diff --git a/paperforge/worker/ocr_figures.py b/paperforge/worker/ocr_figures.py
index d42d989d..694c5a17 100644
--- a/paperforge/worker/ocr_figures.py
+++ b/paperforge/worker/ocr_figures.py
@@ -1118,7 +1118,9 @@ def _score_legend_to_group(
     # Skip for rotated captions (side captions sit in different column by design)
     if not legend.get("_rotated_caption_prematch"):
         legend_bbox = legend.get("bbox") or legend.get("block_bbox") or [0, 0, 0, 0]
-        group_band = group.get("column_band") or _group_column_band(group.get("media_blocks", []), page_width)
+        group_band = group.get("column_band")
+        if group_band is None:
+            group_band = _group_column_band(group.get("media_blocks", []), page_width)
         legend_band = _column_band_id(legend_bbox, page_width)
         if legend_band is not None and group_band is not None and legend_band != group_band:
             return {
diff --git a/tests/test_ocr_figures.py b/tests/test_ocr_figures.py
index 7b903063..d15f5685 100644
--- a/tests/test_ocr_figures.py
+++ b/tests/test_ocr_figures.py
@@ -8320,42 +8320,6 @@ def test_build_figure_inventory_delegates_to_vnext(monkeypatch):
     assert called["args"] == (blocks, 777, {1: []})
 
 
-# ──────────────────────────────────────────────
-# PR4: Column compatibility check for figure caption-asset pairing
-# ──────────────────────────────────────────────
-
-
-def test_column_compatible_cross_column_rejected() -> None:
-    from paperforge.worker.ocr_figures import _column_compatible_for_caption_asset
-    pw = 1200.0
-    left_bbox = [100, 100, 500, 200]   # left column band = 0
-    right_bbox = [700, 100, 1100, 200]  # right column band = 1
-    result = _column_compatible_for_caption_asset(left_bbox, right_bbox, pw)
-    assert result is False
-
-
-def test_column_compatible_same_column() -> None:
-    from paperforge.worker.ocr_figures import _column_compatible_for_caption_asset
-    pw = 1200.0
-    left_bbox = [100, 100, 500, 200]
-    left_bbox2 = [100, 300, 500, 400]
-    assert _column_compatible_for_caption_asset(left_bbox, left_bbox2, pw)
-
-
-def test_column_compatible_full_width() -> None:
-    from paperforge.worker.ocr_figures import _column_compatible_for_caption_asset
-    pw = 1200.0
-    full_bbox = [50, 100, 1150, 200]  # 1100/1200 = 91.7% -> full-width
-    right_bbox = [700, 300, 1100, 400]
-    assert _column_compatible_for_caption_asset(full_bbox, right_bbox, pw)
-
-
-def test_column_compatible_center_band() -> None:
-    from paperforge.worker.ocr_figures import _column_compatible_for_caption_asset
-    pw = 1200.0
-    center_bbox = [200, 100, 1000, 200]   # center -> None band
-    right_bbox = [700, 300, 1100, 400]     # right -> band 1
-    assert _column_compatible_for_caption_asset(center_bbox, right_bbox, pw)
 
 
 def test_group_column_band_composite() -> None: