diff --git a/src/emit/ruby/library.rs b/src/emit/ruby/library.rs
index af71d1ffe..20ba11456 100644
--- a/src/emit/ruby/library.rs
+++ b/src/emit/ruby/library.rs
@@ -7388,6 +7388,7 @@ enum PreloadKind {
     RichText { attr: String, owner: String },
 }
 
+/// Resolve batchable associations against the app model registry and its table metadata.
 fn preload_targets(model: &crate::dialect::Model, app: &App) -> Vec<(String, PreloadKind)> {
     use crate::dialect::Association;
     use crate::naming::pluralize_snake;
@@ -7397,15 +7398,15 @@ fn preload_targets(model: &crate::dialect::Model, app: &App) -> Vec<(String, Pre
     for assoc in model.associations() {
         match assoc {
             Association::BelongsTo { name, target, foreign_key, .. } => {
-                if !model_exists(target) {
+                let Some(target_model) = app.models.iter().find(|m| &m.name == target) else {
                     continue;
-                }
+                };
                 out.push((
                     name.as_str().to_string(),
                     PreloadKind::BelongsTo {
                         fk: foreign_key.as_str().to_string(),
                         target: target.0.as_str().to_string(),
-                        table: pluralize_snake(target.0.as_str()),
+                        table: target_model.table.0.as_str().to_string(),
                     },
                 ));
             }
diff --git a/tests/runtime_preload_target_table.rs b/tests/runtime_preload_target_table.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..61107f6ba
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/runtime_preload_target_table.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+//! A belongs_to batch must use the target model's resolved table, including
+//! an explicit table override on a namespaced model.
+#[path = "support/emit_and_run.rs"]
+mod emit_and_run;
+
+/// Isolate table resolution with a namespaced target and an explicit table override.
+fn app() -> emit_and_run::Overlay {
+    emit_and_run::empty_app()
+        .write("app/models/application_record.rb", "class ApplicationRecord < ActiveRecord::Base\n  self.abstract_class = true\nend\n")
+        .write("app/controllers/application_controller.rb", "class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base\nend\n")
+        .write("db/schema.rb", r#"ActiveRecord::Schema.define do
+  create_table "writers", force: :cascade do |t|
+    t.string "name", null: false
+  end
+  create_table "books", force: :cascade do |t|
+    t.integer "author_id"
+  end
+end
+"#)
+        .write("app/models/catalog/author.rb", "class Catalog::Author < ApplicationRecord\n  self.table_name = \"writers\"\nend\n")
+        .write("app/models/book.rb", "class Book < ApplicationRecord\n  belongs_to :author, class_name: \"Catalog::Author\", optional: true\n  scope :ordered, -> { order(:id) }\nend\n")
+        .write("config/routes.rb", "Rails.application.routes.draw do\n  get \"/books\", to: \"books#index\"\nend\n")
+        .write("app/controllers/books_controller.rb", r#"class BooksController < ApplicationController
+  def index
+    render plain: books_for_list.map { |book| book.author ? book.author.name : "none" }.join(",")
+  end
+
+  private
+
+  def books_for_list
+    Book.all.where.not(id: 0).order(:id).includes(:author)
+  end
+end
+"#)
+}
+
+const ASSERTIONS: &str = r#"
+require_relative "app/controllers/books_controller"
+4.times do |i|
+  author = Catalog::Author.create!(name: "author#{i}")
+  Book.create!(author_id: author.id)
+end
+controller = BooksController.new
+sql = Db.capture_sql { controller.process_action(:index) }
+raise controller.body unless controller.body == "author0,author1,author2,author3"
+raise "expected 2 queries, got #{sql.length}: #{sql.join("; ")}" unless sql.length == 2
+puts "resolved table preloading passed"
+"#;
+
+/// CRuby preloads the resolved target table in one batch.
+#[test]
+fn belongs_to_preloader_uses_the_resolved_target_table() {
+    app().run_ruby(ASSERTIONS).assert_passes();
+}
+
+/// Missing authors remain nil while CRuby still uses the resolved batch table.
+#[test]
+fn nullable_belongs_to_preloading_runs_on_ruby() {
+    let script = ASSERTIONS
+        .replace("controller = BooksController.new", "Book.create!(author_id: nil)\ncontroller = BooksController.new")
+        .replace("author2,author3", "author2,author3,none");
+    app().run_ruby(&script).assert_passes();
+}
+
+/// The compiled app preserves association values and the two-query bound.
+#[test]
+#[ignore = "requires the Spinel toolchain"]
+fn belongs_to_preloader_uses_the_resolved_target_table_on_spinel() {
+    let script = format!(
+        "Db.configure(\":memory:\")\nSchema.statements.each {{ |sql| Db.exec(sql) }}\nActiveRecord.adapter = SqliteAdapter\n{ASSERTIONS}"
+    );
+    app().run_spinel(&script).assert_passes();
+}