diff --git a/src/request.c b/src/request.c
index 8863c3d..2be3422 100644
--- a/src/request.c
+++ b/src/request.c
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ static const char * const known_decoder_drivers[] = {
 	"rkvdec",
 	"hantro-vpu",
 	"rpi-hevc-dec",  /* iter40: Pi 5 / CM5 stateless HEVC */
+	"daedalus_v4l2", /* phase 8.10: Pi 5 daemon-backed VP9/AV1/H264 */
 	"cedrus",
 	"sun4i_csi",
 	NULL
@@ -659,6 +660,8 @@ VAStatus VA_DRIVER_INIT_FUNC(VADriverContextP context)
 	driver_data->media_fd_hantro = -1;
 	driver_data->video_fd_rpi_hevc_dec = -1;
 	driver_data->media_fd_rpi_hevc_dec = -1;
+	driver_data->video_fd_daedalus = -1;
+	driver_data->media_fd_daedalus = -1;
 	driver_data->video_fd_vpu981 = -1;
 	driver_data->media_fd_vpu981 = -1;
 
@@ -700,6 +703,19 @@ VAStatus VA_DRIVER_INIT_FUNC(VADriverContextP context)
 				alt_driver = NULL;
 				driver_data->video_fd_rpi_hevc_dec = video_fd;
 				driver_data->media_fd_rpi_hevc_dec = media_fd;
+			} else if (strcmp(info.driver, "daedalus_v4l2") == 0) {
+				/* phase 8.10: Pi 5 daemon-backed decoder.  Sole
+				 * V4L2 stateless slot on this kernel; VP9 / AV1 /
+				 * H.264 all route through it.  Other slots stay -1.
+				 *
+				 * On a mixed-driver box (daedalus loaded ALONGSIDE
+				 * rpi-hevc-dec) HEVC would prefer rpi-hevc-dec via
+				 * the existing 'p' override; VP9/AV1/H264 prefer
+				 * daedalus_v4l2 since rpi-hevc-dec is HEVC-only. */
+				primary_driver = "daedalus_v4l2";
+				alt_driver = NULL;
+				driver_data->video_fd_daedalus = video_fd;
+				driver_data->media_fd_daedalus = media_fd;
 			}
 		}
 
@@ -807,6 +823,12 @@ VAStatus VA_DRIVER_INIT_FUNC(VADriverContextP context)
 			    driver_data->video_fd_rpi_hevc_dec,
 			    driver_data->media_fd_rpi_hevc_dec);
 	}
+	if (driver_data->video_fd_daedalus >= 0) {
+		request_log("phase 8.10: opened daedalus_v4l2 at video_fd=%d "
+			    "media_fd=%d (Pi 5 daemon-backed VP9/AV1/H264)\n",
+			    driver_data->video_fd_daedalus,
+			    driver_data->media_fd_daedalus);
+	}
 
 	status = VA_STATUS_SUCCESS;
 	goto complete;
diff --git a/src/request.h b/src/request.h
index add307f..023e071 100644
--- a/src/request.h
+++ b/src/request.h
@@ -96,6 +96,18 @@ struct request_data {
 	 */
 	int video_fd_rpi_hevc_dec;
 	int media_fd_rpi_hevc_dec;
+	/*
+	 * phase 8.10: fifth multi-device-probe slot for daedalus_v4l2 — the
+	 * out-of-tree V4L2 stateless decoder shim that forwards bitstream
+	 * to a userspace daemon (daedalus-v4l2 sibling repo). Daemon does
+	 * FFmpeg-software decode for VP9 / AV1 / H.264 and ships pixels
+	 * back via dmabuf into the CAPTURE buffer.  Picked up via the
+	 * same media-controller probe + known_decoder_drivers[] entry
+	 * pattern as iter40 rpi-hevc-dec.  Stays -1 on hosts without the
+	 * daedalus module loaded; HEVC routes to rpi-hevc-dec as before.
+	 */
+	int video_fd_daedalus;
+	int media_fd_daedalus;
 	/*
 	 * ampere-av1-enablement Phase 2: fourth multi-device-probe slot
 	 * for vpu981 (RK3588's dedicated AV1 hantro instance, kernel