diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index bb3979f2..67ffefe7 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -656,6 +656,30 @@ version = "0.2.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "613afe47fcd5fac7ccf1db93babcb082c5994d996f20b8b159f2ad1658eb5724"
 
+[[package]]
+name = "chacha20"
+version = "0.9.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "c3613f74bd2eac03dad61bd53dbe620703d4371614fe0bc3b9f04dd36fe4e818"
+dependencies = [
+ "cfg-if",
+ "cipher",
+ "cpufeatures",
+]
+
+[[package]]
+name = "chacha20poly1305"
+version = "0.10.1"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "10cd79432192d1c0f4e1a0fef9527696cc039165d729fb41b3f4f4f354c2dc35"
+dependencies = [
+ "aead",
+ "chacha20",
+ "cipher",
+ "poly1305",
+ "zeroize",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "ciborium"
 version = "0.2.2"
@@ -691,6 +715,7 @@ checksum = "773f3b9af64447d2ce9850330c473515014aa235e6a783b02db81ff39e4a3dad"
 dependencies = [
  "crypto-common",
  "inout",
+ "zeroize",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -3137,6 +3162,17 @@ dependencies = [
  "windows-sys 0.61.2",
 ]
 
+[[package]]
+name = "poly1305"
+version = "0.8.0"
+source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
+checksum = "8159bd90725d2df49889a078b54f4f79e87f1f8a8444194cdca81d38f5393abf"
+dependencies = [
+ "cpufeatures",
+ "opaque-debug",
+ "universal-hash",
+]
+
 [[package]]
 name = "polyval"
 version = "0.6.2"
@@ -3293,6 +3329,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "aes-gcm",
  "bytes",
  "cbindgen",
+ "chacha20poly1305",
  "criterion",
  "fec-rs",
  "hmac",
diff --git a/clients/probe/src/main.rs b/clients/probe/src/main.rs
index 10c56aee..72e2ab81 100644
--- a/clients/probe/src/main.rs
+++ b/clients/probe/src/main.rs
@@ -498,6 +498,13 @@ async fn session(args: Args) -> Result<()> {
                 if std::env::var_os("PUNKTFUNK_CLIENT_444").is_some() {
                     caps |= punktfunk_core::quic::VIDEO_CAP_444;
                 }
+                // PUNKTFUNK_CLIENT_CHACHA20=1 advertises VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20 — drives the
+                // host's ChaCha20-Poly1305 session-cipher resolution (the soft-AES armv7
+                // negotiation, design/chacha20-session-cipher.md §7) without a webOS build;
+                // the negotiated cipher is reported in the welcome log line below.
+                if std::env::var_os("PUNKTFUNK_CLIENT_CHACHA20").is_some() {
+                    caps |= punktfunk_core::quic::VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20;
+                }
                 caps
             },
             // `--audio-channels` (default stereo); the probe multistream-decodes + validates the
@@ -535,6 +542,11 @@ async fn session(args: Args) -> Result<()> {
         chroma_444 = welcome.chroma_format == punktfunk_core::quic::CHROMA_IDC_444,
         chroma_format_idc = welcome.chroma_format,
         codec = codec_ext(welcome.codec),
+        cipher = if welcome.cipher == punktfunk_core::quic::CIPHER_CHACHA20_POLY1305 {
+            "chacha20-poly1305"
+        } else {
+            "aes-128-gcm"
+        },
         "session offer"
     );
 
diff --git a/crates/pf-host-config/src/lib.rs b/crates/pf-host-config/src/lib.rs
index 96e9c1ef..a46aadc0 100644
--- a/crates/pf-host-config/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/pf-host-config/src/lib.rs
@@ -63,6 +63,13 @@ pub struct HostConfig {
     /// deliver full chroma, and the GPU/driver passed the encode probe — otherwise 4:2:0.
     /// `PUNKTFUNK_444=0`/`false`/`off`/`no` disables. Independent of `ten_bit` (chroma vs depth).
     pub four_four_four: bool,
+    /// `PUNKTFUNK_CHACHA20` — host policy gate for the negotiated ChaCha20-Poly1305 session
+    /// cipher (design/chacha20-session-cipher.md). **Default ON** (pure rollout safety — perf-only,
+    /// both AEADs are full-strength): the host merely *allows* it — a session only seals with
+    /// ChaCha when the client advertised `VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20` (set by soft-AES armv7 clients,
+    /// e.g. webOS TVs, whose GCM decrypt caps at ~100 Mbps); everyone else stays AES-128-GCM.
+    /// `PUNKTFUNK_CHACHA20=0`/`false`/`off`/`no` disables.
+    pub chacha20: bool,
     /// `PUNKTFUNK_PERF` — per-stage timing instrumentation.
     pub perf: bool,
     /// `PUNKTFUNK_VIDEO_SOURCE` — GameStream video source select (`virtual` / `portal` / unset → synthetic).
@@ -147,6 +154,16 @@ impl HostConfig {
                     )
                 })
                 .unwrap_or(true),
+            // Default ON, explicit-off grammar (the client's VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20 bit is the real
+            // per-session switch; see the field doc).
+            chacha20: val("PUNKTFUNK_CHACHA20")
+                .map(|s| {
+                    !matches!(
+                        s.trim().to_ascii_lowercase().as_str(),
+                        "0" | "false" | "off" | "no"
+                    )
+                })
+                .unwrap_or(true),
             perf: flag("PUNKTFUNK_PERF"),
             video_source: val("PUNKTFUNK_VIDEO_SOURCE"),
             compositor: val("PUNKTFUNK_COMPOSITOR"),
diff --git a/crates/punktfunk-core/Cargo.toml b/crates/punktfunk-core/Cargo.toml
index 8f9d8047..3f1ca1d9 100644
--- a/crates/punktfunk-core/Cargo.toml
+++ b/crates/punktfunk-core/Cargo.toml
@@ -33,6 +33,11 @@ reed-solomon-simd = "3.1"      # GF(2^16) Leopard-RS, SIMD, O(n log n) — the w
 # NOT interoperable.) See vendor/fec-rs/LICENSE (BSD-2-Clause).
 fec-rs = { path = "vendor/fec-rs" }
 aes-gcm = "0.10"               # AES-128-GCM session crypto, matches GameStream
+# ChaCha20-Poly1305 session crypto, negotiated by clients without hardware AES (the soft-AES
+# armv7 targets — webOS TVs — where GCM caps decrypt at ~100 Mbps; ARX runs 4-7x faster there).
+# Same RustCrypto `aead 0.5` generation as aes-gcm: identical trait/nonce/tag shapes, pure Rust,
+# cross-compiles like aes-gcm (no cmake). See design/chacha20-session-cipher.md.
+chacha20poly1305 = "0.10"
 zerocopy = { version = "0.8", features = ["derive"] }
 bytes = "1"
 socket2 = { version = "0.6", features = [
diff --git a/crates/punktfunk-core/benches/pipeline.rs b/crates/punktfunk-core/benches/pipeline.rs
index 28740ec3..f875f61b 100644
--- a/crates/punktfunk-core/benches/pipeline.rs
+++ b/crates/punktfunk-core/benches/pipeline.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 //! Tier-1 microbenchmarks for the punktfunk/1 hot path — GPU-free, so they run in normal CI.
 //!
 //! Two layers:
-//!  - `crypto/*`  — the isolated AES-128-GCM primitives on one ~MTU shard.
+//!  - `crypto/*`  — the isolated AEAD primitives (AES-128-GCM + the negotiated
+//!    ChaCha20-Poly1305) on one ~MTU shard.
 //!  - `pipeline/*`— a whole frame through the real per-frame path end to end over the in-process
 //!    loopback transport: FEC encode → AES-GCM seal → packetize → (loopback) → reassemble →
 //!    FEC decode → open. This is what a throughput/latency regression in the core would show up in.
@@ -11,11 +12,11 @@
 
 use criterion::{black_box, criterion_group, criterion_main, BenchmarkId, Criterion, Throughput};
 use punktfunk_core::config::{Config, FecConfig, FecScheme, ProtocolPhase, Role};
-use punktfunk_core::crypto::SessionCrypto;
+use punktfunk_core::crypto::{SessionCrypto, SessionKey};
 use punktfunk_core::session::Session;
 use punktfunk_core::transport::loopback_pair;
 
