diff --git a/.agents/MEMORY.md b/.agents/MEMORY.md
index 24284fc..698cee7 100644
--- a/.agents/MEMORY.md
+++ b/.agents/MEMORY.md
@@ -34,9 +34,17 @@ loopback; current phase is Phase 7.
 - **systemd autostart**: `systemd/screencast-receiver.service` is a
   template (`__SC_RECEIVER_BIN__`/`__SC_RECEIVER_USER__`); the install
   script substitutes and enables it (opt out: `SC_RECEIVER_SERVICE=0`),
-  adding the run user to video/render/input for headless KMSDRM.
-  Lifecycle-validated with a user unit on this machine: SIGTERM stop →
-  clean exit (success), mDNS withdrawn, no restart.
+  adding the run user to video/render/input for headless KMSDRM. The unit
+  gets a controlling tty (StandardInput=tty, tty1) because SDL's KMSDRM
+  backend needs one for VT handling.
+- **Fullscreen headless rendering**: under the KMSDRM video driver (no
+  window manager) the renderer goes fullscreen automatically; --fullscreen
+  forces it on desktops. Aspect is preserved via
+  SDL_SetRenderLogicalPresentation(LETTERBOX) (verified: 4:3 feed on a
+  3440x1440 monitor rendered with black pillarbox bars; --fullscreen
+  window covered the full monitor). The service lifecycle was validated
+  with a user unit: SIGTERM stop → clean exit (success), mDNS withdrawn,
+  no restart.
 - **mDNS operational lesson (hit during validation)**: `kill -9` on a
   process holding an avahi registration leaves stale daemon records; the
   service then browses but never resolves (timeout for every peer) until
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e5504ff..f50550b 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -57,7 +57,9 @@ installs and enables a systemd service so the receiver starts at boot —
 
 Performance note: decoding is software H.264; on very small boards expect
 smooth playback for modest resolutions and reduced frame rates at high
-resolutions. Hardware decode is planned for Phase 7.
+resolutions. Hardware decode is planned for Phase 7. On a headless console
+the receiver runs fullscreen automatically with aspect-preserving
+letterboxing.
 
 ## Architecture
 
diff --git a/docs/RUNBOOK.md b/docs/RUNBOOK.md
index ca847b5..adfde88 100644
--- a/docs/RUNBOOK.md
+++ b/docs/RUNBOOK.md
@@ -102,6 +102,11 @@ the recommended setup for small boards (Raspberry Pi OS **Lite**):
 3. Disable console blanking: append `consoleblank=0` to
    `/boot/firmware/cmdline.txt` and reboot.
 
+Under KMSDRM the receiver goes **fullscreen automatically**, with
+aspect-preserving letterboxing (a 4:3 desktop on a 16:9 TV shows black
+bars, not a stretched picture) and no mouse cursor. On desktop sessions
+`--fullscreen` forces the same behavior.
+
 A window manager only comes with the desktop-session alternative, where
 the receiver runs inside it (uncomment the `Environment=` lines in the
 service file as described above).
diff --git a/include/screencast/app/cli.h b/include/screencast/app/cli.h
index aa18d50..959cb16 100644
--- a/include/screencast/app/cli.h
+++ b/include/screencast/app/cli.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ struct ReceiveCommand {
     std::string_view peer_address; // optional, informational
     int local_rtp_port = 5004;
     int signaling_port = 5005;
+    bool fullscreen = false;
 };
 
 struct DiscoverCommand {
diff --git a/include/screencast/render/renderer.h b/include/screencast/render/renderer.h
index e78607b..0fd707f 100644
--- a/include/screencast/render/renderer.h
+++ b/include/screencast/render/renderer.h
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ struct RendererConfig {
     std::string window_title = "screencast receiver";
     int initial_width = 1280;
     int initial_height = 720;
+    // Borderless fullscreen. On the headless KMSDRM backend (no window
+    // manager) fullscreen is enabled automatically.
+    bool fullscreen = false;
 };
 
 class Renderer {
diff --git a/src/app/cli.cpp b/src/app/cli.cpp
index 1a3f7cf..50e03af 100644
--- a/src/app/cli.cpp
+++ b/src/app/cli.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ namespace {
 
