diff --git a/src/lib/server/orders-service.test.ts b/src/lib/server/orders-service.test.ts
index ae8ffe6..94b289f 100644
--- a/src/lib/server/orders-service.test.ts
+++ b/src/lib/server/orders-service.test.ts
@@ -2904,6 +2904,9 @@ describe("createOrder quote auto-detection", () => {
   });
 
   it("never fails order creation when the matcher throws", async () => {
+    const consoleErrorSpy = vi
+      .spyOn(console, "error")
+      .mockImplementation(() => {});
     const { suggestQuoteForOrder } = await import("./order-quote-link-service");
     vi.mocked(suggestQuoteForOrder).mockClear();
     vi.mocked(suggestQuoteForOrder).mockRejectedValueOnce(new Error("PB down"));
@@ -2918,5 +2921,50 @@ describe("createOrder quote auto-detection", () => {
 
     expect(result.order.id).toBeDefined();
     expect(result.items_created.length).toBe(1);
+    // Verifies the inner catch swallowed the matcher failure and
+    // logged it — without this assertion the test passes purely
+    // because the `after` mock detaches the promise regardless of
+    // what production code does.
+    expect(consoleErrorSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringContaining("[createOrder] quote auto-detection failed for order"),
+      expect.stringContaining("PB down"),
+    );
+    consoleErrorSpy.mockRestore();
+  });
+
+  it("falls back to an inline match when after() is unavailable", async () => {
+    const consoleErrorSpy = vi
+      .spyOn(console, "error")
+      .mockImplementation(() => {});
+    const { after } = await import("next/server");
+    const { suggestQuoteForOrder } = await import("./order-quote-link-service");
+    vi.mocked(suggestQuoteForOrder).mockClear();
+    vi.mocked(after).mockClear();
+    vi.mocked(after).mockImplementationOnce(() => {
+      throw new Error("`after` was called outside a request scope.");
+    });
+    await pbMock.collection("customers").create({ id: "cust-x", name: "Acme" });
+    await pbMock.collection("companies").create({ id: "comp-x", name: "Acme (Pty) Ltd" });
+
+    const r = await createOrder({
+      customer_id: "cust-x",
+      company_id: "comp-x",
+      items: [{ description: "M16 Bolt", quantity: 50 }],
+    });
+
+    expect(r.order.id).toBeDefined();
+    // Proves the catch fired AND ran the inline fallback — without
+    // the call assertion the test would pass on the spy alone even
+    // if `void runQuoteMatch()` was deleted.
+    expect(suggestQuoteForOrder).toHaveBeenCalledWith(r.order.id);
+    // The fallback logs its engagement so a silent switch to
+    // fire-and-forget is impossible to miss in production logs.
+    expect(consoleErrorSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringContaining(
+        "[createOrder] after() unavailable, running quote match inline",
+      ),
+      expect.anything(),
+    );
+    consoleErrorSpy.mockRestore();
   });
 });
diff --git a/src/lib/server/orders-service.ts b/src/lib/server/orders-service.ts
index 955319d..4cb1ffa 100644
--- a/src/lib/server/orders-service.ts
+++ b/src/lib/server/orders-service.ts
@@ -2235,16 +2235,25 @@ export async function createOrder(input: CreateOrderInput): Promise<CreateOrderR
   };
   try {
     after(runQuoteMatch);
-  } catch {
+  } catch (err) {
     // `after()` throws synchronously when called outside a request
-    // scope — `workAsyncStorage.getStore()` comes back empty, which
-    // happens for any caller that isn't inside a Route Handler, Server
-    // Action, or Server Component (e.g. a smoke script or another
-    // background job invoking `createOrder` directly). Since that
-    // throw is synchronous, letting it escape would turn "matcher
-    // unavailable" into "order creation failed" — exactly the failure
-    // mode this whole block exists to avoid. Fall back to firing the
-    // match without blocking the return.
+    // scope — `workAsyncStorage.getStore()` comes back empty, throwing
+    // error code E468. Next 16.2.6,
+    // node_modules/next/dist/server/after/after.js.
+    //
+    // `createOrder` is an exported service function reachable from
+    // multiple layers (route handlers, server components, agents),
+    // not only from in-scope callers. Letting the throw escape would
+    // turn "matcher unavailable" into "order creation failed" —
+    // exactly the failure mode this whole block exists to avoid. Fall
+    // back to firing the match without blocking the return.
+    //
+    // Logged because a silent fallback here is invisible: orders
+    // would lose the latency guarantee permanently with no trace.
+    console.error(
+      `[createOrder] after() unavailable, running quote match inline for ${order.id}:`,
+      err,
+    );
     void runQuoteMatch();
   }