-const TAG_LEN: usize = 16; // AES-GCM authentication tag
+const TAG_LEN: usize = 16; // AEAD authentication tag (GCM and Poly1305 share the size)
 const SHARD: usize = punktfunk_core::config::mtu1500_shard_payload(); // one MTU-safe data shard
 
 fn cfg(role: Role, scheme: FecScheme) -> Config {
@@ -38,48 +39,57 @@ fn cfg(role: Role, scheme: FecScheme) -> Config {
         shard_payload: SHARD,
         max_frame_bytes: 8 * 1024 * 1024,
         encrypt: true, // bench the real path — crypto is always on for punktfunk/1
-        key: [7u8; 16],
+        key: SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([7u8; 16]),
         salt: [1, 2, 3, 4],
         loopback_drop_period: 0, // throughput run: no induced loss (loss-harness covers recovery)
     }
 }
 
 fn bench_crypto(c: &mut Criterion) {
-    let host = SessionCrypto::new(&[7u8; 16], [1, 2, 3, 4], Role::Host);
-    let client = SessionCrypto::new(&[7u8; 16], [1, 2, 3, 4], Role::Client);
-    let payload = vec![0xABu8; SHARD];
-    let sealed = host.seal(0, &payload).unwrap();
-
     let mut g = c.benchmark_group("crypto");
     g.throughput(Throughput::Bytes(SHARD as u64));
-    g.bench_function("seal", |b| {
-        let mut seq = 0u64;
-        b.iter(|| {
-            let ct = host.seal(seq, black_box(&payload)).unwrap();
-            seq += 1;
-            black_box(ct)
-        })
-    });
-    g.bench_function("seal_in_place", |b| {
-        let mut seq = 0u64;
-        let mut buf = vec![0xABu8; SHARD + TAG_LEN];
-        b.iter(|| {
-            host.seal_in_place(seq, black_box(&mut buf)).unwrap();
-            seq += 1;
-        })
-    });
-    g.bench_function("open", |b| {
-        b.iter(|| black_box(client.open(0, black_box(&sealed)).unwrap()))
-    });
-    g.bench_function("open_in_place", |b| {
-        // In-place open consumes the buffer, so each iteration restores the ciphertext first —
-        // one memcpy, mirroring what the recv ring does when the next datagram lands in the slot.
-        let mut buf = sealed.clone();
-        b.iter(|| {
-            buf.copy_from_slice(black_box(&sealed));
-            black_box(client.open_in_place(0, &mut buf).unwrap());
-        })
-    });
+    // Both negotiated session AEADs. On the x86 / Apple Silicon this runs on, both must be
+    // line-rate-trivial — the chacha20 series is the host-side sealing-cost check for the
+    // negotiated soft-AES-armv7 path (design/chacha20-session-cipher.md §7). The AES series
+    // keeps its unsuffixed names so the CI regression compare retains its history.
+    for (suffix, key) in [
+        ("", SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([7u8; 16])),
+        ("_chacha20", SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305([7u8; 32])),
+    ] {
+        let host = SessionCrypto::new(&key, [1, 2, 3, 4], Role::Host);
+        let client = SessionCrypto::new(&key, [1, 2, 3, 4], Role::Client);
+        let payload = vec![0xABu8; SHARD];
+        let sealed = host.seal(0, &payload).unwrap();
+
+        g.bench_function(format!("seal{suffix}"), |b| {
+            let mut seq = 0u64;
+            b.iter(|| {
+                let ct = host.seal(seq, black_box(&payload)).unwrap();
+                seq += 1;
+                black_box(ct)
+            })
+        });
+        g.bench_function(format!("seal_in_place{suffix}"), |b| {
+            let mut seq = 0u64;
+            let mut buf = vec![0xABu8; SHARD + TAG_LEN];
+            b.iter(|| {
+                host.seal_in_place(seq, black_box(&mut buf)).unwrap();
+                seq += 1;
+            })
+        });
+        g.bench_function(format!("open{suffix}"), |b| {
+            b.iter(|| black_box(client.open(0, black_box(&sealed)).unwrap()))
+        });
+        g.bench_function(format!("open_in_place{suffix}"), |b| {
+            // In-place open consumes the buffer, so each iteration restores the ciphertext first —
+            // one memcpy, mirroring what the recv ring does when the next datagram lands in the slot.
+            let mut buf = sealed.clone();
+            b.iter(|| {
+                buf.copy_from_slice(black_box(&sealed));
+                black_box(client.open_in_place(0, &mut buf).unwrap());
+            })
+        });
+    }
     g.finish();
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/abi.rs b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/abi.rs
index 820355f9..7744a5ad 100644
--- a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/abi.rs
+++ b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/abi.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 //! - Panics never cross the boundary: every entry point is wrapped in `catch_unwind`.
 
 use crate::config::{Config, FecConfig, FecScheme, ProtocolPhase, Role};
+use crate::crypto::SessionKey;
 use crate::error::PunktfunkStatus;
 use crate::input::InputEvent;
 use crate::reanchor::{GateVerdict, ReanchorGate};
@@ -94,7 +95,10 @@ impl PunktfunkConfig {
             shard_payload: self.shard_payload as usize,
             max_frame_bytes,
             encrypt: self.encrypt != 0,
-            key: self.key,
+            // The C ABI keeps its fixed 16-byte key and always selects AES-128-GCM — no
+            // ABI_VERSION bump. Raw-`Config` C embedders can't negotiate ChaCha; the Swift/
+            // Kotlin clients are aarch64 with AES CE and never want it.
+            key: SessionKey::Aes128Gcm(self.key),
             salt: self.salt,
             loopback_drop_period: self.loopback_drop_period,
         };
diff --git a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/config.rs b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/config.rs
index 82aa953d..8018c4f0 100644
--- a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/config.rs
+++ b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/config.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 //! Session configuration and protocol/FEC parameters.
 
+use crate::crypto::SessionKey;
 use crate::error::{PunktfunkError, Result};
 use crate::packet::{CRYPTO_OVERHEAD, HEADER_LEN, MAX_DATAGRAM_BYTES};
 use zeroize::Zeroize;
@@ -355,9 +356,11 @@ pub struct Config {
     /// hostile/​corrupt headers; see [`Session`](crate::session::Session)).
     pub max_frame_bytes: usize,
     pub encrypt: bool,
-    /// AES-128 session key established during pairing. MUST be unique per session when
+    /// The negotiated session AEAD + its key, established during pairing/handshake —
+    /// AES-128-GCM for every peer by default, ChaCha20-Poly1305 when the client negotiated it
+    /// (soft-AES armv7 targets; see [`SessionKey`]). MUST be unique per session when
     /// `encrypt` is set (see the nonce-uniqueness contract in [`crate::crypto`]).
-    pub key: [u8; 16],
+    pub key: SessionKey,
     /// Per-session nonce salt, established alongside `key` during pairing. MUST be
     /// unique per (key, session).
     pub salt: [u8; 4],
@@ -382,7 +385,8 @@ impl std::fmt::Debug for Config {
             .field("shard_payload", &self.shard_payload)
             .field("max_frame_bytes", &self.max_frame_bytes)
             .field("encrypt", &self.encrypt)
-            .field("key", &"<redacted>")
+            // SessionKey's own Debug redacts the material but keeps the cipher choice visible.
+            .field("key", &self.key)
             .field("salt", &"<redacted>")
             .field("loopback_drop_period", &self.loopback_drop_period)
             .finish()
@@ -426,7 +430,7 @@ impl Config {
                 "max_frame_bytes too large for this shard/block configuration (block count overflows u16)",
             ));
         }
-        if self.encrypt && self.key == [0u8; 16] {
+        if self.encrypt && self.key.is_zero() {
             return Err(PunktfunkError::InvalidArg(
                 "encrypt requires a non-zero session key (see crypto nonce-uniqueness contract)",
             ));
@@ -449,7 +453,7 @@ impl Config {
             shard_payload: 1024,
             max_frame_bytes: 64 * 1024 * 1024,
             encrypt: false,
-            key: [0u8; 16],
+            key: SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([0u8; 16]),
             salt: [0u8; 4],
             loopback_drop_period: 0,
         }
@@ -465,7 +469,12 @@ mod tests {
         let mut c = Config::p1_defaults(Role::Host);
         c.encrypt = true; // key is still all-zero
         assert!(c.validate().is_err());
-        c.key = [1u8; 16];
+        c.key = SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([1u8; 16]);
+        assert!(c.validate().is_ok());
+        // The rejection follows whichever cipher variant is active.
+        c.key = SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305([0u8; 32]);
+        assert!(c.validate().is_err());
+        c.key = SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305([1u8; 32]);
         assert!(c.validate().is_ok());
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/crypto.rs b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/crypto.rs
index 6814a727..c0cb69c0 100644
--- a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/crypto.rs
+++ b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/crypto.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
-//! AES-128-GCM session sealing, matching GameStream's video crypto in P1.
+//! Session sealing with the negotiated AEAD — AES-128-GCM (matching GameStream's video
+//! crypto in P1) by default, ChaCha20-Poly1305 (RFC 8439) for clients without hardware AES.
 //!
-//! ## Nonce uniqueness (the GCM safety requirement)
+//! ## Nonce uniqueness (the AEAD safety requirement)
 //!
 //! The 96-bit nonce is `salt (4 bytes) || sequence (8 bytes, big-endian)`. Reusing a
-//! `(key, nonce)` pair under AES-GCM is catastrophic, so two precautions apply:
+//! `(key, nonce)` pair is catastrophic under either AEAD, so two precautions apply:
 //!
 //! 1. **Per-direction salts.** Host and client share one `key` and `salt`, and each
 //!    counts its sequence from 0. To stop the host's video stream and the client's input
@@ -17,17 +18,96 @@
 //! The sequence number is also passed as AEAD associated data, so tampering with the
 //! on-wire sequence is detected (the tag check fails) rather than silently shifting the
 //! nonce. Note: this layer does not provide anti-replay — see `Session`.
+//!
+//! ## Why two ciphers
+//!
+//! Both AEADs are full-strength; the choice (negotiated via `Welcome::cipher`) is purely a
+//! performance one. On targets without hardware AES — the soft-AES armv7 clients (webOS TVs) —
+//! GCM's fixsliced AES + software GHASH costs ~50–100 cycles/byte and caps decrypt at
+//! ~100 Mbps, while ChaCha20-Poly1305's ARX construction runs ~10–17 cycles/byte in portable
+//! software (design/chacha20-session-cipher.md). Same 96-bit nonce, 16-byte tag, and AAD
+//! shape, so the entire nonce discipline above carries over verbatim.
 
