diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/render.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/render.test.ts
index e5617485d3..90dc83e63a 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/render.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/render.test.ts
@@ -78,6 +78,25 @@ vi.mock("../utils/producer.js", () => ({
       producerState.resolveConfigCalls.push(overrides);
       return { ...overrides, resolved: true };
     }),
+    createRenderRequest: vi.fn(
+      (input: {
+        projectDir: string;
+        outputPath: string;
+        engineConfig: unknown;
+        options: object;
+      }) => ({
+        version: 1,
+        projectDir: input.projectDir,
+        outputPath: input.outputPath,
+        options: { ...input.options, engineConfig: input.engineConfig },
+      }),
+    ),
+    renderConfigFromRequest: vi.fn(
+      (request: { options: Record<string, unknown> }, runtime: { logger?: unknown }) => {
+        const { engineConfig, ...options } = request.options;
+        return { ...options, producerConfig: engineConfig, logger: runtime.logger };
+      },
+    ),
     createRenderJob: vi.fn((config: Record<string, unknown>) => {
       producerState.createdJobs.push(config);
       return { config, progress: 100, outcome: "completed", warnings: [] };
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/commands/render.ts b/packages/cli/src/commands/render.ts
index 8cfeac8571..7aa68bdb6f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/commands/render.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/commands/render.ts
@@ -1386,6 +1386,8 @@ async function renderDocker(
       bestEffort: options.bestEffort,
       experimentalFastCapture: options.experimentalFastCapture,
       pageNavigationTimeoutMs: options.pageNavigationTimeoutMs,
+      protocolTimeoutMs: options.protocolTimeout,
+      playerReadyTimeoutMs: options.playerReadyTimeout,
     },
   });
 
@@ -1479,33 +1481,38 @@ export async function renderLocal(
     producer.createConsoleLogger?.(options.debug ? "debug" : "info") ?? createNoopProducerLogger(),
   );
 
-  const job = producer.createRenderJob({
-    fps: options.fps,
-    quality: options.quality,
-    format: options.format,
-    gifLoop: options.gifLoop,
-    workers: options.workers,
-    useGpu: options.gpu,
-    logger,
-    producerConfig: producer.resolveConfig({
-      browserGpuMode: options.browserGpuMode ?? "software",
-      ...(options.pageNavigationTimeoutMs != null
-        ? { pageNavigationTimeout: options.pageNavigationTimeoutMs }
-        : {}),
-      ...(options.protocolTimeout != null && { protocolTimeout: options.protocolTimeout }),
-      ...(options.playerReadyTimeout != null && { playerReadyTimeout: options.playerReadyTimeout }),
-      ...(options.vp9CpuUsed != null ? { vp9CpuUsed: options.vp9CpuUsed } : {}),
-    }),
-    hdrMode: options.hdrMode,
-    crf: options.crf,
-    videoBitrate: options.videoBitrate,
-    videoFrameFormat: options.videoFrameFormat,
-    variables: options.variables,
-    entryFile: options.entryFile,
-    outputResolution: options.outputResolution,
-    debug: options.debug,
-    strictness: options.bestEffort === false ? "strict" : "best-effort",
+  const engineConfig = producer.resolveConfig({
+    browserGpuMode: options.browserGpuMode ?? "software",
+    ...(options.pageNavigationTimeoutMs != null
+      ? { pageNavigationTimeout: options.pageNavigationTimeoutMs }
+      : {}),
+    ...(options.protocolTimeout != null && { protocolTimeout: options.protocolTimeout }),
+    ...(options.playerReadyTimeout != null && { playerReadyTimeout: options.playerReadyTimeout }),
+    ...(options.vp9CpuUsed != null ? { vp9CpuUsed: options.vp9CpuUsed } : {}),
+  });
+  const request = producer.createRenderRequest({
+    projectDir,
+    outputPath,
+    engineConfig,
+    options: {
+      fps: options.fps,
+      quality: options.quality,
+      format: options.format,
+      gifLoop: options.gifLoop,
+      workers: options.workers,
+      useGpu: options.gpu,
+      hdrMode: options.hdrMode,
+      crf: options.crf,
+      videoBitrate: options.videoBitrate,
+      videoFrameFormat: options.videoFrameFormat,
+      variables: options.variables,
+      entryFile: options.entryFile,
+      outputResolution: options.outputResolution,
+      debug: options.debug,
+      strictness: options.bestEffort === false ? "strict" : "best-effort",
+    },
   });
+  const job = producer.createRenderJob(producer.renderConfigFromRequest(request, { logger }));
 
   const onProgress = options.quiet
     ? undefined
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/utils/dockerRunArgs.test.ts b/packages/cli/src/utils/dockerRunArgs.test.ts
index 97b4e4ade8..aa98b2e26f 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/utils/dockerRunArgs.test.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/utils/dockerRunArgs.test.ts
@@ -344,6 +344,22 @@ describe("buildDockerRunArgs", () => {
     expect(args).not.toContain("--browser-timeout");
   });
 
+  it("forwards protocol and player-ready timeouts without unit conversion", () => {
+    const args = buildDockerRunArgs({
+      ...FIXED_INPUT,
+      options: {
+        ...BASE,
+        protocolTimeoutMs: 240_000,
+        playerReadyTimeoutMs: 90_000,
+      },
+    });
+
+    expect(args).toContain("--protocol-timeout");
+    expect(args[args.indexOf("--protocol-timeout") + 1]).toBe("240000");
+    expect(args).toContain("--player-ready-timeout");
+    expect(args[args.indexOf("--player-ready-timeout") + 1]).toBe("90000");
+  });
+
   it("forwards rational --fps verbatim (NTSC 30000/1001)", () => {
     // Regression for the fps fraction-syntax feature: the rational form must
     // survive the host → container hop as a single `30000/1001` argument so
diff --git a/packages/cli/src/utils/dockerRunArgs.ts b/packages/cli/src/utils/dockerRunArgs.ts
index 5f30f3e337..beb4d9cc94 100644
--- a/packages/cli/src/utils/dockerRunArgs.ts
+++ b/packages/cli/src/utils/dockerRunArgs.ts
@@ -66,6 +66,10 @@ export interface DockerRenderOptions {
    * `--browser-timeout` flag).
    */
   pageNavigationTimeoutMs?: number;
+  /** CDP protocol timeout in milliseconds. */
+  protocolTimeoutMs?: number;
+  /** Player readiness timeout in milliseconds. */
+  playerReadyTimeoutMs?: number;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -154,5 +158,11 @@ export function buildDockerRunArgs(input: DockerRunArgsInput): string[] {
     ...(options.pageNavigationTimeoutMs != null
       ? ["--browser-timeout", String(options.pageNavigationTimeoutMs / 1000)]
       : []),
+    ...(options.protocolTimeoutMs != null
+      ? ["--protocol-timeout", String(options.protocolTimeoutMs)]
+      : []),
+    ...(options.playerReadyTimeoutMs != null
+      ? ["--player-ready-timeout", String(options.playerReadyTimeoutMs)]
+      : []),
   ];
 }
diff --git a/packages/producer/src/index.ts b/packages/producer/src/index.ts
index b98b3e8c90..1de6369a68 100644
--- a/packages/producer/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/producer/src/index.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,19 @@ export {
   type RenderPerfSummary,
   type ProgressCallback,
 } from "./services/renderOrchestrator.js";
+export {
+  RENDER_REQUEST_VERSION,
+  createRenderRequest,
+  distributedConfigFromRequest,
+  parseRenderRequest,
+  renderConfigFromRequest,
+  renderRequestFromDistributedConfig,
+  serializeRenderRequest,
+  type CreateRenderRequestInput,
+  type DistributedRenderOptions,
+  type RenderRequest,
+  type RenderRequestOptions,
+} from "./renderRequest.js";
 export {
   type BrowserDiagnosticSummary,
   type RenderCaptureObservability,
diff --git a/packages/producer/src/renderRequest.test.ts b/packages/producer/src/renderRequest.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f88e47c258
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/producer/src/renderRequest.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+import { afterEach, describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
+import { DEFAULT_CONFIG } from "@hyperframes/engine";
+import {
+  createRenderRequest,
+  distributedConfigFromRequest,
+  parseRenderRequest,
+  renderConfigFromRequest,
+  renderRequestFromDistributedConfig,
+  serializeRenderRequest,
+} from "./renderRequest.js";
+
+const originalForceScreenshot = process.env.PRODUCER_FORCE_SCREENSHOT;
+
+afterEach(() => {
+  if (originalForceScreenshot === undefined) delete process.env.PRODUCER_FORCE_SCREENSHOT;
+  else process.env.PRODUCER_FORCE_SCREENSHOT = originalForceScreenshot;
+});
+
+function request() {
+  return createRenderRequest({
+    projectDir: "/project",
+    outputPath: "/output/video.mp4",
+    engineConfig: { ...DEFAULT_CONFIG, protocolTimeout: 123_456 },
+    options: {
+      fps: { num: 30, den: 1 },
+      quality: "high",
+      format: "mp4",
+      workers: 3,
+      useGpu: true,
+      strictness: "best-effort",
+      entryFile: "compositions/main.html",
+      crf: 18,
+      videoFrameFormat: "png",
+      hdrMode: "force-sdr",
+      variables: { title: "Hello", nested: { count: 2 } },
+      outputResolution: "landscape-4k",
+      distributed: {
+        width: 1920,
+        height: 1080,
+        codec: "h264",
+        chunkSize: 120,
+        maxParallelChunks: 8,
+        cfr: true,
+      },
+    },
+  });
+}
+
+describe("RenderRequest", () => {
+  it("round-trips through JSON without dropping nested options", () => {
+    const value = request();
+    expect(parseRenderRequest(serializeRenderRequest(value))).toEqual(value);
+  });
+
+  it("adapts the same request to local and distributed execution", () => {
+    const value = request();
+    const local = renderConfigFromRequest(value);
+    const distributed = distributedConfigFromRequest(value);
+
+    expect(local).toMatchObject({
+      fps: { num: 30, den: 1 },
+      quality: "high",
+      format: "mp4",
+      variables: value.options.variables,
+      producerConfig: { protocolTimeout: 123_456 },
+    });
+    expect(distributed).toMatchObject({
+      fps: 30,
+      width: 1920,
+      height: 1080,
+      format: "mp4",
+      chunkSize: 120,
+      variables: value.options.variables,
+      producerConfig: { protocolTimeout: 123_456 },
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("round-trips distributed adapter fields back into the shared request", () => {
