diff --git a/internal/agent/types.go b/internal/agent/types.go
index d45b1b3..3a401f3 100644
--- a/internal/agent/types.go
+++ b/internal/agent/types.go
@@ -410,6 +410,13 @@ type StreamSession struct {
 	// AudioIndex selects the source audio track (-map 0:a:N). -1 means
 	// "use the default/first track".
 	AudioIndex int `json:"audioIndex,omitempty"`
+	// PlayMethod is how the daemon should serve this session:
+	//   ""       — default (HLS transcode); also what legacy servers send.
+	//   "direct" — the source is already browser-native (the web decided this
+	//              from library scan metadata + an agent-version gate). Serve
+	//              the raw file over /stream (HTTP Range, no ffmpeg) instead of
+	//              transcoding to HLS. See hueco #3 phase 3a in the roadmap.
+	PlayMethod string `json:"playMethod,omitempty"`
 }
 
 // SyncResponse is returned by the server with all pending actions for the CLI.
diff --git a/internal/cmd/daemon.go b/internal/cmd/daemon.go
index a373d7b..11ccf0c 100644
--- a/internal/cmd/daemon.go
+++ b/internal/cmd/daemon.go
@@ -589,6 +589,30 @@ func runDaemonStart() error {
 			filePath = found
 		}
 
+		// Direct-play (hueco #3 / 3a): the web decided this source is already
+		// browser-native (mp4 h264/aac 8-bit SDR) from library scan metadata,
+		// gated on agent version. Serve the raw file over /stream (HTTP Range,
+		// no ffmpeg) instead of transcoding to HLS — zero CPU, instant seek.
+		// Runs BEFORE the ffmpeg-availability check on purpose: direct-play
+		// needs no ffmpeg, so it must work even when transcode is disabled.
+		if sess.PlayMethod == "direct" {
+			streamSrv.SetFile(engine.NewDiskFileProvider(filePath), sess.TaskID)
+			// cancel just clears the served file so daemon shutdown / drain
+			// stops exposing it on /stream. There's no ffmpeg child to kill.
+			playerSessionRegistry.add(sess.SessionID, func() { streamSrv.ClearFile() })
+			log.Printf("[stream %s] direct-play: %s", agent.ShortID(sess.SessionID), filepath.Base(filePath))
+			// File is on disk → ready immediately. Tell the web so the player
+			// attaches <video src> without burning its HEAD-probe retry budget.
+			go func() {
+				rctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(ctx, 10*time.Second)
+				defer cancel()
+				if err := agentClient.MarkSessionReady(rctx, sess.SessionID); err != nil {
+					log.Printf("[stream %s] mark-ready failed: %v", agent.ShortID(sess.SessionID), err)
+				}
+			}()
+			return
+		}
+
 		tcRuntime := buildTranscodeRuntime(ctx, cfg)
 		if tcRuntime.FFmpegPath == "" || tcRuntime.FFprobePath == "" {
 			log.Printf("[hls %s] rejected: ffmpeg/ffprobe unavailable", agent.ShortID(sess.SessionID))