 use crate::config::Role;
 use crate::error::{PunktfunkError, Result};
 use aes_gcm::aead::{Aead, AeadInPlace, KeyInit, Payload};
 use aes_gcm::{Aes128Gcm, Key, Nonce};
+use chacha20poly1305::ChaCha20Poly1305;
+use zeroize::Zeroize;
 
-/// 16-byte AEAD authentication tag appended by GCM.
+/// 16-byte AEAD authentication tag appended by either session cipher.
 pub const TAG_LEN: usize = 16;
 
+// The wire (CRYPTO_OVERHEAD) and every in-place split assume both negotiated AEADs append
+// exactly TAG_LEN bytes — a different-tag cipher can never slip in behind this constant.
+const _: () = assert!(std::mem::size_of::<aes_gcm::Tag>() == TAG_LEN);
+const _: () = assert!(std::mem::size_of::<chacha20poly1305::Tag>() == TAG_LEN);
+
+/// The negotiated session AEAD together with its key material — merged so the invalid state
+/// (a ChaCha cipher with an AES-sized key, or vice versa) is unrepresentable. AES-128-GCM is
+/// the default every peer speaks; ChaCha20-Poly1305 is granted to clients that advertised
+/// [`VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20`](crate::quic::VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20) (the soft-AES armv7 targets —
+/// see the module docs). 256 bits for ChaCha is what RFC 8439 requires.
+#[derive(Clone, Copy, PartialEq, Eq)]
+pub enum SessionKey {
+    Aes128Gcm([u8; 16]),
+    ChaCha20Poly1305([u8; 32]),
+}
+
+impl SessionKey {
+    /// Canonical lowercase cipher name for session-start logs.
+    pub fn cipher_name(&self) -> &'static str {
+        match self {
+            SessionKey::Aes128Gcm(_) => "aes-128-gcm",
+            SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305(_) => "chacha20-poly1305",
+        }
+    }
+
+    /// True when the key material is all zeros — the pairing-layer footgun `Config::validate`
+    /// rejects when encryption is on (see the nonce-uniqueness contract in the module docs).
+    pub fn is_zero(&self) -> bool {
+        match self {
+            SessionKey::Aes128Gcm(k) => k == &[0u8; 16],
+            SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305(k) => k == &[0u8; 32],
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Key material never appears in logs, whichever variant is active — only the cipher choice
+/// (`Config`'s hand-written `Debug` relies on this).
+impl std::fmt::Debug for SessionKey {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut std::fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> std::fmt::Result {
+        match self {
+            SessionKey::Aes128Gcm(_) => f.write_str("Aes128Gcm(<redacted>)"),
+            SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305(_) => f.write_str("ChaCha20Poly1305(<redacted>)"),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Same zeroize-on-drop discipline the raw key array had (`Config`'s `Drop`).
+impl Zeroize for SessionKey {
+    fn zeroize(&mut self) {
+        match self {
+            SessionKey::Aes128Gcm(k) => k.zeroize(),
+            SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305(k) => k.zeroize(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// The two negotiated AEADs behind one seal/open surface. Both are the same RustCrypto
+/// `aead 0.5` generation (identical trait shapes, nonce/tag types), so each call below is a
+/// two-arm match right next to the cipher work itself.
+// AES's precomputed round keys (~0.7 KB) dwarf ChaCha's 32-byte state, but there is exactly
+// one long-lived `SessionCrypto` per session — boxing the variant would trade that one-off
+// slack for a pointer chase on every per-datagram seal/open.
+#[allow(clippy::large_enum_variant)]
+enum Cipher {
+    Aes128Gcm(Aes128Gcm),
+    ChaCha20Poly1305(ChaCha20Poly1305),
+}
+
 pub struct SessionCrypto {
-    cipher: Aes128Gcm,
+    cipher: Cipher,
     /// Salt for nonces we seal with (our direction).
     send_salt: [u8; 4],
     /// Salt for nonces we open with (the peer's direction).
@@ -35,11 +115,18 @@ pub struct SessionCrypto {
 }
 
 impl SessionCrypto {
-    pub fn new(key: &[u8; 16], salt: [u8; 4], role: Role) -> Self {
-        let key = Key::<Aes128Gcm>::from_slice(key);
+    pub fn new(key: &SessionKey, salt: [u8; 4], role: Role) -> Self {
+        let cipher = match key {
+            SessionKey::Aes128Gcm(k) => {
+                Cipher::Aes128Gcm(Aes128Gcm::new(Key::<Aes128Gcm>::from_slice(k)))
+            }
+            SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305(k) => Cipher::ChaCha20Poly1305(ChaCha20Poly1305::new(
+                Key::<ChaCha20Poly1305>::from_slice(k),
+            )),
+        };
         let own = direction(role);
         SessionCrypto {
-            cipher: Aes128Gcm::new(key),
+            cipher,
             send_salt: dir_salt(salt, own),
             recv_salt: dir_salt(salt, own ^ 1),
         }
@@ -49,15 +136,16 @@ impl SessionCrypto {
     /// authenticated as associated data.
     pub fn seal(&self, seq: u64, plaintext: &[u8]) -> Result<Vec<u8>> {
         let nonce = nonce(self.send_salt, seq);
-        self.cipher
-            .encrypt(
-                Nonce::from_slice(&nonce),
-                Payload {
-                    msg: plaintext,
-                    aad: &seq.to_be_bytes(),
-                },
-            )
-            .map_err(|_| PunktfunkError::Crypto)
+        let aad = seq.to_be_bytes();
+        let payload = Payload {
+            msg: plaintext,
+            aad: &aad,
+        };
+        match &self.cipher {
+            Cipher::Aes128Gcm(c) => c.encrypt(Nonce::from_slice(&nonce), payload),
+            Cipher::ChaCha20Poly1305(c) => c.encrypt(Nonce::from_slice(&nonce), payload),
+        }
+        .map_err(|_| PunktfunkError::Crypto)
     }
 
