diff --git a/src/generate.py b/src/generate.py
index a2d8d7f..96bf984 100644
--- a/src/generate.py
+++ b/src/generate.py
@@ -268,6 +268,8 @@ def generate_period(
             inp = torch.tensor([ids], dtype=torch.long, device=device)
             logits = model(inp)[0, -1]                        # [vocab_size]
             bias = _grammar_bias(last_id, pos_in_bar, positions_per_bar)
+            if n_bars is not None and bars_completed < n_bars:
+                bias[_EOS] = float("-inf")   # don't let the model stop early
             logits = logits + bias.to(device)
             token_id = _sample_top_p(logits, temperature, top_p)
             ids.append(token_id)
diff --git a/tests/test_generate.py b/tests/test_generate.py
index 8434e71..5c74517 100644
--- a/tests/test_generate.py
+++ b/tests/test_generate.py
@@ -28,6 +28,21 @@ class _UniformModel(nn.Module):
         return logits
 
 
+class _EosHungryModel(nn.Module):
+    """Strongly prefers EOS at every step — simulates a model that wants to stop early."""
+    def __init__(self, vocab_size: int = len(VOCAB), max_seq_len: int = 512):
+        super().__init__()
+        self.max_seq_len = max_seq_len
+        self._vocab_size = vocab_size
+        self._dummy = nn.Parameter(torch.zeros(1))
+
+    def forward(self, x: torch.Tensor) -> torch.Tensor:
+        b, s = x.shape
+        logits = torch.zeros(b, s, self._vocab_size, device=x.device)
+        logits[:, :, _EOS] = 1000.0   # model desperately wants to emit EOS
+        return logits
+
+
 def test_encode_prefix_chord_only():
     # "Cmaj7" in C major (shift=0) → ROOT_C QUAL_maj7 EXT_none BASS_root
     ids, n_pos = _encode_prefix(["Cmaj7"], shift=0)
@@ -117,6 +132,17 @@ def test_generate_bars_with_prefix():
     assert len(period.bars) == 4
 
 
+def test_generate_bars_overrides_early_eos():
+    # Model desperately wants EOS — n_bars must prevent it from stopping early
+    model = _EosHungryModel()
+    period = generate_period(
+        model=model, mode="major", time="4/4", subdivision=4,
+        style="H1K0", function="verse", key="C_major",
+        n_bars=4, seed=0,
+    )
+    assert len(period.bars) == 4
+
+
 def test_generate_no_bars_arg_still_works():
     # Without n_bars the model generates until EOS or max_tokens
     model = _UniformModel()