diff --git a/src/seedpass/core/api.py b/src/seedpass/core/api.py
index 41ecd915..8462919f 100644
--- a/src/seedpass/core/api.py
+++ b/src/seedpass/core/api.py
@@ -1815,6 +1815,126 @@ class SearchService:
             limit=limit,
         )
 
+    def graph_pivot_results(
+        self,
+        pivot_entry_id: int,
+        *,
+        pivot_scope: str | None = None,
+        direction: str = "both",
+        include_archived: bool = True,
+        limit: int = 50,
+    ) -> list[dict[str, Any]]:
+        """Return neighbors of ``pivot_entry_id`` as :class:`SearchResult`-compatible dicts.
+
+        Wraps graph-traversal results in the unified SearchResult model so that
+        atlas-pivot navigation produces results with proper ``match_reasons``,
+        ``score``, and relation context — identical in shape to
+        :meth:`search` output and ready for any UI surface that consumes it.
+
+        Scoring:
+        - Direct (hop-1) outgoing links score highest (~1.0).
+        - Incoming links get a small direction penalty (−0.1).
+        - Each additional hop beyond 1 reduces the score by 0.3.
+        """
+        with self._lock:
+            scope_path = self._scope_path()
+            target_id = int(pivot_entry_id or 0)
+            if target_id <= 0:
+                return []
+
+            neighbors = self.linked_neighbors(
+                target_id,
+                direction=direction,
+                include_archived=include_archived,
+                limit=limit,
+            )
+
+            em = getattr(self._manager, "entry_manager", None)
+            results: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
+
+            for neighbor in neighbors:
+                neighbor_id = int(neighbor.get("entry_id", 0) or 0)
+                if neighbor_id <= 0:
+                    continue
+
+                # Fetch full entry for excerpt / meta
+                entry: dict[str, Any] = {}
+                if em is not None:
+                    try:
+                        entry = em.retrieve_entry(neighbor_id) or {}
+                    except Exception:
+                        pass
+
+                kind = str(neighbor.get("kind", "")).strip()
+                relation = str(neighbor.get("relation", "")).strip()
+                direction_val = str(neighbor.get("direction", "")).strip()
+                hop = int(neighbor.get("hop", 1) or 1)
+
+                # Score: hop-1 outgoing ≈ 1.0, incoming −0.1, each extra hop −0.3
+                hop_penalty = (hop - 1) * 0.3
+                direction_penalty = 0.1 if direction_val == "incoming" else 0.0
+                total_score = round(max(0.05, 1.0 - hop_penalty - direction_penalty), 6)
+
+                match_reasons: list[str] = ["graph_pivot"]
+                if relation:
+                    match_reasons.append(f"relation:{relation}")
+                if direction_val:
+                    match_reasons.append(f"direction:{direction_val}")
+                if pivot_scope:
+                    match_reasons.append(f"atlas:{pivot_scope}")
+
+                # Relation context visible as meta string
+                arrow = "->" if direction_val == "outgoing" else "<-"
+                meta_parts: list[str] = []
+                if relation:
+                    meta_parts.append(f"{arrow}[{relation}]")
+                if pivot_scope:
+                    meta_parts.append(f"atlas:{pivot_scope}")
+                meta_str = "  ".join(meta_parts) or self._meta(entry, kind)
+
+                modified_ts = int(entry.get("modified_ts", 0) or 0)
+
+                result = SearchResult(
+                    entry_id=neighbor_id,
+                    label=str(neighbor.get("label", "")).strip(),
+                    kind=kind,
+                    scope_path=scope_path,
+                    archived=bool(neighbor.get("archived", False)),
+                    score=total_score,
+                    score_breakdown={
+                        "lexical": 0.0,
+                        "semantic": 0.0,
+                        "structural": total_score,
+                        "recency": 0.0,
+                    },
+                    match_reasons=sorted(set(match_reasons)),
+                    excerpt=(
+                        ""
+                        if kind in self._SECRET_EXCERPT_KINDS
+                        else self._safe_excerpt(entry, kind)
+                    ),
+                    linked_hits=[
+                        {
+                            "target_id": target_id,
+                            "relation": relation,
+                        }
+                    ],
+                    tags=list(neighbor.get("tags", [])),
+                    modified_ts=modified_ts,
+                    meta=meta_str,
+                ).model_dump()
+
+                results.append(result)
+
+            results.sort(
+                key=lambda r: (
+                    -float(r.get("score", 0.0)),
+                    str(r.get("label", "")).lower(),
+                    int(r.get("entry_id", 0)),
+                )
+            )
+            return results[: max(1, int(limit))]
+
 
 class AtlasService:
     """Thread-safe wrapper around canonical atlas/index0 read operations."""
diff --git a/src/seedpass/tui_v3/screens/atlas.py b/src/seedpass/tui_v3/screens/atlas.py
index 72fb52d9..caaaebe7 100644
--- a/src/seedpass/tui_v3/screens/atlas.py
+++ b/src/seedpass/tui_v3/screens/atlas.py
@@ -114,6 +114,17 @@ class AtlasWayfinderScreen(Screen):
                 classes="maintenance-footer",
             )
 