     /// Seal in place, no per-packet allocation: `buf` is laid out as `[plaintext .. ][TAG_LEN]` (the
@@ -69,10 +157,16 @@ impl SessionCrypto {
         let nonce = nonce(self.send_salt, seq);
         let split = buf.len() - TAG_LEN;
         let (plaintext, tag_slot) = buf.split_at_mut(split);
-        let tag = self
-            .cipher
-            .encrypt_in_place_detached(Nonce::from_slice(&nonce), &seq.to_be_bytes(), plaintext)
-            .map_err(|_| PunktfunkError::Crypto)?;
+        let aad = seq.to_be_bytes();
+        let tag = match &self.cipher {
+            Cipher::Aes128Gcm(c) => {
+                c.encrypt_in_place_detached(Nonce::from_slice(&nonce), &aad, plaintext)
+            }
+            Cipher::ChaCha20Poly1305(c) => {
+                c.encrypt_in_place_detached(Nonce::from_slice(&nonce), &aad, plaintext)
+            }
+        }
+        .map_err(|_| PunktfunkError::Crypto)?;
         tag_slot.copy_from_slice(&tag);
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -80,20 +174,21 @@ impl SessionCrypto {
     /// Open `ciphertext || tag` for sequence `seq` (also bound as associated data).
     pub fn open(&self, seq: u64, ciphertext: &[u8]) -> Result<Vec<u8>> {
         let nonce = nonce(self.recv_salt, seq);
-        self.cipher
-            .decrypt(
-                Nonce::from_slice(&nonce),
-                Payload {
-                    msg: ciphertext,
-                    aad: &seq.to_be_bytes(),
-                },
-            )
-            .map_err(|_| PunktfunkError::Crypto)
+        let aad = seq.to_be_bytes();
+        let payload = Payload {
+            msg: ciphertext,
+            aad: &aad,
+        };
+        match &self.cipher {
+            Cipher::Aes128Gcm(c) => c.decrypt(Nonce::from_slice(&nonce), payload),
+            Cipher::ChaCha20Poly1305(c) => c.decrypt(Nonce::from_slice(&nonce), payload),
+        }
+        .map_err(|_| PunktfunkError::Crypto)
     }
 
     /// Open in place, no per-packet allocation: `buf` holds `[ciphertext .. ][tag]` on entry and
     /// the plaintext in its first `buf.len() - TAG_LEN` bytes on success (returned as the length)
-    /// — byte-identical to `open`, just written in place. GCM verifies the tag *before*
+    /// — byte-identical to `open`, just written in place. Both AEADs verify the tag *before*
     /// decrypting, so on failure `buf` still holds the ciphertext (the caller drops the packet
     /// either way). The hot-path receiver (`Session::poll_frame`) uses this to avoid the `Vec`
     /// that `open`'s convenience API allocates for every datagram at line rate — the receive
@@ -105,14 +200,22 @@ impl SessionCrypto {
         let nonce = nonce(self.recv_salt, seq);
         let split = buf.len() - TAG_LEN;
         let (ciphertext, tag) = buf.split_at_mut(split);
-        self.cipher
-            .decrypt_in_place_detached(
+        let aad = seq.to_be_bytes();
+        match &self.cipher {
+            Cipher::Aes128Gcm(c) => c.decrypt_in_place_detached(
                 Nonce::from_slice(&nonce),
-                &seq.to_be_bytes(),
+                &aad,
                 ciphertext,
                 aes_gcm::Tag::from_slice(tag),
-            )
-            .map_err(|_| PunktfunkError::Crypto)?;
+            ),
+            Cipher::ChaCha20Poly1305(c) => c.decrypt_in_place_detached(
+                Nonce::from_slice(&nonce),
+                &aad,
+                ciphertext,
+                chacha20poly1305::Tag::from_slice(tag),
+            ),
+        }
+        .map_err(|_| PunktfunkError::Crypto)?;
         Ok(split)
     }
 }
@@ -145,6 +248,13 @@ pub fn random_key() -> [u8; 16] {
     k
 }
 
+/// Generate a fresh random ChaCha20-Poly1305 session key (RFC 8439's 256-bit size).
+pub fn random_key32() -> [u8; 32] {
+    let mut k = [0u8; 32];
+    rand::RngCore::fill_bytes(&mut rand::rng(), &mut k);
+    k
+}
+
 /// Generate a fresh random per-session nonce salt.
 pub fn random_salt() -> [u8; 4] {
     let mut s = [0u8; 4];
@@ -156,93 +266,143 @@ pub fn random_salt() -> [u8; 4] {
 mod tests {
     use super::*;
 
+    /// One fresh key per negotiated cipher — every sealing test below must hold for both.
+    fn both_keys() -> [SessionKey; 2] {
+        [
+            SessionKey::Aes128Gcm(random_key()),
+            SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305(random_key32()),
+        ]
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn seal_open_roundtrip_cross_direction() {
-        let key = random_key();
-        let salt = random_salt();
-        let host = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Host);
-        let client = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Client);
+        for key in both_keys() {
+            let salt = random_salt();
+            let host = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Host);
+            let client = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Client);
 
-        let msg = b"the quick brown fox";
-        let sealed = host.seal(42, msg).unwrap(); // host -> client (video direction)
-        assert_ne!(&sealed[..msg.len()], &msg[..]); // actually encrypted
-        assert_eq!(sealed.len(), msg.len() + TAG_LEN);
-        assert_eq!(client.open(42, &sealed).unwrap(), msg);
+            let msg = b"the quick brown fox";
+            let sealed = host.seal(42, msg).unwrap(); // host -> client (video direction)
+            assert_ne!(&sealed[..msg.len()], &msg[..]); // actually encrypted
+            assert_eq!(sealed.len(), msg.len() + TAG_LEN);
+            assert_eq!(client.open(42, &sealed).unwrap(), msg);
 
-        // Wrong sequence (nonce + AAD) → authentication failure.
-        assert!(client.open(43, &sealed).is_err());
-        // Direction separation: the host opens with the peer (client) salt, so it cannot
-        // open its own outbound packet → distinct nonce spaces per direction.
-        assert!(host.open(42, &sealed).is_err());
+            // Wrong sequence (nonce + AAD) → authentication failure.
+            assert!(client.open(43, &sealed).is_err());
+            // Direction separation: the host opens with the peer (client) salt, so it cannot
+            // open its own outbound packet → distinct nonce spaces per direction.
+            assert!(host.open(42, &sealed).is_err());
+        }
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn directions_use_distinct_nonce_spaces() {
-        let key = random_key();
-        let salt = [0u8; 4]; // even an all-zero base salt must separate the directions
-        let host = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Host);
-        let client = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Client);
-        // Same seq, same key, opposite directions → different ciphertext (no reuse).
-        assert_ne!(
-            host.seal(0, b"abc").unwrap(),
-            client.seal(0, b"abc").unwrap()
-        );
+        for key in both_keys() {
+            let salt = [0u8; 4]; // even an all-zero base salt must separate the directions
+            let host = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Host);
+            let client = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Client);
+            // Same seq, same key, opposite directions → different ciphertext (no reuse).
+            assert_ne!(
+                host.seal(0, b"abc").unwrap(),
+                client.seal(0, b"abc").unwrap()
+            );
+        }
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn open_in_place_matches_open_and_rejects_tampering() {
-        let key = random_key();
-        let salt = random_salt();
-        let host = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Host);
-        let client = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Client);
-        for msg in [
-            &b""[..],
-            b"x",
-            b"the quick brown fox jumps over 13 lazy dogs!!",
-        ] {
-            let sealed = host.seal(9, msg).unwrap();
-            let mut buf = sealed.clone();
-            let n = client.open_in_place(9, &mut buf).unwrap();
-            assert_eq!(
-                &buf[..n],
-                msg,
-                "in-place open must be byte-identical to open"
-            );
-            // Wrong sequence (nonce + AAD) → authentication failure, like `open`.
-            let mut buf = sealed.clone();
-            assert!(client.open_in_place(8, &mut buf).is_err());
-            // A flipped ciphertext/tag bit → authentication failure.
-            let mut buf = sealed.clone();
-            let last = buf.len() - 1;
-            buf[last] ^= 1;
-            assert!(client.open_in_place(9, &mut buf).is_err());
+        for key in both_keys() {
+            let salt = random_salt();
+            let host = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Host);
+            let client = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Client);
+            for msg in [
+                &b""[..],
+                b"x",
+                b"the quick brown fox jumps over 13 lazy dogs!!",
+            ] {
+                let sealed = host.seal(9, msg).unwrap();
+                let mut buf = sealed.clone();
+                let n = client.open_in_place(9, &mut buf).unwrap();
+                assert_eq!(
+                    &buf[..n],
+                    msg,
+                    "in-place open must be byte-identical to open"
+                );
+                // Wrong sequence (nonce + AAD) → authentication failure, like `open`.
+                let mut buf = sealed.clone();
+                assert!(client.open_in_place(8, &mut buf).is_err());
+                // A flipped ciphertext/tag bit → authentication failure.
+                let mut buf = sealed.clone();
+                let last = buf.len() - 1;
+                buf[last] ^= 1;
+                assert!(client.open_in_place(9, &mut buf).is_err());
+            }
+            // Shorter than a tag can't be a sealed packet at all.
+            let mut runt = vec![0u8; TAG_LEN - 1];
+            assert!(client.open_in_place(0, &mut runt).is_err());
         }
-        // Shorter than a tag can't be a sealed packet at all.
-        let mut runt = vec![0u8; TAG_LEN - 1];
-        assert!(client.open_in_place(0, &mut runt).is_err());
     }
 
