diff --git a/src/avhw.rs b/src/avhw.rs
index 284887e..446c175 100644
--- a/src/avhw.rs
+++ b/src/avhw.rs
@@ -25,6 +25,9 @@ use crate::transform::{transpose_if_transform_transposed, Transform};
 pub enum BitrateCommand {
     UpdateBitrate { target_bps: u64 },
     UpdateResolution { width: u32, height: u32 },
+    /// Force the next encoded frame to be an IDR. Sent by the WebRTC thread
+    /// in response to str0m `Event::KeyframeRequest` or a resolution change.
+    ForceKeyframe,
 }
 
 #[derive(Clone, Copy, Debug)]
@@ -856,6 +859,7 @@ impl SwEncImport {
                     requested = Some((width & !1, height & !1));
                 }
                 BitrateCommand::UpdateBitrate { .. } => {}
+                BitrateCommand::ForceKeyframe => {}
             }
         }
 
@@ -966,6 +970,10 @@ pub struct SwEncEncode {
     fps: u32,
     bitrate: u64,
     gop_size: u32,
+    /// Set true when WebRTC requests a keyframe. Forces the next frame to
+    /// `AV_PICTURE_TYPE_I` and bypasses the dedup hash check. Cleared only
+    /// after `avcodec_send_frame` accepts the forced frame.
+    force_keyframe_pending: bool,
 }
 
 const FNV1A_OFFSET_BASIS: u64 = 0xcbf29ce484222325;
@@ -1028,6 +1036,7 @@ impl SwEncEncode {
             fps,
             bitrate,
             gop_size,
+            force_keyframe_pending: false,
         })
     }
 
@@ -1066,6 +1075,7 @@ impl SwEncEncode {
             fps,
             bitrate,
             gop_size,
+            force_keyframe_pending: false,
         })
     }
 
@@ -1103,9 +1113,15 @@ impl SwEncEncode {
                     }
                 }
                 BitrateCommand::UpdateResolution { .. } => {}
+                BitrateCommand::ForceKeyframe => {
+                    self.force_keyframe_pending = true;
+                    tracing::debug!("encode thread: ForceKeyframe requested");
+                }
             }
         }
 
+        let force_this_frame = self.force_keyframe_pending;
+
         while let Ok(change) = self.resolution_rx.try_recv() {
             self.recreate_encoder(change.width, change.height)?;
         }
@@ -1130,7 +1146,7 @@ impl SwEncEncode {
         self.frame_count = self.frame_count.saturating_add(1);
         let current_hash = hash_sampled_y_plane(&frame.y_data, width, height, frame.y_stride);
         let force_gop_frame = self.gop_size > 0 && frame_index % u64::from(self.gop_size) == 0;
-        if frame_index > 0 && !force_gop_frame && current_hash == self.last_frame_hash {
+        if frame_index > 0 && !force_gop_frame && !force_this_frame && current_hash == self.last_frame_hash {
             tracing::debug!(frame_index, "skipping duplicate frame");
             self.last_frame_hash = current_hash;
             return Ok(());
@@ -1172,8 +1188,16 @@ impl SwEncEncode {
         let start_ts = self.starting_timestamp.unwrap_or(0);
 
         // SAFETY: yuv_frame is initialized, writable, and matches the opened encoder format.
+        // pict_type is reset every frame: the AVFrame is reused, so without resetting to NONE
+        // a previously-forced I-type would leak into subsequent P-frames. With forced-idr=1
+        // set on the encoder, AV_PICTURE_TYPE_I produces a true IDR NALU.
         unsafe {
             (*self.yuv_frame).pts = pts;
+            (*self.yuv_frame).pict_type = if force_this_frame {
+                ffi::AVPictureType::AV_PICTURE_TYPE_I
+            } else {
+                ffi::AVPictureType::AV_PICTURE_TYPE_NONE
+            };
             let ret = ffi::avcodec_send_frame(self.enc_video.as_mut_ptr(), self.yuv_frame);
             if ret < 0 {
                 bail!(
@@ -1183,6 +1207,10 @@ impl SwEncEncode {
             }
         }
 
+        if force_this_frame {
+            self.force_keyframe_pending = false;
+        }
+
         self.drain_encoder(start_ts)
     }
 
