diff --git a/DESIGN.md b/DESIGN.md
index 25adaf1d..6be25c9d 100644
--- a/DESIGN.md
+++ b/DESIGN.md
@@ -50,8 +50,10 @@ Key code: `lib/apis/twitch_gql_api.dart`, `lib/screens/home/search/`, `lib/widge
 Settings → General → Stream languages (multi-select chips). Default `de`. Applied to Top, category, and tag lists.
 
 - Helix `language=` when one language; multi-language / tags via Helix over-fetch + client filter
-- Viewer sort is persisted (`streamViewerSort`); lists are re-sorted client-side after each fetch (Twitch GQL `VIEWER_COUNT_ASC` is unreliable)
-- Tag directories use Helix `tags[]` matching (not GQL) so infinite scroll works without Client-Integrity
+- Viewer sort is persisted (`streamViewerSort`)
+- **Most viewers (desc):** Helix directory order (paginates)
+- **Fewest viewers (asc):** Twitch GQL `VIEWER_COUNT_ASC` at request time (Helix cannot ascend; local reverse of Helix top pages was wrong)
+- Tag directories (desc): Helix `tags[]` matching for scroll; asc uses GQL with the same tag/language filters
 
 ## Build
 
diff --git a/assets/release-notes.md b/assets/release-notes.md
index 26387850..8af12647 100644
--- a/assets/release-notes.md
+++ b/assets/release-notes.md
@@ -1,3 +1,13 @@
+## v5.2.6
+
+October 1, 2026
+
+### Bug Fixes
+
+- Fixed “fewest viewers” showing high-viewer streams by sorting via Twitch GQL `VIEWER_COUNT_ASC` at request time instead of reversing Helix pages locally.
+
+---
+
 ## v5.2.1
 
 September 30, 2026
diff --git a/lib/screens/home/stream_list/stream_list_store.dart b/lib/screens/home/stream_list/stream_list_store.dart
index a1631949..bc05259b 100644
--- a/lib/screens/home/stream_list/stream_list_store.dart
+++ b/lib/screens/home/stream_list/stream_list_store.dart
@@ -260,12 +260,6 @@ abstract class ListStoreBase with Store {
     try {
       final languages = _languageFilter;
       final isAsc = sortOrder == StreamViewerSort.viewersAsc;
-      // Asc needs a deeper Helix scan so client-side re-sort can surface
-      // lower-viewer streams (Helix itself is always viewer-desc).
-      final minCount = isAsc ? 80 : 50;
-      final maxPages = isAsc
-          ? (_streamsCursor == null ? 20 : 10)
-          : (_streamsCursor == null ? 12 : 8);
 
