diff --git a/lib/host/blog.sx b/lib/host/blog.sx
index 24908416..57d68bf8 100644
--- a/lib/host/blog.sx
+++ b/lib/host/blog.sx
@@ -362,13 +362,18 @@
 (define host/blog--picker-item
   (fn (slug p kind)
     (quasiquote
-      (li :style "border-bottom:1px solid #eee"
-        ;; sx-disable: this relate form is a plain POST -> 303 -> full reload (the
-        ;; engine swaps the picker rows in, which would otherwise boost this form;
-        ;; a boosted POST+redirect into #content swaps unreliably). A relate is a
-        ;; deliberate action, so a clean reload that re-renders the editor is right.
-        (form :method "post" :style "margin:0" :sx-disable "true"
+      (li :id (unquote (str "cand-" kind "-" (get p :slug)))
+          :style "border-bottom:1px solid #eee"
+        ;; AJAX relate: sx-post the relation, then sx-swap="delete" removes THIS
+        ;; candidate row (its sx-target) — it's now related, so it leaves the pool
+        ;; without a reload or a list refetch. method+action stay for the no-JS
+        ;; fallback (plain POST -> 303 -> reload); the engine prevents the double
+        ;; submit when it handles sx-post.
+        (form :method "post" :style "margin:0"
           :action (unquote (str "/" slug "/relate"))
+          :sx-post (unquote (str "/" slug "/relate"))
+          :sx-target (unquote (str "#cand-" kind "-" (get p :slug)))
+          :sx-swap "delete"
           (input :type "hidden" :name "other" :value (unquote (get p :slug)))
           (input :type "hidden" :name "kind" :value (unquote kind))
           (button :type "submit"
@@ -866,7 +871,12 @@
           (when (and other (not (= other "")) (not (= other slug))
                      (host/blog--kind-spec kind) (host/blog-exists? other))
             (host/blog-relate! slug other kind))
-          (dream-redirect (str "/" slug "/edit")))))))
+          ;; AJAX (the picker's sx-post): return an empty 200 so the candidate
+          ;; form's sx-swap="delete" removes just that one row — no full reload,
+          ;; no candidate-list refetch. Plain POST (no-JS) still redirects.
+          (if (host/blog--spa-req? req)
+            (dream-html "")
+            (dream-redirect (str "/" slug "/edit"))))))))
 
 ;; POST /<slug>/unrelate — remove the relation to `other` under `kind` (default
 ;; "related"). Idempotent; redirects back to the edit page.
diff --git a/lib/host/playwright/relate-picker.spec.js b/lib/host/playwright/relate-picker.spec.js
index 0611c01a..a53799ea 100644
--- a/lib/host/playwright/relate-picker.spec.js
+++ b/lib/host/playwright/relate-picker.spec.js
@@ -78,19 +78,20 @@ test.describe('relate picker', () => {
     await expect(page.locator(RELR)).toContainText('Picker Item 13');
   });
 
-  test('clicking a candidate relates it (and it shows on the post page)', async ({ page }) => {
-    // heavier than the others: a full-reload relate (sx-disable) then a goto to the
-    // post page — two WASM kernel boots — so it needs more than the 30s default.
+  test('clicking a candidate relates it and removes just that row (no reload)', async ({ page }) => {
     test.setTimeout(75000);
     await loginTo(page, `/${HOST}/edit`);
     await waitReady(page);
     await page.fill(RELF, 'Item 07');
     await expect.poll(() => page.locator(RELROWS).count(), { timeout: 10000 }).toBe(1);
+    // sentinel survives ONLY if there is no full-page reload
+    await page.evaluate(() => { window.__noReload = true; });
     await page.locator(`${RELROWS} button`).first().click();
-    // form POST -> 303 back to the edit page; the related list now links the slug
-    await expect(page).toHaveURL(new RegExp(`/${HOST}/edit`));
-    await expect(page.locator('a[href="/picker-item-07/"]')).toHaveCount(1);
-    // and the public post page shows the Related posts block with the title
+    // the AJAX relate deletes just that candidate row in place — no reload, no
+    // candidate-list refetch
+    await expect.poll(() => page.locator(RELROWS).count(), { timeout: 10000 }).toBe(0);
+    expect(await page.evaluate(() => window.__noReload)).toBe(true);
+    // and the relation actually persisted (shows on the public post page)
     await page.goto(`/${HOST}/`);
     await expect(page.getByRole('heading', { name: 'Related posts' })).toBeVisible();
     await expect(page.locator('body')).toContainText('Picker Item 07');