@@ -1215,6 +1243,7 @@ impl SwEncEncode {
         self.enc_height = height;
         self.last_frame_hash = 0;
         self.frame_count = 0;
+        self.force_keyframe_pending = true;
 
         Ok(())
     }
@@ -1741,6 +1770,14 @@ fn create_software_h264_encoder(
             // avcodec_alloc_context3. Setting level is a simple i32 field
             // assignment on a properly aligned struct.
             (*enc.as_mut_ptr()).level = 42; // H.264 Level 4.2 (up to 1440p@30)
+            // SAFETY: priv_data belongs to the unopened libx264 encoder context.
+            // `forced-idr` is an FFmpeg-level private option (not x264-native),
+            // so it must be set via av_opt_set, NOT via the x264opts string.
+            // With forced-idr=1, setting AV_PICTURE_TYPE_I on an input frame
+            // produces a true IDR NALU with inline SPS/PPS (repeat_headers=1).
+            let key = CString::new("forced-idr").unwrap();
+            let val = CString::new("1").unwrap();
+            ffi::av_opt_set((*enc.as_mut_ptr()).priv_data, key.as_ptr(), val.as_ptr(), 0);
             let key = CString::new("x264opts").unwrap();
             let vbv_maxrate = bitrate;
             let vbv_bufsize = bitrate / 4;
diff --git a/src/state_portal.rs b/src/state_portal.rs
index deefede..4b0a61d 100644
--- a/src/state_portal.rs
+++ b/src/state_portal.rs
@@ -702,6 +702,10 @@ fn webrtc_thread_loop(
             break;
         }
 
+        if wrtc.take_force_keyframe() {
+            let _ = bitrate_tx.try_send(BitrateCommand::ForceKeyframe);
+        }
+
         let connected = wrtc.is_connected();
         let was_paused = paused.load(Ordering::Relaxed);
         let now_paused = !connected;
diff --git a/src/webrtc.rs b/src/webrtc.rs
index c072318..d70b516 100644
--- a/src/webrtc.rs
+++ b/src/webrtc.rs
@@ -200,6 +200,7 @@ struct WebRtcInner {
     video_pt: Option<Pt>,
     connected: bool,
     need_keyframe: bool,
+    force_keyframe_to_encode: bool,
     current_bwe_estimate: Option<Bitrate>,
     rtp_clock: u32,
     buf: Vec<u8>,
@@ -353,6 +354,17 @@ impl WebRtcState {
     pub fn set_need_keyframe(&mut self) {
         if let Some(inner) = self.inner.as_mut() {
             inner.need_keyframe = true;
+            inner.force_keyframe_to_encode = true;
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn take_force_keyframe(&mut self) -> bool {
+        if let Some(inner) = self.inner.as_mut() {
+            let v = inner.force_keyframe_to_encode;
+            inner.force_keyframe_to_encode = false;
+            v
+        } else {
+            false
         }
     }
 }
@@ -429,6 +441,7 @@ impl WebRtcInner {
             video_pt: None,
             connected: false,
             need_keyframe: false,
+            force_keyframe_to_encode: false,
             current_bwe_estimate: None,
             rtp_clock: 0,
             buf: vec![0u8; 65535],
@@ -446,6 +459,7 @@ impl WebRtcInner {
             .map_err(|e| anyhow::anyhow!("accept_offer: {e}"))?;
 
         self.need_keyframe = true;
+        self.force_keyframe_to_encode = true;
         tracing::info!("SDP exchange complete, waiting for ICE/DTLS...");
 
         self.discover_video_params();
@@ -503,6 +517,7 @@ impl WebRtcInner {
                             tracing::info!("WebRTC connected!");
                             self.connected = true;
                             self.need_keyframe = true;
+                            self.force_keyframe_to_encode = true;
                             self.discover_video_params();
                         }
                         Event::IceConnectionStateChange(IceConnectionState::Disconnected) => {
@@ -525,6 +540,7 @@ impl WebRtcInner {
                         Event::KeyframeRequest(_) => {
                             tracing::info!("received keyframe request from viewer");
                             self.need_keyframe = true;
+                            self.force_keyframe_to_encode = true;
                         }
                         Event::EgressBitrateEstimate(est) => {
                             let bitrate = match est {