diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 28d642b7..e94e5447 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -7,6 +7,10 @@ The format is based on [Keep a Changelog](https://keepachangelog.com/).
 
 ### Added
 
+- Launcher rendering mode `CODEX_LINUX_RENDERING_MODE=wayland-gpu`, which
+  forces native Wayland with GPU compositing enabled and skips forced renderer
+  accessibility by default for Wayland desktops where XWayland or software
+  rendering is unstable.
 - New opt-in Linux feature `read-aloud-mcp` that stages a standalone Rust Read
   Aloud MCP plugin with `doctor`, `read_aloud`, and `stop` tools. The MCP server
   reuses the Kokoro runner/model configuration from the Read Aloud UI feature
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 04d83059..a52bf77b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ Optional Linux-only additions live in `linux-features/`. Use them for integratio
 | Atomic desktops / other Linux distros | none | `.AppImage` | Local self-build only; no bundled auto-updater |
 | NixOS / Nix | flake | runnable directly | `nix run github:ilysenko/codex-desktop-linux` |
 
-Anything systemd-based should work for the optional auto-updater service (`systemd --user`). The launcher targets Wayland with `XWayland` first (better Electron popup positioning); pure Wayland sessions fall through to `--ozone-platform-hint=auto`. X11 is fully supported.
+Anything systemd-based should work for the optional auto-updater service (`systemd --user`). The launcher targets Wayland with `XWayland` first (better Electron popup positioning); pure Wayland sessions fall through to `--ozone-platform-hint=auto`. X11 is fully supported. If XWayland or software rendering is unstable on a Wayland desktop, `CODEX_LINUX_RENDERING_MODE=wayland-gpu` forces native Wayland while keeping GPU compositing enabled.
 
 ## What you get
 
@@ -528,7 +528,7 @@ make clean-state
 | `CODEX_CLI_PATH` error | Reopen the app to retry the automatic CLI install flow, or install manually with `npm i -g @openai/codex` / `npm i -g --prefix ~/.local @openai/codex` |
 | `gh auth status` works in a terminal but fails inside Codex Desktop | The app shell may be using isolated XDG paths or missing keyring DBus access. See [GitHub CLI auth in app-launched shells](docs/github-cli-auth.md) |
 | Electron hangs while CLI is outdated | Re-run the launcher and check `~/.cache/codex-desktop/launcher.log` plus `~/.local/state/codex-update-manager/service.log`. Best-effort CLI preflight will warn if the automatic refresh fails |
-| GPU / Vulkan / Wayland errors | Under Wayland with `DISPLAY` available, the launcher uses `--ozone-platform=x11` for window-positioning compatibility. Otherwise it uses `--ozone-platform-hint=auto`. The GPU sandbox is disabled by default, while GPU compositing stays enabled |
+| GPU / Vulkan / Wayland errors | Under Wayland with `DISPLAY` available, the launcher uses `--ozone-platform=x11` for window-positioning compatibility. Otherwise it uses `--ozone-platform-hint=auto`. The GPU sandbox is disabled by default, while GPU compositing stays enabled. On desktops where XWayland or software rendering hangs, such as some COSMIC/NVIDIA sessions, try `CODEX_LINUX_RENDERING_MODE=wayland-gpu ./codex-app/start.sh` |
 | Window flickering | Try `CODEX_ELECTRON_DISABLE_GPU_COMPOSITING=1 ./codex-app/start.sh` to use the legacy compositing workaround. If flickering persists, try `./codex-app/start.sh --disable-gpu` to fully disable GPU acceleration |
 | Sandbox errors | The launcher already sets `--no-sandbox` |
 | Stale install / cached DMG | `make build-app-fresh` removes the existing install dir and cached DMG, then re-downloads |
diff --git a/launcher/start.sh.template b/launcher/start.sh.template
index b366da43..8061e792 100644
--- a/launcher/start.sh.template
+++ b/launcher/start.sh.template
@@ -218,12 +218,13 @@ Default launch keeps Electron GPU enabled and lets Electron choose the platform.
 Extra flags are passed directly to Electron.
 