+    const value = request();
+    const distributed = distributedConfigFromRequest(value);
+    const reconstructed = renderRequestFromDistributedConfig({
+      projectDir: value.projectDir,
+      outputPath: value.outputPath,
+      config: distributed,
+    });
+
+    expect(reconstructed.options).toMatchObject({
+      fps: value.options.fps,
+      quality: value.options.quality,
+      format: value.options.format,
+      entryFile: value.options.entryFile,
+      variables: value.options.variables,
+      distributed: value.options.distributed,
+    });
+  });
+
+  it("snapshots environment-derived engine options once at the boundary", () => {
+    process.env.PRODUCER_FORCE_SCREENSHOT = "true";
+    const value = createRenderRequest({
+      projectDir: "/project",
+      outputPath: "/output/video.mp4",
+      options: { fps: { num: 30, den: 1 }, quality: "standard", format: "mp4" },
+    });
+    process.env.PRODUCER_FORCE_SCREENSHOT = "false";
+
+    expect(value.options.engineConfig.forceScreenshot).toBe(true);
+    expect(renderConfigFromRequest(value).producerConfig?.forceScreenshot).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  it("rejects unsupported distributed fps before an adapter launch", () => {
+    const value = request();
+    value.options.fps = { num: 30_000, den: 1_001 };
+    expect(() => distributedConfigFromRequest(value)).toThrow("does not support fps");
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/producer/src/renderRequest.ts b/packages/producer/src/renderRequest.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b88effe430
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/producer/src/renderRequest.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,229 @@
+import { resolveConfig, type EngineConfig, type VideoFrameFormat } from "@hyperframes/engine";
+import type { CanvasResolution, Fps } from "@hyperframes/core";
+import type { ProducerLogger } from "./logger.js";
+import type { RenderConfig } from "./services/renderOrchestrator.js";
+import type { DistributedRenderConfig } from "./services/distributed/plan.js";
+import type { SerializableDistributedRenderConfig } from "./services/distributed/renderConfigValidation.js";
+
+export const RENDER_REQUEST_VERSION = 1 as const;
+
+export interface DistributedRenderOptions {
+  width: number;
+  height: number;
+  codec?: "h264" | "h265";
+  chunkSize?: number;
+  maxParallelChunks?: number;
+  targetChunkFrames?: number;
+  runtimeCap?: DistributedRenderConfig["runtimeCap"];
+  rejectOnSystemFonts?: boolean;
+  failClosedFontFetch?: boolean;
+  cfr?: boolean;
+  planDirSizeLimitBytes?: number;
+}
+
+/** JSON-safe render intent shared by local, Docker, server and cloud adapters. */
+export interface RenderRequestOptions {
+  fps: Fps;
+  quality: "draft" | "standard" | "high";
+  format: NonNullable<RenderConfig["format"]>;
+  gifLoop?: number;
+  workers?: number;
+  useGpu?: boolean;
+  debug?: boolean;
+  strictness?: RenderConfig["strictness"];
+  entryFile?: string;
+  crf?: number;
+  videoBitrate?: string;
+  videoFrameFormat?: VideoFrameFormat;
+  hdrMode?: RenderConfig["hdrMode"];
+  variables?: Record<string, unknown>;
+  outputResolution?: CanvasResolution;
+  engineConfig: EngineConfig;
+  distributed?: DistributedRenderOptions;
+}
+
+export interface RenderRequest {
+  version: typeof RENDER_REQUEST_VERSION;
+  projectDir: string;
+  outputPath: string;
+  options: RenderRequestOptions;
+}
+
+export interface CreateRenderRequestInput {
+  projectDir: string;
+  outputPath: string;
+  options: Omit<RenderRequestOptions, "engineConfig">;
+  engineConfig?: EngineConfig;
+  engineOverrides?: Partial<EngineConfig>;
+}
+
+function isPlainObject(value: unknown): value is Record<string, unknown> {
+  return typeof value === "object" && value !== null && !Array.isArray(value);
+}
+
+function assertPositiveFps(options: Record<string, unknown>): void {
+  const fps = options.fps;
+  if (
+    !isPlainObject(fps) ||
+    !Number.isInteger(fps.num) ||
+    !Number.isInteger(fps.den) ||
+    (fps.num as number) <= 0 ||
+    (fps.den as number) <= 0
+  ) {
+    throw new Error("Render request fps must be a positive rational");
+  }
+}
+
+function assertRequestOptions(options: unknown): asserts options is RenderRequestOptions {
+  if (!isPlainObject(options)) throw new Error("Render request options must be an object");
+  assertPositiveFps(options);
+  if (!["draft", "standard", "high"].includes(String(options.quality))) {
+    throw new Error("Render request quality is invalid");
+  }
+  if (!["mp4", "webm", "mov", "png-sequence", "gif"].includes(String(options.format))) {
+    throw new Error("Render request format is invalid");
+  }
+  if (!isPlainObject(options.engineConfig)) {
+    throw new Error("Render request must contain a resolved engineConfig snapshot");
+  }
+  if (options.variables !== undefined && !isPlainObject(options.variables)) {
+    throw new Error("Render request variables must be a JSON object");
+  }
+}
+
+function assertNonEmptyPath(value: unknown, field: "projectDir" | "outputPath"): void {
+  if (typeof value !== "string" || value.length === 0) {
+    throw new Error(`Render request ${field} must be a non-empty string`);
+  }
+}
+
+function assertRenderRequest(value: unknown): asserts value is RenderRequest {
+  if (!isPlainObject(value) || value.version !== RENDER_REQUEST_VERSION) {
