diff --git a/recompiler/CMakeLists.txt b/recompiler/CMakeLists.txt
index 819ec525..6bd0f660 100644
--- a/recompiler/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/recompiler/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -399,6 +399,14 @@ if(BUILD_TESTING)
     target_include_directories(guest_tty_test PRIVATE ../runtime/include)
     add_test(NAME guest_tty_test COMMAND guest_tty_test)
 
+    # MDEC status bit 29 stays set until a decode's output is down to the last
+    # 32-word OutFIFO load (Beetle InCommand); libpress DecDCTin spins on it.
+    add_executable(mdec_busy_drain_test
+        ../runtime/tests/test_mdec_busy_drain.c
+        ../runtime/src/mdec.c)
+    target_include_directories(mdec_busy_drain_test PRIVATE ../runtime/include)
+    add_test(NAME mdec_busy_drain_test COMMAND mdec_busy_drain_test)
+
     add_executable(debug_trace_ranges_test
         ../runtime/tests/test_debug_trace_ranges.c
         ../runtime/src/debug_trace_ranges.c
diff --git a/runtime/src/mdec.c b/runtime/src/mdec.c
index 72a82a5a..60e9cfed 100644
--- a/runtime/src/mdec.c
+++ b/runtime/src/mdec.c
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ extern uint64_t s_frame_count;
 #define MDEC_NEVER_DECODED ((uint64_t)0 - 1000u)
 static uint64_t mdec_last_color_decode_cycle = MDEC_NEVER_DECODED;
 
+/* Beetle OutFIFO depth: 0x20 words (MDEC_DMACanRead's block size). */
+#define MDEC_OUT_FIFO_BYTES (0x20u * 4u)
+
 enum {
     MDEC_CMD_NOP = 0,
     MDEC_CMD_DECODE = 1,
@@ -879,7 +882,18 @@ uint32_t mdec_read(uint32_t addr) {
     if (!write_ready) status |= 1u << 30;
     if (mdec.enable_dma_out && mdec_dma_read_ready()) status |= 1u << 27;
     if (mdec.enable_dma_in && write_ready) status |= 1u << 28;
-    if (mdec.busy) status |= 1u << 29;
+    /* Bit 29 is Beetle's InCommand (mdec.c MDEC_Read). The hardware decodes
+     * progressively and stalls while its 32-word OutFIFO is full, so a decode
+     * command stays in progress until all but the last FIFO-load of its output
+     * has been read. This model decodes a whole command at once, so derive that
+     * from the unread output instead of clearing the bit at execute time:
+     * libpress DecDCTin spins on this bit before issuing the next frame, and
+     * reporting ready early let Breath of Fire IV's player issue the next
+     * DecDCTin/DecDCTout while a column DMA was mid-transfer. DecDCTout's
+     * CHCR=0 restart then dropped the words already moved, misaligning every
+     * later column (vertical stripes + one-macroblock wrap in the FMV). */
+    if (mdec.busy || mdec.output_size - mdec.output_pos > MDEC_OUT_FIFO_BYTES)
+        status |= 1u << 29;
     if (mdec.output_pos >= mdec.output_size) status |= 1u << 31;
     mdec.last_status = status;
     return status;
diff --git a/runtime/tests/test_mdec_busy_drain.c b/runtime/tests/test_mdec_busy_drain.c
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..d23665ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runtime/tests/test_mdec_busy_drain.c
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+/*
+ * MDEC status bit 29 (Command Busy) across output drain.
+ *
+ * Beetle's MDEC_Read reports InCommand as bit 29, and a decode command stays
+ * InCommand until its last macroblock fits in the 32-word OutFIFO: the hardware
+ * decodes progressively and stalls while OutFIFO is full. mdec.c decodes a whole
+ * command at once, so bit 29 must be derived from the unread output.
+ *
+ * Regression: reporting ready right after the instant decode let libpress
+ * DecDCTin (which spins on bit 29) issue the next frame while a DecDCTout column
+ * DMA was mid-transfer. DecDCTout's CHCR=0 restart then dropped the words already
+ * moved, and every later column was misaligned (Breath of Fire IV intro FMV:
+ * vertical stripes, one-macroblock wrap, wrong colours).
+ *
+ * Build/run: ctest -R mdec_busy_drain_test
+ */
+#include "mdec.h"
+
+#include <stdint.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+
+uint64_t s_frame_count = 0;
+uint64_t psx_cycle_count = 0;
+int debug_server_fmv_quiet(void) { return 0; }
+
+#define MDEC_DATA   0x1F801820u
+#define MDEC_STATUS 0x1F801824u
+#define BUSY        (1u << 29)
+#define OUT_EMPTY   (1u << 31)
+
+static int failures = 0;
+#define CHECK(cond, ...) do { if (!(cond)) { \
+    fprintf(stderr, "FAIL %s:%d: ", __FILE__, __LINE__); \
+    fprintf(stderr, __VA_ARGS__); fputc('\n', stderr); failures++; } } while (0)
+
+int main(void) {
+    mdec_init();
+    mdec_write(MDEC_STATUS, 0x80000000u);   /* reset */
+    mdec_write(MDEC_STATUS, 0x60000000u);   /* enable DMA in + out */
+
+    /* Decode, 24bpp (depth 2), 6 input words: one colour macroblock made of
+     * six DC-only blocks (Cr, Cb, Y0..Y3), each a 0x0000 DC word + 0xFE00 end. */
+    mdec_write(MDEC_DATA, 0x30000006u);
+    CHECK(mdec_read(MDEC_STATUS) & BUSY, "busy while receiving parameters");
+    for (int i = 0; i < 6; i++)
+        mdec_dma_write_word(0xFE000000u);
+
+    /* 16x16 pixels * 3 bytes = 768 bytes = 192 words of output. */
+    const uint32_t total_words = 192u, fifo_words = 0x20u;
+    for (uint32_t read = 0; read < total_words; read++) {
+        uint32_t remaining = total_words - read;
+        uint32_t st = mdec_read(MDEC_STATUS);
+        if (remaining > fifo_words)
+            CHECK(st & BUSY, "busy with %u words unread", remaining);
+        else
+            CHECK(!(st & BUSY), "ready with %u words unread (last FIFO load)", remaining);
+        CHECK(!(st & OUT_EMPTY), "output empty with %u words unread", remaining);
+        (void)mdec_dma_read_word();
+    }
+    uint32_t st = mdec_read(MDEC_STATUS);
+    CHECK(!(st & BUSY), "ready after drain");
+    CHECK(st & OUT_EMPTY, "output empty after drain");
+
+    if (failures) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "mdec_busy_drain_test: %d failure(s)\n", failures);
+        return 1;
+    }
+    printf("mdec_busy_drain_test: ok\n");
+    return 0;
+}