diff --git a/importarr/main.py b/importarr/main.py
index 3124ae2..fef4903 100644
--- a/importarr/main.py
+++ b/importarr/main.py
@@ -317,9 +317,9 @@ async def sync_queue() -> None:
             continue
         if readiness.ready and readiness.storage:
             for video in scan_videos(readiness.storage):
-                state.upsert_queue_item(source_type="sab", source_id=str(video.path), source_path=video.path, name=video.path.name, state="ready", reason=readiness.reason, relative_path=str(video.relative_path), size=video.size, job_id=job_id)
+                state.upsert_queue_item(source_type="sab", source_id=str(video.path), source_path=video.path, name=video.path.name, state="ready", reason=readiness.reason, relative_path=str(video.relative_path), size=video.size, job_id=job_id, sab_category=str(item.get("category") or item.get("cat") or ""))
         else:
-            state.upsert_queue_item(source_type="sab", source_id=job_id, source_path=readiness.storage, name=str(item.get("name") or job_id), state=readiness.state, reason=readiness.reason, job_id=job_id)
+            state.upsert_queue_item(source_type="sab", source_id=job_id, source_path=readiness.storage, name=str(item.get("name") or job_id), state=readiness.state, reason=readiness.reason, job_id=job_id, sab_category=str(item.get("category") or item.get("cat") or ""))
 
 
 def queue_jobs() -> list[dict[str, object]]:
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ def serialize_queue_item(item: dict[str, object]) -> dict[str, object]:
         "updated_at": item["updated_at"],
         "completed_at": item["completed_at"],
         "sab_status": state_name if source_type == "sab" else None,
-        "sab_category": settings.sab_category if source_type == "sab" else None,
+        "sab_category": item.get("sab_category") if source_type == "sab" else None,
         "can_run_now": state_name in {"ready", "manual_batch", "failed"},
         "can_retry": state_name in {"failed", "skipped"},
         "can_ignore": state_name not in {"imported", "skipped"},
diff --git a/importarr/readiness.py b/importarr/readiness.py
index fe0031e..ccd865a 100644
--- a/importarr/readiness.py
+++ b/importarr/readiness.py
@@ -31,21 +31,27 @@ def classify_history_item(item: dict[str, Any], active_nzo_ids: set[str], catego
     if not force_status and nzo_id and nzo_id in active_nzo_ids:
         return Readiness("processing", "SAB job is still present in queue")
     item_category = str(item.get("category") or item.get("cat") or "")
-    if item_category != category:
-        return Readiness("ignored", "SAB category is not owned by Importarr")
     status = str(item.get("status") or "")
+    storage_value = str(item.get("storage") or "")
+    storage = Path(storage_value).resolve() if storage_value else None
+    root = download_root.resolve()
+    storage_in_root = bool(storage and (storage == root or root in storage.parents))
+    if item_category != category and not storage_in_root:
+        return Readiness("ignored", "SAB category/storage is not owned by Importarr", storage)
     if not force_status and status == "Failed":
         return Readiness("failed", "SAB history reports failure")
     if not force_status and (status in NOT_READY_STATUSES or status != "Completed"):
         return Readiness("processing", f"SAB status is {status or 'unknown'}")
-    storage_value = str(item.get("storage") or "")
-    if not storage_value:
+    if storage is None:
         return Readiness("unknown", "SAB completed item has no final storage")
-    storage = Path(storage_value).resolve()
-    root = download_root.resolve()
-    if storage != root and root not in storage.parents:
+    if not storage_in_root:
         return Readiness("ignored", "SAB storage is outside configured download root", storage)
     if has_transient_part(storage):
         return Readiness("processing", "SAB storage path contains transient unpack/admin marker", storage)
-    reason = "forced despite SAB status" if force_status and status != "Completed" else "SAB completed in owned category with final storage"
+    if force_status and status != "Completed":
+        reason = "forced despite SAB status"
+    elif item_category != category:
+        reason = "SAB completed inside Importarr download root"
+    else:
+        reason = "SAB completed in owned category with final storage"
     return Readiness("ready", reason, storage)
diff --git a/importarr/state.py b/importarr/state.py
index fa152d4..66402ec 100644
--- a/importarr/state.py
+++ b/importarr/state.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ class State:
               size integer not null default 0,
               batch_id integer,
               job_id text,
+              sab_category text,
               first_seen_at text not null default current_timestamp,
               updated_at text not null default current_timestamp,
               completed_at text,
@@ -53,6 +54,9 @@ class State:
             );
             """
         )
+        columns = {row["name"] for row in self.conn.execute("pragma table_info(import_queue_items)")}
+        if "sab_category" not in columns:
+            self.conn.execute("alter table import_queue_items add column sab_category text")
         self.conn.commit()
 
     def get_app_state(self, key: str, default: str | None = None) -> str | None:
@@ -111,11 +115,12 @@ class State:
         size: int = 0,
         batch_id: int | None = None,
         job_id: str | None = None,
+        sab_category: str | None = None,
     ) -> dict[str, Any]:
         self.conn.execute(
             """
-            insert into import_queue_items(source_type, source_id, source_path, name, state, reason, relative_path, size, batch_id, job_id)
-            values (?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?)
+            insert into import_queue_items(source_type, source_id, source_path, name, state, reason, relative_path, size, batch_id, job_id, sab_category)
+            values (?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?,?)
             on conflict(source_type, source_id) do update set
               source_path=excluded.source_path,
               name=excluded.name,
@@ -125,10 +130,11 @@ class State:
               size=excluded.size,
               batch_id=excluded.batch_id,
               job_id=excluded.job_id,
+              sab_category=excluded.sab_category,
               updated_at=current_timestamp,
               completed_at=case when excluded.state in ('imported','failed','skipped') then current_timestamp else null end
             """,
-            (source_type, source_id, str(source_path) if source_path else None, name, state, reason, relative_path, size, batch_id, job_id),
+            (source_type, source_id, str(source_path) if source_path else None, name, state, reason, relative_path, size, batch_id, job_id, sab_category),
         )
         self.conn.commit()
         row = self.conn.execute("select * from import_queue_items where source_type = ? and source_id = ?", (source_type, source_id)).fetchone()
diff --git a/tests/test_sab_readiness.py b/tests/test_sab_readiness.py
index e12856d..619c3ce 100644
--- a/tests/test_sab_readiness.py
+++ b/tests/test_sab_readiness.py
@@ -19,6 +19,12 @@ def test_completed_manual_is_ready():
 
 def test_wrong_category_ignored():
     result = classify_history_item(item(category="*"), set(), "manual", ROOT)
+    assert result.ready
+    assert result.reason == "SAB completed inside Importarr download root"
+
+
+def test_wrong_category_outside_root_ignored():
+    result = classify_history_item(item(category="*", storage="/tmp/other/Movie"), set(), "manual", ROOT)
     assert result.state == "ignored"