diff --git a/src/config.c b/src/config.c
index b4c6cfb..a0da521 100644
--- a/src/config.c
+++ b/src/config.c
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 
 #include <hevc-ctrls.h>
 
+#include "codec.h"
 #include "utils.h"
 #include "v4l2.h"
 
@@ -97,6 +98,15 @@ VAStatus RequestCreateConfig(VADriverContextP context, VAProfile profile,
 
 	config_object->profile = profile;
 	config_object->entrypoint = entrypoint;
+	/*
+	 * iter5b: cache the V4L2 OUTPUT-side FOURCC for this profile so
+	 * surface.c::CreateSurfaces2 can read it without re-running the
+	 * profile→pixelformat mapping. Wires up the previously-dead
+	 * pixelformat field at config.h:46. Returns 0 for unhandled
+	 * profiles, which the switch above already rejects via
+	 * VA_STATUS_ERROR_UNSUPPORTED_PROFILE.
+	 */
+	config_object->pixelformat = pixelformat_for_profile(profile);
 	config_object->attributes[0].type = VAConfigAttribRTFormat;
 	config_object->attributes[0].value = VA_RT_FORMAT_YUV420;
 	config_object->attributes_count = 1;
diff --git a/src/request.h b/src/request.h
index ac1f419..b0c2045 100644
--- a/src/request.h
+++ b/src/request.h
@@ -96,9 +96,23 @@ struct request_data {
 	 * probes with small surfaces then re-allocates at real
 	 * resolution; we re-set the OUTPUT format whenever this pair
 	 * changes).
+	 *
+	 * iter5b: extended with last_output_pixelformat so the gate
+	 * also fires on codec change (consumer decodes H.264 first,
+	 * HEVC second on the same driver_data). Pre-iter5b the OUTPUT
+	 * pixel format was hardcoded V4L2_PIX_FMT_H264_SLICE in
+	 * CreateSurfaces2, so codec change was silent and HEVC / VP9 /
+	 * VP8 saw the kernel hantro driver substitute MPEG2_DECODER
+	 * codec_mode (when bound to hantro) or rkvdec silently drop
+	 * the decode (when bound to rkvdec). Same bug class as iter4's
+	 * unconditional h264_start_code; both fixes thread the active
+	 * profile into codec-specific kernel state.
+	 *
+	 * 0 = uninitialized; non-zero = FOURCC of current OUTPUT format.
 	 */
 	unsigned int last_output_width;
 	unsigned int last_output_height;
+	unsigned int last_output_pixelformat;
 };
 
 VAStatus VA_DRIVER_INIT_FUNC(VADriverContextP context);