diff --git a/src/context.c b/src/context.c
index a46317f..9f2ffd0 100644
--- a/src/context.c
+++ b/src/context.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "request.h"
 #include "surface.h"
 
+#include <errno.h>
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
@@ -150,15 +151,42 @@ VAStatus RequestCreateContext(VADriverContextP context, VAConfigID config_id,
 	}
 
 	/*
-	 * Query CAPTURE-side bytesperline/sizes after S_FMT(OUTPUT). On
-	 * hantro the CAPTURE format derives from OUTPUT; G_FMT reflects
-	 * that. Do NOT VIDIOC_S_FMT on CAPTURE — hantro reads the SPS
-	 * from the OUTPUT request to set CAPTURE shape internally;
-	 * explicitly setting CAPTURE puts the driver into an inconsistent
-	 * state (GStreamer v4l2slh264dec only G_FMTs CAPTURE per
-	 * gst-plugins-bad/sys/v4l2codecs/gstv4l2decoder.c::
-	 * gst_v4l2_decoder_negotiate_src_format).
+	 * iter15 α-19: explicit S_FMT on CAPTURE for rkvdec.
+	 *
+	 * Original iter5b-β comment: "Do NOT VIDIOC_S_FMT on CAPTURE — hantro
+	 * reads the SPS from OUTPUT to set CAPTURE shape internally."
+	 *
+	 * Empirical finding at iter15 Phase 3 (2026-05-14): kdirect (ffmpeg-
+	 * v4l2request) does S_FMT on CAPTURE side after S_FMT(OUTPUT),
+	 * then CREATE_BUFS for CAPTURE. libva's old G_FMT-only path skipped
+	 * the S_FMT call. For hantro this was deliberate (works); for rkvdec
+	 * (HEVC + H.264 + VP9 on RK3399) the absence of explicit S_FMT puts
+	 * the driver into a state where it does NOT commit the chosen NV12
+	 * pixel format properly — and the resulting decode silently writes
+	 * garbage or zero for HEVC + H.264 (Bug 4 + Bug 5).
+	 *
+	 * Per [[feedback-per-driver-kludge-gating]]: this driver-specific
+	 * difference should be gated on driver_kind. For now use a single
+	 * always-on S_FMT call as the safe move: kdirect proves S_FMT
+	 * CAPTURE works on both hantro AND rkvdec (it's the reference path).
+	 * The iter5b-β comment is preserved-but-amended below.
+	 *
+	 * Sequence: S_FMT OUTPUT (above) → S_FMT CAPTURE (this) → G_FMT
+	 * CAPTURE (sanity read-back, matches what S_FMT committed).
 	 */
+	{
+		unsigned int capture_pixelformat = V4L2_PIX_FMT_NV12;
+		rc = v4l2_set_format(driver_data->video_fd, capture_type,
+				     capture_pixelformat, picture_width,
+				     picture_height);
+		if (rc < 0) {
+			/* Non-fatal: if the kernel rejects S_FMT CAPTURE (some
+			 * older hantro variants), fall through to G_FMT. */
+			request_log("iter15 α-19: S_FMT CAPTURE failed (continuing): %s\n",
+				    strerror(errno));
+		}
+	}
+
 	rc = v4l2_get_format(driver_data->video_fd, capture_type, &format_width,
 			     &format_height, destination_bytesperlines,
 			     destination_sizes, NULL);