diff --git a/control_plane/tests/issue754_level2.rs b/control_plane/tests/issue754_level2.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4379540c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/control_plane/tests/issue754_level2.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,159 @@
+//! Synthetic prices test Backend ranking, not ERP calibration or runtime speed.
+#[path = "support/issue754_workload.rs"]
+mod workload;
+
+use control_plane::physical::{
+    compiler::{CompileError, QueryFrontend, BACKEND_REVISION, PLANNER_REVISION},
+    workload_cost::{
+        compile_candidates_for_pricing, enumerate_exact_and_materialized_candidates,
+        select_lowest_cost_candidate, CandidateEvaluationStatus, WorkloadCostEvidence,
+        WorkloadQuote,
+    },
+};
+
+/// Every admissible workload candidate can win solely by changing complete quotes.
+/// Missing/infeasible cheapest quotes must not become a zero-cost winner.
+#[test]
+fn workload_candidates_follow_prices_and_feasibility() {
+    let mut workloads: Vec<_> = workload::suite()
+        .queries
+        .into_iter()
+        .map(|case| (case.name.clone(), workload::input(&case)))
+        .collect();
+    workloads.extend(
+        workload::ensembles()
+            .into_iter()
+            .map(|(name, cases)| (name, workload::ensemble_input(&cases))),
+    );
+    for (name, input) in workloads {
+        let (request, env) = input.into_physical_compilation_request().unwrap();
+        let candidates = enumerate_exact_and_materialized_candidates(request).unwrap();
+        let (mut manifests, admission) =
+            compile_candidates_for_pricing(candidates.clone(), env.clone(), QueryFrontend::PromQl);
+        // The search is expected to reach one manifest through several candidates;
+        // equivalent manifests need exactly one quote.
+        let mut seen = std::collections::BTreeSet::new();
+        manifests.retain(|m| seen.insert(serde_json::to_string(m).unwrap()));
+        assert!(manifests.len() >= 2, "{} needs competing candidates", name);
+        assert!(admission.iter().all(|c| c.total_cost.is_none()));
+        let mut winners = std::collections::BTreeSet::new();
+        for preferred in 0..manifests.len() {
+            let evidence = WorkloadCostEvidence {
+                backend_revision: BACKEND_REVISION.into(),
+                planner_revision: PLANNER_REVISION.into(),
+                data_snapshot_id: format!("synthetic-ranking-{}", name),
+                model_version: "synthetic-complete-quotes-v1".into(),
+                observed_at_unix_ms: env.observed_at_unix_ms,
+                valid_for_ms: env.max_evidence_age_ms,
+                quotes: manifests
+                    .iter()
+                    .enumerate()
+                    .map(|(index, manifest)| WorkloadQuote {
+                        manifest: manifest.clone(),
+                        executable: true,
+                        unit_costs: manifest
+                            .components
+                            .keys()
+                            .map(|key| (key.clone(), if index == preferred { 1.0 } else { 1e12 }))
+                            .collect(),
+                    })
+                    .collect(),
+            };
+            // The preference must follow from construction, not fixture multiplicities.
+            let totals: Vec<f64> = evidence
+                .quotes
+                .iter()
+                .map(|quote| {
+                    quote
+                        .manifest
+                        .components
+                        .iter()
+                        .map(|(key, demand)| quote.unit_costs[key] * demand.occurrences_per_horizon)
+                        .sum()
+                })
+                .collect();
+            for (index, total) in totals.iter().enumerate() {
+                assert!(
+                    index == preferred || *total > totals[preferred],
+                    "{name}: candidate {index} is not costlier than preferred {preferred}"
+                );
+            }
+            if preferred == 0 {
+                // A single foreign quote, even a losing one, invalidates the generation.
+                let mut wrong_dataset = evidence.clone();
+                let foreign = &mut wrong_dataset.quotes.last_mut().unwrap().manifest;
+                foreign.dataset_identity.namespace = "another-tenant".into();
+                let error =
+                    select_lowest_cost_candidate(candidates.clone(), env.clone(), &wrong_dataset)
+                        .unwrap_err();
+                assert!(
+                    matches!(error, CompileError::CostEvidenceDataset { .. }),
+                    "{name}: quotes for another dataset must not price this workload: {error}"
+                );
+            }
+            let plan = select_lowest_cost_candidate(candidates.clone(), env.clone(), &evidence)
+                .unwrap_or_else(|e| panic!("{}: {e}", name));
+            let report = plan.cost_comparison.unwrap();
+            assert_eq!(report.selected_manifest, manifests[preferred], "{}", name);
+            assert_eq!(report.model_version, "synthetic-complete-quotes-v1");
+            let minimum = report
+                .candidate_evaluations
+                .iter()
+                .filter_map(|c| c.total_cost)
+                .fold(f64::INFINITY, f64::min);
+            assert_eq!(report.component_costs.values().sum::<f64>(), minimum);
+            assert_eq!(
+                report
+                    .candidate_evaluations
+                    .iter()
+                    .filter(|c| c.status == CandidateEvaluationStatus::Selected)
+                    .count(),
+                1
+            );
+            winners.insert(serde_json::to_string(&report.selected_manifest).unwrap());
+            // Inventory order cannot alter a unique cheapest choice.
+            let mut reversed = candidates.clone();
+            reversed.reverse();
+            assert_eq!(
+                select_lowest_cost_candidate(reversed, env.clone(), &evidence)
+                    .unwrap()
+                    .cost_comparison
+                    .unwrap()
+                    .selected_manifest,
+                manifests[preferred]
+            );
+            for missing in [false, true] {
+                let mut unavailable = evidence.clone();
+                let expected = if missing {
+                    unavailable.quotes.remove(preferred);
+                    CandidateEvaluationStatus::EvidenceMissing
+                } else {
+                    unavailable.quotes[preferred].executable = false;
+                    CandidateEvaluationStatus::ProviderRejected
+                };
+                let report =
+                    select_lowest_cost_candidate(candidates.clone(), env.clone(), &unavailable)
+                        .unwrap()
+                        .cost_comparison
+                        .unwrap();
+                assert_ne!(report.selected_manifest, manifests[preferred]);
+                let preferred_evaluations: Vec<_> = report
+                    .candidate_evaluations
+                    .iter()
+                    .filter(|c| c.plan_id == Some(manifests[preferred].plan_id))
+                    .collect();
+                assert!(!preferred_evaluations.is_empty(), "{name}");
+                for c in preferred_evaluations {
+                    assert_eq!(c.status, expected, "{name}");
+                    assert!(c.unavailable_reason.is_some() && c.total_cost.is_none());
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        assert_eq!(
+            winners.len(),
+            manifests.len(),
+            "{}: selection did not reverse",
+            name
+        );
+    }
+}