diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/apple.yml b/.gitea/workflows/apple.yml
index aea7818..abb4f0e 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/apple.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/apple.yml
@@ -32,6 +32,13 @@ jobs:
           dirname "$RUSTUP" >> "$GITHUB_PATH"
           "$RUSTUP" target add aarch64-apple-darwin x86_64-apple-darwin
 
+      # `punktfunk-core` now decodes Opus in-core for the Apple client (surround), pulling
+      # `audiopus_sys`, which builds a vendored static libopus via CMake when pkg-config can't find a
+      # system Opus — so the xcframework is self-contained (no runtime libopus.dylib on end-user Macs).
+      # CMake must be on PATH; install it self-healing on a fresh runner.
+      - name: CMake (for the vendored libopus audiopus_sys builds)
+        run: command -v cmake >/dev/null || brew install cmake
+
       - name: Build PunktfunkCore.xcframework
         run: bash scripts/build-xcframework.sh
 
@@ -71,6 +78,10 @@ jobs:
           "$RUSTUP" target add aarch64-apple-darwin x86_64-apple-darwin \
             aarch64-apple-ios aarch64-apple-ios-sim x86_64-apple-ios
 
+      # See the swift job: audiopus_sys (via the in-core Opus decode) builds vendored libopus with CMake.
+      - name: CMake (for the vendored libopus audiopus_sys builds)
+        run: command -v cmake >/dev/null || brew install cmake
+
       - name: Build PunktfunkCore.xcframework (mac + iOS slices)
         run: BUILD_IOS=1 bash scripts/build-xcframework.sh
 
diff --git a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
index 78c3972..a688c6d 100644
--- a/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
+++ b/.gitea/workflows/release.yml
@@ -118,6 +118,11 @@ jobs:
           "$RUSTUP" toolchain install nightly --profile minimal
           "$RUSTUP" component add rust-src --toolchain nightly
 
+      # The in-core Opus decode (surround) pulls audiopus_sys, which builds a vendored static libopus
+      # via CMake — keep the xcframework self-contained (no runtime libopus.dylib on end-user devices).
+      - name: CMake (for the vendored libopus audiopus_sys builds)
+        run: command -v cmake >/dev/null || brew install cmake
+
       - name: Build PunktfunkCore.xcframework (mac + iOS + tvOS)
         # tvOS is a tier-3 target (nightly -Zbuild-std): slow on the first build, then cached on
         # the self-hosted runner. Built on canary too so the tvOS archive/upload below runs on the
diff --git a/clients/windows/src/main.rs b/clients/windows/src/main.rs
index a1a2b0d..4b91c57 100644
--- a/clients/windows/src/main.rs
+++ b/clients/windows/src/main.rs
@@ -177,6 +177,8 @@ fn run_headless_cli(args: &[String], identity: (String, String)) {
         compositor: CompositorPref::Auto,
         gamepad: GamepadPref::Auto,
         bitrate_kbps,
+        // Headless CLI path (test/scripting) — stereo baseline; the GUI sources this from settings.
+        audio_channels: 2,
         mic_enabled: flag("--mic"),
         hdr_enabled: !flag("--no-hdr"),
         decoder,