+    def _propagate_atlas_context(self, scope_path: str) -> None:
+        """Set atlas_source_scope on the inspector LinkedItemsPanel if present."""
+        if not scope_path:
+            return
+        try:
+            from ..widgets.inspector import LinkedItemsPanel  # noqa: PLC0415
+            panel = self.app.query_one(LinkedItemsPanel)
+            panel.atlas_source_scope = scope_path
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+
     def on_button_pressed(self, event: Button.Pressed) -> None:
         button_id = event.button.id or ""
         if button_id == "atlas-filter-all":
@@ -133,6 +144,7 @@ class AtlasWayfinderScreen(Screen):
                 entry_id = int(button_id.removeprefix("atlas-open-entry-"))
             except ValueError:
                 return
+            self._propagate_atlas_context(str(self.payload.get("scope_path", "")))
             self.app.selected_entry_id = entry_id
             self.app.pop_screen()
             return
@@ -141,5 +153,6 @@ class AtlasWayfinderScreen(Screen):
                 entry_id = int(button_id.removeprefix("atlas-open-recent-"))
             except ValueError:
                 return
+            self._propagate_atlas_context(str(self.payload.get("scope_path", "")))
             self.app.selected_entry_id = entry_id
             self.app.pop_screen()
diff --git a/src/seedpass/tui_v3/widgets/inspector.py b/src/seedpass/tui_v3/widgets/inspector.py
index 9581a3c6..f14cb8d2 100644
--- a/src/seedpass/tui_v3/widgets/inspector.py
+++ b/src/seedpass/tui_v3/widgets/inspector.py
@@ -786,6 +786,11 @@ class LinkedItemsPanel(Vertical):
         background: #1a1a2e;
         color: #aaaaff;
     }
+    #linked-atlas-context {
+        color: #7777cc;
+        margin-bottom: 1;
+        height: auto;
+    }
     .linked-nav-hint {
         color: #555555;
         margin-top: 1;
@@ -808,11 +813,22 @@ class LinkedItemsPanel(Vertical):
         self._focused_idx: int = -1
         # Set by the app when the user arrived here from an atlas wayfinder view.
         # Format: scope_path string or None
-        self.atlas_source_scope: str | None = None
+        self._atlas_source_scope: str | None = None
+
+    @property
+    def atlas_source_scope(self) -> str | None:
+        return self._atlas_source_scope
+
+    @atlas_source_scope.setter
+    def atlas_source_scope(self, value: str | None) -> None:
+        self._atlas_source_scope = value
+        if self.is_mounted:
+            self._update_atlas_context_label()
 
     def compose(self) -> ComposeResult:
         yield PivotBreadcrumbBar(id="pivot-breadcrumb-bar")
         yield Label("Linked Items", id="linked-items-title")
+        yield Label("", id="linked-atlas-context")
         yield Label("No linked items.", id="linked-items-summary", classes="linked-summary")
         yield Label("", id="linked-filter-bar", classes="linked-filter-bar")
         with Vertical(id="linked-items-list"):
@@ -950,13 +966,24 @@ class LinkedItemsPanel(Vertical):
         current_label = self._get_entry_label(current_entry_id)
         bar.set_crumbs(crumbs, current_label)
 
+    def _update_atlas_context_label(self) -> None:
+        """Refresh the atlas context label based on current atlas_source_scope."""
+        try:
+            ctx_label = self.query_one("#linked-atlas-context", Label)
+            if self.atlas_source_scope:
+                ctx_label.update(f"[dim]◈ Atlas context: {self.atlas_source_scope}[/dim]")
+            else:
+                ctx_label.update("")
+        except Exception:
+            pass
+
     def update_entry(self, entry_id: int | None) -> None:
         summary_label = self.query_one("#linked-items-summary", Label)
         filter_bar = self.query_one("#linked-filter-bar", Label)
         list_container = self.query_one("#linked-items-list", Vertical)
         nav_hint = self.query_one("#linked-nav-hint", Label)
 
-        self._refresh_breadcrumb(entry_id)
+        self._update_atlas_context_label()
 
         if entry_id is None:
             summary_label.update("No linked items.")
@@ -1105,8 +1132,12 @@ class LinkedItemsPanel(Vertical):
         except ValueError:
             self.app.notify("Invalid linked item target", severity="error")
             return
-        if hasattr(self.app, "pivot_to_entry"):
-            self.app.pivot_to_entry(entry_id)
-        else:
-            self.app.selected_entry_id = entry_id
-            self.app.notify(f"Opened linked entry #{entry_id}")
+        # Preserve atlas context across linked-panel pivots so the scope
+        # label remains visible and the back button stays available.
+        current_scope = self.atlas_source_scope
+        self.app.selected_entry_id = entry_id
+        if current_scope:
+            # Re-apply after entry selection (selected_entry_id may trigger
+            # update_entry which clears the panel but keeps atlas_source_scope).
+            self.atlas_source_scope = current_scope
+        self.app.notify(f"Opened linked entry #{entry_id}")