diff --git a/src/h264.c b/src/h264.c
index 34f5025..7d20a98 100644
--- a/src/h264.c
+++ b/src/h264.c
@@ -187,6 +187,43 @@ static void dpb_update(struct object_context *context,
 	}
 }
 
+/*
+ * Strip ffmpeg-vaapi's POC sentinel.
+ *
+ * ffmpeg's H264POCContext initialises prev_poc_msb to (1 << 16) =
+ * 0x10000 in libavcodec/h264dec.c (lines 301 and 444 of v8.0). After
+ * an IDR the idr() helper resets prev_poc_msb to that same sentinel.
+ * ff_h264_init_poc (libavcodec/h264_parse.c lines 296-305) then
+ * computes pc->poc_msb as prev_poc_msb when the slice header's
+ * poc_lsb hasn't wrapped — which is the typical case for normal
+ * content. The sentinel leaks into field_poc[] and from there into
+ * VAPictureH264.TopFieldOrderCnt / BottomFieldOrderCnt at
+ * libavcodec/vaapi_h264.c::fill_vaapi_pic.
+ *
+ * Working VAAPI backends (intel-iHD, i965 verified empirically on
+ * meitner 2026-05-02) tolerate the high word — they either mask it
+ * or treat POCs as relative comparisons. V4L2 stateless H.264
+ * driver-side consumers (hantro_h264.c::prepare_table feeds the
+ * value direct to tbl->poc[]) need the spec value, so we strip the
+ * sentinel here at the libva-v4l2-request boundary.
+ *
+ * Detection by bit-16-set rather than blind subtraction so that a
+ * future ffmpeg version that fixes the sentinel leak degrades
+ * gracefully. POC values for non-degenerate H.264 content rarely
+ * exceed 16 bits; bit 16 set is a strong signal of the sentinel.
+ *
+ * Empty DPB slots (VA_PICTURE_H264_INVALID) carry POC=0 by
+ * libavcodec/vaapi_h264.c::init_vaapi_pic and need no fix-up.
+ */
+static inline int32_t h264_strip_ffmpeg_poc_sentinel(int32_t poc, uint32_t flags)
+{
+	if (flags & VA_PICTURE_H264_INVALID)
+		return 0;
+	if (poc & (1 << 16))
+		return poc - (1 << 16);
+	return poc;
+}
+
 static void h264_fill_dpb(struct request_data *data,
 			  struct object_context *context,
 			  struct v4l2_ctrl_h264_decode_params *decode)
@@ -210,8 +247,12 @@ static void h264_fill_dpb(struct request_data *data,
 
 		dpb->frame_num = entry->pic.frame_idx;
 		dpb->pic_num = entry->pic.picture_id;
-		dpb->top_field_order_cnt = entry->pic.TopFieldOrderCnt;
-		dpb->bottom_field_order_cnt = entry->pic.BottomFieldOrderCnt;
+		dpb->top_field_order_cnt =
+			h264_strip_ffmpeg_poc_sentinel(entry->pic.TopFieldOrderCnt,
+						       entry->pic.flags);
+		dpb->bottom_field_order_cnt =
+			h264_strip_ffmpeg_poc_sentinel(entry->pic.BottomFieldOrderCnt,
+						       entry->pic.flags);
 
 		dpb->flags = V4L2_H264_DPB_ENTRY_FLAG_VALID;
 
@@ -298,8 +339,12 @@ static void h264_va_picture_to_v4l2(struct request_data *driver_data,
 
 	decode->nal_ref_idc = nal_ref_idc;
 	decode->frame_num = VAPicture->frame_num;
-	decode->top_field_order_cnt = VAPicture->CurrPic.TopFieldOrderCnt;
-	decode->bottom_field_order_cnt = VAPicture->CurrPic.BottomFieldOrderCnt;
+	decode->top_field_order_cnt =
+		h264_strip_ffmpeg_poc_sentinel(VAPicture->CurrPic.TopFieldOrderCnt,
+					       VAPicture->CurrPic.flags);
+	decode->bottom_field_order_cnt =
+		h264_strip_ffmpeg_poc_sentinel(VAPicture->CurrPic.BottomFieldOrderCnt,
+					       VAPicture->CurrPic.flags);
 
 	if (nal_unit_type == 5)
 		decode->flags |= V4L2_H264_DECODE_PARAM_FLAG_IDR_PIC;