diff --git a/runtime/include/gpu_gl_renderer.h b/runtime/include/gpu_gl_renderer.h
index 4a27bdb2..96a08292 100644
--- a/runtime/include/gpu_gl_renderer.h
+++ b/runtime/include/gpu_gl_renderer.h
@@ -607,6 +607,7 @@ int  gl_renderer_get_texture_window_batching(void);
 int  gl_renderer_render_thread_start(int max_frames);
 void gl_renderer_render_thread_stop(void);
 int  gl_renderer_render_thread_active(void);
+int  gl_renderer_vendor_is_nvidia(void);
 void gl_renderer_render_thread_frame_boundary(void);
 void gl_renderer_render_thread_sync(const char *reason);
 int  gl_renderer_render_thread_json(char *out, size_t cap);
diff --git a/runtime/src/gpu_gl_renderer.c b/runtime/src/gpu_gl_renderer.c
index dab81837..62b9886b 100644
--- a/runtime/src/gpu_gl_renderer.c
+++ b/runtime/src/gpu_gl_renderer.c
@@ -397,6 +397,8 @@ static int load_modern_gl(void) {
 static SDL_Window   *s_win = NULL;
 static SDL_GLContext s_ctx = NULL;
 static uint16_t     *s_vram = NULL;       /* CPU VRAM array (gpu.c's storage) */
+/* GL_VENDOR names NVIDIA (captured at context creation). */
+static int s_vendor_nvidia = 0;
 static int           s_swap_interval = 1; /* SDL_GL swap interval (vsync mode) */
 
 /* ---- render thread ([video] render_thread, docs/RENDER_THREAD.md) --------
@@ -6450,6 +6452,10 @@ int gl_renderer_init_context(SDL_Window *win) {
     const char *gpu = (const char *)glGetString(0x1F01 /* GL_RENDERER */);
     fprintf(stdout, "psxrecomp: OpenGL context created (%s; %s)\n", ver ? ver : "?",
             gpu ? gpu : "?");
+    {
+        const char *vendor = (const char *)glGetString(0x1F00 /* GL_VENDOR */);
+        s_vendor_nvidia = (vendor && strstr(vendor, "NVIDIA")) ? 1 : 0;
+    }
 
     /* All-or-nothing: any missing entry point / failed shader / bad FBO means
      * the whole GL renderer is unavailable and the runtime stays on the pure
@@ -14152,6 +14158,8 @@ void gl_renderer_render_thread_stop(void) {
     gr_refresh_backend();
 }
 
+int gl_renderer_vendor_is_nvidia(void) { return s_vendor_nvidia; }
+
 int gl_renderer_render_thread_active(void) { return s_rth_on; }
 
 /* Frame boundary (once per vblank, after the present): hand the context back
diff --git a/runtime/src/main.cpp b/runtime/src/main.cpp
index 221c3194..b91d724d 100644
--- a/runtime/src/main.cpp
+++ b/runtime/src/main.cpp
@@ -3958,11 +3958,18 @@ static int host_driver_vsync_unreliable(void) {
      * then costs a whole refresh (16.7 ms "GPU" at any internal scale,
      * render_busy 100 %), back-pressure slows the guest to 52-57 Hz, and
      * dynamic resolution drops for nothing. Swap interval 0 under the
-     * wall-clock pacer: 60.0 Hz, 4.4 ms. Exclusive fullscreen (2) keeps
-     * driver vsync. PSX_TRUST_DRIVER_VSYNC=1 restores it everywhere. */
+     * wall-clock pacer: 60.0 Hz, 4.4 ms.
+     *
+     * Scope is the measured case only: GL renderer active, the render thread
+     * running, GL_VENDOR NVIDIA, and not exclusive fullscreen (2). Other
+     * driver families, the unthreaded path and exclusive fullscreen keep
+     * driver vsync. Re-evaluated per call, so runtime fullscreen/renderer
+     * changes take effect. PSX_TRUST_DRIVER_VSYNC=1 keeps driver vsync. */
     if (const char *e = std::getenv("PSX_TRUST_DRIVER_VSYNC"); e && e[0] && e[0] != '0')
         return 0;
-    return (g_video_renderer == 1 && g_fullscreen != 2) ? 1 : 0;
+    return (g_video_renderer == 1 && g_gl_active && g_fullscreen != 2 &&
+            gl_renderer_render_thread_active() &&
+            gl_renderer_vendor_is_nvidia()) ? 1 : 0;
 #else
     static int cached = -1;
     if (cached >= 0)
@@ -4076,7 +4083,7 @@ static void log_present_cadence(void) {
                             "(%.4f ms/frame); driver vsync off (%s)\n",
                             g_frame_period_ms,
 #ifdef _WIN32
-                            "Windows GL: DWM composes"
+                            "Windows GL, NVIDIA render thread: DWM composes"
 #else
                             "under WSL"
 #endif