diff --git a/cmd/ingestor/decoder.go b/cmd/ingestor/decoder.go
index 56ab95b4..8821d828 100644
--- a/cmd/ingestor/decoder.go
+++ b/cmd/ingestor/decoder.go
@@ -131,6 +131,7 @@ type Payload struct {
 	SenderTimestamp  uint32    `json:"sender_timestamp,omitempty"`
 	EphemeralPubKey string     `json:"ephemeralPubKey,omitempty"`
 	PathData      string       `json:"pathData,omitempty"`
+	SNRValues     []float64    `json:"snrValues,omitempty"`
 	Tag           uint32       `json:"tag,omitempty"`
 	AuthCode      uint32       `json:"authCode,omitempty"`
 	TraceFlags    *int         `json:"traceFlags,omitempty"`
@@ -609,6 +610,21 @@ func DecodePacket(hexString string, channelKeys map[string]string, validateSigna
 		}
 		// The header path hops count represents SNR entries = completed hops
 		hopsCompleted := path.HashCount
+		// Extract per-hop SNR from header path bytes (int8, quarter-dB encoding).
+		// Mirrors cmd/server/decoder.go — must be done at ingest time so SNR
+		// values are persisted in decoded_json (server endpoint serves DB as-is).
+		if hopsCompleted > 0 && len(path.Hops) >= hopsCompleted {
+			snrVals := make([]float64, 0, hopsCompleted)
+			for i := 0; i < hopsCompleted; i++ {
+				b, err := hex.DecodeString(path.Hops[i])
+				if err == nil && len(b) == 1 {
+					snrVals = append(snrVals, float64(int8(b[0]))/4.0)
+				}
+			}
+			if len(snrVals) > 0 {
+				payload.SNRValues = snrVals
+			}
+		}
 		pathBytes, err := hex.DecodeString(payload.PathData)
 		if err == nil && payload.TraceFlags != nil {
 			// path_sz from flags byte is a power-of-two exponent per firmware:
diff --git a/cmd/ingestor/decoder_test.go b/cmd/ingestor/decoder_test.go
index c781b4aa..92e1c5db 100644
--- a/cmd/ingestor/decoder_test.go
+++ b/cmd/ingestor/decoder_test.go
@@ -1947,3 +1947,32 @@ func TestDecodeTracePayloadFailSetsAnomaly(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Error("expected Anomaly to be set when TRACE payload decode fails but observation is stored")
 	}
 }
+
+// TestDecodeTraceExtractsSNRValues verifies that for TRACE packets, the header
+// path bytes are interpreted as int8 SNR values (quarter-dB) and exposed via
+// payload.SNRValues. Mirrors logic in cmd/server/decoder.go (issue: SNR values
+// extracted by server but never written into decoded_json by ingestor).
+//
+// Packet 26022FF8116A23A80000000001C0DE1000DEDE:
+//   header  0x26 → TRACE (pt=9), DIRECT (rt=2)
+//   pathByte 0x02 → hash_size=1, hash_count=2
+//   header path: 2F F8 → SNR = [int8(0x2F)/4, int8(0xF8)/4] = [11.75, -2.0]
+//   payload (15B): tag=116A23A8 auth=00000000 flags=0x01 pathData=C0DE1000DEDE
+func TestDecodeTraceExtractsSNRValues(t *testing.T) {
+	pkt, err := DecodePacket("26022FF8116A23A80000000001C0DE1000DEDE", nil, false)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("DecodePacket error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if pkt.Payload.Type != "TRACE" {
+		t.Fatalf("payload type=%s, want TRACE", pkt.Payload.Type)
+	}
+	if len(pkt.Payload.SNRValues) != 2 {
+		t.Fatalf("len(SNRValues)=%d, want 2 (got %v)", len(pkt.Payload.SNRValues), pkt.Payload.SNRValues)
+	}
+	if pkt.Payload.SNRValues[0] != 11.75 {
+		t.Errorf("SNRValues[0]=%v, want 11.75", pkt.Payload.SNRValues[0])
+	}
+	if pkt.Payload.SNRValues[1] != -2.0 {
+		t.Errorf("SNRValues[1]=%v, want -2.0", pkt.Payload.SNRValues[1])
+	}
+}