diff --git a/src/platform/common.h b/src/platform/common.h
index a114af709e3..dc7be4ed14f 100644
--- a/src/platform/common.h
+++ b/src/platform/common.h
@@ -861,6 +861,8 @@ namespace platf {
    */
   std::string get_host_name();
 
+  std::string find_render_node_with_display();
+
   /**
    * @brief Gets the supported gamepads for this platform backend.
    * @details This may be called prior to `platf::input()`!
diff --git a/src/platform/linux/misc.cpp b/src/platform/linux/misc.cpp
index ba40a802873..df6d7f365ab 100644
--- a/src/platform/linux/misc.cpp
+++ b/src/platform/linux/misc.cpp
@@ -38,6 +38,12 @@
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
 
+#ifdef SUNSHINE_BUILD_DRM
+  #include <dirent.h>
+  #include <xf86drm.h>
+  #include <xf86drmMode.h>
+#endif
+
 // local includes
 #include "graphics.h"
 #include "misc.h"
@@ -1163,4 +1169,53 @@ namespace platf {
   std::unique_ptr<high_precision_timer> create_high_precision_timer() {
     return std::make_unique<linux_high_precision_timer>();
   }
+
+  std::string find_render_node_with_display() {
+#ifdef SUNSHINE_BUILD_DRM
+    auto *dir = opendir("/dev/dri");
+    if (!dir) {
+      return {};
+    }
+
+    std::string result;
+    while (auto *entry = readdir(dir)) {
+      if (strncmp(entry->d_name, "card", 4) != 0 || !isdigit(entry->d_name[4])) {
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      std::string path = std::string("/dev/dri/") + entry->d_name;
+      int fd = open(path.c_str(), O_RDWR);
+      if (fd < 0) {
+        continue;
+      }
+
+      auto *res = drmModeGetResources(fd);
+      if (res) {
+        for (int i = 0; i < res->count_connectors && result.empty(); i++) {
+          auto *conn = drmModeGetConnector(fd, res->connectors[i]);
+          if (conn) {
+            if (conn->connection == DRM_MODE_CONNECTED) {
+              char *render = drmGetRenderDeviceNameFromFd(fd);
+              if (render) {
+                result = render;
+                free(render);
+              }
+            }
+            drmModeFreeConnector(conn);
+          }
+        }
+        drmModeFreeResources(res);
+      }
+      close(fd);
+      if (!result.empty()) {
+        break;
+      }
+    }
+    closedir(dir);
+    return result;
+#else
+    return {};
+#endif
+  }
+
 }  // namespace platf
diff --git a/src/platform/linux/vulkan_encode.cpp b/src/platform/linux/vulkan_encode.cpp
index 3113e11fd48..f8fdbf44d72 100644
--- a/src/platform/linux/vulkan_encode.cpp
+++ b/src/platform/linux/vulkan_encode.cpp
@@ -79,7 +79,9 @@ namespace vk {
 
   static int create_vulkan_hwdevice(AVBufferRef **hw_device_buf) {
     // Resolve render device path to Vulkan device index
-    if (auto render_path = config::video.adapter_name.empty() ? "/dev/dri/renderD128" : config::video.adapter_name; render_path[0] == '/') {
+    auto detected = platf::find_render_node_with_display();
+    auto fallback = detected.empty() ? std::string("/dev/dri/renderD128") : detected;
+    if (auto render_path = config::video.adapter_name.empty() ? fallback : config::video.adapter_name; render_path[0] == '/') {
       if (auto idx = find_vulkan_index_for_render_node(render_path.c_str()); !idx.empty() && av_hwdevice_ctx_create(hw_device_buf, AV_HWDEVICE_TYPE_VULKAN, idx.c_str(), nullptr, 0) >= 0) {
         return 0;
       }
diff --git a/src/platform/macos/misc.mm b/src/platform/macos/misc.mm
index c678d80c504..89edae10ca0 100644
--- a/src/platform/macos/misc.mm
+++ b/src/platform/macos/misc.mm
@@ -560,6 +560,10 @@ operator bool() override {
   std::unique_ptr<high_precision_timer> create_high_precision_timer() {
     return std::make_unique<macos_high_precision_timer>();
   }
+
+  std::string find_render_node_with_display() {
+    return {};
+  }
 }  // namespace platf
 
 namespace dyn {
diff --git a/src/platform/windows/misc.cpp b/src/platform/windows/misc.cpp
index 40a23f00cbf..fb94860127b 100644
--- a/src/platform/windows/misc.cpp
+++ b/src/platform/windows/misc.cpp
@@ -1791,4 +1791,8 @@ namespace platf {
 
     return true;
   }
+
+  std::string find_render_node_with_display() {
+    return {};
+  }
 }  // namespace platf
diff --git a/src/video.cpp b/src/video.cpp
index 67234bc112d..c5fa03da31c 100644
--- a/src/video.cpp
+++ b/src/video.cpp
@@ -3019,8 +3019,10 @@ namespace video {
       return hw_device_buf;
     }
 
-    // Try render device path first (like VAAPI does), then fallback to device indices
-    auto render_device = config::video.adapter_name.empty() ? "/dev/dri/renderD128" : config::video.adapter_name.c_str();
+    // Try render device path first, auto-detecting the GPU with a connected display
+    auto detected = platf::find_render_node_with_display();
+    auto fallback = detected.empty() ? std::string("/dev/dri/renderD128") : detected;
+    auto render_device = config::video.adapter_name.empty() ? fallback.c_str() : config::video.adapter_name.c_str();
 
     auto status = av_hwdevice_ctx_create(&hw_device_buf, AV_HWDEVICE_TYPE_VULKAN, render_device, nullptr, 0);
     if (status >= 0) {