diff --git a/public/assets/my.js b/public/assets/my.js
index 012a76b..a0e8cfa 100644
--- a/public/assets/my.js
+++ b/public/assets/my.js
@@ -335,8 +335,8 @@
       const chip = (m, q) => '<span class="lt-node' + (q ? ' qualified' : (m.email ? '' : ' deep')) + '" title="' + esc(m.name || 'member') + (q ? ' · qualified buyer' : '') + '">' + esc(String(m.name || 'M').replace(/^@/, '').slice(0, 12)) + '</span>';
       const rowFor = lvl => {
         const L = levels.find(x => x.level === lvl); const members = L ? L.members : [];
-        const qn = lvl === 1 ? (buyerCount || 0) : 0; // highlight your qualified directs
-        let html = members.map((m, i) => chip(m, i < qn)).join('');
+        // gold = the contract counted this member as one of your qualifying buyers (not "the first N chips")
+        let html = members.map(m => chip(m, !!m.qualified)).join('');
         if (lvl <= 2 && members.length < (lvl === 1 ? 2 : 4)) html += '<span class="lt-node open">+ open</span>';
         if (!html) html = '<span class="lt-node open">+ open</span>';
         return '<div class="lt-row"><span class="lt-cap">L' + lvl + '</span><div class="lt-nodes">' + html + '</div></div>';
diff --git a/public/my.html b/public/my.html
index 84dfbe3..62dadcd 100644
--- a/public/my.html
+++ b/public/my.html
@@ -234,6 +234,7 @@
         <div class="card" id="lineTreeCard">
           <div class="card-head"><h3>Your line at a glance</h3><span class="sub" id="treeSub"></span></div>
           <div id="lineTree" class="line-tree"><p class="muted small">Loading your line…</p></div>
+          <p class="small muted" id="treeLegend" style="margin:10px 0 0;line-height:2"><span class="lt-node qualified" style="font-size:11px;padding:2px 8px">name</span> qualifying buyer: bought a $20+ package, counts toward your levels &nbsp;·&nbsp; <span class="lt-node" style="font-size:11px;padding:2px 8px">name</span> joined, no $20+ buy yet &nbsp;·&nbsp; <span class="lt-node open" style="font-size:11px;padding:2px 8px">+ open</span> spot still open</p>
         </div>
         <div class="card" id="badgeCard" hidden>
           <div class="card-head"><h3>Your achievements</h3><span class="sub">unlock as you build</span></div>
diff --git a/server.js b/server.js
index 1d065a6..a576e0d 100644
--- a/server.js
+++ b/server.js
@@ -1234,10 +1234,12 @@ const server = http.createServer(async (req, res) => {
       const own = (await accounts.positions(s.email)).filter(p => p.memberId);
       const myIds = new Set([myId, ...own.map(p => p.memberId)].filter(Boolean));
       const earnedBy = {};
+      const qualified = new Set(); // members the contract counted as this account's qualifying buyers ($20+)
       if (myIds.size) {
         for (const ev of chain.recentEvents(1e9)) {
           if (ev.type === 'TierPaid' && myIds.has(ev.recipientId) && ev.buyerId)
             earnedBy[ev.buyerId] = (BigInt(earnedBy[ev.buyerId] || '0') + BigInt(ev.amountWei)).toString();
+          if (ev.type === 'BuyerCounted' && myIds.has(ev.sponsorId) && ev.newBuyerId) qualified.add(ev.newBuyerId);
         }
       }
       const out = levels.map(L => ({ level: L.level, members: L.members.map(m => ({
@@ -1245,6 +1247,7 @@ const server = http.createServer(async (req, res) => {
         name: m.username ? '@' + m.username : m.memberId ? 'member #' + m.memberId : 'member',
         email: L.level === 1 ? m.email : null, // directs only
         joined: m.created,
+        qualified: !!(m.memberId && qualified.has(m.memberId)),
         earnedWei: (m.memberId && earnedBy[m.memberId]) || '0' })) }));
       // the member's own linked positions sit on level 1 too, labelled as theirs
       if (own.length) {