diff --git a/src/video.cpp b/src/video.cpp
index a4a3aed6..b2c22242 100644
--- a/src/video.cpp
+++ b/src/video.cpp
@@ -2241,11 +2241,8 @@ namespace video {
       BOOST_LOG(info) << "Encoder ["sv << encoder.name << "] failed"sv;
     });
 
-    auto force_hevc = active_hevc_mode >= 2;
-    auto test_hevc = force_hevc || (active_hevc_mode == 0 && !(encoder.flags & H264_ONLY));
-
-    auto force_av1 = active_av1_mode >= 2;
-    auto test_av1 = force_av1 || (active_av1_mode == 0 && !(encoder.flags & H264_ONLY));
+    auto test_hevc = active_hevc_mode >= 2 || (active_hevc_mode == 0 && !(encoder.flags & H264_ONLY));
+    auto test_av1 = active_av1_mode >= 2 || (active_av1_mode == 0 && !(encoder.flags & H264_ONLY));
 
     encoder.h264.capabilities.set();
     encoder.hevc.capabilities.set();
@@ -2303,18 +2300,11 @@ namespace video {
     retry_hevc:
       auto max_ref_frames_hevc = validate_config(disp, encoder, config_max_ref_frames);
       auto autoselect_hevc = max_ref_frames_hevc >= 0 ? max_ref_frames_hevc : validate_config(disp, encoder, config_autoselect);
-      if (autoselect_hevc < 0) {
-        if (encoder.hevc.qp && encoder.hevc[encoder_t::CBR]) {
-          // It's possible the encoder isn't accepting Constant Bit Rate. Turn off CBR and make another attempt
-          encoder.hevc.capabilities.set();
-          encoder.hevc[encoder_t::CBR] = false;
-          goto retry_hevc;
-        }
-
-        // If HEVC must be supported, but it is not supported
-        if (force_hevc) {
-          return false;
-        }
+      if (autoselect_hevc < 0 && encoder.hevc.qp && encoder.hevc[encoder_t::CBR]) {
+        // It's possible the encoder isn't accepting Constant Bit Rate. Turn off CBR and make another attempt
+        encoder.hevc.capabilities.set();
+        encoder.hevc[encoder_t::CBR] = false;
+        goto retry_hevc;
       }
 
       for (auto [validate_flag, encoder_flag] : packet_deficiencies) {
@@ -2336,18 +2326,11 @@ namespace video {
     retry_av1:
       auto max_ref_frames_av1 = validate_config(disp, encoder, config_max_ref_frames);
       auto autoselect_av1 = max_ref_frames_av1 >= 0 ? max_ref_frames_av1 : validate_config(disp, encoder, config_autoselect);
-      if (autoselect_av1 < 0) {
-        if (encoder.av1.qp && encoder.av1[encoder_t::CBR]) {
-          // It's possible the encoder isn't accepting Constant Bit Rate. Turn off CBR and make another attempt
-          encoder.av1.capabilities.set();
-          encoder.av1[encoder_t::CBR] = false;
-          goto retry_av1;
-        }
-
-        // If AV1 must be supported, but it is not supported
-        if (force_av1) {
-          return false;
-        }
+      if (autoselect_av1 < 0 && encoder.av1.qp && encoder.av1[encoder_t::CBR]) {
+        // It's possible the encoder isn't accepting Constant Bit Rate. Turn off CBR and make another attempt
+        encoder.av1.capabilities.set();
+        encoder.av1[encoder_t::CBR] = false;
+        goto retry_av1;
       }
 
       for (auto [validate_flag, encoder_flag] : packet_deficiencies) {
@@ -2419,6 +2402,27 @@ namespace video {
     active_av1_mode = config::video.av1_mode;
     last_encoder_probe_supported_ref_frames_invalidation = false;
 
