diff --git a/backend/src/sponsorDocs/templates.ts b/backend/src/sponsorDocs/templates.ts
index a1cf3b36..7f37604a 100644
--- a/backend/src/sponsorDocs/templates.ts
+++ b/backend/src/sponsorDocs/templates.ts
@@ -1676,9 +1676,10 @@ export function renderSponsorEmailDraft(options: {
   }
 
   if (options.template === 'podcast-episode-brief') {
-    const firstName = options.recipientName?.trim().split(/\s+/)[0];
+    const guestName = options.recipientName?.trim() || options.sponsorName?.trim() || '';
+    const firstName = guestName.split(/\s+/)[0];
     const body = [
-      firstName ? `Hi ${firstName},` : 'Hi <NAME>,',
+      firstName ? `Hi ${firstName},` : 'Hi there,',
       '',
       `Here is the episode brief with the structure and questions for ${pubDate}:`,
       '',
diff --git a/backend/tests/podcast-doc-email.test.ts b/backend/tests/podcast-doc-email.test.ts
index f4a1ac12..6c754782 100644
--- a/backend/tests/podcast-doc-email.test.ts
+++ b/backend/tests/podcast-doc-email.test.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,14 @@ describe('podcast doc emails', () => {
     assert.doesNotMatch(body, /Hi team|staff-only|Internal/);
   });
 
+  it('falls back to the guest name on the doc, then to a neutral greeting, never a placeholder', () => {
+    const fromDoc = renderSponsorEmailDraft({ ...base, template: 'podcast-episode-brief' }).body;
+    assert.match(fromDoc, /^Hi Sofiia,/);
+    const neutral = renderSponsorEmailDraft({ ...base, sponsorName: null, template: 'podcast-episode-brief' }).body;
+    assert.match(neutral, /^Hi there,/);
+    assert.doesNotMatch(neutral, /<NAME>/);
+  });
+
   for (const template of ['podcast-guest-research', 'podcast-run-sheet'] as const) {
     it(`keeps staff wording for ${template}`, () => {
       const { body } = renderSponsorEmailDraft({ ...base, template });