       final StreamsTwitch newStreams;
       switch (listType) {
@@ -276,36 +270,56 @@ abstract class ListStoreBase with Store {
           );
           break;
         case ListType.top:
-          newStreams = await twitchApi.getDirectoryStreams(
-            languages: languages,
-            cursor: _streamsCursor,
-            minCount: minCount,
-            maxPages: maxPages,
-          );
+          if (isAsc && twitchGqlApi != null) {
+            // Helix is always viewer-desc — fewest must be requested via GQL.
+            newStreams = await twitchGqlApi!.getStreams(
+              sort: StreamViewerSort.viewersAsc,
+              languages: languages.isEmpty ? null : languages,
+              cursor: _streamsCursor,
+            );
+          } else {
+            newStreams = await twitchApi.getDirectoryStreams(
+              languages: languages,
+              cursor: _streamsCursor,
+            );
+          }
           break;
         case ListType.category:
-          newStreams = await twitchApi.getDirectoryStreams(
-            languages: languages,
-            gameId: categoryId!,
-            cursor: _streamsCursor,
-            minCount: minCount,
-            maxPages: maxPages,
-          );
+          if (isAsc && twitchGqlApi != null) {
+            newStreams = await twitchGqlApi!.getGameStreams(
+              gameId: categoryId!,
+              sort: StreamViewerSort.viewersAsc,
+              languages: languages.isEmpty ? null : languages,
+              cursor: _streamsCursor,
+            );
+          } else {
+            newStreams = await twitchApi.getDirectoryStreams(
+              languages: languages,
+              gameId: categoryId!,
+              cursor: _streamsCursor,
+            );
+          }
           break;
         case ListType.tag:
-          // Helix + client tag filter (GQL freeformTags can't paginate without
-          // a non-bot Client-Integrity token).
-          newStreams = await twitchApi.getDirectoryStreams(
-            languages: languages,
-            freeformTag: freeformTag,
-            cursor: _streamsCursor,
-            minCount: minCount,
-            maxPages: maxPages,
-          );
+          if (isAsc && twitchGqlApi != null) {
+            newStreams = await twitchGqlApi!.getStreams(
+              freeformTags: [freeformTag!],
+              sort: StreamViewerSort.viewersAsc,
+              languages: languages.isEmpty ? null : languages,
+              cursor: _streamsCursor,
+            );
+          } else {
+            // Desc: Helix + tag filter (GQL page-2 needs Client-Integrity).
+            newStreams = await twitchApi.getDirectoryStreams(
+              languages: languages,
+              freeformTag: freeformTag,
+              cursor: _streamsCursor,
+            );
+          }
           break;
       }
 
-      // Empty continuation ⇒ end of directory.
+      // Empty continuation ⇒ end of directory (incl. GQL integrity dead-ends).
       final isContinuation = _streamsCursor != null;
       if (isContinuation && newStreams.data.isEmpty) {
         _streamsCursor = null;
@@ -313,18 +327,25 @@ abstract class ListStoreBase with Store {
         return;
       }
 
+      // Keep API order. Only sanitize each ASC page — Twitch ASC can briefly
+      // mis-order within a page; never re-sort a Helix desc directory locally.
+      final pageData = isAsc
+          ? (List<StreamTwitch>.of(newStreams.data)..sort(
+              (a, b) => a.viewerCount.compareTo(b.viewerCount),
+            ))
+          : newStreams.data;
+
       if (_streamsCursor == null) {
-        _allStreams = newStreams.data.asObservable();
+        _allStreams = pageData.asObservable();
       } else {
         final existingIds = _allStreams.map((s) => s.userId).toSet();
         _allStreams.addAll(
-          newStreams.data.where((s) => !existingIds.contains(s.userId)),
+          pageData.where((s) => !existingIds.contains(s.userId)),
         );
       }
       final next = newStreams.pagination['cursor'];
       _streamsCursor = (next != null && next.isNotEmpty) ? next : null;
 
-      _applyViewerSort();
       _error = null;
     } on SocketException {
       _error = 'Unable to connect to Twitch';
@@ -351,15 +372,6 @@ abstract class ListStoreBase with Store {
     }
   }
 
-  void _applyViewerSort() {
-    final sorted = _allStreams.toList();
-    sorted.sort((a, b) {
-      final cmp = a.viewerCount.compareTo(b.viewerCount);
-      return sortOrder == StreamViewerSort.viewersAsc ? cmp : -cmp;
-    });
-    _allStreams = sorted.asObservable();
-  }
-
   /// Persists viewer sort and reloads via the settings reaction.
   @action
   Future<void> setSortOrder(StreamViewerSort order) async {
diff --git a/pubspec.yaml b/pubspec.yaml
index 45974ec4..7b28e0fb 100644
--- a/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/pubspec.yaml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ publish_to: "none" # Remove this line if you wish to publish to pub.dev
 # https://developer.apple.com/library/archive/documentation/General/Reference/InfoPlistKeyReference/Articles/CoreFoundationKeys.html
 # In Windows, build-name is used as the major, minor, and patch parts
 # of the product and file versions while build-number is used as the build suffix.
-version: 5.2.5+75
+version: 5.2.6+76
 
 environment:
   sdk: ^3.9.0