diff --git a/packaging/windows/drivers/pf-vdisplay/src/callbacks.rs b/packaging/windows/drivers/pf-vdisplay/src/callbacks.rs
index db05fde..65bb23a 100644
--- a/packaging/windows/drivers/pf-vdisplay/src/callbacks.rs
+++ b/packaging/windows/drivers/pf-vdisplay/src/callbacks.rs
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 //! is implemented now because it gates HDR (`HIGH_COLOR_SPACE`) and the adapter (STEP 3) sets FP16.
 
 use wdk_sys::iddcx;
-use wdk_sys::{call_unsafe_wdf_function_binding, NTSTATUS, WDFDEVICE, WDFREQUEST};
+use wdk_sys::{NTSTATUS, WDFDEVICE, WDFREQUEST};
 
 use crate::{STATUS_NOT_IMPLEMENTED, STATUS_SUCCESS};
 
@@ -143,10 +143,8 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn device_io_control(
     request: WDFREQUEST,
     _output_len: usize,
     _input_len: usize,
-    _ioctl_code: u32,
+    ioctl_code: u32,
 ) {
-    // SAFETY: `request` is the framework-provided WDFREQUEST; completing it hands it back to the OS.
-    unsafe {
-        call_unsafe_wdf_function_binding!(WdfRequestComplete, request, STATUS_SUCCESS);
-    }
+    // SAFETY: `request` is the framework-provided WDFREQUEST; `control::dispatch` completes it exactly once.
+    unsafe { crate::control::dispatch(request, ioctl_code) };
 }
diff --git a/packaging/windows/drivers/pf-vdisplay/src/control.rs b/packaging/windows/drivers/pf-vdisplay/src/control.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..49f5a1f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packaging/windows/drivers/pf-vdisplay/src/control.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+//! The `pf-vdisplay-proto` control plane (`EvtIddCxDeviceIoControl`). The host opens the device interface
+//! (`PF_VDISPLAY_INTERFACE_GUID`) and drives the low-frequency IOCTLs: GET_INFO (version handshake),
+//! PING (watchdog keepalive), and — STEP 4 (next) — ADD/REMOVE/SET_RENDER_ADAPTER/CLEAR_ALL for virtual
+//! monitors. Every path completes the `WDFREQUEST` exactly once (the `EVT_IDD_CX_DEVICE_IO_CONTROL` shape
+//! returns `()`).
+
+use core::sync::atomic::{AtomicU64, Ordering};
+
+use pf_vdisplay_proto::control;
+use wdk_iddcx::nt_success;
+use wdk_sys::{call_unsafe_wdf_function_binding, NTSTATUS, WDFREQUEST};
+
+use crate::{STATUS_NOT_FOUND, STATUS_NOT_IMPLEMENTED, STATUS_SUCCESS};
+
+/// The host must PING within this window or the watchdog reaps all monitors (STEP 4: the watchdog thread).
+const WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_S: u32 = 10;
+
+/// Keepalive counter — PING bumps it; STEP 4's watchdog thread samples it to detect a gone host.
+static WATCHDOG_PINGS: AtomicU64 = AtomicU64::new(0);
+
+/// Dispatch one control IOCTL and complete the request.
+///
+/// # Safety
+/// `request` is the framework-provided `WDFREQUEST` for an `EvtIddCxDeviceIoControl` call.
+pub unsafe fn dispatch(request: WDFREQUEST, ioctl_code: u32) {
+    match ioctl_code {
+        control::IOCTL_GET_INFO => unsafe { get_info(request) },
+        control::IOCTL_PING => {
+            WATCHDOG_PINGS.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
+            complete(request, STATUS_SUCCESS);
+        }
+        // STEP 4 (next): ADD -> create_monitor, REMOVE, SET_RENDER_ADAPTER, CLEAR_ALL.
+        control::IOCTL_ADD
+        | control::IOCTL_REMOVE
+        | control::IOCTL_SET_RENDER_ADAPTER
+        | control::IOCTL_CLEAR_ALL => complete(request, STATUS_NOT_IMPLEMENTED),
+        _ => complete(request, STATUS_NOT_FOUND),
+    }
+}
+
+/// `IOCTL_GET_INFO`: write [`control::InfoReply`] (protocol version + watchdog timeout). The host asserts
+/// `protocol_version == PROTOCOL_VERSION` and fails loudly on a mismatch.
+///
+/// # Safety
+/// `request` is the framework `WDFREQUEST`.
+unsafe fn get_info(request: WDFREQUEST) {
+    let reply = control::InfoReply {
+        protocol_version: pf_vdisplay_proto::PROTOCOL_VERSION,
+        watchdog_timeout_s: WATCHDOG_TIMEOUT_S,
+    };
+    let mut buf: *mut core::ffi::c_void = core::ptr::null_mut();
+    let mut len: usize = 0;
+    // SAFETY: `request` is valid; `buf`/`len` are out-params written by the framework.
+    let st = unsafe {
+        call_unsafe_wdf_function_binding!(
+            WdfRequestRetrieveOutputBuffer,
+            request,
+            core::mem::size_of::<control::InfoReply>(),
+            &mut buf,
+            &mut len
+        )
+    };
+    if !nt_success(st) || buf.is_null() {
+        complete(request, st);
+        return;
+    }
+    // SAFETY: `buf` has >= size_of::<InfoReply>() writable bytes (validated above); InfoReply is Pod.
+    unsafe { buf.cast::<control::InfoReply>().write_unaligned(reply) };
+    complete_info(request, STATUS_SUCCESS, core::mem::size_of::<control::InfoReply>());
+}
+
+/// Complete a request with just a status (no output).
+fn complete(request: WDFREQUEST, status: NTSTATUS) {
+    // SAFETY: completing hands the framework `WDFREQUEST` back to the OS.
+    unsafe { call_unsafe_wdf_function_binding!(WdfRequestComplete, request, status) };
+}
+
+/// Complete a request with a status + the number of output bytes written.
+fn complete_info(request: WDFREQUEST, status: NTSTATUS, info: usize) {
+    // SAFETY: completing hands the framework `WDFREQUEST` back to the OS.
+    unsafe {
+        call_unsafe_wdf_function_binding!(WdfRequestCompleteWithInformation, request, status, info as u64)
+    };
+}
diff --git a/packaging/windows/drivers/pf-vdisplay/src/lib.rs b/packaging/windows/drivers/pf-vdisplay/src/lib.rs
index 8faf35e..d27e764 100644
--- a/packaging/windows/drivers/pf-vdisplay/src/lib.rs
+++ b/packaging/windows/drivers/pf-vdisplay/src/lib.rs
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 mod log;
 mod adapter;
 mod callbacks;
+mod control;
 #[allow(dead_code)] // salvaged verbatim; wired into the mode callbacks in STEP 4
 mod edid;
 mod entry;