 void print_usage() {
     std::fputs("usage: screencast --send [--target monitor|window] [--peer HOST[:PORT]] [--bitrate KBPS]\n"
-               "       screencast --receive [--port PORT] [--signaling-port PORT]\n"
+               "       screencast --receive [--port PORT] [--signaling-port PORT] [--fullscreen]\n"
                "       screencast --discover [--timeout SECONDS]\n"
                "\n"
                "--send without --peer discovers a receiver on the LAN and requires\n"
@@ -110,6 +110,8 @@ std::optional<Command> parse_cli(int argc, const char* const argv[]) {
                 return std::nullopt;
             }
             receive.signaling_port = port;
+        } else if (argument == "--fullscreen") {
+            receive.fullscreen = true;
         } else if (argument == "--timeout") {
             std::string_view value;
             if (!next_argument(argc, argv, index, value) || !parse_int(value, discover.timeout_seconds) ||
diff --git a/src/app/main.cpp b/src/app/main.cpp
index 89a571c..eb34a67 100644
--- a/src/app/main.cpp
+++ b/src/app/main.cpp
@@ -214,6 +214,9 @@ int run_receiver(const sc::ReceiveCommand& command) {
     sc::ReceiverPipelineConfig config;
     config.local_rtp_endpoint = sc::Endpoint{"0.0.0.0", static_cast<std::uint16_t>(command.local_rtp_port)};
     config.signaling_port = static_cast<std::uint16_t>(command.signaling_port);
+    // Fullscreen is automatic under KMSDRM (headless); the flag forces it
+    // on desktop sessions.
+    config.renderer.fullscreen = command.fullscreen;
 
     sc::ReceiverPipeline pipeline{std::move(config)};
     if (!pipeline.start()) {
diff --git a/src/render/sdl_renderer.cpp b/src/render/sdl_renderer.cpp
index 772cdfb..9118a1d 100644
--- a/src/render/sdl_renderer.cpp
+++ b/src/render/sdl_renderer.cpp
@@ -34,12 +34,23 @@ class SdlRenderer final : public Renderer {
         }
         sdl_inited_ = true;
 
-        window_ = SDL_CreateWindow(config_.window_title.c_str(), config_.initial_width, config_.initial_height, 0);
+        // Without a window manager (SDL KMSDRM backend) a windowed window is
+        // meaningless: go fullscreen automatically. --fullscreen forces it
+        // on desktop sessions too.
+        const char* video_driver = SDL_GetCurrentVideoDriver();
+        fullscreen_ = config_.fullscreen || (video_driver != nullptr && std::string_view{video_driver} == "kmsdrm");
+
+        const SDL_WindowFlags window_flags = fullscreen_ ? SDL_WINDOW_FULLSCREEN : 0;
+        window_ =
+            SDL_CreateWindow(config_.window_title.c_str(), config_.initial_width, config_.initial_height, window_flags);
         if (window_ == nullptr) {
             last_error_ = std::string{"SDL_CreateWindow failed: "} + SDL_GetError();
             shutdown();
             return false;
         }
+        if (fullscreen_) {
+            (void)SDL_HideCursor();
+        }
 
         renderer_ = SDL_CreateRenderer(window_, nullptr);
         if (renderer_ == nullptr) {
@@ -76,6 +87,10 @@ class SdlRenderer final : public Renderer {
         if (!SDL_UpdateTexture(texture_, nullptr, frame.rgba_pixels.data(), pitch)) {
             return false;
         }
+        // Clear first so the letterbox bars stay black between frames.
+        if (!SDL_RenderClear(renderer_)) {
+            return false;
+        }
         if (!SDL_RenderTexture(renderer_, texture_, nullptr, nullptr)) {
             return false;
         }
@@ -132,6 +147,10 @@ class SdlRenderer final : public Renderer {
         }
         texture_width_ = width;
         texture_height_ = height;
+
+        // Present the video at its own aspect ratio: letterbox anything
+        // else (e.g. a 3:2 desktop on a 16:9 TV) instead of stretching.
+        (void)SDL_SetRenderLogicalPresentation(renderer_, width, height, SDL_LOGICAL_PRESENTATION_LETTERBOX);
         return true;
     }
 
@@ -139,6 +158,7 @@ class SdlRenderer final : public Renderer {
     std::string last_error_;
     bool sdl_inited_ = false;
     bool closed_ = false;
+    bool fullscreen_ = false;
     SDL_Window* window_ = nullptr;
     SDL_Renderer* renderer_ = nullptr;
     SDL_Texture* texture_ = nullptr;