diff --git a/packaging/windows/drivers/pf-vdisplay/src/adapter.rs b/packaging/windows/drivers/pf-vdisplay/src/adapter.rs
index d0dbd0c..ab8e853 100644
--- a/packaging/windows/drivers/pf-vdisplay/src/adapter.rs
+++ b/packaging/windows/drivers/pf-vdisplay/src/adapter.rs
@@ -40,6 +40,22 @@ unsafe impl Sync for SendAdapter {}
 
 static ADAPTER: OnceLock<SendAdapter> = OnceLock::new();
 
+/// A WDF context type for the adapter object. SudoVDA/the oracle create the adapter via
+/// `WDF_OBJECT_ATTRIBUTES::init_context_type(..)`; passing attributes with NO `ContextTypeInfo` is the one
+/// structural difference left vs the working SudoVDA driver. `WDF_OBJECT_CONTEXT_TYPE_INFO` holds raw
+/// pointers (so a Sync wrapper to allow a `static`); `UniqueType` self-references per `WDF_DECLARE_CONTEXT_TYPE`.
+#[repr(transparent)]
+struct CtxTypeInfo(wdk_sys::WDF_OBJECT_CONTEXT_TYPE_INFO);
+// SAFETY: immutable 'static type metadata; the inner raw pointers are 'static and never written.
+unsafe impl Sync for CtxTypeInfo {}
+static ADAPTER_CTX: CtxTypeInfo = CtxTypeInfo(wdk_sys::WDF_OBJECT_CONTEXT_TYPE_INFO {
+    Size: core::mem::size_of::<wdk_sys::WDF_OBJECT_CONTEXT_TYPE_INFO>() as u32,
+    ContextName: c"PfVdAdapterCtx".as_ptr().cast(),
+    ContextSize: core::mem::size_of::<iddcx::IDDCX_ADAPTER>(),
+    UniqueType: &ADAPTER_CTX.0,
+    EvtDriverGetUniqueContextType: None,
+});
+
 /// Build the adapter caps (FP16/HDR-capable) and kick off the async adapter creation. Called from
 /// `EvtDeviceD0Entry`; idempotent across re-entrant D0 transitions.
 pub fn init_adapter(device: WDFDEVICE) -> NTSTATUS {
@@ -131,6 +147,7 @@ pub fn init_adapter(device: WDFDEVICE) -> NTSTATUS {
     attr.ExecutionLevel = wdk_sys::_WDF_EXECUTION_LEVEL::WdfExecutionLevelInheritFromParent;
     attr.SynchronizationScope =
         wdk_sys::_WDF_SYNCHRONIZATION_SCOPE::WdfSynchronizationScopeInheritFromParent;
+    attr.ContextTypeInfo = &ADAPTER_CTX.0;
     let init = iddcx::IDARG_IN_ADAPTER_INIT {
         WdfDevice: device,
         pCaps: &raw mut caps,
diff --git a/packaging/windows/drivers/pf-vdisplay/src/entry.rs b/packaging/windows/drivers/pf-vdisplay/src/entry.rs
index 80cfa2f..9a7a3f3 100644
--- a/packaging/windows/drivers/pf-vdisplay/src/entry.rs
+++ b/packaging/windows/drivers/pf-vdisplay/src/entry.rs
@@ -92,6 +92,16 @@ extern "C" fn driver_add(_driver: WDFDRIVER, mut init: PWDFDEVICE_INIT) -> NTSTA
         return status;
     }
 
+    // IddCx must be initialized on the device BEFORE other device setup (the canonical IddCx sample order).
+    // We previously created the device interface first — which can leave IddCx not fully ready by D0Entry,
+    // making IddCxAdapterInitAsync reject (INVALID_PARAMETER) despite byte-perfect caps.
+    // SAFETY: device is the just-created WDFDEVICE.
+    let status = unsafe { wdk_iddcx::IddCxDeviceInitialize(device) };
+    dbglog!("[pf-vd] IddCxDeviceInitialize -> {status:#x}");
+    if !nt_success(status) {
+        return status;
+    }
+
     // Expose the owned pf-vdisplay control interface (the host opens this GUID; STEP 4 wires the host
     // side in lockstep). NOT SudoVDA's GUID.
     let (d1, d2, d3, d4) = pf_vdisplay_proto::interface_guid_fields();
@@ -111,12 +121,5 @@ extern "C" fn driver_add(_driver: WDFDRIVER, mut init: PWDFDEVICE_INIT) -> NTSTA
         )
     };
     dbglog!("[pf-vd] WdfDeviceCreateDeviceInterface -> {status:#x}");
-    if !nt_success(status) {
-        return status;
-    }
-
-    // SAFETY: device is the just-created WDFDEVICE.
-    let status = unsafe { wdk_iddcx::IddCxDeviceInitialize(device) };
-    dbglog!("[pf-vd] IddCxDeviceInitialize -> {status:#x}");
     status
 }