diff --git a/vav2/platforms/windows/applications/vav2player/Vav2Player/src/Playback/FrameProcessor.cpp b/vav2/platforms/windows/applications/vav2player/Vav2Player/src/Playback/FrameProcessor.cpp
index 154ca45..29ce720 100644
--- a/vav2/platforms/windows/applications/vav2player/Vav2Player/src/Playback/FrameProcessor.cpp
+++ b/vav2/platforms/windows/applications/vav2player/Vav2Player/src/Playback/FrameProcessor.cpp
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ bool FrameProcessor::ProcessFrame(VavCorePlayer* player,
                     if (FAILED(hr)) {
                         LOGF_ERROR("[FrameProcessor] Failed to wait for copy completion: 0x%08X", hr);
                     } else {
-                        LOGF_DEBUG("[FrameProcessor] GPU copy completed, staging texture ready");
+                        LOGF_INFO("[FrameProcessor] GPU copy completed, staging texture ready");
                     }
                 }
             }
diff --git a/vav2/platforms/windows/applications/vav2player/Vav2Player/src/Rendering/RGBASurfaceBackend.cpp b/vav2/platforms/windows/applications/vav2player/Vav2Player/src/Rendering/RGBASurfaceBackend.cpp
index 68c9ed8..409adad 100644
--- a/vav2/platforms/windows/applications/vav2player/Vav2Player/src/Rendering/RGBASurfaceBackend.cpp
+++ b/vav2/platforms/windows/applications/vav2player/Vav2Player/src/Rendering/RGBASurfaceBackend.cpp
@@ -634,16 +634,6 @@ HRESULT RGBASurfaceBackend::CopyToStagingTexture(ID3D12Resource* sourceTexture)
         return hr;
     }
 
-    // Transition staging texture from PIXEL_SHADER_RESOURCE to COPY_DEST
-    // (First frame: starts in COPY_DEST, subsequent frames: comes from PIXEL_SHADER_RESOURCE)
-    D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER stagingToCopyDest = {};
-    stagingToCopyDest.Type = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_TYPE_TRANSITION;
-    stagingToCopyDest.Flags = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_FLAG_NONE;
-    stagingToCopyDest.Transition.pResource = m_stagingTexture.Get();
-    stagingToCopyDest.Transition.StateBefore = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_PIXEL_SHADER_RESOURCE;
-    stagingToCopyDest.Transition.StateAfter = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_COPY_DEST;
-    stagingToCopyDest.Transition.Subresource = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_ALL_SUBRESOURCES;
-
     // Transition source texture to COPY_SOURCE
     D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER sourceBarrier = {};
     sourceBarrier.Type = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_TYPE_TRANSITION;
@@ -653,8 +643,27 @@ HRESULT RGBASurfaceBackend::CopyToStagingTexture(ID3D12Resource* sourceTexture)
     sourceBarrier.Transition.StateAfter = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_COPY_SOURCE;
     sourceBarrier.Transition.Subresource = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_ALL_SUBRESOURCES;
 
-    D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER barriers[] = { stagingToCopyDest, sourceBarrier };
-    m_copyCommandList->ResourceBarrier(2, barriers);
+    // Transition staging texture to COPY_DEST (only if not first copy)
+    // First copy: staging texture already in COPY_DEST state (created with that state)
+    // Subsequent copies: staging texture in PIXEL_SHADER_RESOURCE state (from previous render)
+    if (m_firstCopy) {
+        // First copy: only transition source
+        m_copyCommandList->ResourceBarrier(1, &sourceBarrier);
+        m_firstCopy = false;
+        LOGF_DEBUG("[RGBASurfaceBackend] First copy: staging texture already in COPY_DEST state");
+    } else {
+        // Subsequent copies: transition both staging and source
+        D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER stagingToCopyDest = {};
+        stagingToCopyDest.Type = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_TYPE_TRANSITION;
+        stagingToCopyDest.Flags = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_FLAG_NONE;
+        stagingToCopyDest.Transition.pResource = m_stagingTexture.Get();
+        stagingToCopyDest.Transition.StateBefore = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_PIXEL_SHADER_RESOURCE;
+        stagingToCopyDest.Transition.StateAfter = D3D12_RESOURCE_STATE_COPY_DEST;
+        stagingToCopyDest.Transition.Subresource = D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER_ALL_SUBRESOURCES;
+
+        D3D12_RESOURCE_BARRIER barriers[] = { stagingToCopyDest, sourceBarrier };
+        m_copyCommandList->ResourceBarrier(2, barriers);
+    }
 
     // Copy texture
     m_copyCommandList->CopyResource(m_stagingTexture.Get(), sourceTexture);
diff --git a/vav2/platforms/windows/applications/vav2player/Vav2Player/src/Rendering/RGBASurfaceBackend.h b/vav2/platforms/windows/applications/vav2player/Vav2Player/src/Rendering/RGBASurfaceBackend.h
index 03b953f..dc3f506 100644
--- a/vav2/platforms/windows/applications/vav2player/Vav2Player/src/Rendering/RGBASurfaceBackend.h
+++ b/vav2/platforms/windows/applications/vav2player/Vav2Player/src/Rendering/RGBASurfaceBackend.h
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ private:
     uint32_t m_height = 0;  // Container height
     uint32_t m_videoWidth = 0;
     uint32_t m_videoHeight = 0;
+    bool m_firstCopy = true;  // Track first copy to handle initial state
 
     // Helper methods
     HRESULT CreateGraphicsResources();