diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/deb.yml b/.gitea/workflows/deb.yml
index 8173feff..55603107 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/deb.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/deb.yml
@@ -94,7 +94,10 @@ jobs:
           # Linux NVIDIA; design/linux-direct-nvenc.md). AMD/Intel-safe — NVENC/CUDA is dlopen'd at
           # runtime (no link-time dep; identical DT_NEEDED to a plain build), and the encoder is only
           # constructed for a CUDA capture frame + PUNKTFUNK_NVENC_DIRECT, never on VAAPI hosts.
-          cargo build --release --locked --features punktfunk-host/nvenc \
+          # --features punktfunk-host/vulkan-encode: the AMD/Intel twin — raw VK_KHR_video_encode_h265
+          # with real RFI (design/linux-vulkan-video-encode.md). Pure Rust ash (no new lib / link dep);
+          # default on for HEVC (PUNKTFUNK_VULKAN_ENCODE=0 → libav VAAPI), failed open falls back to VAAPI.
+          cargo build --release --locked --features punktfunk-host/nvenc,punktfunk-host/vulkan-encode \
             -p punktfunk-host -p punktfunk-client-linux -p punktfunk-client-session
 
       - name: Build + smoke-boot web console (bun preset)
diff --git a/crates/punktfunk-host/src/encode.rs b/crates/punktfunk-host/src/encode.rs
index 944fbf3e..41308209 100644
--- a/crates/punktfunk-host/src/encode.rs
+++ b/crates/punktfunk-host/src/encode.rs
@@ -873,18 +873,20 @@ fn nvenc_direct_enabled() -> bool {
         .unwrap_or(true)
 }
 
-/// Whether the raw Vulkan Video HEVC encode backend is active for AMD/Intel. **Opt-in for now**
-/// (design/linux-vulkan-video-encode.md) — `PUNKTFUNK_VULKAN_ENCODE=1` (also `true`/`yes`/`on`)
-/// selects it over libav VAAPI for an HEVC session; it gives real reference-frame invalidation
-/// (a clean P-frame recovery anchor via explicit DPB reference slots) that the libavcodec VAAPI
-/// path can't express. Will flip to default-on after on-glass validation, like
-/// [`nvenc_direct_enabled`]. Only consulted with `--features vulkan-encode`; a failed open falls
-/// back to VAAPI, so this can only improve recovery, never break a stream.
+/// Whether the raw Vulkan Video HEVC encode backend is active for AMD/Intel. **Default ON** —
+/// on-glass validated 2026-07-12 on an AMD RADV 780M with a real Deck-class client: the pipelined
+/// encoder ran a rock-solid 1080p@240 HEVC session and healed loss with clean P-frame recovery
+/// anchors (never IDR) via explicit DPB reference slots — real reference-frame invalidation the
+/// libavcodec VAAPI path can't express (design/linux-vulkan-video-encode.md). `PUNKTFUNK_VULKAN_ENCODE=0`
+/// (also `false`/`no`/`off`) is the libav-VAAPI escape hatch. Only consulted with
+/// `--features vulkan-encode`, and a failed open falls back to VAAPI, so an unsupported device
+/// (e.g. a Mesa without h265 encode, or an untested Intel/ANV where the path misbehaves at open)
+/// degrades gracefully to the old backend rather than breaking the stream.
 #[cfg(all(target_os = "linux", feature = "vulkan-encode"))]
 fn vulkan_encode_enabled() -> bool {
     std::env::var("PUNKTFUNK_VULKAN_ENCODE")
-        .map(|v| matches!(v.trim(), "1" | "true" | "yes" | "on"))
-        .unwrap_or(false)
+        .map(|v| !matches!(v.trim(), "0" | "false" | "no" | "off"))
+        .unwrap_or(true)
 }
 
