diff --git a/database/video_database.py b/database/video_database.py
index 3cbca89e..d8224198 100644
--- a/database/video_database.py
+++ b/database/video_database.py
@@ -2041,11 +2041,11 @@ class VideoDatabase:
         s = (search or "").strip().lower()
         if s:
             items = [it for it in items if s in (it.get("title") or "").lower()]
-        if sort == "title":
-            items.sort(key=lambda it: (it.get("title") or "").lower())
-        elif sort == "added":   # explicit follows (have a date) newest-first; airing defaults last
+        if sort == "added":   # opt-in: explicit follows (have a date) newest-first
             items.sort(key=lambda it: (it.get("date_added") or ""), reverse=True)
-        # "default": keep the natural effective order (follows first, then airing A–Z)
+        else:   # "default" / "title": alphabetical by name — a manual follow is no more
+                # special than an auto-added airing show, so they sort together A–Z
+            items.sort(key=lambda it: (it.get("sort_title") or it.get("title") or "").lower())
         total = len(items)
         total_pages = max(1, (total + limit - 1) // limit)
         page = min(page, total_pages)
diff --git a/tests/test_video_database.py b/tests/test_video_database.py
index 9478682e..eb34007c 100644
--- a/tests/test_video_database.py
+++ b/tests/test_video_database.py
@@ -845,6 +845,19 @@ def test_query_watchlist_paginates_and_searches(db):
     assert db.query_watchlist("person", page=99, limit=3)["pagination"]["page"] == 3
 
 
+def test_query_watchlist_default_sort_is_alphabetical(db):
+    # added out of alphabetical order — a manual follow must NOT float to the top;
+    # everything sorts by name A–Z by default.
+    db.add_to_watchlist("show", 1, "Welcome to Widows Bay")
+    db.add_to_watchlist("show", 2, "From")
+    db.add_to_watchlist("show", 3, "Andor")
+    titles = [it["title"] for it in db.query_watchlist("show")["items"]]
+    assert titles == ["Andor", "From", "Welcome to Widows Bay"]
+    # 'added' is still available opt-in (newest first)
+    added = [it["title"] for it in db.query_watchlist("show", sort="added")["items"]]
+    assert added[0] == "Andor"   # most recently added
+
+
 # ── wishlist (movies + episodes; show/season are bulk ops over episodes) ──────
 
 def test_wishlist_movie_add_is_idempotent(db):