 Environment:
-  CODEX_LINUX_RENDERING_MODE=auto|default|wslg
-                              Auto-detect WSLg, keep generic Linux defaults, or force the WSLg profile
+  CODEX_LINUX_RENDERING_MODE=auto|default|wslg|wayland-gpu
+                              Auto-detect WSLg, keep generic Linux defaults, force the WSLg profile,
+                              or force native Wayland with GPU compositing enabled
   CODEX_ELECTRON_DISABLE_GPU_COMPOSITING=0|1
                               Set to 1 to add --disable-gpu-compositing for flicker workarounds
   CODEX_FORCE_RENDERER_ACCESSIBILITY=auto|0|1
-                              Override --force-renderer-accessibility; auto skips it under WSLg
+                              Override --force-renderer-accessibility; auto skips it under WSLg and wayland-gpu
   CODEX_MULTI_LAUNCH=1        Treat normal launches like --new-instance
   CODEX_MULTI_LAUNCH_PORT_RANGE=START-END
                               Port allocation range for --new-instance (default: CODEX_WEBVIEW_PORT through +4)
@@ -1735,7 +1736,7 @@ is_wslg_session() {
 
 normalize_linux_rendering_mode() {
     case "${CODEX_LINUX_RENDERING_MODE:-auto}" in
-        auto|default|wslg)
+        auto|default|wslg|wayland-gpu)
             echo "${CODEX_LINUX_RENDERING_MODE:-auto}"
             ;;
         *)
@@ -1761,7 +1762,11 @@ falsey_env_value() {
 
 scan_electron_rendering_arg() {
     case "$1" in
-        --ozone-platform|--ozone-platform=*|--ozone-platform-hint|--ozone-platform-hint=*)
+        --ozone-platform=*)
+            ELECTRON_OZONE_SWITCH_IN_ARGS=1
+            ELECTRON_OZONE_PLATFORM_ARG="${1#--ozone-platform=}"
+            ;;
+        --ozone-platform|--ozone-platform-hint|--ozone-platform-hint=*)
             ELECTRON_OZONE_SWITCH_IN_ARGS=1
             ;;
         --use-gl|--use-gl=*|--use-angle|--use-angle=*)
@@ -1797,6 +1802,13 @@ apply_electron_rendering_profile() {
         default)
             return 0
             ;;
+        wayland-gpu)
+            if [ "$ELECTRON_PLATFORM_EXPLICIT" -eq 0 ] && [ "$ELECTRON_OZONE_SWITCH_IN_ARGS" -eq 0 ]; then
+                ELECTRON_OZONE_PLATFORM="wayland"
+                ELECTRON_OZONE_HINT=""
+            fi
+            return 0
+            ;;
     esac
 
     [ "$ELECTRON_RENDERING_MODE" = "wslg" ] || return 0
@@ -1831,7 +1843,20 @@ should_disable_gpu_compositing() {
     return 1
 }
 
+effective_electron_ozone_platform() {
+    if [ -n "$ELECTRON_OZONE_PLATFORM" ]; then
+        echo "$ELECTRON_OZONE_PLATFORM"
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    if [ -n "$ELECTRON_OZONE_PLATFORM_ARG" ]; then
+        echo "$ELECTRON_OZONE_PLATFORM_ARG"
+    fi
+}
+
 should_force_renderer_accessibility() {
+    local effective_platform
+
     if [ -n "${CODEX_FORCE_RENDERER_ACCESSIBILITY:-}" ]; then
         if truthy_env_value "$CODEX_FORCE_RENDERER_ACCESSIBILITY"; then
             return 0
@@ -1847,7 +1872,18 @@ should_force_renderer_accessibility() {
         esac
     fi
 
-    [ "$ELECTRON_RENDERING_MODE" != "wslg" ]
+    case "$ELECTRON_RENDERING_MODE" in
+        wslg)
+            return 1
+            ;;
+        wayland-gpu)
+            effective_platform="$(effective_electron_ozone_platform)"
+            [ "$effective_platform" = "wayland" ] && return 1
+            return 0
+            ;;
+    esac
+
+    return 0
 }
 
 set_electron_defaults() {
@@ -1858,6 +1894,7 @@ set_electron_defaults() {
     ELECTRON_WSLG_DETECTED=0
     ELECTRON_PLATFORM_EXPLICIT=0
     ELECTRON_OZONE_SWITCH_IN_ARGS=0
+    ELECTRON_OZONE_PLATFORM_ARG=""
     ELECTRON_GL_SWITCH_PROVIDED=0
     ELECTRON_GL_SWITCH_ADDED=0
     ELECTRON_GPU_DISABLE_SWITCH_IN_ARGS=0
diff --git a/tests/scripts_smoke.sh b/tests/scripts_smoke.sh
index f8672e79..2a39c063 100755
--- a/tests/scripts_smoke.sh
+++ b/tests/scripts_smoke.sh
@@ -2088,6 +2088,27 @@ PY
     [[ "$output" == *"electron=<--ozone-platform=x11>"* ]] || fail "pass-through ozone platform must reach Electron: $output"
     [[ "$output" != *"<--ozone-platform-hint=auto>"* ]] || fail "launcher must not add ozone hint when pass-through supplies an ozone platform: $output"
 