 /// Cheap, side-effect-free NVIDIA-presence probe for the `auto` backend selector: the NVIDIA
diff --git a/crates/punktfunk-host/src/encode/linux/vulkan_video.rs b/crates/punktfunk-host/src/encode/linux/vulkan_video.rs
index a92aa680..f067df08 100644
--- a/crates/punktfunk-host/src/encode/linux/vulkan_video.rs
+++ b/crates/punktfunk-host/src/encode/linux/vulkan_video.rs
@@ -24,10 +24,11 @@ const IMPORT_CACHE_CAP: usize = 16;
 const CSC_SPV: &[u8] = include_bytes!("rgb2yuv.spv");
 /// DPB ring depth (well under the RADV `maxDpbSlots=17`); also the RFI recovery window.
 const DPB_SLOTS: u32 = 8;
-/// In-flight frame ring: how many captures may have GPU work outstanding at once. 3 overlaps a
-/// frame's CSC+encode with the next capture (the throughput win) while keeping added latency tiny
-/// (backpressure kicks in at the 3rd unread frame). Distinct from `DPB_SLOTS` (reference pool).
-const RING_DEFAULT: usize = 3;
+/// In-flight frame ring: how many captures may have GPU work outstanding at once. 2 overlaps a
+/// frame's CSC+encode with the next capture (the throughput win) at the lowest possible added
+/// latency — on-glass validated as rock-solid at 1080p@240, so it is the real-time default;
+/// backpressure kicks in at the 2nd unread frame. Distinct from `DPB_SLOTS` (reference pool).
+const RING_DEFAULT: usize = 2;
 
 /// Resolve the in-flight ring depth: `PUNKTFUNK_VULKAN_INFLIGHT` (clamped 2..=6), else `RING_DEFAULT`.
 fn ring_depth() -> usize {
diff --git a/packaging/arch/PKGBUILD b/packaging/arch/PKGBUILD
index 86b0de70..9e2e8dbb 100644
--- a/packaging/arch/PKGBUILD
+++ b/packaging/arch/PKGBUILD
@@ -73,7 +73,11 @@ build() {
   # DT_NEEDED as a plain build (no libcuda/libnvidia-encode), so the binary starts fine driver-less
   # and only touches NVIDIA on a CUDA capture frame (default on NVIDIA; PUNKTFUNK_NVENC_DIRECT=0
   # opts back to libav). AMD/Intel never reach it — the `cuda` gate leaves them on VAAPI.
-  cargo build --release --locked --features punktfunk-host/nvenc \
+  # `punktfunk-host/vulkan-encode` is the AMD/Intel twin: a raw VK_KHR_video_encode_h265 backend with
+  # real RFI (clean P-frame recovery anchor via DPB reference slots; design/linux-vulkan-video-encode.md).
+  # Pure Rust `ash` (no new lib, no link-time deps); default on for HEVC (PUNKTFUNK_VULKAN_ENCODE=0
+  # opts back to libav VAAPI), and a failed open falls back to VAAPI so unsupported devices are safe.
+  cargo build --release --locked --features punktfunk-host/nvenc,punktfunk-host/vulkan-encode \
     -p punktfunk-host -p punktfunk-client-linux -p punktfunk-client-session -p punktfunk-tray
   # Management web console (opt-in): the Nitro `bun`-preset .output bundle (Bun.serve TLS),
   # built AND run with bun.
diff --git a/packaging/rpm/punktfunk.spec b/packaging/rpm/punktfunk.spec
index fccda36e..5d6c1979 100644
--- a/packaging/rpm/punktfunk.spec
+++ b/packaging/rpm/punktfunk.spec
@@ -180,7 +180,11 @@ export PUNKTFUNK_BUILD_VERSION="%{version}-%{release}"
 # at runtime (no link-time dep; __requires_exclude already drops libcuda), so the binary starts
 # driver-less; the encoder engages only on a CUDA frame (default on NVIDIA; PUNKTFUNK_NVENC_DIRECT=0
 # opts back to libav) — the `cuda` gate keeps AMD/Intel on VAAPI regardless.
-cargo build --release --locked --features punktfunk-host/nvenc \
+# --features punktfunk-host/vulkan-encode: the AMD/Intel twin — a raw VK_KHR_video_encode_h265 backend
+# with real RFI (clean P-frame recovery anchor via DPB reference slots; design/linux-vulkan-video-encode.md).
+# Pure Rust `ash` (no new lib / no link-time dep); default on for HEVC (PUNKTFUNK_VULKAN_ENCODE=0 opts
+# back to libav VAAPI), and a failed open falls back to VAAPI so unsupported devices degrade gracefully.
+cargo build --release --locked --features punktfunk-host/nvenc,punktfunk-host/vulkan-encode \
   -p punktfunk-host -p punktfunk-client-linux -p punktfunk-client-session -p punktfunk-tray
 
 %if %{with web}