     #[test]
     fn seal_in_place_matches_seal_and_opens() {
-        let key = random_key();
-        let salt = random_salt();
-        let host = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Host);
-        let client = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Client);
-        for msg in [
-            &b""[..],
-            b"x",
-            b"the quick brown fox jumps over 13 lazy dogs!!",
-        ] {
-            let reference = host.seal(7, msg).unwrap(); // ciphertext || tag
-                                                        // In-place: [plaintext .. ][TAG_LEN scratch].
-            let mut buf = msg.to_vec();
-            buf.resize(msg.len() + TAG_LEN, 0);
-            host.seal_in_place(7, &mut buf).unwrap();
-            assert_eq!(
-                buf, reference,
-                "in-place seal must be byte-identical to seal"
-            );
-            assert_eq!(client.open(7, &buf).unwrap(), msg);
+        for key in both_keys() {
+            let salt = random_salt();
+            let host = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Host);
+            let client = SessionCrypto::new(&key, salt, Role::Client);
+            for msg in [
+                &b""[..],
+                b"x",
+                b"the quick brown fox jumps over 13 lazy dogs!!",
+            ] {
+                let reference = host.seal(7, msg).unwrap(); // ciphertext || tag
+                                                            // In-place: [plaintext .. ][TAG_LEN scratch].
+                let mut buf = msg.to_vec();
+                buf.resize(msg.len() + TAG_LEN, 0);
+                host.seal_in_place(7, &mut buf).unwrap();
+                assert_eq!(
+                    buf, reference,
+                    "in-place seal must be byte-identical to seal"
+                );
+                assert_eq!(client.open(7, &buf).unwrap(), msg);
+            }
         }
     }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn ciphers_are_not_interchangeable() {
+        // A packet sealed under one AEAD must not open under the other — negotiation skew has
+        // to fail loudly (a tag mismatch), never decode garbage. The ChaCha key repeats the AES
+        // key bytes so even overlapping key material can't accidentally interoperate.
+        let salt = random_salt();
+        let aes = SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([7u8; 16]);
+        let chacha = SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305([7u8; 32]);
+        let sealed = SessionCrypto::new(&aes, salt, Role::Host)
+            .seal(1, b"cross-cipher")
+            .unwrap();
+        assert!(SessionCrypto::new(&chacha, salt, Role::Client)
+            .open(1, &sealed)
+            .is_err());
+        let sealed = SessionCrypto::new(&chacha, salt, Role::Host)
+            .seal(1, b"cross-cipher")
+            .unwrap();
+        assert!(SessionCrypto::new(&aes, salt, Role::Client)
+            .open(1, &sealed)
+            .is_err());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn session_key_zero_check_and_debug_redaction() {
+        assert!(SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([0u8; 16]).is_zero());
+        assert!(SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305([0u8; 32]).is_zero());
+        assert!(!SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([1u8; 16]).is_zero());
+        assert!(!SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305([1u8; 32]).is_zero());
+        // Key bytes must never reach a log, whichever variant — only the cipher choice.
+        for key in both_keys() {
+            let dbg = format!("{key:?}");
+            assert!(dbg.contains("<redacted>"), "{dbg}");
+        }
+        let mut k = SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305([9u8; 32]);
+        k.zeroize();
+        assert!(k.is_zero());
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/packet/tests.rs b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/packet/tests.rs
index 6222a6b5..47e502f5 100644
--- a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/packet/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/packet/tests.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 use super::reassemble::LOSS_WINDOW_NS;
 use super::*;
 use crate::config::{Config, FecScheme};
+use crate::crypto::SessionKey;
 use crate::fec::coder_for;
 use crate::stats::StatsCounters;
 use zerocopy::{FromBytes, IntoBytes};
@@ -182,7 +183,7 @@ fn explicit_frame_index_is_stamped_and_internal_counter_untouched() {
         shard_payload: 16,
         max_frame_bytes: 4096,
         encrypt: false,
-        key: [0u8; 16],
+        key: SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([0u8; 16]),
         salt: [0u8; 4],
         loopback_drop_period: 0,
     };
@@ -292,7 +293,7 @@ fn e2e_config(scheme: FecScheme, fec_percent: u8) -> Config {
         shard_payload: 16,
         max_frame_bytes: 4096,
         encrypt: false,
-        key: [0u8; 16],
+        key: SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([0u8; 16]),
         salt: [0u8; 4],
         loopback_drop_period: 0,
     }
diff --git a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/quic/caps.rs b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/quic/caps.rs
index 0c89cbcf..034ba335 100644
--- a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/quic/caps.rs
+++ b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/quic/caps.rs
@@ -44,6 +44,17 @@ pub const VIDEO_CAP_PROBE_SEQ: u8 = 0x10;
 /// bit; every other client gets today's whole-AU path (chunks concatenated before sealing), so
 /// the fallback is zero-risk.
 pub const VIDEO_CAP_STREAMED_AU: u8 = 0x20;
+/// [`Hello::video_caps`] bit: the client can open **ChaCha20-Poly1305**-sealed session datagrams
+/// AND requests them — set by clients without hardware AES (the soft-AES armv7 targets, e.g.
+/// webOS TVs), where GCM's software AES + GHASH caps decrypt at ~100 Mbps while ChaCha's ARX
+/// construction runs 4–7× faster in portable code (design/chacha20-session-cipher.md).
+/// Support-plus-request in one bit mirrors [`VIDEO_CAP_444`]'s "capable AND turned on"
+/// precedent. The host grants it only when its `PUNKTFUNK_CHACHA20` kill-switch (default on)
+/// allows, answering with [`Welcome::cipher`] `= 1` + the 32-byte [`Welcome::key_chacha`];
+/// toward every other client the Welcome stays byte-identical AES-128-GCM. Purely a
+/// performance choice — both AEADs are full-strength, and Hello/Welcome ride the pinned-TLS
+/// control channel, so there is no downgrade surface.
+pub const VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20: u8 = 0x40;
 
 /// [`Welcome::host_caps`] bit: the host applies [`InputKind::GamepadState`]
 /// (crate::input::InputKind::GamepadState) snapshot events — full per-pad state with a reorder
@@ -225,6 +236,8 @@ mod tests {
             audio_channels: 2,
             codec: CODEC_HEVC,
             host_caps: HOST_CAP_GAMEPAD_STATE | HOST_CAP_CLIPBOARD,
+            cipher: 0,
+            key_chacha: None,
         };
         let got = Welcome::decode(&w.encode()).unwrap();
         assert_eq!(got.host_caps & HOST_CAP_CLIPBOARD, HOST_CAP_CLIPBOARD);
diff --git a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/quic/handshake.rs b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/quic/handshake.rs
index 076177b5..5f04256c 100644
--- a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/quic/handshake.rs
+++ b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/quic/handshake.rs
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ use super::*;
 use crate::config::{
     CompositorPref, Config, FecConfig, FecScheme, GamepadPref, Mode, ProtocolPhase, Role,
 };
+use crate::crypto::SessionKey;
 use crate::error::{PunktfunkError, Result};
 