+    const version = isPlainObject(value) ? value.version : undefined;
+    throw new Error(`Unsupported render request version: ${String(version)}`);
+  }
+  assertNonEmptyPath(value.projectDir, "projectDir");
+  assertNonEmptyPath(value.outputPath, "outputPath");
+  assertRequestOptions(value.options);
+}
+
+export function parseRenderRequest(serialized: string | unknown): RenderRequest {
+  const value = typeof serialized === "string" ? JSON.parse(serialized) : serialized;
+  assertRenderRequest(value);
+  return value;
+}
+
+export function serializeRenderRequest(request: RenderRequest): string {
+  assertRenderRequest(request);
+  return JSON.stringify(request);
+}
+
+export function createRenderRequest(input: CreateRenderRequestInput): RenderRequest {
+  const request = {
+    version: RENDER_REQUEST_VERSION,
+    projectDir: input.projectDir,
+    outputPath: input.outputPath,
+    options: {
+      ...input.options,
+      engineConfig: input.engineConfig ?? resolveConfig(input.engineOverrides),
+    },
+  } satisfies RenderRequest;
+  // A JSON round-trip both proves serializability and detaches caller-owned
+  // variables/config objects before asynchronous adapters receive them.
+  return parseRenderRequest(JSON.stringify(request));
+}
+
+export function renderConfigFromRequest(
+  request: RenderRequest,
+  runtime: { logger?: ProducerLogger } = {},
+): RenderConfig {
+  const { engineConfig, distributed: _distributed, ...options } = request.options;
+  return {
+    ...options,
+    producerConfig: engineConfig,
+    logger: runtime.logger,
+  };
+}
+
+function distributedFps(fps: Fps): 24 | 30 | 60 {
+  if (fps.den === 1 && (fps.num === 24 || fps.num === 30 || fps.num === 60)) return fps.num;
+  throw new Error(`Distributed render does not support fps ${fps.num}/${fps.den}`);
+}
+
+export function distributedConfigFromRequest(
+  request: RenderRequest,
+  runtime: { logger?: ProducerLogger; abortSignal?: AbortSignal } = {},
+): DistributedRenderConfig {
+  const options = request.options;
+  const distributed = options.distributed;
+  if (!distributed) throw new Error("Render request is missing distributed options");
+  if (options.format === "gif") throw new Error("Distributed render does not support gif");
+  if (options.hdrMode === "force-hdr") {
+    throw new Error("Distributed render does not support force-hdr");
+  }
+  return {
+    fps: distributedFps(options.fps),
+    width: distributed.width,
+    height: distributed.height,
+    format: options.format,
+    codec: distributed.codec,
+    quality: options.quality,
+    crf: options.crf,
+    bitrate: options.videoBitrate,
+    videoFrameFormat: options.videoFrameFormat,
+    outputResolution: options.outputResolution,
+    chunkSize: distributed.chunkSize,
+    maxParallelChunks: distributed.maxParallelChunks,
+    targetChunkFrames: distributed.targetChunkFrames,
+    runtimeCap: distributed.runtimeCap,
+    rejectOnSystemFonts: distributed.rejectOnSystemFonts,
+    failClosedFontFetch: distributed.failClosedFontFetch,
+    hdrMode: options.hdrMode === "auto" ? "auto" : "force-sdr",
+    cfr: distributed.cfr,
+    logger: runtime.logger,
+    producerConfig: options.engineConfig,
+    engineConfig: options.engineConfig,
+    entryFile: options.entryFile,
+    abortSignal: runtime.abortSignal,
+    planDirSizeLimitBytes: distributed.planDirSizeLimitBytes,
+    variables: options.variables,
+  };
+}
+
+export function renderRequestFromDistributedConfig(input: {
+  projectDir: string;
+  outputPath: string;
+  config: SerializableDistributedRenderConfig;
+}): RenderRequest {
+  const { config } = input;
+  return createRenderRequest({
+    projectDir: input.projectDir,
+    outputPath: input.outputPath,
+    engineConfig: config.engineConfig ?? resolveConfig(),
+    options: {
+      fps: { num: config.fps, den: 1 },
+      quality: config.quality ?? "standard",
+      format: config.format,
+      crf: config.crf,
+      videoBitrate: config.bitrate,
+      videoFrameFormat: config.videoFrameFormat,
+      outputResolution: config.outputResolution,
+      hdrMode: config.hdrMode ?? "force-sdr",
+      entryFile: config.entryFile,
+      variables: config.variables,
+      distributed: {
+        width: config.width,
+        height: config.height,
+        codec: config.codec,
+        chunkSize: config.chunkSize,
+        maxParallelChunks: config.maxParallelChunks,
+        targetChunkFrames: config.targetChunkFrames,
+        runtimeCap: config.runtimeCap,
+        rejectOnSystemFonts: config.rejectOnSystemFonts,
+        failClosedFontFetch: config.failClosedFontFetch,
+        cfr: config.cfr,
+        planDirSizeLimitBytes: config.planDirSizeLimitBytes,
+      },
+    },
+  });
+}
diff --git a/packages/producer/src/server.ts b/packages/producer/src/server.ts
index 9c796fb260..d03b495692 100644
--- a/packages/producer/src/server.ts
+++ b/packages/producer/src/server.ts
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ import { resolveRenderPaths } from "./utils/paths.js";
 import { defaultLogger, type ProducerLogger } from "./logger.js";
 import { Semaphore } from "./utils/semaphore.js";
 import { parseFps, normalizeResolutionFlag, type CanvasResolution } from "@hyperframes/core";
+import { createRenderRequest, renderConfigFromRequest } from "./renderRequest.js";
 
 // ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 // Types
@@ -198,21 +199,25 @@ function parseRenderOverrides(body: Record<string, unknown>): {
  * the sync (`render`) and streaming (`render-stream`) handlers so the field
  * set — including `variables` and `outputResolution` — stays in one place.
  */
-function buildRenderJobConfig(input: RenderInput, log: ProducerLogger) {
-  return {
-    fps: input.fps,
-    quality: input.quality,
-    format: input.format,
-    workers: input.workers,
-    useGpu: input.useGpu,
-    debug: input.debug,
-    strictness: input.strictness,
-    entryFile: input.entryFile,
-    variables: input.variables,
-    outputResolution: input.outputResolution,
-    videoFrameFormat: input.videoFrameFormat,
-    logger: log,
-  };
+function buildRenderJobConfig(input: RenderInput, outputPath: string, log: ProducerLogger) {
+  const request = createRenderRequest({
+    projectDir: input.projectDir,
+    outputPath,
+    options: {
+      fps: input.fps,
+      quality: input.quality,
+      format: input.format ?? "mp4",
+      workers: input.workers,
+      useGpu: input.useGpu,
+      debug: input.debug,
+      strictness: input.strictness,
+      entryFile: input.entryFile,
+      variables: input.variables,
+      outputResolution: input.outputResolution,
+      videoFrameFormat: input.videoFrameFormat,
+    },
+  });
+  return renderConfigFromRequest(request, { logger: log });
 }
 
