diff --git a/openevolve/process_parallel.py b/openevolve/process_parallel.py
index 64e945bb1..a2fd6592a 100644
--- a/openevolve/process_parallel.py
+++ b/openevolve/process_parallel.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ class SerializableResult:
     artifacts: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None
     iteration: int = 0
     error: Optional[str] = None
+    target_island: Optional[int] = None  # Island where child should be placed
 
 
 def _worker_init(config_dict: dict, evaluation_file: str, parent_env: dict = None) -> None:
@@ -312,6 +313,9 @@ def _run_iteration_worker(
 
         iteration_time = time.time() - iteration_start
 
+        # Get target island from snapshot (where child should be placed)
+        target_island = db_snapshot.get("sampling_island")
+
         return SerializableResult(
             child_program_dict=child_program.to_dict(),
             parent_id=parent.id,
@@ -320,6 +324,7 @@ def _run_iteration_worker(
             llm_response=llm_response,
             artifacts=artifacts,
             iteration=iteration,
+            target_island=target_island,
         )
 
     except Exception as e:
@@ -554,9 +559,14 @@ async def run_evolution(
                     # Reconstruct program from dict
                     child_program = Program(**result.child_program_dict)
 
-                    # Add to database (will auto-inherit parent's island)
-                    # No need to specify target_island - database will handle parent island inheritance
-                    self.database.add(child_program, iteration=completed_iteration)
+                    # Add to database with explicit target_island to ensure proper island placement
+                    # This fixes issue #391: children should go to the target island, not inherit
+                    # from the parent (which may be from a different island due to fallback sampling)
+                    self.database.add(
+                        child_program,
+                        iteration=completed_iteration,
+                        target_island=result.target_island,
+                    )
 
