diff --git a/core/stream/codec.go b/core/stream/codec.go
index 28bff75c4..56d163324 100644
--- a/core/stream/codec.go
+++ b/core/stream/codec.go
@@ -43,14 +43,17 @@ func normalizeSourceSampleRate(sampleRate int, codec string) int {
 	return sampleRate
 }
 
-// normalizeSourceBitDepth adjusts the source bit depth for codecs that use
-// non-standard bit depths. Currently handles DSD (1-bit → 24-bit PCM, which is
-// what ffmpeg produces). For other codecs, returns the depth unchanged.
-func normalizeSourceBitDepth(bitDepth int, codec string) int {
-	if strings.EqualFold(codec, "dsd") && bitDepth == 1 {
+// targetBitDepth returns the bit depth for a transcoded stream: 0 for lossy
+// targets (they have no PCM bit depth), otherwise the source depth, with DSD
+// adjusted to the 24-bit PCM that ffmpeg produces.
+func targetBitDepth(srcBitDepth int, srcCodec string, targetIsLossless bool) int {
+	if !targetIsLossless {
+		return 0
+	}
+	if strings.EqualFold(srcCodec, "dsd") && srcBitDepth == 1 {
 		return 24
 	}
-	return bitDepth
+	return srcBitDepth
 }
 
 // codecFixedOutputSampleRate returns the mandatory output sample rate for codecs
diff --git a/core/stream/decider.go b/core/stream/decider.go
index 7940c6862..3c6b01e05 100644
--- a/core/stream/decider.go
+++ b/core/stream/decider.go
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ func (s *deciderService) computeTranscodedStream(ctx context.Context, src *Detai
 		Codec:      strings.ToLower(profile.AudioCodec),
 		SampleRate: normalizeSourceSampleRate(src.SampleRate, src.Codec),
 		Channels:   src.Channels,
-		BitDepth:   normalizeSourceBitDepth(src.BitDepth, src.Codec),
+		BitDepth:   targetBitDepth(src.BitDepth, src.Codec, targetIsLossless),
 		IsLossless: targetIsLossless,
 	}
 	if ts.Codec == "" {
diff --git a/core/stream/decider_test.go b/core/stream/decider_test.go
index 03c4ea437..577207636 100644
--- a/core/stream/decider_test.go
+++ b/core/stream/decider_test.go
@@ -656,6 +656,44 @@ var _ = Describe("Decider", func() {
 				Expect(decision.TargetBitDepth).To(Equal(24))
 			})
 
+			It("omits bit depth when transcoding to a lossy format", func() {
+				mf := withProbe(&model.MediaFile{ID: "1", Suffix: "flac", Codec: "FLAC", BitRate: 1000, Channels: 2, SampleRate: 96000, BitDepth: new(24)})
+				ci := &ClientInfo{
+					MaxTranscodingAudioBitrate: 320,
+					TranscodingProfiles: []Profile{
+						{Container: "opus", AudioCodec: "opus", Protocol: ProtocolHTTP},
+					},
+				}
+				decision, err := svc.MakeDecision(ctx, mf, ci, TranscodeOptions{})
+				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+				Expect(decision.CanTranscode).To(BeTrue())
+				Expect(decision.TranscodeStream.BitDepth).To(BeZero())
+				Expect(decision.TargetBitDepth).To(BeZero())
+			})
+
+			It("ignores audioBitdepth limitation when transcoding to a lossy format", func() {
+				mf := withProbe(&model.MediaFile{ID: "1", Suffix: "flac", Codec: "FLAC", BitRate: 1000, Channels: 2, SampleRate: 96000, BitDepth: new(24)})
+				ci := &ClientInfo{
+					MaxTranscodingAudioBitrate: 320,
+					TranscodingProfiles: []Profile{
+						{Container: "opus", AudioCodec: "opus", Protocol: ProtocolHTTP},
+					},
+					CodecProfiles: []CodecProfile{
+						{
+							Type: CodecProfileTypeAudio,
+							Name: "opus",
+							Limitations: []Limitation{
+								{Name: LimitationAudioBitdepth, Comparison: ComparisonGreaterThanEqual, Values: []string{"32"}, Required: true},
+							},
+						},
+					},
+				}
+				decision, err := svc.MakeDecision(ctx, mf, ci, TranscodeOptions{})
+				Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
+				Expect(decision.CanTranscode).To(BeTrue())
+				Expect(decision.TranscodeStream.BitDepth).To(BeZero())
+			})
+
 			It("rejects transcoding profile when GreaterThanEqual cannot be satisfied", func() {
 				mf := withProbe(&model.MediaFile{ID: "1", Suffix: "flac", Codec: "FLAC", BitRate: 1000, Channels: 2, SampleRate: 44100, BitDepth: new(16)})
 				ci := &ClientInfo{
@@ -695,9 +733,9 @@ var _ = Describe("Decider", func() {
 				// DSD64 2822400 / 8 = 352800, capped by MP3 max of 48000
 				Expect(decision.TranscodeStream.SampleRate).To(Equal(48000))
 				Expect(decision.TargetSampleRate).To(Equal(48000))
-				// DSD 1-bit → 24-bit PCM
-				Expect(decision.TranscodeStream.BitDepth).To(Equal(24))
-				Expect(decision.TargetBitDepth).To(Equal(24))
+				// MP3 is lossy: no bit depth on the transcoded stream
+				Expect(decision.TranscodeStream.BitDepth).To(BeZero())
+				Expect(decision.TargetBitDepth).To(BeZero())
 			})
 
 			It("converts DSD sample rate for FLAC target without codec limit", func() {