diff --git a/apps/desktop/src/lib/sqlCompletion.ts b/apps/desktop/src/lib/sqlCompletion.ts
index 415b84aa9..abb97e53b 100644
--- a/apps/desktop/src/lib/sqlCompletion.ts
+++ b/apps/desktop/src/lib/sqlCompletion.ts
@@ -2265,6 +2265,12 @@ function buildColumnItems(
     }
   }
 
+  // When the query already references concrete tables (or we are after a
+  // "table." qualifier / in an INSERT column list), the columns of those
+  // tables are what the user is most likely picking — boost them above plain
+  // keywords so they rank at the top instead of being interleaved.
+  const relevanceBoost = context.referencedTables.length > 0 || !!context.qualifier || !!context.insertTable ? 2000 : 0;
+
   return uniqueColumns
     .filter((column) => matchesPrefix(column.displayLabel, context.prefix))
     .map((column) => {
@@ -2275,7 +2281,7 @@ function buildColumnItems(
         detail: buildColumnDetail(column),
         info: buildColumnInfo(column),
         apply: buildColumnApply(column, context, dialect),
-        boost: computeBoost(column.displayLabel, context.prefix) + keyBoost,
+        boost: computeBoost(column.displayLabel, context.prefix) + keyBoost + relevanceBoost,
       };
     })
     .sort(compareCompletionItems);
diff --git a/packages/app-tests/sqlCompletion.test.ts b/packages/app-tests/sqlCompletion.test.ts
index a5cb826eb..dd9da4b94 100644
--- a/packages/app-tests/sqlCompletion.test.ts
+++ b/packages/app-tests/sqlCompletion.test.ts
@@ -838,6 +838,21 @@ test("key columns get priority boost in column suggestions", () => {
   assert.ok(idItem.boost > nameItem.boost, "id column should have higher boost than name");
 });
 
+test("referenced-table columns rank above keywords (#801)", () => {
+  const items = buildSqlCompletionItems("select  from public.users u", "select ".length, {
+    tables,
+    columnsByTable,
+  });
+  const column = items.find((item) => item.type === "column");
+  assert.ok(column, "should suggest columns when a table is referenced");
+  assert.ok(column.boost >= 2000, "referenced-table columns should be boosted above plain keywords");
+  const columnIdx = items.findIndex((item) => item.type === "column");
+  const keywordIdx = items.findIndex((item) => item.type === "keyword");
+  if (keywordIdx >= 0) {
+    assert.ok(columnIdx < keywordIdx, "columns should appear before keywords in a referenced-table context");
+  }
+});
+
 // --- Schema name completion ---
 
 test("suggests schema names alongside tables in FROM context", () => {