diff --git a/Cargo.toml b/Cargo.toml
index 11eaef5..dd96385 100644
--- a/Cargo.toml
+++ b/Cargo.toml
@@ -561,6 +561,10 @@ path = "tests/regression/server/gadget/server_gadget_recovery_contract.rs"
 name = "server_main_usb_recovery_contract"
 path = "tests/regression/server/main/server_main_usb_recovery_contract.rs"
 
+[[test]]
+name = "server_mjpeg_normalizer_memory_regression"
+path = "tests/regression/server/video_sinks/server_mjpeg_normalizer_memory_regression.rs"
+
 [[test]]
 name = "client_log_noise_contract"
 path = "tests/reliability/client/diagnostics/client_log_noise_contract.rs"
diff --git a/tests/contract/testing/quality_ratchet_evidence_contract.rs b/tests/contract/testing/quality_ratchet_evidence_contract.rs
index c34b7b1..b1631d9 100644
--- a/tests/contract/testing/quality_ratchet_evidence_contract.rs
+++ b/tests/contract/testing/quality_ratchet_evidence_contract.rs
@@ -128,6 +128,10 @@ fn corrupt_video_and_codec_modes_have_guard_compatibility_and_chaos_evidence() {
                 category: "chaos",
                 path: "tests/chaos/server/video_sinks/hevc_mjpeg_guard_chaos_contract.rs",
             },
+            EvidencePath {
+                category: "regression",
+                path: "tests/regression/server/video_sinks/server_mjpeg_normalizer_memory_regression.rs",
+            },
             EvidencePath {
                 category: "performance",
                 path: "tests/performance/server/video_sinks/hevc_mjpeg_handoff_performance_contract.rs",
diff --git a/tests/regression/server/video_sinks/server_mjpeg_normalizer_memory_regression.rs b/tests/regression/server/video_sinks/server_mjpeg_normalizer_memory_regression.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e279260
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/regression/server/video_sinks/server_mjpeg_normalizer_memory_regression.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,131 @@
+// Regression coverage for the direct-MJPEG normalizer RSS leak.
+//
+// Scope: lock down the safe production defaults and lifecycle cleanup for the
+// server UVC MJPEG path.
+// Targets: server/src/video_sinks/hevc_mjpeg_guard.rs,
+// server/src/video_sinks/webcam_sink.rs, server/src/camera_runtime.rs, and
+// the camera/upstream media RPC lifecycles.
+// Why: the native GStreamer jpegdec/jpegenc normalizer can retain process RSS
+// during long calls; future changes must keep it opt-in, guarded, and cleaned
+// up when the client stream closes.
+
+mod video_support {
+    pub fn env_u32(name: &str, default: u32) -> u32 {
+        std::env::var(name)
+            .ok()
+            .and_then(|value| value.trim().parse().ok())
+            .unwrap_or(default)
+    }
+}
+
+#[allow(clippy::items_after_test_module)]
+mod guard {
+    include!(concat!(
+        env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR"),
+        "/server/src/video_sinks/hevc_mjpeg_guard.rs"
+    ));
+
+    pub fn normalizer_enabled() -> bool {
+        direct_mjpeg_normalize_enabled()
+    }
+
+    pub fn normalizer_rss_limit_kb() -> Option<u64> {
+        direct_mjpeg_normalize_rss_limit_kb()
+    }
+}
+
+const SERVER_INSTALL: &str = include_str!(concat!(
+    env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR"),
+    "/scripts/install/server.sh"
+));
+const WEBCAM_SINK: &str = include_str!(concat!(
+    env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR"),
+    "/server/src/video_sinks/webcam_sink.rs"
+));
+const CAMERA_RUNTIME: &str = include_str!(concat!(
+    env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR"),
+    "/server/src/camera_runtime.rs"
+));
+const CAMERA_RPC: &str = include_str!(concat!(
+    env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR"),
+    "/server/src/main/relay_service/camera_stream_rpc.rs"
