diff --git a/samplers.py b/samplers.py
index b00afa0d..22e14df9 100644
--- a/samplers.py
+++ b/samplers.py
@@ -1467,7 +1467,11 @@ class FunPackLTXAVSceneChainSampler:
                 print("[FunPackSceneChain] embed_guidance: no liked direction found (need 3+ liked generations)")
             else:
                 _value_fn = self._load_value_function(refinement_key_input)
-                mode = f"value function ({_value_fn.n_trained} samples)" if _value_fn else "fixed direction"
+                if _value_fn:
+                    ready = _value_fn.is_ready()
+                    mode = f"value function ({_value_fn.n_trained} samples, ascent {'on' if ready else 'pending'})"
+                else:
+                    mode = "fixed direction"
                 print(f"[FunPackSceneChain] embed_guidance: active via {mode}, strength={embed_guidance_strength}")
 
         first_scene_seed = self._scene_seed(scene_conditionings[0])
@@ -1513,6 +1517,10 @@ class FunPackLTXAVSceneChainSampler:
                 else:
                     guide_tail = 0
 
+            if embed_guidance and _value_fn is not None and _value_fn.is_ready():
+                orig_cond, orig_extra = scene_positive[0][0], scene_positive[0][1]
+                ascended = _value_fn.ascend(orig_cond)
+                scene_positive = [[ascended, orig_extra]] + list(scene_positive[1:])
             if embed_guidance and _liked_dir is not None:
                 _eg_old_wrapper = self._build_embed_guidance_wrapper(model, _liked_dir, embed_guidance_strength, value_fn=_value_fn)
             sampled = self._sample_chunk(
diff --git a/value_function.py b/value_function.py
index 8609f230..7f0683d4 100644
--- a/value_function.py
+++ b/value_function.py
@@ -85,6 +85,30 @@ class OnlineValueFunction(nn.Module):
             reward.backward()
         return c_fresh.grad.to(orig_device, conditioning.dtype)
 
+    def ascend(self, conditioning):
+        """Gradient ascent on conditioning until reward plateaus. Self-terminating, no user params."""
+        if not self.is_ready():
+            return conditioning
+        mlp_device = next(self.parameters()).device
+        orig_device = conditioning.device
+        orig_dtype = conditioning.dtype
+        step_size = conditioning.float().norm().item() * 0.005
+        prev_reward = -float("inf")
+        with torch.inference_mode(False), torch.enable_grad():
+            c = torch.empty(conditioning.shape, dtype=torch.float32, device=mlp_device)
+            c.copy_(conditioning)
+            for _ in range(50):
+                c = c.detach().requires_grad_(True)
+                reward = self.forward(self.compress(c).unsqueeze(0))
+                reward.backward()
+                reward_val = reward.item()
+                grad = F.normalize(c.grad.float(), dim=-1)
+                c = c.detach() + step_size * grad
+                if reward_val - prev_reward < 1e-3:
+                    break
+                prev_reward = reward_val
+        return c.detach().to(orig_device, orig_dtype)
+
     def is_ready(self):
         return len(self.buffer_c) >= self.MIN_SAMPLES