diff --git a/storage/plugins/mobile-api/src/Controllers/ActionsController.php b/storage/plugins/mobile-api/src/Controllers/ActionsController.php
index d725b63d..e65162b4 100644
--- a/storage/plugins/mobile-api/src/Controllers/ActionsController.php
+++ b/storage/plugins/mobile-api/src/Controllers/ActionsController.php
@@ -210,9 +210,13 @@ public function requestReservation(Request $request, ResponseInterface $response
 
             // Decide loan vs reservation using the SAME availability gate the web
             // uses (ReservationManager), so the two surfaces agree. Immediate loan
-            // only when the user asked for "now" (no date) and a copy is free.
+            // when the user asked for "now" — either no date, OR today's date with
+            // a copy free. The app's "Request loan" on an available title sends
+            // today (its date picker pre-selects the first free day = today), so
+            // without the today case that flow wrongly became a reservation
+            // instead of a pending loan. A FUTURE date is always a reservation.
             $immediate = false;
-            if ($desired === '') {
+            if ($desired === '' || $desired === date('Y-m-d')) {
                 $manager   = new \App\Controllers\ReservationManager($this->db);
                 $immediate = $manager->isBookAvailableForImmediateLoan($bookId, null, null, $userId);
             }
diff --git a/tests/mobile-api-behaviors.spec.js b/tests/mobile-api-behaviors.spec.js
index 672e26a0..fd437796 100644
--- a/tests/mobile-api-behaviors.spec.js
+++ b/tests/mobile-api-behaviors.spec.js
@@ -600,4 +600,25 @@ test.describe('Reservations', () => {
             clearBorrowerReservations();
         }
     });
+
+    test('26) {available book, desired_date=today} → immediate loan (type=loan), not a reservation', async ({ request }) => {
+        // The app's "Request loan" on an AVAILABLE title sends today's date (its
+        // date picker pre-selects the first free day = today). The backend must
+        // treat today + a free copy as an immediate pending loan, not a
+        // reservation — otherwise the available-now flow silently queues instead
+        // of requesting a loan. A FUTURE date stays a reservation (test 22).
+        clearBorrowerReservations();
+        try {
+            const book = pickAvailableBook();
+            const res = await call(request, 'POST', '/reservations', {
+                token: ctx.userToken,
+                body: { book_id: book, desired_date: todayYmd() },
+            });
+            expect(res.status(), 'created').toBe(201);
+            const j = await jsonOf(res);
+            expect(j?.data?.type, 'today + available → immediate loan').toBe('loan');
+        } finally {
+            clearBorrowerReservations();
+        }
+    });
 });