diff --git a/nodedb/src/control/server/shared/ddl/neutral/query_functions/router.rs b/nodedb/src/control/server/shared/ddl/neutral/query_functions/router.rs
index 6a5297c61..26b1a0844 100644
--- a/nodedb/src/control/server/shared/ddl/neutral/query_functions/router.rs
+++ b/nodedb/src/control/server/shared/ddl/neutral/query_functions/router.rs
@@ -17,6 +17,111 @@ use crate::types::DatabaseId;
 
 use super::super::super::result::{DdlError, DdlResult};
 
+/// Scan `sql` as code: quoted regions and comments are replaced by spaces so a
+/// `contains` check cannot match a keyword inside a string literal, a quoted
+/// identifier, or a comment. Everything else is preserved verbatim.
+fn scan_code(sql: &str) -> String {
+    #[derive(PartialEq)]
+    enum St {
+        Code,
+        Single,
+        Double,
+        Line,
+        Block,
+    }
+
+    let mut out = String::with_capacity(sql.len());
+    let mut st = St::Code;
+    let mut chars = sql.chars().peekable();
+    while let Some(c) = chars.next() {
+        match st {
+            St::Code => match c {
+                '\'' => {
+                    st = St::Single;
+                    out.push(' ');
+                }
+                '"' => {
+                    st = St::Double;
+                    out.push(' ');
+                }
+                '-' if chars.peek() == Some(&'-') => {
+                    chars.next();
+                    st = St::Line;
+                    out.push_str("  ");
+                }
+                '/' if chars.peek() == Some(&'*') => {
+                    chars.next();
+                    st = St::Block;
+                    out.push_str("  ");
+                }
+                _ => out.push(c),
+            },
+            St::Single => {
+                if c == '\'' {
+                    if chars.peek() == Some(&'\'') {
+                        chars.next();
+                        out.push_str("  ");
+                    } else {
+                        st = St::Code;
+                        out.push(' ');
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    out.push(' ');
+                }
+            }
+            St::Double => {
+                if c == '"' {
+                    if chars.peek() == Some(&'"') {
+                        chars.next();
+                        out.push_str("  ");
+                    } else {
+                        st = St::Code;
+                        out.push(' ');
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    out.push(' ');
+                }
+            }
+            St::Line => {
+                if c == '\n' {
+                    st = St::Code;
+                    out.push('\n');
+                } else {
+                    out.push(' ');
+                }
+            }
+            St::Block => {
+                if c == '*' && chars.peek() == Some(&'/') {
+                    chars.next();
+                    st = St::Code;
+                    out.push_str("  ");
+                } else {
+                    out.push(' ');
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    out
+}
+
+/// The query function this statement routes to, if any.
+///
+/// The routing decision: `scan_code` removes quoted regions and comments, then
+/// the keywords are matched in the pgwire `router::function::dispatch` order.
+/// Kept separate from [`try_dispatch`] so the decision itself is testable.
+fn recognized_function(sql: &str) -> Option<&'static str> {
+    const KEYWORDS: [&str; 6] = [
+        "VERIFY_AUDIT_CHAIN",
+        "VERIFY_HASH_CHAIN",
+        "BALANCE_AS_OF",
+        "TEMPORAL_LOOKUP",
+        "VERIFY_BALANCE",
+        "CONVERT_CURRENCY_LOOKUP",
+    ];
+    let upper = scan_code(sql).to_uppercase();
+    KEYWORDS.into_iter().find(|keyword| upper.contains(keyword))
+}
+
 /// Try to handle `sql` as one of the temporal / audit query functions.
 ///
 /// Returns `Some(result)` when a substring matches (mirroring the pgwire
@@ -28,26 +133,128 @@ pub async fn try_dispatch(
     database_id: DatabaseId,
     sql: &str,
 ) -> Option<Result<Vec<DdlResult>, DdlError>> {
-    let upper = sql.to_uppercase();
+    match recognized_function(sql) {
+        Some("VERIFY_AUDIT_CHAIN") => {
+            Some(super::verify_audit_chain(state, identity, database_id, sql).await)
+        }
+        Some("VERIFY_HASH_CHAIN") => {
+            Some(super::verify_hash_chain(state, identity, database_id, sql).await)
+        }
+        Some("BALANCE_AS_OF") => {
+            Some(super::balance_as_of(state, identity, database_id, sql).await)
+        }
+        Some("TEMPORAL_LOOKUP") => {
+            Some(super::temporal_lookup(state, identity, database_id, sql).await)
+        }
+        Some("VERIFY_BALANCE") => {
+            Some(super::verify_balance(state, identity, database_id, sql).await)
+        }
+        Some("CONVERT_CURRENCY_LOOKUP") => {
+            Some(super::convert_currency_lookup(state, identity, database_id, sql).await)
+        }
+        _ => None,
+    }
+}
+
+#[cfg(test)]
+mod tests {
+    use super::{recognized_function, scan_code};
 
