diff --git a/arch/mesa-panvk-bifrost/0006-panvk-bifrost-legacy-dithering.patch b/arch/mesa-panvk-bifrost/0006-panvk-bifrost-legacy-dithering.patch
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3e61a1490
--- /dev/null
+++ b/arch/mesa-panvk-bifrost/0006-panvk-bifrost-legacy-dithering.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+From: marfrit-packages noether <claude-noether@reauktion.de>
+Subject: [PATCH] panvk: advertise VK_EXT_legacy_dithering on Bifrost
+
+Backports Mesa main's flip — vanilla 26.0.6 doesn't have the extension
+in the panvk advertisement list; main does (line 172 / 647 on snapshot
+617da94, 2026-05-06).
+
+VK_EXT_legacy_dithering exposes the classic OpenGL-style dithering
+behavior to Vulkan apps. Pure-software composition; no new HW path.
+ARM's own libmali driver release r51p0 (BXODROIDN2PL, Aug 2024) lists
+this extension in its Vulkan implementation for ODROID-N2 boards
+using the same Mali-G52 architecture family — confirms ARM ships it
+for Mali-G52-class hardware.
+
+Consumer benefit: dithering matters for low-bit-depth framebuffers
+(RGB565 / RGB5A1 — common on portable / battery-saving renders)
+where banding is visible. DXVK / vkd3d-proton both opt in when
+available.
+
+Verify-before-ship: vulkaninfo lists the extension and
+VkPhysicalDeviceLegacyDitheringFeaturesEXT.legacyDithering == true.
+
+Cross-refs:
+  - marfrit/panvk-bifrost research/r6_r7_mali_g52_feature_audit_2026-05-24.md
+  - ARM blob r51p0 strings dump (in-blob extension confirmed)
+
+---
+ src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_physical_device.c | 5 +++++
+ 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+)
+
+diff --git a/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_physical_device.c b/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_physical_device.c
+--- a/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_physical_device.c
++++ b/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_physical_device.c
+@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@
+       .EXT_image_drm_format_modifier = true,
+       .EXT_image_robustness = true,
+       .EXT_index_type_uint8 = true,
++      .EXT_legacy_dithering = true,
+       .EXT_line_rasterization = true,
+       .EXT_load_store_op_none = true,
+       .EXT_non_seamless_cube_map = true,
+@@ -552,6 +553,9 @@
+
+       /* VK_EXT_multisampled_render_to_single_sampled */
+       .multisampledRenderToSingleSampled = true,
++
++      /* VK_EXT_legacy_dithering */
++      .legacyDithering = true,
+    };
+ }
+
diff --git a/arch/mesa-panvk-bifrost/PKGBUILD b/arch/mesa-panvk-bifrost/PKGBUILD
index 0db5b9059..64b820007 100644
--- a/arch/mesa-panvk-bifrost/PKGBUILD
+++ b/arch/mesa-panvk-bifrost/PKGBUILD
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 
 pkgname=mesa-panvk-bifrost
 _mesaver=26.0.6
-pkgver=26.0.6.r5
+pkgver=26.0.6.r6
 pkgrel=1
 pkgdesc="Patched Mesa libvulkan_panfrost.so exposing Bifrost-gen Mali to Vulkan apps (panvk-bifrost campaign)"
 arch=('aarch64')
@@ -82,6 +82,7 @@ source=(
     "0003-panvk-bifrost-vk-ext-transform-feedback.patch"
     "0004-panvk-bifrost-xfb-primitive-decomposition.patch"
     "0005-panvk-bifrost-fragment-stores-atomics.patch"
+    "0006-panvk-bifrost-legacy-dithering.patch"
     "brave-vulkan"
     "icd.json"
 )
@@ -94,6 +95,7 @@ sha256sums=(
     'SKIP'
     'SKIP'
     'SKIP'
+    'SKIP'
 )
 
 prepare() {
@@ -140,6 +142,16 @@ prepare() {
     # dEQP-VK.image.store.* show no new Failed vs r4 baseline.
     patch -p1 < "${srcdir}/0005-panvk-bifrost-fragment-stores-atomics.patch"
 
+    # r6 (2026-05-25): advertise VK_EXT_legacy_dithering. Backports Mesa
+    # main's unconditional flip. Pure-software composition; vk_render_pass
+    # already gates on enabled_features.legacyDithering and panvk_vX_blend
+    # + pan_format already plumb the dithered BLEND descriptor (BFMT2 table
+    # has MALI_BLEND_AU encodings for RGB565/RGB5A1/RGBA4/RGB10A2 on
+    # PAN_ARCH 7). Closes the EXT_legacy_dithering gap surfaced by
+    # marfrit/panvk-bifrost research/r6_r7_*. ARM blob r51p0 confirms the
+    # extension as Mali-G52-architecture supported.
+    patch -p1 < "${srcdir}/0006-panvk-bifrost-legacy-dithering.patch"
+
     # Sanity-check the patches landed.
     grep -q "KHR_robustness2 = true," src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_physical_device.c
     grep -q "EXT_robustness2 = true," src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_physical_device.c
@@ -153,6 +165,9 @@ prepare() {
     grep -q "panvk_per_arch(nir_lower_xfb)" src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_shader.c
     # r5 sanity: fragmentStoresAndAtomics = true patch landed
     grep -q "fragmentStoresAndAtomics = true ||" src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_physical_device.c
+    # r6 sanity: VK_EXT_legacy_dithering advertised
+    grep -q '\.EXT_legacy_dithering = true,' src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_physical_device.c
+    grep -q '\.legacyDithering = true,' src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_physical_device.c
     grep -q "xfb_topology" src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_shader.h
     grep -q "panvk_xfb_topology" src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_shader.h
     test -f src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_vX_xfb_lower.c