diff --git a/src/abi/ace_exports.cpp b/src/abi/ace_exports.cpp
index 1ce9dc15..51073479 100644
--- a/src/abi/ace_exports.cpp
+++ b/src/abi/ace_exports.cpp
@@ -27200,7 +27200,13 @@ static UNSIGNED32 exec_sql_direct_impl(ADSHANDLE hStatement, UNSIGNED8* pucSQL,
     // two-table path). Pushing single-table predicates (e.g. the date range)
     // down per level is a future optimisation; correctness first.
     // ====================================================================
-    if (parsed.value().from_tables.size() >= 3) {
+    // Three or more tables always come here. Two tables come here only when
+    // the comma-join lowering declined -- a composite key, which the
+    // single-pair JoinClause cannot express (see parser.cpp). A two-table
+    // comma join with one key still takes the simpler path below.
+    if (parsed.value().from_tables.size() >= 3 ||
+        (parsed.value().from_tables.size() == 2 &&
+         !parsed.value().inner_join.has_value())) {
         auto& st = parsed.value();
         // S4 — aggregates (COUNT/SUM/AVG/MIN/MAX, optional GROUP BY /
         // HAVING) are supported by accumulating during the join walk;
diff --git a/src/sql/parser.cpp b/src/sql/parser.cpp
index 68396ded..1de96cd3 100644
--- a/src/sql/parser.cpp
+++ b/src/sql/parser.cpp
@@ -1761,22 +1761,32 @@ util::Result<SelectStmt> parse_select(const std::string& sql) {
                 "comma-join requires an equality join predicate "
                 "(cartesian products are not supported)", sql};
         }
-        if (keys.size() > 1) {
-            return util::Error{7200, 0,
-                "comma-join supports a single equality join key; "
-                "use INNER JOIN ... ON for composite keys", sql};
+        // A COMPOSITE key (more than one equality) cannot be expressed by the
+        // single-pair JoinClause. Do not lower it and do not reject it: leave
+        // inner_join unset and let the N-way executor take over -- it consumes
+        // from_tables + the WHERE equalities directly and handles any number
+        // of them, which is the route three or more tables already follow.
+        // Rejecting this was a two-table-only limit: `FROM a, b WHERE
+        // a.k1 = b.k1 AND a.k2 = b.k2` failed while the identical predicate
+        // across three tables worked.
+        //
+        // Only the single-key case is lowered, and only then is the predicate
+        // blanked out of the WHERE -- for a composite key every equality must
+        // stay in the WHERE, because that is where the N-way executor reads
+        // the join conditions from.
+        if (keys.size() == 1) {
+            WhereExpr* k = keys.front();
+            JoinClause j;
+            j.table        = comma_join_table;
+            j.left_column  = k->cmp.column;
+            j.right_column = k->cmp.outer_column;
+            stmt.inner_join = std::move(j);
+            // Blank the lifted predicate to an always-true empty-AND node.
+            k->cmp      = WhereCmp{};
+            k->kind     = WhereExpr::Kind::And;
+            k->children.clear();
+            k->child.reset();
         }
-        WhereExpr* k = keys.front();
-        JoinClause j;
-        j.table        = comma_join_table;
-        j.left_column  = k->cmp.column;
-        j.right_column = k->cmp.outer_column;
-        stmt.inner_join = std::move(j);
-        // Blank the lifted predicate to an always-true empty-AND node.
-        k->cmp      = WhereCmp{};
-        k->kind     = WhereExpr::Kind::And;
-        k->children.clear();
-        k->child.reset();
     }
 
     // M10.25 — GROUP BY <col>[, <col>...] [HAVING <agg> <op> <num>].
diff --git a/tests/unit/sql_parser_test.cpp b/tests/unit/sql_parser_test.cpp
index 03583222..01aede98 100644
--- a/tests/unit/sql_parser_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit/sql_parser_test.cpp
@@ -410,10 +410,30 @@ TEST_CASE("WHERE: ODBC date escape {d 'YYYY-MM-DD'} parses to digits") {
     CHECK(r.value().where->cmp.literal == "20260101");
 }
 
-TEST_CASE("comma-join: composite (multiple) join keys are rejected") {
+TEST_CASE("comma-join: a composite key parses and is left to the N-way path") {
+    // Used to be rejected outright ("use INNER JOIN ... ON for composite
+    // keys"). That was a two-table-only limit: the single-pair JoinClause
+    // cannot hold two key pairs, but the N-way executor reads the join
+    // equalities straight from the WHERE and handles any number of them --
+    // which is why the identical predicate across THREE tables always worked.
+    // Now the lowering simply declines: the statement parses, inner_join stays
+    // unset, and both equalities stay in the WHERE for the N-way executor.
     auto r = parse_select(
         "SELECT * FROM a, b WHERE a.x = b.y AND a.z = b.w");
-    CHECK_FALSE(r.has_value());   // single-key join only
+    REQUIRE(r.has_value());
+    CHECK_FALSE(r.value().inner_join.has_value());
+    CHECK(r.value().from_tables.size() == 2u);
+    CHECK(r.value().where != nullptr);
+}
+
+TEST_CASE("comma-join: a single key is still lowered into inner_join") {
+    // The simple path must not regress: one equality is still lifted out of
+    // the WHERE into the JoinClause.
+    auto r = parse_select(
+        "SELECT * FROM a, b WHERE a.x = b.y");
+    REQUIRE(r.has_value());
+    REQUIRE(r.value().inner_join.has_value());
+    CHECK(r.value().inner_join->table == "b");
 }
 
 TEST_CASE("comma-join: mixing comma with explicit JOIN is rejected") {