 /// `client → host`: open the session, requesting a display mode (the host creates its
@@ -107,6 +108,13 @@ pub const HELLO_NAME_MAX: usize = 64;
 /// (`steam:<appid>` / `custom:<12 hex>`); the cap just bounds an attacker-controlled field.
 pub const HELLO_LAUNCH_MAX: usize = 128;
 
+/// [`Welcome::cipher`] id: AES-128-GCM — the default session AEAD every peer speaks (and the
+/// only one pre-cipher builds know).
+pub const CIPHER_AES_128_GCM: u8 = 0;
+/// [`Welcome::cipher`] id: ChaCha20-Poly1305 (RFC 8439) — negotiated via
+/// [`VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20`] for clients without hardware AES.
+pub const CIPHER_CHACHA20_POLY1305: u8 = 1;
+
 /// `host → client`: the complete session offer.
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug, PartialEq, Eq)]
 pub struct Welcome {
@@ -173,6 +181,22 @@ pub struct Welcome {
     /// per-transition events otherwise). Appended after `codec` as a single trailing byte; an
     /// older host that omits it decodes to `0` (no capabilities — legacy events only).
     pub host_caps: u8,
+    /// The session AEAD the data plane seals with — [`CIPHER_AES_128_GCM`] (`0`, the default
+    /// every peer speaks) or [`CIPHER_CHACHA20_POLY1305`] (`1`). The host sets `1` ONLY toward
+    /// a client that advertised [`VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20`] (the soft-AES armv7 targets). Appended
+    /// after `host_caps` at offset 68 and — unlike the earlier trailing fields — emitted only
+    /// when non-zero, so an AES session's Welcome stays **byte-identical** to the pre-cipher
+    /// wire form; an older host omits it (→ `0`, AES). Decode is fail-closed: an unknown id is
+    /// an `Err`, never a silent AES fallback — the host only picks a cipher this client
+    /// advertised, so an unknown id reaching us is a bug, and falling back would yield an
+    /// undecryptable session with a confusing failure signature.
+    pub cipher: u8,
+    /// The 256-bit ChaCha20-Poly1305 session key (RFC 8439 requires the full 32 bytes; wire
+    /// cost is once per handshake) — present iff `cipher == 1`, at offsets 69..101. The legacy
+    /// 16-byte `key` keeps its offset and stays independently random, so nothing downstream
+    /// ever observes an all-zero key. Decode rejects `cipher == 1` with fewer than 32 key
+    /// bytes following.
+    pub key_chacha: Option<[u8; 32]>,
 }
 
 /// `client → host`: data plane is bound, begin streaming.
@@ -366,6 +390,21 @@ impl Welcome {
         b.push(self.codec);
         // Host input caps at offset 67 — older clients stop before this → 0 (legacy input only).
         b.push(self.host_caps);
+        // Session cipher at offset 68 + the 32-byte ChaCha key at 69..101 — emitted ONLY when a
+        // non-default cipher was negotiated, so an AES session's Welcome stays byte-identical
+        // to the pre-cipher wire form. The host only sets cipher toward a client that
+        // advertised VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20, so an old client never sees these bytes at all.
+        debug_assert_eq!(
+            self.cipher == CIPHER_CHACHA20_POLY1305,
+            self.key_chacha.is_some(),
+            "key_chacha present iff cipher == 1"
+        );
+        if self.cipher != CIPHER_AES_128_GCM {
+            b.push(self.cipher);
+            if let Some(k) = &self.key_chacha {
+                b.extend_from_slice(k);
+            }
+        }
         b
     }
 
@@ -374,8 +413,10 @@ impl Welcome {
         // scheme[22] pct[23] max_data[24..26] shard[26..28] encrypt[28] key[29..45]
         // salt[45..49] frames[49..53] compositor[53] gamepad[54] bitrate_kbps[55..59]
         // bit_depth[59] color.primaries[60] color.transfer[61] color.matrix[62] color.range[63]
-        // chroma_format[64] audio_channels[65] codec[66] (everything from compositor on is an
-        // optional trailing byte; an older host stops earlier).
+        // chroma_format[64] audio_channels[65] codec[66] host_caps[67] cipher[68]
+        // key_chacha[69..101] (everything from compositor on is an optional trailing byte; an
+        // older host stops earlier; cipher/key_chacha are present only when ChaCha was
+        // negotiated).
         if b.len() < 53 || &b[0..4] != MAGIC {
             return Err(PunktfunkError::InvalidArg("bad Welcome"));
         }
@@ -385,6 +426,24 @@ impl Welcome {
         key.copy_from_slice(&b[29..45]);
         let mut salt = [0u8; 4];
         salt.copy_from_slice(&b[45..49]);
+        // Session cipher at 68 — absent on an older host → AES-128-GCM. Fail-closed on
+        // anything else: `cipher == 1` with fewer than 32 key bytes must be an error (a silent
+        // AES fallback would yield an undecryptable session with a confusing failure
+        // signature), and an unknown id (≥ 2) reaching us is a bug — a host only picks a
+        // cipher this client advertised — never a legitimate negotiation.
+        let cipher = b.get(68).copied().unwrap_or(CIPHER_AES_128_GCM);
+        let key_chacha = match cipher {
+            CIPHER_AES_128_GCM => None,
+            CIPHER_CHACHA20_POLY1305 => {
+                let bytes = b
+                    .get(69..101)
+                    .ok_or(PunktfunkError::InvalidArg("bad Welcome"))?;
+                let mut k = [0u8; 32];
+                k.copy_from_slice(bytes);
+                Some(k)
+            }
+            _ => return Err(PunktfunkError::InvalidArg("bad Welcome")),
+        };
         Ok(Welcome {
             abi_version: u32at(4),
             udp_port: u16at(8),
@@ -452,6 +511,8 @@ impl Welcome {
             // Optional trailing host-caps byte — absent on an older host → 0 (no gamepad-state
             // snapshots; the client keeps sending legacy per-transition events).
             host_caps: b.get(67).copied().unwrap_or(0),
+            cipher,
+            key_chacha,
         })
     }
 
@@ -462,7 +523,12 @@ impl Welcome {
         c.fec = self.fec;
         c.shard_payload = self.shard_payload as usize;
         c.encrypt = self.encrypt;
-        c.key = self.key;
+        // The negotiated AEAD: the ChaCha key when cipher == 1 (guaranteed present by decode —
+        // the `(1, None)` shape is unreachable off the wire), the legacy AES key otherwise.
+        c.key = match (self.cipher, self.key_chacha) {
+            (CIPHER_CHACHA20_POLY1305, Some(k)) => SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305(k),
+            _ => SessionKey::Aes128Gcm(self.key),
+        };
         c.salt = self.salt;
         // Client-side reassembler ceiling: p1_defaults' 64 MiB hostile-header memory bound is
         // ~10x larger than any real access unit. Derive it from the negotiated rate instead:
@@ -531,6 +597,8 @@ mod tests {
             audio_channels: 2,
             codec: CODEC_H264, // exercise a non-default codec through the roundtrip
             host_caps: HOST_CAP_GAMEPAD_STATE,
+            cipher: 0,
+            key_chacha: None,
         };
         assert_eq!(Welcome::decode(&w.encode()).unwrap(), w);
 