                     # Store artifacts
                     if result.artifacts:
diff --git a/tests/test_island_child_placement.py b/tests/test_island_child_placement.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f911b4ec7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_island_child_placement.py
@@ -0,0 +1,329 @@
+"""
+Tests for verifying child programs are placed in the correct target island.
+
+This test specifically catches the bug where children inherit their parent's island
+instead of being placed in the target island that was requested for the iteration.
+"""
+
+import unittest
+
+from openevolve.config import Config, DatabaseConfig
+from openevolve.database import ProgramDatabase, Program
+
+
+class TestIslandChildPlacement(unittest.TestCase):
+    """Test that child programs are placed in the correct island"""
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        """Set up test database with multiple islands"""
+        config = Config()
+        config.database.num_islands = 3
+        config.database.population_size = 100
+        self.db = ProgramDatabase(config.database)
+
+    def test_child_inherits_parent_island_when_no_target_specified(self):
+        """Test that child inherits parent's island when no target_island is given"""
+        # Add parent to island 0
+        parent = Program(
+            id="parent_0",
+            code="def parent(): pass",
+            generation=0,
+            metrics={"combined_score": 0.5},
+        )
+        self.db.add(parent, target_island=0)
+
+        # Add child without specifying target_island
+        child = Program(
+            id="child_0",
+            code="def child(): pass",
+            generation=1,
+            parent_id="parent_0",
+            metrics={"combined_score": 0.6},
+        )
+        self.db.add(child)  # No target_island specified
+
+        # Child should inherit parent's island (island 0)
+        self.assertEqual(child.metadata.get("island"), 0)
+        self.assertIn("child_0", self.db.islands[0])
+
+    def test_child_placed_in_target_island_when_specified(self):
+        """Test that child is placed in target_island when explicitly specified"""
+        # Add parent to island 0
+        parent = Program(
+            id="parent_1",
+            code="def parent(): pass",
+            generation=0,
+            metrics={"combined_score": 0.5},
+        )
+        self.db.add(parent, target_island=0)
+
+        # Add child with explicit target_island=2
+        child = Program(
+            id="child_1",
+            code="def child(): pass",
+            generation=1,
+            parent_id="parent_1",
+            metrics={"combined_score": 0.6},
+        )
+        self.db.add(child, target_island=2)
+
+        # Child should be in island 2, NOT island 0
+        self.assertEqual(child.metadata.get("island"), 2)
+        self.assertIn("child_1", self.db.islands[2])
+        self.assertNotIn("child_1", self.db.islands[0])
+
+
+class TestEmptyIslandChildPlacement(unittest.TestCase):
+    """
+    Test the critical bug: when sampling from an empty island falls back to
+    another island's parent, the child should still go to the TARGET island.
+    """
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        """Set up test database with programs only in island 0"""
+        config = Config()
+        config.database.num_islands = 3
+        config.database.population_size = 100
+        self.db = ProgramDatabase(config.database)
+
+        # Add programs ONLY to island 0
+        for i in range(5):
+            program = Program(
+                id=f"island0_prog_{i}",
+                code=f"def func_{i}(): pass",
+                generation=0,
+                metrics={"combined_score": 0.5 + i * 0.1},
+            )
+            self.db.add(program, target_island=0)
+
+        # Verify setup: island 0 has programs, islands 1 and 2 are empty
+        self.assertGreater(len(self.db.islands[0]), 0)
+        self.assertEqual(len(self.db.islands[1]), 0)
+        self.assertEqual(len(self.db.islands[2]), 0)
+
+    def test_sample_from_empty_island_returns_fallback_parent(self):
+        """Test that sampling from empty island falls back to available programs"""
+        # Sample from empty island 1
+        parent, inspirations = self.db.sample_from_island(island_id=1)
+
+        # Should return a parent (from island 0 via fallback)
+        self.assertIsNotNone(parent)
+        # Parent is from island 0
+        self.assertEqual(parent.metadata.get("island"), 0)
+
+    def test_child_should_go_to_target_island_not_parent_island(self):
+        """
+        CRITICAL TEST: This tests the fix for issue #391.
+
+        When we want to add a child to island 1 (empty), but the parent came
+        from island 0 (via fallback sampling), the child should still be
+        placed in island 1 (the TARGET), not island 0 (the parent's island).
+
+        The fix: process_parallel.py now passes target_island to database.add()
+        """
+        target_island = 1  # We want to add child to island 1
+
+        # Sample from empty island 1 - will fall back to island 0
+        parent, inspirations = self.db.sample_from_island(island_id=target_island)
+
+        # Parent is from island 0 (the only island with programs)
+        self.assertEqual(parent.metadata.get("island"), 0)
+
+        # Create a child program
+        child = Program(
+            id="child_for_island_1",
+            code="def evolved(): pass",
+            generation=1,
+            parent_id=parent.id,
+            metrics={"combined_score": 0.8},
+        )
+
+        # FIX: Pass target_island explicitly (this is what process_parallel.py now does)
+        self.db.add(child, target_island=target_island)
+
+        # Child should be in island 1 (target), not island 0 (parent's island)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            child.metadata.get("island"), 1,
+            "Child should be in target island 1, not parent's island 0."
+        )
+        self.assertIn("child_for_island_1", self.db.islands[1])
+
+    def test_explicit_target_island_overrides_parent_inheritance(self):
+        """Test that explicit target_island works even with fallback parent"""
+        # Sample from empty island 2 - will fall back to island 0
+        parent, inspirations = self.db.sample_from_island(island_id=2)
+
+        # Parent is from island 0
+        self.assertEqual(parent.metadata.get("island"), 0)
