diff --git a/templates/bookshelf.templ b/templates/bookshelf.templ
index 53ce28f5..64b3948b 100644
--- a/templates/bookshelf.templ
+++ b/templates/bookshelf.templ
@@ -268,6 +268,7 @@ templ BookShelf(
 						</button>
 					</div>
 					<form
+						id="save-filter-form"
 						hx-post="/api/saved-filters"
 						hx-target="#saved-filters-list"
 						hx-swap="beforeend"
@@ -276,13 +277,17 @@ templ BookShelf(
 					>
 						<div class="mb-4">
 							<label class="block text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-wide mb-2" style="color: var(--text-secondary)">Filter Name</label>
-							<input type="text" name="filter_name" placeholder="My Custom Filter" class="input" required/>
+							<input type="text" id="save-filter-name" name="filter_name" placeholder="My Custom Filter" class="input" required/>
 							<div id="filter-save-error" style="display: none; color: var(--status-danger); padding: 0.75rem; border-radius: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0.75rem;"></div>
 							<input type="hidden" name="resource_type" value="media-items"/>
 						</div>
 						<div class="flex justify-end gap-2">
 							<button type="button" @click="showSaveModal = false" class="btn btn-secondary">Cancel</button>
-							<button type="submit" class="btn btn-primary">Save</button>
+							<button type="submit" class="btn btn-secondary">Save Filter</button>
+							<!-- Item 3.5: the bridge — the current tree becomes a live
+							     smart collection (the qf engine drives it everywhere:
+							     shelf, collections, play chains). -->
+							<button type="button" @click="saveFilterAsCollection()" class="btn btn-primary">Save as Collection</button>
 						</div>
 						<input type="hidden" name="limit" value="50"/>
 						<input type="hidden" name="offset" value="0"/>
diff --git a/templates/bookshelf_templ.go b/templates/bookshelf_templ.go
index f253c302..4e5a59ce 100644
--- a/templates/bookshelf_templ.go
+++ b/templates/bookshelf_templ.go
@@ -548,7 +548,7 @@ func BookShelf(
 		if templ_7745c5c3_Err != nil {
 			return templ_7745c5c3_Err
 		}
-		templ_7745c5c3_Err = templruntime.WriteString(templ_7745c5c3_Buffer, 56, "</button></div><form hx-post=\"/api/saved-filters\" hx-target=\"#saved-filters-list\" hx-swap=\"beforeend\" hx-include=\"#filter-form\" @htmx:afterRequest=\"if(event.detail.xhr.status < 400) { afterFilterSave() }\"><div class=\"mb-4\"><label class=\"block text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-wide mb-2\" style=\"color: var(--text-secondary)\">Filter Name</label> <input type=\"text\" name=\"filter_name\" placeholder=\"My Custom Filter\" class=\"input\" required><div id=\"filter-save-error\" style=\"display: none; color: var(--status-danger); padding: 0.75rem; border-radius: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0.75rem;\"></div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"resource_type\" value=\"media-items\"></div><div class=\"flex justify-end gap-2\"><button type=\"button\" @click=\"showSaveModal = false\" class=\"btn btn-secondary\">Cancel</button> <button type=\"submit\" class=\"btn btn-primary\">Save</button></div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"limit\" value=\"50\"> <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"offset\" value=\"0\"></form></div></div></body></html>")
+		templ_7745c5c3_Err = templruntime.WriteString(templ_7745c5c3_Buffer, 56, "</button></div><form id=\"save-filter-form\" hx-post=\"/api/saved-filters\" hx-target=\"#saved-filters-list\" hx-swap=\"beforeend\" hx-include=\"#filter-form\" @htmx:afterRequest=\"if(event.detail.xhr.status < 400) { afterFilterSave() }\"><div class=\"mb-4\"><label class=\"block text-xs font-semibold uppercase tracking-wide mb-2\" style=\"color: var(--text-secondary)\">Filter Name</label> <input type=\"text\" id=\"save-filter-name\" name=\"filter_name\" placeholder=\"My Custom Filter\" class=\"input\" required><div id=\"filter-save-error\" style=\"display: none; color: var(--status-danger); padding: 0.75rem; border-radius: 0.5rem; margin-top: 0.75rem;\"></div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"resource_type\" value=\"media-items\"></div><div class=\"flex justify-end gap-2\"><button type=\"button\" @click=\"showSaveModal = false\" class=\"btn btn-secondary\">Cancel</button> <button type=\"submit\" class=\"btn btn-secondary\">Save Filter</button><!-- Item 3.5: the bridge — the current tree becomes a live\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t     smart collection (the qf engine drives it everywhere:\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t     shelf, collections, play chains). --><button type=\"button\" @click=\"saveFilterAsCollection()\" class=\"btn btn-primary\">Save as Collection</button></div><input type=\"hidden\" name=\"limit\" value=\"50\"> <input type=\"hidden\" name=\"offset\" value=\"0\"></form></div></div></body></html>")
 		if templ_7745c5c3_Err != nil {
 			return templ_7745c5c3_Err
 		}
diff --git a/web/src/bookshelf.ts b/web/src/bookshelf.ts
index c10248dd..76aa52be 100644
--- a/web/src/bookshelf.ts
+++ b/web/src/bookshelf.ts
@@ -179,6 +179,45 @@ Alpine.data("bookshelf", () => ({
     // Show success toast
     showToast("Filter saved successfully", "success");
   },
+  // Item 3.5 bridge: the current tree becomes a live smart collection.
+  // The qf engine then drives it everywhere — shelf, collections page,
+  // play chains — with zero re-authoring.
+  async saveFilterAsCollection() {
+    const token = localStorage.getItem("token");
+    if (!token) {
+      showToast("Not authenticated", "error");
+      return;
+    }
+    const nameInput = document.getElementById("save-filter-name") as HTMLInputElement | null;
+    const name = nameInput?.value?.trim() ?? "";
+    if (!name) {
+      showToast("Give the collection a name first", "error");
+      return;
+    }
+    const builder = builderData();
+    const tree = builder?.scopedTree?.();
+    if (!tree) {
+      showToast("Add a complete filter rule first", "error");
+      return;
+    }
+    try {
+      const response = await fetch("/api/collections", {
+        method: "POST",
+        headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json", Authorization: `Bearer ${token}` },
+        body: JSON.stringify({ name, filter_tree: tree }),
+      });
+      if (response.ok) {
+        this.showSaveModal = false;
+        showToast("Saved as a smart collection", "success");
+        window.location.href = `/collections/${((await response.json()) as { id: string }).id}`;
+      } else {
+        const body = (await response.json().catch(() => ({}))) as { error?: string };
+        showToast(body.error || "Failed to save the collection", "error");
+      }
+    } catch {
+      showToast("Failed to save the collection", "error");
+    }
+  },
   // Load a saved filter into the form
   async loadFilter(event: Event) {
     const button = event.target as HTMLElement;