diff --git a/video/decode/vd_lavc.c b/video/decode/vd_lavc.c
index 5e9b30d453..aac9f81839 100644
--- a/video/decode/vd_lavc.c
+++ b/video/decode/vd_lavc.c
@@ -458,6 +458,17 @@ static void select_and_set_hwdec(struct dec_video *vd)
                     MP_VERBOSE(vd, "Could not create device.\n");
                     continue;
                 }
+
+                const struct hwcontext_fns *fns =
+                            hwdec_get_hwcontext_fns(hwdec->lavc_device);
+                if (fns && fns->is_emulated && fns->is_emulated(ctx->hwdec_dev)) {
+                    if (hwdec_auto) {
+                        MP_VERBOSE(vd, "Not using emulated API.\n");
+                        av_buffer_unref(&ctx->hwdec_dev);
+                        continue;
+                    }
+                    MP_WARN(vd, "Using emulated hardware decoding API.\n");
+                }
             }
 
             ctx->use_hwdec = true;
diff --git a/video/hwdec.h b/video/hwdec.h
index 34dd52e08b..2c0f19b606 100644
--- a/video/hwdec.h
+++ b/video/hwdec.h
@@ -119,6 +119,8 @@ struct hwcontext_fns {
     struct AVBufferRef *(*create_dev)(struct mpv_global *global,
                                       struct mp_log *log,
                                       struct hwcontext_create_dev_params *params);
+    // Return whether this is using some sort of sub-optimal emulation layer.
+    bool (*is_emulated)(struct AVBufferRef *hw_device_ctx);
 };
 
 // The parameter is of type enum AVHWDeviceType (as in int to avoid extensive
diff --git a/video/vaapi.c b/video/vaapi.c
index a6607b4aeb..00052cec39 100644
--- a/video/vaapi.c
+++ b/video/vaapi.c
@@ -204,10 +204,19 @@ VASurfaceID va_surface_id(struct mp_image *mpi)
         (VASurfaceID)(uintptr_t)mpi->planes[3] : VA_INVALID_ID;
 }
 
+static bool is_emulated(struct AVBufferRef *hw_device_ctx)
+{
+    AVHWDeviceContext *hwctx = (void *)hw_device_ctx->data;
+    AVVAAPIDeviceContext *vactx = hwctx->hwctx;
+
+    const char *s = vaQueryVendorString(vactx->display);
+    return s && strstr(s, "VDPAU backend");
+}
+
+
 bool va_guess_if_emulated(struct mp_vaapi_ctx *ctx)
 {
-    const char *s = vaQueryVendorString(ctx->display);
-    return s && strstr(s, "VDPAU backend");
+    return is_emulated(ctx->av_device_ref);
 }
 
 struct va_native_display {
@@ -327,4 +336,5 @@ static struct AVBufferRef *va_create_standalone(struct mpv_global *global,
 const struct hwcontext_fns hwcontext_fns_vaapi = {
     .av_hwdevice_type = AV_HWDEVICE_TYPE_VAAPI,
     .create_dev = va_create_standalone,
+    .is_emulated = is_emulated,
 };
diff --git a/video/vdpau.c b/video/vdpau.c
index 1785702fdb..d751849ec3 100644
--- a/video/vdpau.c
+++ b/video/vdpau.c
@@ -537,6 +537,26 @@ bool mp_vdpau_guess_if_emulated(struct mp_vdpau_ctx *ctx)
     return vdp_st == VDP_STATUS_OK && info && strstr(info, "VAAPI");
 }
 
+// (This clearly works only for contexts wrapped by our code.)
+struct mp_vdpau_ctx *mp_vdpau_get_ctx_from_av(AVBufferRef *hw_device_ctx)
+{
+    AVHWDeviceContext *hwctx = (void *)hw_device_ctx->data;
+
+    if (hwctx->free != free_device_ref)
+        return NULL; // not ours
+
+    return hwctx->user_opaque;
+}
+
+static bool is_emulated(struct AVBufferRef *hw_device_ctx)
+{
+    struct mp_vdpau_ctx *ctx = mp_vdpau_get_ctx_from_av(hw_device_ctx);
+    if (!ctx)
+        return false;
+
+    return mp_vdpau_guess_if_emulated(ctx);
+}
+
 static struct AVBufferRef *vdpau_create_standalone(struct mpv_global *global,
         struct mp_log *log, struct hwcontext_create_dev_params *params)
 {
@@ -555,11 +575,11 @@ static struct AVBufferRef *vdpau_create_standalone(struct mpv_global *global,
 
     vdp->hwctx.emulated = mp_vdpau_guess_if_emulated(vdp);
     vdp->close_display = true;
-    mp_warn(log, "idk\n");
     return vdp->hwctx.av_device_ref;
 }
 
 const struct hwcontext_fns hwcontext_fns_vdpau = {
     .av_hwdevice_type = AV_HWDEVICE_TYPE_VDPAU,
     .create_dev = vdpau_create_standalone,
+    .is_emulated = is_emulated,
 };
diff --git a/video/vdpau.h b/video/vdpau.h
index 118db8cbfe..b0f402c3f2 100644
--- a/video/vdpau.h
+++ b/video/vdpau.h
@@ -103,6 +103,8 @@ bool mp_vdpau_get_rgb_format(int imgfmt, VdpRGBAFormat *out_rgba_format);
 struct mp_image *mp_vdpau_upload_video_surface(struct mp_vdpau_ctx *ctx,
                                                struct mp_image *mpi);
 
+struct mp_vdpau_ctx *mp_vdpau_get_ctx_from_av(struct AVBufferRef *hw_device_ctx);
+
 bool mp_vdpau_guess_if_emulated(struct mp_vdpau_ctx *ctx);
 
 #endif