diff --git a/Core/Configuration.cs b/Core/Configuration.cs
index c423ad7..c41adad 100644
--- a/Core/Configuration.cs
+++ b/Core/Configuration.cs
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ public sealed class Configuration
     public int MaxMeshUploadsPerFrame { get; set; } = 4;
     public int WorkerThreadCount { get; set; } = Math.Max(1, Environment.ProcessorCount / 2);
 
+    // Multiplier applied to (dy)^2 in chunk-load priority. >1 prioritizes
+    // chunks at the player's Y over equally-distant chunks above/below, so the
+    // visible surface fills in before far-underground / overhead chunks.
+    public int VerticalPriorityWeight { get; set; } = 4;
+
     public float MoveSpeed { get; set; } = 8f;
     public float MouseSensitivity { get; set; } = 0.15f;
     public float Fov { get; set; } = 60f;
diff --git a/VoxelEngine.Tests/Streaming/ChunkStreamerTests.cs b/VoxelEngine.Tests/Streaming/ChunkStreamerTests.cs
index 5f42087..00211b7 100644
--- a/VoxelEngine.Tests/Streaming/ChunkStreamerTests.cs
+++ b/VoxelEngine.Tests/Streaming/ChunkStreamerTests.cs
@@ -351,4 +351,33 @@ public class ChunkStreamerTests
         streamer.Tick(new Vector3i(0, 0, 0));
         Assert.Equal(1, generateCalls);
     }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Tick_VerticalPriorityWeight_PrefersHorizontalAtSameDistance()
+    {
+        var cfg = new Configuration
+        {
+            RenderDistanceHorizontal = 1,
+            RenderDistanceVertical = 1,
+            MaxGenerateJobsInFlight = 100,
+            MaxMeshUploadsPerFrame = 5,  // player's chunk + 4 horizontal cardinals
+            VerticalPriorityWeight = 4,
+        };
+        var (streamer, world, _) = CreateStreamer(cfg);
+
+        // Player chunk at Y=2 so vertical neighbors Y=1 and Y=3 are valid.
+        var playerPos = new Vector3i(0, 2, 0);
+        streamer.Tick(playerPos);
+
+        // Drain budget = 5 = priority 0 (player) + 4 priority-1 (horizontal
+        // cardinals). With VerticalPriorityWeight=4, vertical cardinals
+        // (Y=1, Y=3) have priority 4 — they should NOT be among the first 5.
+        Assert.NotNull(world.GetChunk(playerPos));
+        Assert.NotNull(world.GetChunk(new Vector3i( 1, 2,  0)));
+        Assert.NotNull(world.GetChunk(new Vector3i(-1, 2,  0)));
+        Assert.NotNull(world.GetChunk(new Vector3i( 0, 2,  1)));
+        Assert.NotNull(world.GetChunk(new Vector3i( 0, 2, -1)));
+        Assert.Null(world.GetChunk(new Vector3i(0, 3, 0)));
+        Assert.Null(world.GetChunk(new Vector3i(0, 1, 0)));
+    }
 }
diff --git a/World/Streaming/ChunkStreamer.cs b/World/Streaming/ChunkStreamer.cs
index 8a4b3ea..c031d6d 100644
--- a/World/Streaming/ChunkStreamer.cs
+++ b/World/Streaming/ChunkStreamer.cs
@@ -122,9 +122,12 @@ public sealed class ChunkStreamer : IDisposable
             if (this._failed.Contains(pos)) continue;
             if (this._tracked.Add(pos))
             {
-                int priority = (pos.X - p.X) * (pos.X - p.X)
-                             + (pos.Y - p.Y) * (pos.Y - p.Y)
-                             + (pos.Z - p.Z) * (pos.Z - p.Z);
+                int dx = pos.X - p.X;
+                int dy = pos.Y - p.Y;
+                int dz = pos.Z - p.Z;
+                int priority = dx * dx
+                             + dz * dz
+                             + dy * dy * this._cfg.VerticalPriorityWeight;
                 this._pendingLoad.Enqueue(pos, priority);
             }
         }