+    auto adjust_encoder_constraints = [&](encoder_t *encoder) {
+      // If we can't satisfy both the encoder and codec requirement, prefer the encoder over codec support
+      if (active_hevc_mode == 3 && !encoder->hevc[encoder_t::DYNAMIC_RANGE]) {
+        BOOST_LOG(warning) << "Encoder ["sv << encoder->name << "] does not support HEVC Main10 on this system"sv;
+        active_hevc_mode = 0;
+      }
+      else if (active_hevc_mode == 2 && !encoder->hevc[encoder_t::PASSED]) {
+        BOOST_LOG(warning) << "Encoder ["sv << encoder->name << "] does not support HEVC on this system"sv;
+        active_hevc_mode = 0;
+      }
+
+      if (active_av1_mode == 3 && !encoder->av1[encoder_t::DYNAMIC_RANGE]) {
+        BOOST_LOG(warning) << "Encoder ["sv << encoder->name << "] does not support AV1 Main10 on this system"sv;
+        active_av1_mode = 0;
+      }
+      else if (active_av1_mode == 2 && !encoder->av1[encoder_t::PASSED]) {
+        BOOST_LOG(warning) << "Encoder ["sv << encoder->name << "] does not support AV1 on this system"sv;
+        active_av1_mode = 0;
+      }
+    };
+
     if (!config::video.encoder.empty()) {
       // If there is a specific encoder specified, use it if it passes validation
       KITTY_WHILE_LOOP(auto pos = std::begin(encoder_list), pos != std::end(encoder_list), {
@@ -2431,15 +2435,8 @@ namespace video {
             break;
           }
 
-          // If we can't satisfy both the encoder and HDR requirement, prefer the encoder over HDR support
-          if (active_hevc_mode == 3 && !encoder->hevc[encoder_t::DYNAMIC_RANGE]) {
-            BOOST_LOG(warning) << "Encoder ["sv << config::video.encoder << "] does not support HEVC Main10 on this system"sv;
-            active_hevc_mode = 0;
-          }
-          if (active_av1_mode == 3 && !encoder->av1[encoder_t::DYNAMIC_RANGE]) {
-            BOOST_LOG(warning) << "Encoder ["sv << config::video.encoder << "] does not support AV1 Main10 on this system"sv;
-            active_av1_mode = 0;
-          }
+          // We will return an encoder here even if it fails one of the codec requirements specified by the user
+          adjust_encoder_constraints(encoder);
 
           chosen_encoder = encoder;
           break;
@@ -2455,8 +2452,8 @@ namespace video {
 
     BOOST_LOG(info) << "// Testing for available encoders, this may generate errors. You can safely ignore those errors. //"sv;
 
-    // If we haven't found an encoder yet, but we want one with HDR support, search for that now.
-    if (chosen_encoder == nullptr && (active_hevc_mode == 3 || active_av1_mode == 3)) {
+    // If we haven't found an encoder yet, but we want one with specific codec support, search for that now.
+    if (chosen_encoder == nullptr && (active_hevc_mode >= 2 || active_av1_mode >= 2)) {
       KITTY_WHILE_LOOP(auto pos = std::begin(encoder_list), pos != std::end(encoder_list), {
         auto encoder = *pos;
 
@@ -2466,7 +2463,14 @@ namespace video {
           continue;
         }
 
-        // Skip it if it doesn't support HDR
+        // Skip it if it doesn't support the specified codec at all
+        if ((active_hevc_mode >= 2 && !encoder->hevc[encoder_t::PASSED]) ||
+            (active_av1_mode >= 2 && !encoder->av1[encoder_t::PASSED])) {
+          pos++;
+          continue;
+        }
+
+        // Skip it if it doesn't support HDR on the specified codec
         if ((active_hevc_mode == 3 && !encoder->hevc[encoder_t::DYNAMIC_RANGE]) ||
             (active_av1_mode == 3 && !encoder->av1[encoder_t::DYNAMIC_RANGE])) {
           pos++;
@@ -2478,7 +2482,7 @@ namespace video {
       });
 
       if (chosen_encoder == nullptr) {
-        BOOST_LOG(error) << "Couldn't find any working HDR-capable encoder"sv;
+        BOOST_LOG(error) << "Couldn't find any working encoder that meets HEVC/AV1 requirements"sv;
       }
     }
 
@@ -2496,6 +2500,9 @@ namespace video {
           continue;
         }
 
+        // We will return an encoder here even if it fails one of the codec requirements specified by the user
+        adjust_encoder_constraints(encoder);
+
         chosen_encoder = encoder;
         break;
       });