+));
+const UPSTREAM_MEDIA_RPC: &str = include_str!(concat!(
+    env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR"),
+    "/server/src/main/relay_service/upstream_media_rpc.rs"
+));
+
+fn assert_ordered(haystack: &str, earlier: &str, later: &str) {
+    let earlier_pos = haystack
+        .find(earlier)
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| panic!("missing earlier marker {earlier:?}"));
+    let later_pos = haystack
+        .find(later)
+        .unwrap_or_else(|| panic!("missing later marker {later:?}"));
+    assert!(
+        earlier_pos < later_pos,
+        "expected marker {earlier:?} before {later:?}"
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn direct_mjpeg_normalizer_is_opt_in_after_native_rss_leak() {
+    temp_env::with_vars(
+        [
+            ("LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE", None::<&str>),
+            (
+                "LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE_RSS_LIMIT_MB",
+                None::<&str>,
+            ),
+        ],
+        || {
+            assert!(
+                !guard::normalizer_enabled(),
+                "direct MJPEG normalization must stay opt-in after the native RSS leak"
+            );
+            assert_eq!(guard::normalizer_rss_limit_kb(), Some(768 * 1024));
+        },
+    );
+
+    temp_env::with_vars(
+        [
+            ("LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE", Some("on")),
+            ("LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE_RSS_LIMIT_MB", Some("0")),
+        ],
+        || {
+            assert!(guard::normalizer_enabled());
+            assert_eq!(guard::normalizer_rss_limit_kb(), None);
+        },
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn installer_keeps_the_leaking_native_normalizer_disabled_by_default() {
+    assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE:-0}"));
+    assert!(!SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE:-1}"));
+    assert!(SERVER_INSTALL.contains("${LESAVKA_UVC_DIRECT_MJPEG_NORMALIZE_RSS_LIMIT_MB:-768}"));
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn opt_in_normalizer_has_rss_fuse_before_per_frame_gstreamer_allocation() {
+    assert!(WEBCAM_SINK.contains("current_process_rss_kb"));
+    assert!(WEBCAM_SINK.contains("direct_mjpeg_normalize_rss_limit_kb"));
+    assert!(WEBCAM_SINK.contains(
+        "direct MJPEG normalization disabled because server RSS exceeded its safety limit"
+    ));
+    assert_ordered(
+        WEBCAM_SINK,
+        "direct_mjpeg_normalize_rss_limit_kb()",
+        "gst::Buffer::from_slice(pkt.data.clone())",
+    );
+}
+
+#[test]
+fn closed_camera_streams_release_native_uvc_pipeline_state() {
+    assert!(CAMERA_RUNTIME.contains("pub async fn release_if_active"));
+    assert!(CAMERA_RUNTIME.contains("slot.take()"));
+    assert!(WEBCAM_SINK.contains("impl Drop for WebcamSink"));
+    assert!(WEBCAM_SINK.contains("set_state(gst::State::Null)"));
+    assert!(CAMERA_RPC.contains("camera_rt.release_if_active(camera_session_id).await"));
+    assert!(UPSTREAM_MEDIA_RPC.contains("camera_rt.release_if_active(camera_session_id).await"));
+}
diff --git a/tests/test-taxonomy-manifest.json b/tests/test-taxonomy-manifest.json
index f017389..8850821 100644
--- a/tests/test-taxonomy-manifest.json
+++ b/tests/test-taxonomy-manifest.json
@@ -267,6 +267,10 @@
     "category": "regression",
     "new": "tests/regression/server/main/server_main_usb_recovery_contract.rs"
   },
+  {
+    "category": "regression",
+    "new": "tests/regression/server/video_sinks/server_mjpeg_normalizer_memory_regression.rs"
+  },
   {
     "category": "contract",
     "new": "tests/contract/server/runtime_support/server_runtime_contract.rs"