diff --git a/BOT/utils.py b/BOT/utils.py
index 3e0c22e..6f1a5a9 100644
--- a/BOT/utils.py
+++ b/BOT/utils.py
@@ -986,19 +986,23 @@ async def resolve_clans(shorts: Optional[List[str]] = None, tags: Optional[List[
     shorts = shorts or []
     tags = tags or []
 
-    # Process shorts first
+    # Process shorts first — only keep successful resolutions (clan_id present).
+    # Unresolved placeholders must not block the tag pass below, because some
+    # replays store the tagged form (e.g. "-DSPLA-") in the squadron field
+    # rather than the bare short name ("DSPLA"), causing the short lookup to
+    # miss even though the tag lookup would succeed.
     for short in shorts:
         if short:
             result = await resolve_clan(short=short)
-            if result:
+            if result and result.get("clan_id") is not None:
                 results.append(result)
 
-    # Then process tags (for any not already resolved)
+    # Then process tags (for any not already resolved by a successful short lookup)
     resolved_shorts = {r["short_name"].lower() for r in results}
     for tag in tags:
         if tag and tag.lower() not in resolved_shorts:
             result = await resolve_clan(tag=tag)
-            if result:
+            if result and result.get("clan_id") is not None:
                 results.append(result)
 
     return results