diff --git a/src/app/services/record-service.test.ts b/src/app/services/record-service.test.ts
index 8941ef2..1a60cc4 100644
--- a/src/app/services/record-service.test.ts
+++ b/src/app/services/record-service.test.ts
@@ -136,6 +136,7 @@ describe("runRecord auto-improve", () => {
       applySelectors: true,
       applyAssertions: true,
       assertions: "candidates",
+      assertionPolicy: "reliable",
     });
     expect(ui.info).toHaveBeenCalledWith("Auto-improve: no changes needed");
   });
diff --git a/src/app/services/record-service.ts b/src/app/services/record-service.ts
index e3cd2f4..9b5877a 100644
--- a/src/app/services/record-service.ts
+++ b/src/app/services/record-service.ts
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ export async function runRecord(opts: RecordCliOptions): Promise<void> {
         applySelectors: true,
         applyAssertions: true,
         assertions: "candidates",
+        assertionPolicy: "reliable",
       });
 
       const summary = improveResult.report.summary;
diff --git a/src/core/improve/assertion-candidates-snapshot.test.ts b/src/core/improve/assertion-candidates-snapshot.test.ts
index b0ce7d0..c7f5897 100644
--- a/src/core/improve/assertion-candidates-snapshot.test.ts
+++ b/src/core/improve/assertion-candidates-snapshot.test.ts
@@ -117,6 +117,78 @@ describe("snapshot assertion candidates", () => {
     expect(out).toHaveLength(0);
   });
 
+  it("suppresses snapshot text assertions for navigation-like dynamic clicks", () => {
+    const dynamicLinkText =
+      "Live update 12:30: Market story shifts quickly after morning session";
+    const preUrl = "https://example.test/home";
+    const postUrl = "https://example.test/category";
+    const out = buildSnapshotAssertionCandidates([
+      {
+        index: 1,
+        step: {
+          action: "click",
+          target: {
+            value: `getByRole('link', { name: '${dynamicLinkText}', exact: true })`,
+            kind: "locatorExpression",
+            source: "manual",
+          },
+        },
+        preSnapshot: `- generic [ref=e1]:\n  - link "Top story" [ref=e2]\n`,
+        postSnapshot: `- generic [ref=e1]:\n  - heading "Category page" [level=1] [ref=e3]\n`,
+        preUrl,
+        postUrl,
+      },
+    ], "snapshot_native");
+
+    expect(out.some((candidate) => candidate.candidate.action === "assertText")).toBe(false);
+    expect(out.some((candidate) => candidate.candidate.action === "assertVisible")).toBe(false);
+    expect(out.some((candidate) => candidate.candidate.action === "assertEnabled")).toBe(false);
+    expect(out.some((candidate) => candidate.candidate.action === "assertUrl")).toBe(true);
+    expect(out).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps snapshot content assertions for stable exact link clicks", () => {
+    const out = buildSnapshotAssertionCandidates([
+      {
+        index: 0,
+        step: {
+          action: "click",
+          target: {
+            value: "getByRole('link', { name: 'Settings', exact: true })",
+            kind: "locatorExpression",
+            source: "manual",
+          },
+        },
+        preSnapshot: "- generic [ref=e1]:\n",
+        postSnapshot:
+          "- generic [ref=e1]:\n  - heading \"Account settings\" [level=1] [ref=e2]\n",
+      },
+    ], "snapshot_native");
+
+    expect(out.some((candidate) => candidate.candidate.action === "assertText")).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("keeps snapshot content assertions for stable selectors with story/article ids", () => {
+    const out = buildSnapshotAssertionCandidates([
+      {
+        index: 0,
+        step: {
+          action: "click",
+          target: {
+            value: "locator('#user-story-tab')",
+            kind: "locatorExpression",
+            source: "manual",
+          },
+        },
+        preSnapshot: "- generic [ref=e1]:\n",
+        postSnapshot:
+          "- generic [ref=e1]:\n  - heading \"Profile details\" [level=1] [ref=e2]\n",
+      },
+    ], "snapshot_native");
+
+    expect(out.some((candidate) => candidate.candidate.action === "assertText")).toBe(true);
+  });
+
   it("generates multiple candidates from a rich delta", () => {
     const out = buildSnapshotAssertionCandidates([richDeltaStepSnapshot], "snapshot_native");
 
diff --git a/src/core/improve/assertion-candidates-snapshot.ts b/src/core/improve/assertion-candidates-snapshot.ts
index 9274677..c081d61 100644
--- a/src/core/improve/assertion-candidates-snapshot.ts
+++ b/src/core/improve/assertion-candidates-snapshot.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import {
   normalizeForCompare,
 } from "./assertion-candidates-snapshot-shared.js";
 import { parseSnapshotNodes } from "./assertion-candidates-snapshot-parser.js";
+import { classifyNavigationLikeInteraction } from "./navigation-like-interaction.js";
 