-    if upper.contains("VERIFY_AUDIT_CHAIN") {
-        return Some(super::verify_audit_chain(state, identity, database_id, sql).await);
+    /// The routing decision itself: which function (if any) `try_dispatch`
+    /// picks for this statement.
+    fn hits(sql: &str, keyword: &str) -> bool {
+        recognized_function(sql) == Some(keyword)
     }
-    if upper.contains("VERIFY_HASH_CHAIN") {
-        return Some(super::verify_hash_chain(state, identity, database_id, sql).await);
+
+    #[test]
+    fn scanned_text_blanks_the_literal() {
+        assert!(
+            !scan_code("SELECT 'verify_balance'")
+                .to_ascii_uppercase()
+                .contains("VERIFY_BALANCE")
+        );
     }
-    if upper.contains("BALANCE_AS_OF") {
-        return Some(super::balance_as_of(state, identity, database_id, sql).await);
+
+    #[test]
+    fn literal_contents_do_not_route() {
+        assert!(!hits(
+            "INSERT INTO kg (id, name) VALUES ('tmp_verify_balance_x', 'x')",
+            "VERIFY_BALANCE"
+        ));
+        assert!(!hits(
+            "INSERT INTO kg (id, label) VALUES ('x', 'verify_balance')",
+            "VERIFY_BALANCE"
+        ));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn escaped_quote_keeps_the_literal_open() {
+        assert!(!hits(
+            "INSERT INTO kg (id) VALUES ('it''s verify_balance')",
+            "VERIFY_BALANCE"
+        ));
     }
-    if upper.contains("TEMPORAL_LOOKUP") {
-        return Some(super::temporal_lookup(state, identity, database_id, sql).await);
+
+    #[test]
+    fn quoted_identifiers_do_not_route() {
+        assert!(!hits(
+            "SELECT 1 AS \"verify_balance\" FROM kg",
+            "VERIFY_BALANCE"
+        ));
     }
-    if upper.contains("VERIFY_BALANCE") {
-        return Some(super::verify_balance(state, identity, database_id, sql).await);
+
+    #[test]
+    fn comments_do_not_route() {
+        assert!(!hits("SELECT 1 -- verify_balance note", "VERIFY_BALANCE"));
+        assert!(!hits("SELECT /* verify_balance */ 1", "VERIFY_BALANCE"));
+        assert!(!hits(
+            "SELECT 1 -- verify_audit_chain\n",
+            "VERIFY_AUDIT_CHAIN"
+        ));
     }
-    if upper.contains("CONVERT_CURRENCY_LOOKUP") {
-        return Some(super::convert_currency_lookup(state, identity, database_id, sql).await);
+
+    #[test]
+    fn real_calls_still_route() {
+        assert!(hits("SELECT VERIFY_BALANCE('c', 'col')", "VERIFY_BALANCE"));
+        assert!(hits("select verify_balance('c','col')", "VERIFY_BALANCE"));
+        assert!(hits(
+            "SELECT VERIFY_AUDIT_CHAIN(1, 100)",
+            "VERIFY_AUDIT_CHAIN"
+        ));
+        assert!(hits("SELECT balance_as_of('c','k','v',1)", "BALANCE_AS_OF"));
     }
 