+
+        # Create child and explicitly specify target island
+        child = Program(
+            id="child_for_island_2",
+            code="def evolved(): pass",
+            generation=1,
+            parent_id=parent.id,
+            metrics={"combined_score": 0.8},
+        )
+
+        # With explicit target_island, child should go to island 2
+        self.db.add(child, target_island=2)
+
+        # This should work - explicit target_island is respected
+        self.assertEqual(child.metadata.get("island"), 2)
+        self.assertIn("child_for_island_2", self.db.islands[2])
+
+
+class TestIslandPopulationGrowth(unittest.TestCase):
+    """
+    Test that simulates multiple evolution iterations and checks
+    that all islands eventually get populated.
+    """
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        """Set up test database"""
+        config = Config()
+        config.database.num_islands = 3
+        config.database.population_size = 100
+        self.db = ProgramDatabase(config.database)
+
+    def test_islands_should_all_get_populated(self):
+        """
+        Simulate evolution and verify all islands get programs.
+
+        With the fix for issue #391, children are placed in the target island
+        even when the parent came from a different island (via fallback sampling).
+        """
+        # Start with initial program in island 0 only
+        initial = Program(
+            id="initial",
+            code="def initial(): pass",
+            generation=0,
+            metrics={"combined_score": 0.5},
+        )
+        self.db.add(initial, target_island=0)
+
+        # Simulate 9 iterations, targeting islands in round-robin fashion
+        for i in range(9):
+            target_island = i % 3  # 0, 1, 2, 0, 1, 2, 0, 1, 2
+
+            # Sample from target island (may fall back if empty)
+            parent, _ = self.db.sample_from_island(island_id=target_island)
+
+            # Create child
+            child = Program(
+                id=f"child_{i}",
+                code=f"def child_{i}(): pass",
+                generation=1,
+                parent_id=parent.id,
+                metrics={"combined_score": 0.5 + i * 0.05},
+            )
+
+            # FIX: Pass target_island explicitly (this is what process_parallel.py now does)
+            self.db.add(child, target_island=target_island)
+
+        # Check island populations
+        island_sizes = [len(self.db.islands[i]) for i in range(3)]
+
+        # With the fix, programs should be distributed across all islands
+        self.assertGreater(
+            island_sizes[1], 0,
+            f"Island 1 should have programs but has {island_sizes[1]}. "
+            f"All islands: {island_sizes}."
+        )
+        self.assertGreater(
+            island_sizes[2], 0,
+            f"Island 2 should have programs but has {island_sizes[2]}. "
+            f"All islands: {island_sizes}."
+        )
+
+        # With the fix, all islands should have at least 1 program
+        # (some programs may be deduplicated, but distribution should happen)
+        for i, size in enumerate(island_sizes):
+            self.assertGreaterEqual(size, 1, f"Island {i} should have at least 1 program")
+
+
+class TestRegressionOldBehavior(unittest.TestCase):
+    """
+    Regression tests to ensure we don't revert to the old buggy behavior.
+    These tests verify that NOT passing target_island causes the bug.
+    """
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        """Set up test database"""
+        config = Config()
+        config.database.num_islands = 3
+        config.database.population_size = 100
+        self.db = ProgramDatabase(config.database)
+
+    def test_without_target_island_child_inherits_parent(self):
+        """
+        Verify that without explicit target_island, child inherits parent's island.
+        This is the OLD buggy behavior that we need to avoid in process_parallel.py.
+        """
+        # Add parent to island 0
+        parent = Program(
+            id="parent",
+            code="def parent(): pass",
+            generation=0,
+            metrics={"combined_score": 0.5},
+        )
+        self.db.add(parent, target_island=0)
+
+        # Sample from empty island 2 (will fall back to island 0)
+        sampled_parent, _ = self.db.sample_from_island(island_id=2)
+        self.assertEqual(sampled_parent.metadata.get("island"), 0)
+
+        # Create child WITHOUT passing target_island (old buggy behavior)
+        child = Program(
+            id="child",
+            code="def child(): pass",
+            generation=1,
+            parent_id=sampled_parent.id,
+            metrics={"combined_score": 0.6},
+        )
+        self.db.add(child)  # No target_island!
+
+        # Without target_island, child inherits parent's island (0), not target (2)
+        # This is the BUG - child should be in island 2 but ends up in island 0
+        self.assertEqual(
+            child.metadata.get("island"), 0,
+            "Without target_island, child incorrectly inherits parent's island"
+        )
+
+    def test_with_target_island_child_goes_to_target(self):
+        """
+        Verify that WITH explicit target_island, child goes to target island.
+        This is the FIXED behavior implemented in process_parallel.py.
+        """
+        # Add parent to island 0
+        parent = Program(
+            id="parent2",
+            code="def parent(): pass",
+            generation=0,
+            metrics={"combined_score": 0.5},
+        )
+        self.db.add(parent, target_island=0)
+
+        # Sample from empty island 2 (will fall back to island 0)
+        sampled_parent, _ = self.db.sample_from_island(island_id=2)
+        self.assertEqual(sampled_parent.metadata.get("island"), 0)
+
+        # Create child WITH target_island (fixed behavior)
+        child = Program(
+            id="child2",
+            code="def child(): pass",
+            generation=1,
+            parent_id=sampled_parent.id,
+            metrics={"combined_score": 0.6},
+        )
+        self.db.add(child, target_island=2)  # Explicit target!
+
+        # With target_island, child goes to island 2 (correct)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            child.metadata.get("island"), 2,
+            "With target_island, child should go to target island"
+        )
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    unittest.main()