diff --git a/src/cli/CliRecordRunner.test.tsx b/src/cli/CliRecordRunner.test.tsx
index 3e01a0d47..04c0029ea 100644
--- a/src/cli/CliRecordRunner.test.tsx
+++ b/src/cli/CliRecordRunner.test.tsx
@@ -52,6 +52,8 @@ describe("CliRecordRunner", () => {
 		recorder.startRecordingImmediately.mockClear();
 		recorder.toggleRecording.mockClear();
 		window.electronAPI = {
+			getPlatform: vi.fn(() => "win32"),
+			isNativeLinuxCaptureAvailable: vi.fn(async () => ({ success: true, available: false })),
 			cliGetRequest: vi.fn(async () => request),
 			cliLog: vi.fn(),
 			cliDone: vi.fn(async () => undefined),
@@ -81,4 +83,45 @@ describe("CliRecordRunner", () => {
 		await waitFor(() => expect(recorder.startRecordingImmediately).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1));
 		expect(window.electronAPI.cliDone).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
 	});
+
+	it("keeps source selection for Linux without the native helper", async () => {
+		vi.mocked(window.electronAPI.getPlatform).mockReturnValue("linux");
+		render(<CliRecordRunner />);
+		await waitFor(() => expect(recorder.startRecordingImmediately).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1));
+		expect(window.electronAPI.getSources).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+		expect(window.electronAPI.selectSource).toHaveBeenCalledWith(screenSource, { persist: false });
+	});
+
+	it("reports missing sources in the browser fallback", async () => {
+		vi.mocked(window.electronAPI.getPlatform).mockReturnValue("linux");
+		vi.mocked(window.electronAPI.getSources).mockResolvedValueOnce([]);
+		render(<CliRecordRunner />);
+		await waitFor(() =>
+			expect(window.electronAPI.cliDone).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+				expect.objectContaining({
+					success: false,
+					error: expect.stringContaining("Display index 0 not found"),
+				}),
+			),
+		);
+		expect(recorder.startRecordingImmediately).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+	});
+
+	it("lets the native Linux portal choose the source without Chromium enumeration", async () => {
+		vi.mocked(window.electronAPI.getPlatform).mockReturnValue("linux");
+		vi.mocked(window.electronAPI.isNativeLinuxCaptureAvailable).mockResolvedValue({
+			success: true,
+			available: true,
+		});
+		vi.mocked(window.electronAPI.getSources).mockResolvedValueOnce([]);
+		render(<CliRecordRunner />);
+		await waitFor(() => expect(recorder.startRecordingImmediately).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1));
+		expect(window.electronAPI.getSources).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+		expect(window.electronAPI.selectSource).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+		expect(window.electronAPI.cliDone).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+		expect(window.electronAPI.cliLog).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+			"info",
+			expect.stringContaining("--window do not apply"),
+		);
+	});
 });
diff --git a/src/cli/CliRecordRunner.tsx b/src/cli/CliRecordRunner.tsx
index b7325120b..d585d855d 100644
--- a/src/cli/CliRecordRunner.tsx
+++ b/src/cli/CliRecordRunner.tsx
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import {
 } from "@/components/video-editor/projectPersistence";
 import { useScreenRecorder } from "@/hooks/useScreenRecorder";
 import type { CliRecordRequest } from "@/lib/cliContracts";
+import { portalOwnsSourceSelection } from "@/lib/nativeLinuxRecording";
 import { DEFAULT_PROJECT_APPEARANCE } from "@/lib/projectDefaults";
 
 type Phase = "init" | "recording" | "stopping" | "done";
@@ -164,15 +165,24 @@ export function CliRecordRunner() {
 				}
 				requestRef.current = request;
 
-				const source = await pickSource(request);
-				const selected = await window.electronAPI.selectSource(source, { persist: false });
-				if (!selected) {
-					throw new Error(
-						`Recording source "${source.name}" (${source.id}) is no longer available. ` +
-							"Re-list sources with `openscreen sources` and pick one that is currently shared.",
+				// The native Linux helper asks the portal to choose a source. Enumerating
+				// Chromium sources first opens a redundant picker and can return no screens.
+				if (await portalOwnsSourceSelection(window.electronAPI)) {
+					window.electronAPI.cliLog(
+						"info",
+						"Recording source: chosen in the system picker (--display and --window do not apply)",
 					);
+				} else {
+					const source = await pickSource(request);
+					const selected = await window.electronAPI.selectSource(source, { persist: false });
+					if (!selected) {
+						throw new Error(
+							`Recording source "${source.name}" (${source.id}) is no longer available. ` +
+								"Re-list sources with `openscreen sources` and pick one that is currently shared.",
+						);
+					}
+					window.electronAPI.cliLog("info", `Recording source: ${selected.name}`);
 				}
-				window.electronAPI.cliLog("info", `Recording source: ${selected.name}`);
 
 				setMicrophoneEnabled(Boolean(request.mic));
 				if (request.mic) {