diff --git a/fluxer_media_proxy/src/media_process/tests/video.rs b/fluxer_media_proxy/src/media_process/tests/video.rs
index 6c78dcf8d..e6683fda8 100644
--- a/fluxer_media_proxy/src/media_process/tests/video.rs
+++ b/fluxer_media_proxy/src/media_process/tests/video.rs
@@ -58,6 +58,42 @@ fn video_thumbnail_accepts_bt470bg_pal_primaries() {
     assert_eq!(png_dimensions(&thumb.bytes), Some((320, 240)));
 }
 
+#[test]
+fn a_bt709_thumbnail_keeps_the_source_shadow_luminance() {
+    let Some(video) = ffmpeg_gen_media(
+        "shadow.mkv",
+        &[
+            "-f",
+            "lavfi",
+            "-i",
+            "color=c=0x181818:size=320x240:rate=10:duration=1",
+            "-vf",
+            "setparams=color_primaries=bt709:color_trc=bt709:colorspace=bt709:range=tv",
+            "-pix_fmt",
+            "yuv420p",
+            "-c:v",
+            "mpeg4",
+            "-f",
+            "matroska",
+        ],
+    ) else {
+        eprintln!("skipping: ffmpeg CLI not available");
+        return;
+    };
+    let thumb = extract_video_thumbnail(&video, OutputFormat::PNG, &test_media_limits())
+        .expect("bt709 shadow video should thumbnail");
+    let (_, _, pixels) = decode_rgba(&thumb.bytes);
+    let luma: Vec<f64> = pixels
+        .chunks_exact(4)
+        .map(|p| 0.2126 * f64::from(p[0]) + 0.7152 * f64::from(p[1]) + 0.0722 * f64::from(p[2]))
+        .collect();
+    let mean = luma.iter().sum::<f64>() / luma.len() as f64;
+    assert!(
+        (mean - 24.0).abs() <= 8.0,
+        "a bt709 source must not be lifted by a transfer conversion: mean luminance {mean}"
+    );
+}
+
 #[test]
 fn video_thumbnail_accepts_every_widened_sdr_transfer() {
     let transfers = ["smpte240m", "linear", "iec61966-2-1", "bt470m", "bt470bg"];
diff --git a/fluxer_media_proxy/src/native_shim/av_frame_rgba.c b/fluxer_media_proxy/src/native_shim/av_frame_rgba.c
index fe7b5d3a3..23c705f11 100644
--- a/fluxer_media_proxy/src/native_shim/av_frame_rgba.c
+++ b/fluxer_media_proxy/src/native_shim/av_frame_rgba.c
@@ -4,11 +4,9 @@
 
 enum ff_sdr_transfer {
     FF_SDR_TRANSFER_SRGB = 0,
-    FF_SDR_TRANSFER_BT709 = 1,
-    FF_SDR_TRANSFER_LINEAR = 2,
+    FF_SDR_TRANSFER_LINEAR = 1,
 };
 
-static uint8_t ff_bt709_to_srgb_lut[256];
 static uint8_t ff_linear_to_srgb_lut[256];
 static pthread_once_t ff_transfer_lut_once = PTHREAD_ONCE_INIT;
 
@@ -25,18 +23,12 @@ static uint8_t ff_encode_srgb_byte(double linear) {
 static void ff_initialize_transfer_luts(void) {
     for (int index = 0; index < 256; index++) {
         double encoded = (double)index / 255.0;
-        double linear = encoded < 0.081
-                      ? encoded / 4.5
-                      : pow((encoded + 0.099) / 1.099, 1.0 / 0.45);
-        ff_bt709_to_srgb_lut[index] = ff_encode_srgb_byte(linear);
         ff_linear_to_srgb_lut[index] = ff_encode_srgb_byte(encoded);
     }
 }
 
 static const uint8_t *ff_transfer_to_srgb_lut(enum ff_sdr_transfer transfer) {
     switch (transfer) {
-        case FF_SDR_TRANSFER_BT709:
-            return ff_bt709_to_srgb_lut;
         case FF_SDR_TRANSFER_LINEAR:
             return ff_linear_to_srgb_lut;
         default:
@@ -89,7 +81,7 @@ static int ff_frame_sdr_transfer(
         case AVCOL_TRC_BT709:
         case AVCOL_TRC_SMPTE170M:
         case AVCOL_TRC_SMPTE240M:
-            *out_transfer = FF_SDR_TRANSFER_BT709;
+            *out_transfer = FF_SDR_TRANSFER_SRGB;
             return 0;
         case AVCOL_TRC_LINEAR:
             *out_transfer = FF_SDR_TRANSFER_LINEAR;