@@ -564,6 +632,81 @@ mod tests {
         assert!(derived > (8 << 20) && derived < (64 << 20));
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn welcome_cipher_negotiation_wire_and_back_compat() {
+        use crate::crypto::SessionKey;
+        let base = Welcome {
+            abi_version: 2,
+            udp_port: 7000,
+            mode: Mode {
+                width: 1920,
+                height: 1080,
+                refresh_hz: 60,
+            },
+            fec: FecConfig {
+                scheme: FecScheme::Gf16,
+                fec_percent: 20,
+                max_data_per_block: 4096,
+            },
+            shard_payload: 1200,
+            encrypt: true,
+            key: [7u8; 16],
+            salt: [9, 8, 7, 6],
+            frames: 0,
+            compositor: CompositorPref::Auto,
+            gamepad: GamepadPref::Auto,
+            bitrate_kbps: 50_000,
+            bit_depth: 8,
+            color: ColorInfo::SDR_BT709,
+            chroma_format: CHROMA_IDC_420,
+            audio_channels: 2,
+            codec: CODEC_HEVC,
+            host_caps: 0,
+            cipher: CIPHER_AES_128_GCM,
+            key_chacha: None,
+        };
+        // An AES session's Welcome is byte-identical to the pre-cipher wire form (68 bytes) —
+        // the old-client × new-host interop guarantee.
+        let enc = base.encode();
+        assert_eq!(enc.len(), 68);
+        assert_eq!(Welcome::decode(&enc).unwrap(), base);
+
+        // ChaCha roundtrip: cipher byte at 68, the 32-byte key at 69..101.
+        let k32: [u8; 32] = core::array::from_fn(|i| i as u8 + 1);
+        let cha = Welcome {
+            cipher: CIPHER_CHACHA20_POLY1305,
+            key_chacha: Some(k32),
+            ..base
+        };
+        let cenc = cha.encode();
+        assert_eq!(cenc.len(), 68 + 1 + 32);
+        assert_eq!(Welcome::decode(&cenc).unwrap(), cha);
+
+        // A truncated old-host Welcome (no cipher byte) decodes to the AES default.
+        let old_host = Welcome::decode(&cenc[..68]).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(old_host.cipher, CIPHER_AES_128_GCM);
+        assert_eq!(old_host.key_chacha, None);
+
+        // cipher == 1 with a missing / short key → Err, fail-closed (a silent AES fallback
+        // would yield an undecryptable session with a confusing failure signature).
+        assert!(Welcome::decode(&cenc[..69]).is_err());
+        assert!(Welcome::decode(&cenc[..100]).is_err());
+
+        // An unknown cipher id (≥ 2) → Err: the host only picks a cipher we advertised, so an
+        // unknown id reaching us is a bug, never a legitimate negotiation.
+        let mut bad = cenc.clone();
+        bad[68] = 2;
+        assert!(Welcome::decode(&bad).is_err());
+
+        // session_config maps both variants onto the data-plane key, and both validate.
+        let aes_cfg = base.session_config(Role::Client);
+        assert_eq!(aes_cfg.key, SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([7u8; 16]));
+        aes_cfg.validate().expect("AES config validates");
+        let cha_cfg = cha.session_config(Role::Client);
+        assert_eq!(cha_cfg.key, SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305(k32));
+        cha_cfg.validate().expect("ChaCha config validates");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn codec_negotiation_and_back_compat() {
         // resolve_codec precedence (HEVC > AV1 > H.264), no preference (0).
@@ -656,6 +799,8 @@ mod tests {
                 audio_channels: 2,
                 codec: CODEC_PYROWAVE,
                 host_caps: 0,
+                cipher: 0,
+                key_chacha: None,
             }
             .encode(),
         )
@@ -726,6 +871,8 @@ mod tests {
                 audio_channels: 2,
                 codec: CODEC_H264,
                 host_caps: 0,
+                cipher: 0,
+                key_chacha: None,
             }
             .encode(),
         )
@@ -831,6 +978,8 @@ mod tests {
             audio_channels: 6, // 5.1 — exercises the non-default trailing byte
             codec: CODEC_HEVC,
             host_caps: HOST_CAP_GAMEPAD_STATE,
+            cipher: 0,
+            key_chacha: None,
         };
         let wenc = w.encode();
         assert_eq!(wenc.len(), 68); // 60 base + 4 colour + chroma + audio-channels + codec + host-caps
diff --git a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/session.rs b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/session.rs
index eb72a3d6..30bf27fc 100644
--- a/crates/punktfunk-core/src/session.rs
+++ b/crates/punktfunk-core/src/session.rs
@@ -781,6 +781,7 @@ impl Session {
 mod wire_equivalence_tests {
     use super::*;
     use crate::config::{FecConfig, FecScheme, ProtocolPhase};
+    use crate::crypto::SessionKey;
     use crate::transport::loopback_pair;
 
     fn host_cfg(scheme: FecScheme, fec_percent: u8, encrypt: bool) -> Config {
@@ -798,7 +799,7 @@ mod wire_equivalence_tests {
             shard_payload: 64,
             max_frame_bytes: 8 * 1024 * 1024,
             encrypt,
-            key: [7u8; 16],
+            key: SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([7u8; 16]),
             salt: [3, 1, 4, 1],
             loopback_drop_period: 0,
         }
@@ -930,7 +931,7 @@ mod wire_equivalence_tests {
             shard_payload: 1024,
             max_frame_bytes: 8 * 1024 * 1024,
             encrypt: false,
-            key: [0u8; 16],
+            key: SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([0u8; 16]),
             salt: [0u8; 4],
             loopback_drop_period: 0,
         };
diff --git a/crates/punktfunk-core/tests/loopback.rs b/crates/punktfunk-core/tests/loopback.rs
index 7be7e9ee..51860c0c 100644
--- a/crates/punktfunk-core/tests/loopback.rs
+++ b/crates/punktfunk-core/tests/loopback.rs
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 
 use proptest::prelude::*;
 use punktfunk_core::config::{Config, FecConfig, FecScheme, ProtocolPhase, Role};
+use punktfunk_core::crypto::SessionKey;
 use punktfunk_core::fec::coder_for;
 use punktfunk_core::input::{InputEvent, InputKind};
 use punktfunk_core::session::Session;
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ fn config(role: Role, scheme: FecScheme, encrypt: bool, drop_period: u32) -> Con
         shard_payload: 1024,
         max_frame_bytes: 8 * 1024 * 1024,
         encrypt,
-        key: [7u8; 16],
+        key: SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([7u8; 16]),
         salt: [1, 2, 3, 4],
         loopback_drop_period: drop_period,
     }
@@ -101,6 +102,30 @@ fn encrypted_stream_recovers_under_loss() {
     assert_eq!(stats.frames_completed, frames.len() as u64);
 }
 
