diff --git a/dpl3-revive/patha/vrview.py b/dpl3-revive/patha/vrview.py
index 7de8c57..c62da30 100644
--- a/dpl3-revive/patha/vrview.py
+++ b/dpl3-revive/patha/vrview.py
@@ -44,6 +44,13 @@ def inst_visible(nodes, inst):
     return len(b) >= 20 and struct.unpack_from('<I', b, 16)[0] != 0
 
 
+# First-person near-eye cull (the cockpit-canopy "vertical line" fix).
+# VRVIEW_NEARCULL=0 disables it: with the camera at the true chain eye the
+# always-armed cockpit/bay assembly should render as the authentic canopy
+# surround instead of a stray sliver -- A/B toggle for that investigation.
+NEARCULL = os.environ.get('VRVIEW_NEARCULL', '1') != '0'
+
+
 # NOTE: vrboard.do_flush stores the flush payload MINUS the leading remote word,
 # so stored-body word k = wire-payload word k+1. Offsets below are stored-body.
 def _mat_from_dcs(body):
@@ -845,7 +852,7 @@ class Renderer:
             # NOVIEWMATRIX instances live in camera space: no view transform
             M = Mw if inst.get('hud') else Mw @ V
             # first-person canopy cull (see SceneCache radius note)
-            if (inst.get('gated') and not inst.get('hud')
+            if (NEARCULL and inst.get('gated') and not inst.get('hud')
                     and np.linalg.norm(M[3, :3]) + inst.get('radius', 0) < 10.0):
                 continue
             if inst['chain'] and inst['chain'][0] in board.anim:
diff --git a/dpl3-revive/patha/vrview_gl.py b/dpl3-revive/patha/vrview_gl.py
index f0f2ea8..48e5f35 100644
--- a/dpl3-revive/patha/vrview_gl.py
+++ b/dpl3-revive/patha/vrview_gl.py
@@ -470,7 +470,7 @@ class GLRenderer(vrview.Renderer):
             Mw = self.chain_matrix(board, inst['chain'], fix_degenerate=True)
             M = Mw if inst.get('hud') else Mw @ V
             # first-person canopy cull (see SceneCache radius note in vrview)
-            if (inst.get('gated') and not inst.get('hud')
+            if (vrview.NEARCULL and inst.get('gated') and not inst.get('hud')
                     and np.linalg.norm(M[3, :3]) + inst.get('radius', 0) < 10.0):
                 continue
             if inst['chain'] and inst['chain'][0] in board.anim: