explicitness,
         verification,
+        verification_required: verification, // Alias for test compatibility
         parameters,
         timestamp,
         source,
@@ -303,10 +308,32 @@ class InstructionPersistenceClassifier {
         }
       }
 
-      // Temporal scope alignment
-      if (temporalScope === 'PERMANENT' && quadrant === 'STRATEGIC') score += 2;
-      if (temporalScope === 'PROJECT' && quadrant === 'OPERATIONAL') score += 2;
-      if (temporalScope === 'IMMEDIATE' && quadrant === 'TACTICAL') score += 2;
+      // Strong quadrant indicators
+      // "For this project" strongly suggests OPERATIONAL over STRATEGIC
+      if (/\b(?:for|in|during)\s+this\s+project\b/i.test(text) && quadrant === 'OPERATIONAL') {
+        score += 3;
+      }
+
+      // Technical/code fix patterns strongly suggest SYSTEM
+      if (/\b(?:fix|debug|resolve).*(?:bug|error|issue)\b/i.test(text) && quadrant === 'SYSTEM') {
+        score += 2;
+      }
+      if (/\b(?:code|function|method|class|component)\b/i.test(text) && quadrant === 'SYSTEM') {
+        score += 1;
+      }
+
+      // Exploration patterns strongly suggest STOCHASTIC
+      if (/\b(?:explore|investigate|research|discover)\b/i.test(text) && quadrant === 'STOCHASTIC') {
+        score += 2;
+      }
+      if (/\balternative(?:s)?\b/i.test(text) && quadrant === 'STOCHASTIC') {
+        score += 2;
+      }
+
+      // Temporal scope alignment (weaker than strong indicators)
+      if (temporalScope === 'PERMANENT' && quadrant === 'STRATEGIC') score += 1;
+      if (temporalScope === 'PROJECT' && quadrant === 'OPERATIONAL') score += 1;
+      if (temporalScope === 'IMMEDIATE' && quadrant === 'TACTICAL') score += 1;
 
       // Context clues
       if (context.domain === 'technical' && quadrant === 'SYSTEM') score += 1;
@@ -367,6 +394,7 @@ class InstructionPersistenceClassifier {
     // Adjust for temporal scope
     if (temporalScope === 'PERMANENT') baseScore += 0.1;
     if (temporalScope === 'SESSION') baseScore -= 0.2;
+    if (temporalScope === 'IMMEDIATE') baseScore -= 0.15; // One-time actions
 
     // Adjust for explicitness
     if (explicitness > 0.8) baseScore += 0.1;
@@ -546,6 +574,7 @@ class InstructionPersistenceClassifier {
       persistenceScore: 0.5,
       explicitness: 0.5,
       verification: 'RECOMMENDED',
+      verification_required: 'RECOMMENDED', // Alias for test compatibility
       parameters: {},
       timestamp,
       source: 'unknown',