diff --git a/game/btl4main.cpp b/game/btl4main.cpp
index 521c468..dd83e4a 100644
--- a/game/btl4main.cpp
+++ b/game/btl4main.cpp
@@ -256,6 +256,15 @@ int WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, LPSTR lpCmdLine
 	// `-platform pod` ATTEMPTS the path (FindBestAdapterIndices degrades to the
 	// primary adapter) -- selectable for bring-up, not fully validated off-pod.
 	// ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+	// SINGLE-WINDOW COCKPIT (L4MFDSPLIT): the desktop cockpit's on-screen RIO
+	// button banks + analog controls run on the PadRIO virtual-RIO surface, so
+	// PAD is the cockpit's control DEFAULT -- established HERE, before the
+	// platform-profile block, so the DEV keyboard default (below) does not win
+	// (that left the RIO controls inert).  An explicit L4CONTROLS still
+	// overrides (e.g. L4CONTROLS=RIO for a real serial board).
+	if (getenv("L4MFDSPLIT") != NULL && getenv("L4CONTROLS") == NULL)
+		putenv("L4CONTROLS=PAD");
+
 	int gBTPlatformPod = 0;
 	{
 		const char *pe = getenv("BT_PLATFORM");
@@ -319,13 +328,10 @@ int WINAPI WinMain(HINSTANCE hInstance, HINSTANCE hPrevInstance, LPSTR lpCmdLine
 	// SINGLE-WINDOW COCKPIT (L4MFDSPLIT=1, RP412's flag): the 3D viewscreen fills
 	// the window and the six instrument surfaces frame it (BTDrawCockpitPanel).
 	// Like the dev-gauge path it needs the gauge renderer awake (L4GAUGE); the
-	// window itself is sized to the 1920x1080 cockpit canvas below.  PAD controls
-	// come along for the ride (a desktop cockpit has no serial RIO).
-	if (getenv("L4MFDSPLIT") != NULL)
-	{
-		if (getenv("L4GAUGE")    == NULL) putenv("L4GAUGE=640x480x16");
-		if (getenv("L4CONTROLS") == NULL) putenv("L4CONTROLS=PAD");
-	}
+	// window itself is sized to the 1920x1080 cockpit canvas below.  (The PAD
+	// control default is set earlier, before the platform-profile block.)
+	if (getenv("L4MFDSPLIT") != NULL && getenv("L4GAUGE") == NULL)
+		putenv("L4GAUGE=640x480x16");
 
 	std::cout << "[boot] platform profile: "
 		<< (gBTPlatformPod ? "POD (RIO cockpit input; multi-surface gauges/MFDs via pod hardware or explicit L4GAUGE)"