 export interface StepSnapshot {
   index: number;
@@ -47,14 +48,19 @@ export function buildSnapshotAssertionCandidates(
     const delta = buildDeltaNodes(preNodes, postNodes);
 
     const actedTargetHint = extractActedTargetHint(snapshot.step);
-    const framePath =
+    const stepTarget =
       snapshot.step.action !== "navigate" &&
       snapshot.step.action !== "assertUrl" &&
       snapshot.step.action !== "assertTitle" &&
       "target" in snapshot.step &&
       snapshot.step.target
-        ? snapshot.step.target.framePath
+        ? snapshot.step.target
         : undefined;
+    const suppressContentCandidates = stepTarget
+      ? Boolean(classifyNavigationLikeInteraction(snapshot.step, stepTarget))
+      : false;
+    const framePath =
+      stepTarget ? stepTarget.framePath : undefined;
 
     if (snapshot.step.action === "click") {
       const stableNodes = buildStableNodes(preNodes, postNodes);
@@ -89,42 +95,48 @@ export function buildSnapshotAssertionCandidates(
       )
     );
 
-    candidates.push(
-      ...buildTextChangedCandidates(
-        snapshot.index,
-        snapshot.step.action,
-        preNodes,
-        postNodes,
-        actedTargetHint,
-        framePath,
-        candidateSource,
-        MAX_TEXT_CANDIDATES_PER_STEP
-      )
-    );
+    if (!suppressContentCandidates) {
+      candidates.push(
+        ...buildTextChangedCandidates(
+          snapshot.index,
+          snapshot.step.action,
+          preNodes,
+          postNodes,
+          actedTargetHint,
+          framePath,
+          candidateSource,
+          MAX_TEXT_CANDIDATES_PER_STEP
+        )
+      );
+    }
 
-    candidates.push(
-      ...buildStateChangeCandidates(
-        snapshot.index,
-        snapshot.step.action,
-        preNodes,
-        postNodes,
-        actedTargetHint,
-        framePath,
-        candidateSource
-      )
-    );
+    if (!suppressContentCandidates) {
+      candidates.push(
+        ...buildStateChangeCandidates(
+          snapshot.index,
+          snapshot.step.action,
+          preNodes,
+          postNodes,
+          actedTargetHint,
+          framePath,
+          candidateSource
+        )
+      );
+    }
 
     if (delta.length === 0) continue;
 
-    const textCandidates = buildTextCandidates(
-      snapshot.index,
-      snapshot.step.action,
-      delta,
-      actedTargetHint,
-      framePath,
-      candidateSource,
-      MAX_TEXT_CANDIDATES_PER_STEP
-    );
+    const textCandidates = suppressContentCandidates
+      ? []
+      : buildTextCandidates(
+          snapshot.index,
+          snapshot.step.action,
+          delta,
+          actedTargetHint,
+          framePath,
+          candidateSource,
+          MAX_TEXT_CANDIDATES_PER_STEP
+        );
     candidates.push(...textCandidates);
 
     const textTargetValues = new Set(
@@ -137,15 +149,17 @@ export function buildSnapshotAssertionCandidates(
       )
     );
 
-    const visibleCandidates = buildVisibleCandidates(
-      snapshot.index,
-      snapshot.step.action,
-      delta,
-      actedTargetHint,
-      framePath,
-      candidateSource,
-      MAX_VISIBLE_CANDIDATES_PER_STEP
-    );
+    const visibleCandidates = suppressContentCandidates
+      ? []
+      : buildVisibleCandidates(
+          snapshot.index,
+          snapshot.step.action,
+          delta,
+          actedTargetHint,
+          framePath,
+          candidateSource,
+          MAX_VISIBLE_CANDIDATES_PER_STEP
+        );
 
