diff --git a/scripts/dispatcher.py b/scripts/dispatcher.py
index f3b0b4f..6f7c49e 100644
--- a/scripts/dispatcher.py
+++ b/scripts/dispatcher.py
@@ -716,31 +716,40 @@ def deploy_stitch_script(worker: dict):
 
 def run_one_stitch(stitch: sqlite3.Row):
     stitch_id = stitch["id"]
-    worker = pick_worker(2000)
-    if not worker:
-        worker = WORKERS[0]
 
     with closing(db()) as conn:
         if stitch["level"] == "per_auv":
             job_ids = json.loads(stitch["input_job_ids"] or "[]")
             if job_ids:
                 rows = conn.execute(
-                    f"SELECT ply_path FROM jobs WHERE id IN ({','.join('?'*len(job_ids))})",
+                    f"SELECT ply_path, worker_host FROM jobs WHERE id IN ({','.join('?'*len(job_ids))})",
                     job_ids
                 ).fetchall()
             else:
                 rows = []
             ply_paths = [r["ply_path"] for r in rows if r["ply_path"]]
+            # Force stitch to run on the same worker as the PLY files.
+            hosts = list({r["worker_host"] for r in rows if r["worker_host"]})
         else:
             stitch_ids = json.loads(stitch["input_stitch_ids"] or "[]")
             if stitch_ids:
                 rows = conn.execute(
-                    f"SELECT output_ply FROM stitches WHERE id IN ({','.join('?'*len(stitch_ids))})",
+                    f"SELECT output_ply, worker_host FROM stitches WHERE id IN ({','.join('?'*len(stitch_ids))})",
                     stitch_ids
                 ).fetchall()
             else:
                 rows = []
             ply_paths = [r["output_ply"] for r in rows if r["output_ply"]]
+            hosts = list({r["worker_host"] for r in rows if r["worker_host"]})
+
+    # Pick worker that already holds the PLY files; fall back to any free worker.
+    worker = None
+    for w in WORKERS:
+        if w["host"] in hosts:
+            worker = w
+            break
+    if not worker:
+        worker = pick_worker(2000) or WORKERS[0]
 
     if len(ply_paths) == 0:
         set_stitch_status(stitch_id, status="error",