diff --git a/src/db/schema.rs b/src/db/schema.rs
index 926987b..2d7097c 100644
--- a/src/db/schema.rs
+++ b/src/db/schema.rs
@@ -185,27 +185,41 @@ const INDEX_LEARNING_TAGS_TAG: &str =
     "CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_learning_tags_tag ON learning_tags(tag);";
 
 const CREATE_TASK_READINESS_VIEW: &str = r#"
-CREATE VIEW IF NOT EXISTS task_readiness AS
+DROP VIEW IF EXISTS task_readiness;
+CREATE VIEW task_readiness AS
+WITH RECURSIVE ancestor_chain(task_id, ancestor_id, depth) AS (
+  SELECT id, id, 0 FROM tasks
+  UNION ALL
+  SELECT ac.task_id, t.parent_task_id, ac.depth + 1
+  FROM ancestor_chain ac
+  JOIN tasks t ON t.id = ac.ancestor_id
+  WHERE t.parent_task_id IS NOT NULL
+    AND ac.depth < 32
+),
+effective_unmet AS (
+  SELECT
+    ac.task_id,
+    COUNT(CASE
+      WHEN d.kind IN ('blocks', 'feeds_into')
+       AND upstream.status NOT IN ('done', 'done_partial')
+      THEN 1
+    END) AS unmet_deps
+  FROM ancestor_chain ac
+  LEFT JOIN dependencies d ON d.to_task = ac.ancestor_id
+  LEFT JOIN tasks upstream ON upstream.id = d.from_task
+  GROUP BY ac.task_id
+)
 SELECT
   t.id,
   t.status,
-  COUNT(CASE
-    WHEN d.kind IN ('blocks', 'feeds_into')
-     AND upstream.status NOT IN ('done', 'done_partial')
-    THEN 1
-  END) AS unmet_deps,
+  COALESCE(eu.unmet_deps, 0) AS unmet_deps,
   CASE
     WHEN t.status = 'pending'
-     AND COUNT(CASE
-         WHEN d.kind IN ('blocks','feeds_into')
-          AND upstream.status NOT IN ('done','done_partial')
-         THEN 1 END) = 0
+     AND COALESCE(eu.unmet_deps, 0) = 0
     THEN 1 ELSE 0
   END AS promotable
 FROM tasks t
-LEFT JOIN dependencies d ON d.to_task = t.id
-LEFT JOIN tasks upstream ON upstream.id = d.from_task
-GROUP BY t.id;
+LEFT JOIN effective_unmet eu ON eu.task_id = t.id;
 "#;
 
 pub fn init_db(path: &str) -> Result<Database> {
diff --git a/src/db/tests.rs b/src/db/tests.rs
index 1e93128..8491fe7 100644
--- a/src/db/tests.rs
+++ b/src/db/tests.rs
@@ -132,6 +132,207 @@ fn promote_sweep_moves_pending_to_ready() {
     assert_eq!(updated.status, TaskStatus::Ready);
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn test_child_of_composite_with_unmet_parent_deps_not_ready() {
+    let db_path = test_db_path();
+    let db = init_db(&db_path).unwrap();
+    let project = create_project(&db, "CompositeBlocked", None, None).unwrap();
+
+    let blocker = create_task(
+        &db,
+        &make_task(&project.id, "blocker", TaskStatus::Pending),
+        &[],
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+
+    let mut parent = make_task(&project.id, "parent", TaskStatus::Pending);
+    parent.is_composite = true;
+    let parent = create_task(&db, &parent, &[]).unwrap();
+
+    let mut child = make_task(&project.id, "child", TaskStatus::Pending);
+    child.parent_task_id = Some(parent.id.clone());
+    let child = create_task(&db, &child, &[]).unwrap();
+
+    add_dependency(
+        &db,
+        &blocker.id,
+        &parent.id,
+        DependencyKind::FeedsInto,
+        DependencyCondition::All,
+        None,
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+
+    promote_ready_tasks(&db).unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        get_task(&db, &blocker.id).unwrap().status,
+        TaskStatus::Ready
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        get_task(&db, &parent.id).unwrap().status,
+        TaskStatus::Pending
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        get_task(&db, &child.id).unwrap().status,
+        TaskStatus::Pending
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_child_promotes_when_parent_deps_satisfied() {
+    let db_path = test_db_path();
+    let db = init_db(&db_path).unwrap();
+    let project = create_project(&db, "CompositeUnblocked", None, None).unwrap();
+
+    let blocker = create_task(
+        &db,
+        &make_task(&project.id, "blocker", TaskStatus::Pending),
+        &[],
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+
+    let mut parent = make_task(&project.id, "parent", TaskStatus::Pending);
+    parent.is_composite = true;
+    let parent = create_task(&db, &parent, &[]).unwrap();
+
+    let mut child = make_task(&project.id, "child", TaskStatus::Pending);
+    child.parent_task_id = Some(parent.id.clone());
+    let child = create_task(&db, &child, &[]).unwrap();
+
+    add_dependency(
+        &db,
+        &blocker.id,
+        &parent.id,
+        DependencyKind::FeedsInto,
+        DependencyCondition::All,
+        None,
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+
+    promote_ready_tasks(&db).unwrap();
+    complete_task(&db, &blocker.id, None).unwrap();
+    promote_ready_tasks(&db).unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(get_task(&db, &parent.id).unwrap().status, TaskStatus::Ready);
+    assert_eq!(get_task(&db, &child.id).unwrap().status, TaskStatus::Ready);
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_grandchild_inherits_through_two_levels() {
+    let db_path = test_db_path();
+    let db = init_db(&db_path).unwrap();
+    let project = create_project(&db, "CompositeGrandchild", None, None).unwrap();
+
+    let blocker = create_task(
+        &db,
+        &make_task(&project.id, "blocker", TaskStatus::Pending),
+        &[],
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+
+    let mut parent = make_task(&project.id, "parent", TaskStatus::Pending);
+    parent.is_composite = true;
+    let parent = create_task(&db, &parent, &[]).unwrap();
+
+    let mut child = make_task(&project.id, "child", TaskStatus::Pending);
+    child.parent_task_id = Some(parent.id.clone());
+    child.is_composite = true;
+    let child = create_task(&db, &child, &[]).unwrap();
+
+    let mut grandchild = make_task(&project.id, "grandchild", TaskStatus::Pending);
+    grandchild.parent_task_id = Some(child.id.clone());
+    let grandchild = create_task(&db, &grandchild, &[]).unwrap();
+
+    add_dependency(
+        &db,
+        &blocker.id,
+        &parent.id,
+        DependencyKind::Blocks,
+        DependencyCondition::All,
+        None,
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+
+    promote_ready_tasks(&db).unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        get_task(&db, &blocker.id).unwrap().status,
+        TaskStatus::Ready
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        get_task(&db, &parent.id).unwrap().status,
+        TaskStatus::Pending
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        get_task(&db, &child.id).unwrap().status,
+        TaskStatus::Pending
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        get_task(&db, &grandchild.id).unwrap().status,
+        TaskStatus::Pending
+    );
+
+    complete_task(&db, &blocker.id, None).unwrap();
+    promote_ready_tasks(&db).unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(get_task(&db, &parent.id).unwrap().status, TaskStatus::Ready);
+    assert_eq!(get_task(&db, &child.id).unwrap().status, TaskStatus::Ready);
+    assert_eq!(
+        get_task(&db, &grandchild.id).unwrap().status,
+        TaskStatus::Ready
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn test_no_parent_existing_behavior_preserved() {
+    let db_path = test_db_path();
+    let db = init_db(&db_path).unwrap();
+    let project = create_project(&db, "FlatDeps", None, None).unwrap();
+
+    let upstream = create_task(
+        &db,
+        &make_task(&project.id, "upstream", TaskStatus::Pending),
+        &[],
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+    let downstream = create_task(
+        &db,
+        &make_task(&project.id, "downstream", TaskStatus::Pending),
+        &[],
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+
+    add_dependency(
+        &db,
+        &upstream.id,
+        &downstream.id,
+        DependencyKind::FeedsInto,
+        DependencyCondition::All,
+        None,
+    )
+    .unwrap();
+
+    promote_ready_tasks(&db).unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        get_task(&db, &upstream.id).unwrap().status,
+        TaskStatus::Ready
+    );
+    assert_eq!(
+        get_task(&db, &downstream.id).unwrap().status,
+        TaskStatus::Pending
+    );
+
+    complete_task(&db, &upstream.id, None).unwrap();
+    promote_ready_tasks(&db).unwrap();
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        get_task(&db, &downstream.id).unwrap().status,
+        TaskStatus::Ready
+    );
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn sweeper_reclaims_retries_and_rolls_up_composites() {
     let db_path = test_db_path();