-    None
+    #[test]
+    fn blanking_does_not_fuse_neighbouring_tokens() {
+        // Spaces replace the quoted region, so the halves stay separate. A
+        // removal-style blank would glue VERIFY and _BALANCE into a match.
+        assert!(!hits("SELECT VERIFY'x'_BALANCE()", "VERIFY_BALANCE"));
+        assert!(!hits("SELECT 'verify'_balance()", "VERIFY_BALANCE"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn escapes_and_unterminated_regions_do_not_route() {
+        // `""` inside a quoted identifier stays in that identifier.
+        assert!(!hits(
+            "SELECT 1 AS \"a\"\"verify_balance\" FROM kg",
+            "VERIFY_BALANCE"
+        ));
+        // An unterminated block comment swallows the rest of the statement.
+        assert!(!hits("SELECT 1 /* verify_balance", "VERIFY_BALANCE"));
+        // So does an unterminated literal.
+        assert!(!hits("SELECT 'verify_balance", "VERIFY_BALANCE"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn routing_decision_picks_the_first_keyword_in_order() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            recognized_function("SELECT VERIFY_AUDIT_CHAIN(1, 2) -- VERIFY_BALANCE"),
+            Some("VERIFY_AUDIT_CHAIN")
+        );
+        assert_eq!(recognized_function("SELECT 1"), None);
+        assert_eq!(
+            recognized_function("INSERT INTO kg { id: 'a', name: 'balance_as_of' }"),
+            None
+        );
+    }
 }
diff --git a/nodedb/tests/wire/cases/router_misroute_literals.rs b/nodedb/tests/wire/cases/router_misroute_literals.rs
index b1188be31..eef28b35c 100644
--- a/nodedb/tests/wire/cases/router_misroute_literals.rs
+++ b/nodedb/tests/wire/cases/router_misroute_literals.rs
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@
 //! a doc-object UPSERT value, a string literal, a comment — belongs to its own
 //! handler and must never reach the function arm. These tests hold both
 //! directions: the literal stores verbatim, the anchored form still routes.
+//!
+//! The query-function family (`VERIFY_BALANCE`, `VERIFY_AUDIT_CHAIN`,
+//! `VERIFY_HASH_CHAIN`, `BALANCE_AS_OF`, `TEMPORAL_LOOKUP`,
+//! `CONVERT_CURRENCY_LOOKUP`) is matched by `contains` over the statement, so
+//! the same rule applies to a token inside a literal there.
 
 use crate::harness::TestServer;
 
@@ -160,3 +165,49 @@ async fn leading_whitespace_still_routes_anchored_arms() {
         "row must be returned despite leading whitespace"
     );
 }
+
+/// The six query-function keywords are matched by `contains`, not by a prefix
+/// anchor, so a value carrying one used to reach the function arm and answer
+/// with its argument error. The literal must store verbatim, and the anchored
+/// call must still reach the function arm.
+#[tokio::test(flavor = "multi_thread", worker_threads = 4)]
+async fn value_carrying_verify_balance_does_not_misroute() {
+    let server = TestServer::start().await;
+
+    server
+        .exec(
+            "CREATE COLLECTION lit_qf (id STRING PRIMARY KEY, name STRING) \
+             WITH (engine='kv')",
+        )
+        .await
+        .expect("create collection");
+
+    // The value carries a query-function token. The parenthesised form is a
+    // non-DDL parse, so it reaches the neutral dispatcher where the pre-fix
+    // substring match hijacked it; the brace form never gets there.
+    server
+        .exec("INSERT INTO lit_qf (id, name) VALUES ('a', 'verify_balance')")
+        .await
+        .expect("INSERT with a query-function token in a value must not misroute");
+
+    let rows = server
+        .query_text("SELECT name FROM lit_qf WHERE id = 'a'")
+        .await
+        .expect("read back the inserted row");
+    assert_eq!(
+        rows,
+        vec!["verify_balance".to_string()],
+        "the value must be stored verbatim"
+    );
+
+    // The anchored form still routes: the function arm reports the collection
+    // it was asked for, so a missing collection names it.
+    let err = server
+        .query_text("SELECT VERIFY_BALANCE('lit_qf_missing', 'name')")
+        .await
+        .expect_err("the anchored call must reach the function arm");
+    assert!(
+        err.contains("lit_qf_missing"),
+        "the anchored call must reach the function arm, got: {err}"
+    );
+}