     for (const visibleCandidate of visibleCandidates) {
       const visibleTarget =
diff --git a/src/core/improve/assertion-candidates.test.ts b/src/core/improve/assertion-candidates.test.ts
index 55ea1e8..fd0ff64 100644
--- a/src/core/improve/assertion-candidates.test.ts
+++ b/src/core/improve/assertion-candidates.test.ts
@@ -201,4 +201,44 @@ describe("buildAssertionCandidates", () => {
       "navigation-like dynamic click target"
     );
   });
+
+  it("keeps deterministic fallback for stable exact link clicks", () => {
+    const out = buildAssertionCandidates(
+      [
+        {
+          action: "click",
+          target: {
+            value: "getByRole('link', { name: 'Settings', exact: true })",
+            kind: "locatorExpression",
+            source: "manual",
+          },
+        },
+      ],
+      []
+    );
+
+    expect(out.skippedNavigationLikeClicks).toHaveLength(0);
+    expect(out.candidates).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(out.candidates[0]?.candidate.action).toBe("assertVisible");
+  });
+
+  it("does not skip stable selectors with story/article in id-like values", () => {
+    const out = buildAssertionCandidates(
+      [
+        {
+          action: "click",
+          target: {
+            value: "locator('#user-story-tab')",
+            kind: "locatorExpression",
+            source: "manual",
+          },
+        },
+      ],
+      []
+    );
+
+    expect(out.skippedNavigationLikeClicks).toHaveLength(0);
+    expect(out.candidates).toHaveLength(1);
+    expect(out.candidates[0]?.candidate.action).toBe("assertVisible");
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/core/improve/assertion-candidates.ts b/src/core/improve/assertion-candidates.ts
index 11095e3..8039462 100644
--- a/src/core/improve/assertion-candidates.ts
+++ b/src/core/improve/assertion-candidates.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 import type { AssertionCandidate, StepFinding } from "./report-schema.js";
 import type { Step, Target } from "../yaml-schema.js";
-import {
-  assessTargetDynamics,
-  extractTargetTextFragments,
-} from "./dynamic-target.js";
+import { classifyNavigationLikeInteraction } from "./navigation-like-interaction.js";
 
 const COVERAGE_FALLBACK_CONFIDENCE = 0.76;
 
@@ -123,32 +120,3 @@ function clamp01(value: number): number {
   if (value > 1) return 1;
   return value;
 }
-
-function classifyNavigationLikeInteraction(step: Step, target: Target): string | undefined {
-  if (step.action !== "click" && step.action !== "press" && step.action !== "hover") {
-    return undefined;
-  }
-
-  const targetValue = target.value;
-  const isRoleLink = /getByRole\(\s*['"]link['"]/.test(targetValue);
-  const hasExact = /exact\s*:\s*true/.test(targetValue);
-  const hasContentCardPattern =
-    /headline|teaser|article|story|content[-_ ]?card|breaking[-_ ]?push|hero[-_ ]?card/i.test(
-      targetValue
-    );
-
-  const { dynamicSignals } = assessTargetDynamics(target);
-  const queryTexts = extractTargetTextFragments(target);
-  const hasHeadlineLikeText =
-    queryTexts.some((text) => text.length >= 48) ||
-    dynamicSignals.includes("contains_headline_like_text") ||
-    dynamicSignals.includes("contains_weather_or_news_fragment") ||
-    dynamicSignals.includes("contains_pipe_separator") ||
-    dynamicSignals.includes("contains_date_or_time_fragment");
-
-  if ((isRoleLink && hasHeadlineLikeText) || (isRoleLink && hasExact) || hasContentCardPattern) {
-    return "navigation-like dynamic click target";
-  }
-
-  return undefined;
-}
diff --git a/src/core/improve/navigation-like-interaction.ts b/src/core/improve/navigation-like-interaction.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7d7930a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/core/improve/navigation-like-interaction.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+import type { Step, Target } from "../yaml-schema.js";
+import {
+  assessTargetDynamics,
+  extractTargetTextFragments,
+} from "./dynamic-target.js";
+
+function isNavigationLikeAction(action: Step["action"]): boolean {
+  return action === "click" || action === "press" || action === "hover";
+}
+
+const CONTENT_CARD_TEXT_PATTERN =
+  /headline|teaser|article|story|content[-_ ]?card|breaking[-_ ]?push|hero[-_ ]?card/i;
+
+export function classifyNavigationLikeInteraction(
+  step: Step,
+  target: Target
+): string | undefined {
+  if (!isNavigationLikeAction(step.action)) return undefined;
+
+  const targetValue = target.value;
+  const isRoleLink = /getByRole\(\s*['"]link['"]/.test(targetValue);
+  const queryTexts = extractTargetTextFragments(target);
+  const hasContentCardPattern = queryTexts.some((text) =>
+    CONTENT_CARD_TEXT_PATTERN.test(text)
+  );
+  const { dynamicSignals } = assessTargetDynamics(target);
+  const hasHeadlineLikeText =
+    queryTexts.some((text) => text.length >= 48) ||
+    dynamicSignals.includes("contains_headline_like_text") ||
+    dynamicSignals.includes("contains_weather_or_news_fragment") ||
+    dynamicSignals.includes("contains_pipe_separator") ||
+    dynamicSignals.includes("contains_date_or_time_fragment");
+
+  if ((isRoleLink && hasHeadlineLikeText) || hasContentCardPattern) {
+    return "navigation-like dynamic click target";
+  }
+
+  return undefined;
+}