 /**
@@ -618,7 +623,7 @@ export function createRenderHandlers(options: HandlerOptions = {}): RenderHandle
       quality: input.quality,
     });
 
-    const job = createRenderJob(buildRenderJobConfig(input, log));
+    const job = createRenderJob(buildRenderJobConfig(input, absoluteOutputPath, log));
 
     try {
       await executeRenderJob(
@@ -694,7 +699,7 @@ export function createRenderHandlers(options: HandlerOptions = {}): RenderHandle
 
       log.info("render-stream started", { requestId, projectDir: input.projectDir });
 
-      const job = createRenderJob(buildRenderJobConfig(input, log));
+      const job = createRenderJob(buildRenderJobConfig(input, absoluteOutputPath, log));
       const abortController = new AbortController();
       const onRequestAbort = () =>
         abortController.abort(new RenderCancelledError("request_aborted"));
diff --git a/packages/producer/src/services/distributed/plan.ts b/packages/producer/src/services/distributed/plan.ts
index cdb5a8058d..32a1c61e0c 100644
--- a/packages/producer/src/services/distributed/plan.ts
+++ b/packages/producer/src/services/distributed/plan.ts
@@ -200,6 +200,8 @@ export interface DistributedRenderConfig {
   cfr?: boolean;
 
   logger?: ProducerLogger;
+  /** JSON-safe engine snapshot carried across cloud/process boundaries. */
+  engineConfig?: EngineConfig;
   /** Optional engine config override (env vars are not read when provided). */
   producerConfig?: EngineConfig;
   /** Entry HTML file relative to `projectDir`. Defaults to `"index.html"`. */
@@ -749,7 +751,7 @@ export async function plan(
     }
   };
   const cfg: EngineConfig = {
-    ...(config.producerConfig ?? resolveConfig()),
+    ...(config.producerConfig ?? config.engineConfig ?? resolveConfig()),
     browserGpuMode: "software",
     forceScreenshot: false,
   };
@@ -768,7 +770,7 @@ export async function plan(
     strictness: config.strictness,
     entryFile: config.entryFile ?? "index.html",
     logger: config.logger,
-    producerConfig: config.producerConfig,
+    producerConfig: cfg,
   });
   const entryFile = config.entryFile ?? "index.html";
   const htmlPath = join(projectDir, entryFile);
diff --git a/packages/producer/src/services/distributed/renderConfigValidation.ts b/packages/producer/src/services/distributed/renderConfigValidation.ts
index 2a2398523b..0d31685667 100644
--- a/packages/producer/src/services/distributed/renderConfigValidation.ts
+++ b/packages/producer/src/services/distributed/renderConfigValidation.ts
@@ -203,6 +203,9 @@ export function validateDistributedRenderConfig(
   if (config.variables !== undefined) {
     validateVariablesPayload(config.variables);
   }
+  if (config.engineConfig !== undefined) {
+    walkVariables(config.engineConfig, "config.engineConfig", new WeakSet());
+  }
 
   return config;
 }