+    output="$(env -i PATH="$PATH" HOME="$HOME" CODEX_LINUX_RENDERING_MODE=wayland-gpu "$launcher_probe" probe)"
+    [[ "$output" == *"mode=wayland-gpu"* && "$output" == *"ozone_platform=wayland"* && "$output" == *"gpu=1"* ]] || fail "wayland-gpu profile must force native Wayland with GPU enabled: $output"
+    [[ "$output" == *"comp=0"* && "$output" != *"<--disable-gpu-compositing>"* ]] || fail "wayland-gpu profile must keep GPU compositing enabled: $output"
+    [[ "$output" == *"<--ozone-platform=wayland>"* && "$output" == *"<--enable-features=WaylandWindowDecorations>"* ]] || fail "wayland-gpu profile must add Wayland launch args: $output"
+    [[ "$output" == *"renderer_accessibility=0"* && "$output" != *"<--force-renderer-accessibility>"* ]] || fail "wayland-gpu profile must skip renderer accessibility by default: $output"
+
+    output="$(env -i PATH="$PATH" HOME="$HOME" CODEX_LINUX_RENDERING_MODE=wayland-gpu CODEX_FORCE_RENDERER_ACCESSIBILITY=1 "$launcher_probe" probe)"
+    [[ "$output" == *"renderer_accessibility=1"* && "$output" == *"<--force-renderer-accessibility>"* ]] || fail "CODEX_FORCE_RENDERER_ACCESSIBILITY=1 must force renderer accessibility under wayland-gpu: $output"
+
+    output="$(env -i PATH="$PATH" HOME="$HOME" CODEX_LINUX_RENDERING_MODE=wayland-gpu "$launcher_probe" probe --x11)"
+    [[ "$output" == *"mode=wayland-gpu"* && "$output" == *"ozone_platform=x11"* ]] || fail "explicit --x11 must override the wayland-gpu platform: $output"
+    [[ "$output" == *"renderer_accessibility=1"* && "$output" == *"<--force-renderer-accessibility>"* ]] || fail "wayland-gpu with explicit --x11 must keep X11 renderer accessibility default: $output"
+
+    output="$(env -i PATH="$PATH" HOME="$HOME" CODEX_LINUX_RENDERING_MODE=wayland-gpu "$launcher_probe" probe --safe-mode)"
+    [[ "$output" == *"mode=wayland-gpu"* && "$output" == *"ozone_platform=x11"* && "$output" == *"gpu=0"* ]] || fail "safe-mode must override wayland-gpu to X11 software rendering: $output"
+    [[ "$output" == *"renderer_accessibility=1"* && "$output" == *"<--force-renderer-accessibility>"* ]] || fail "wayland-gpu with safe-mode must keep X11 renderer accessibility default: $output"
+
+    output="$(env -i PATH="$PATH" HOME="$HOME" CODEX_LINUX_RENDERING_MODE=wayland-gpu "$launcher_probe" probe -- --ozone-platform=x11)"
+    [[ "$output" == *"electron=<--ozone-platform=x11>"* && "$output" != *"<--ozone-platform-hint=auto>"* ]] || fail "pass-through X11 platform must override wayland-gpu hinting: $output"
+    [[ "$output" == *"renderer_accessibility=1"* && "$output" == *"<--force-renderer-accessibility>"* ]] || fail "wayland-gpu with pass-through X11 platform must keep X11 renderer accessibility default: $output"
+
     output="$(env -i PATH="$PATH" HOME="$HOME" CODEX_LINUX_RENDERING_MODE=wslg "$launcher_probe" probe)"
     [[ "$output" == *"mode=wslg"* && "$output" == *"comp=0"* && "$output" == *"gl_added=1"* ]] || fail "forced WSLg profile must keep GPU compositing enabled and add ANGLE: $output"
     [[ "$output" == *"<--ozone-platform=x11>"* && "$output" == *"electron=<--use-gl=angle>"* ]] || fail "forced WSLg profile must use X11 and ANGLE by default: $output"
@@ -2142,6 +2163,7 @@ PY
     assert_contains "$REPO_DIR/launcher/start.sh.template" '--app-id="$CODEX_LINUX_APP_ID"'
     assert_contains "$REPO_DIR/scripts/lib/process-detection.sh" "CODEX_APP_ID"
     assert_contains "$REPO_DIR/launcher/start.sh.template" 'ELECTRON_OZONE_HINT="auto"'
+    assert_contains "$REPO_DIR/launcher/start.sh.template" "CODEX_LINUX_RENDERING_MODE=auto|default|wslg|wayland-gpu"
     assert_contains "$REPO_DIR/launcher/start.sh.template" '--ozone-platform-hint="$ELECTRON_OZONE_HINT"'
     assert_contains "$REPO_DIR/launcher/start.sh.template" "--disable-gpu-sandbox"
     assert_contains "$REPO_DIR/launcher/start.sh.template" "--force-renderer-accessibility"