+/// The negotiated ChaCha20-Poly1305 session cipher through the same lossy full-stream path:
+/// loss/replay behavior is cipher-independent (the replay window keys off the authenticated
+/// seq), so recovery must be byte-identical to the AES run above.
+#[test]
+fn chacha20_encrypted_stream_recovers_under_loss() {
+    let frames = sample_frames();
+    let mk = |role| {
+        let mut c = config(role, FecScheme::Gf16, true, 8);
+        c.key = SessionKey::ChaCha20Poly1305([7u8; 32]);
+        c
+    };
+    let (host_tp, client_tp) = loopback_pair(8, 0);
+    let mut host = Session::new(mk(Role::Host), Box::new(host_tp)).unwrap();
+    let mut client = Session::new(mk(Role::Client), Box::new(client_tp)).unwrap();
+    for (i, frame) in frames.iter().enumerate() {
+        host.submit_frame(frame, i as u64 * 1_000_000, 0).unwrap();
+        let got = client
+            .poll_frame()
+            .expect("frame should recover despite loss");
+        assert_eq!(&got.data, frame, "frame {i} mismatched after recovery");
+    }
+    assert!(client.stats().fec_recovered_shards > 0);
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn lossless_stream_is_exact() {
     let frames = sample_frames();
diff --git a/crates/punktfunk-host/src/native/handshake.rs b/crates/punktfunk-host/src/native/handshake.rs
index 8f5779aa..f9d41128 100644
--- a/crates/punktfunk-host/src/native/handshake.rs
+++ b/crates/punktfunk-host/src/native/handshake.rs
@@ -354,6 +354,28 @@ pub(super) async fn negotiate(
     // just follow.
     let mut salt = [0u8; 4];
     rand::thread_rng().fill_bytes(&mut salt);
+    // Session AEAD: ChaCha20-Poly1305 when the client asked for it (VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20 — the
+    // soft-AES armv7 targets, whose GCM decrypt caps at ~100 Mbps) and the operator
+    // kill-switch allows (PUNKTFUNK_CHACHA20, default on — pure rollout safety; perf-only,
+    // both AEADs are full-strength). The fresh-per-session discipline above applies to this
+    // key identically; the legacy 16-byte `key` stays independently random so nothing
+    // downstream ever observes an all-zero key.
+    let client_wants_chacha = hello.video_caps & punktfunk_core::quic::VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20 != 0;
+    let chacha = client_wants_chacha && pf_host_config::config().chacha20;
+    let key_chacha = chacha.then(|| {
+        let mut k = [0u8; 32];
+        rand::thread_rng().fill_bytes(&mut k);
+        k
+    });
+    tracing::info!(
+        cipher = if chacha {
+            "chacha20-poly1305"
+        } else {
+            "aes-128-gcm"
+        },
+        client_wants_chacha,
+        "session cipher"
+    );
     let welcome = Welcome {
         abi_version: punktfunk_core::WIRE_VERSION,
         udp_port,
@@ -423,6 +445,16 @@ pub(super) async fn negotiate(
             } else {
                 0
             },
+        // The negotiated session AEAD (resolved above) + its 32-byte key toward a ChaCha
+        // client; toward everyone else cipher 0 keeps the Welcome byte-identical to the
+        // pre-cipher wire form. The host's own data plane picks the cipher up via
+        // `welcome.session_config` — no other host change.
+        cipher: if chacha {
+            punktfunk_core::quic::CIPHER_CHACHA20_POLY1305
+        } else {
+            punktfunk_core::quic::CIPHER_AES_128_GCM
+        },
+        key_chacha,
     };
     io::write_msg(send, &welcome.encode()).await?;
     bringup.mark("welcome");
diff --git a/docs-site/content/docs/configuration.md b/docs-site/content/docs/configuration.md
index 46202b13..7eddd74a 100644
--- a/docs-site/content/docs/configuration.md
+++ b/docs-site/content/docs/configuration.md
@@ -90,6 +90,7 @@ See your desktop page ([KDE](/docs/kde), [GNOME](/docs/gnome)) for when to set t
 | `PUNKTFUNK_FEC_PCT` | `N` (percent) | Forward-error-correction redundancy for lossy links (the default is sensible for a normal LAN). Higher = more loss-resilient, more bandwidth. |
 | `PUNKTFUNK_10BIT` | `1` · `0` *(default on)* | HEVC Main10 / HDR. **On by default** — the host permits 10-bit; a session goes 10-bit only when the client advertises it (behind the client's HDR setting). Set `0` to force 8-bit. Windows host, plus the Linux **GNOME 50+ GameStream desktop mirror** (`PUNKTFUNK_VIDEO_SOURCE=portal`, mirrored monitor in HDR mode — check with `punktfunk-host hdr-probe`). Linux **virtual displays** (native protocol, GameStream default) stay 8-bit: Mutter's virtual-monitor screencast is SDR-only upstream. |
 | `PUNKTFUNK_444` | `1` · `0` *(default on)* | Full-chroma HEVC 4:4:4 (Range Extensions) — sharper text/desktop, no chroma loss. **On by default** on the host; the client's own 4:4:4 setting (default off) is the real switch. Set `0` to force 4:2:0. **punktfunk/1 native only** (Moonlight stays 4:2:0), HEVC-only, honored only when the client advertises 4:4:4 **and** the GPU supports it (probed; NVENC is the validated path — VAAPI/AMF/QSV decline). Independent of 10-bit. |
+| `PUNKTFUNK_CHACHA20` | `1` · `0` *(default on)* | ChaCha20-Poly1305 session encryption for clients without hardware AES (old ARM TVs, e.g. webOS), lifting their ~100 Mbps software-AES decrypt ceiling. **On by default** on the host; a session uses it only when the client requests it — everyone else stays on AES-GCM. Purely a performance choice (both ciphers are full-strength); set `0` to force AES-GCM for all sessions. |
 | `PUNKTFUNK_PYROWAVE_MAX_MBPS` | `N` (Mbps) | Cap the [PyroWave](/docs/pyrowave) Automatic bitrate pin, for a host on a link that the open-loop pin can outrun (e.g. 4:4:4 + HDR at 5120×1440@240 pins ~5.3 Gbps, over a 5GbE link). Unset = no cap. Only affects Automatic (bitrate `0`) PyroWave sessions; an explicit client bitrate bypasses it. |
 | `PUNKTFUNK_DSCP` | `1` | Opt-in DSCP / `SO_PRIORITY` QoS tagging on the media sockets. No-op on the wire on Windows without a qWAVE policy. |
 | `PUNKTFUNK_OH264_THREADS` / `PUNKTFUNK_OH264_GOP` | `N` | Software (openh264) encoder tuning: encode threads (default 2 — latency over throughput) and GOP length (default 0 = encoder-auto). Only relevant with `PUNKTFUNK_ENCODER=software`. |
diff --git a/include/punktfunk_core.h b/include/punktfunk_core.h
index 1d3b5574..1c55ceca 100644
--- a/include/punktfunk_core.h
+++ b/include/punktfunk_core.h
@@ -272,7 +272,7 @@
 #define INBOUND_REQ_FLAG 2147483648
 #endif
 
-// 16-byte AEAD authentication tag appended by GCM.
+// 16-byte AEAD authentication tag appended by either session cipher.
 #define TAG_LEN 16
 
 // Wire tag distinguishing an input datagram from a video packet.
@@ -465,6 +465,20 @@
 #define VIDEO_CAP_STREAMED_AU 32
 #endif
 
+#if defined(PUNKTFUNK_FEATURE_QUIC)
+// [`Hello::video_caps`] bit: the client can open **ChaCha20-Poly1305**-sealed session datagrams
+// AND requests them — set by clients without hardware AES (the soft-AES armv7 targets, e.g.
+// webOS TVs), where GCM's software AES + GHASH caps decrypt at ~100 Mbps while ChaCha's ARX
+// construction runs 4–7× faster in portable code (design/chacha20-session-cipher.md).
+// Support-plus-request in one bit mirrors [`VIDEO_CAP_444`]'s "capable AND turned on"
+// precedent. The host grants it only when its `PUNKTFUNK_CHACHA20` kill-switch (default on)
+// allows, answering with [`Welcome::cipher`] `= 1` + the 32-byte [`Welcome::key_chacha`];
+// toward every other client the Welcome stays byte-identical AES-128-GCM. Purely a
+// performance choice — both AEADs are full-strength, and Hello/Welcome ride the pinned-TLS
+// control channel, so there is no downgrade surface.
+#define VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20 64
+#endif
+
 #if defined(PUNKTFUNK_FEATURE_QUIC)
 // [`Welcome::host_caps`] bit: the host applies [`InputKind::GamepadState`]
 // (crate::input::InputKind::GamepadState) snapshot events — full per-pad state with a reorder
@@ -855,6 +869,18 @@
 #define HELLO_LAUNCH_MAX 128
 #endif
 
+#if defined(PUNKTFUNK_FEATURE_QUIC)
+// [`Welcome::cipher`] id: AES-128-GCM — the default session AEAD every peer speaks (and the
+// only one pre-cipher builds know).
+#define CIPHER_AES_128_GCM 0
+#endif
+
+#if defined(PUNKTFUNK_FEATURE_QUIC)
+// [`Welcome::cipher`] id: ChaCha20-Poly1305 (RFC 8439) — negotiated via
+// [`VIDEO_CAP_CHACHA20`] for clients without hardware AES.
+#define CIPHER_CHACHA20_POLY1305 1
+#endif
+
 #if defined(PUNKTFUNK_FEATURE_QUIC)
 // Type byte of [`PairRequest`].
 #define MSG_PAIR_REQUEST 16
diff --git a/tools/loss-harness/src/main.rs b/tools/loss-harness/src/main.rs
index 6a52d6eb..04c300aa 100644
--- a/tools/loss-harness/src/main.rs
+++ b/tools/loss-harness/src/main.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 //! harness adds `tc netem` jitter/reorder on the UDP path.
 
 use punktfunk_core::config::{Config, FecConfig, FecScheme, ProtocolPhase, Role};
+use punktfunk_core::crypto::SessionKey;
 use punktfunk_core::error::PunktfunkError;
 use punktfunk_core::session::Session;
 use punktfunk_core::transport::loopback_pair;
@@ -25,7 +26,7 @@ fn config(role: Role, scheme: FecScheme, drop_period: u32) -> Config {
         shard_payload: 1024,
         max_frame_bytes: 8 * 1024 * 1024,
         encrypt: false,
-        key: [0u8; 16],
+        key: SessionKey::Aes128Gcm([0u8; 16]),
         salt: [0u8; 4],
         loopback_drop_period: drop_period,
     }