diff --git a/examples/rendering/vk_resources.ludic b/examples/rendering/vk_resources.ludic
index 1b0dc12a..6e2a7849 100644
--- a/examples/rendering/vk_resources.ludic
+++ b/examples/rendering/vk_resources.ludic
@@ -61,6 +61,19 @@ program VkResources {
     check("RGB16F from floats (halved)", gvk_tex_storage(t4, false, GL_RGB16F, w, h, 1, true) and gvk_tex_upload(t4, GL_RGB16F, w, h, 1, GL_RGB, GL_FLOAT, fl))
     check("half of 1.5 is 0x3E00", gvk_half(0x3FC00000) == 0x3E00)
 
+    # a 16-bit RGB PNG (a normal map): big-endian samples, swapped on upload, alpha filled opaque
+    let n16 = bytes(w * h * 6)
+    for i in 0 .. w * h * 3 { n16[i * 2] = (i >> 8) & 255;  n16[i * 2 + 1] = i & 255 }
+    let t7 = gvk_tex_new()
+    gvk_unpack_swap = true
+    check("RGB16 swapped upload", gvk_tex_storage(t7, false, GL_RGB16, w, h, 1, true) and gvk_tex_upload(t7, GL_RGB16, w, h, 1, GL_RGB, GL_UNSIGNED_SHORT, n16))
+    gvk_unpack_swap = false
+    let b16 = bytes(w * h * 6)
+    check("RGB16 read-back call", gvk_tex_read(t7, GL_RGB16, w, h, GL_RGB, GL_UNSIGNED_SHORT, b16))
+    var s16 = true
+    for i in 0 .. w * h * 3 { if b16[i * 2] != (i & 255) or b16[i * 2 + 1] != ((i >> 8) & 255) { s16 = false } }
+    check("RGB16 samples arrive little-endian", s16)
+
     # the shadow cascades: a depth array, and a render-sized half-float target with no pixels
     let t5 = gvk_tex_new()
     check("D32 array of 4", gvk_tex_storage(t5, true, GL_DEPTH_COMPONENT32F, 256, 256, 4, false))
@@ -85,7 +98,7 @@ program VkResources {
     check("a smaller upload keeps the buffer", gvk_buf_upload(b, 512, data) and gvk_buf[b] == first)
     check("a larger upload grows it", gvk_buf_upload(b, 4096, data) and gvk_buf_size[b] >= 4096)
 
-    for t in 1 .. 7 { gvk_tex_release(t) }
+    for t in 1 .. 8 { gvk_tex_release(t) }
     gvk_buf_release(b)
     for i in 0 .. len(gvk_smp) { Vk.destroy_sampler(gvk_dev, gvk_smp[i], null) }
     print(`vulkan: {gvk_n_allocs} allocations left after freeing`)
diff --git a/packages/ludic.render3d/gpu_vk_draw.ludic b/packages/ludic.render3d/gpu_vk_draw.ludic
index 8b15f999..d1a25479 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.render3d/gpu_vk_draw.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.render3d/gpu_vk_draw.ludic
@@ -290,7 +290,9 @@ function gvk_pipeline(p: int, m: Mesh, st: GvkState, n_color: int, color_fmt: in
   Vk.zero(ms, VkPipelineMultisampleStateCreateInfo_sizeof)
   Vk.put_i32(ms, VkPipelineMultisampleStateCreateInfo_sType, VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_PIPELINE_MULTISAMPLE_STATE_CREATE_INFO)
   Vk.put_i32(ms, VkPipelineMultisampleStateCreateInfo_rasterizationSamples, samples)
-  Vk.put_i32(ms, VkPipelineMultisampleStateCreateInfo_alphaToCoverageEnable, st.a2c)
+  # OpenGL ignores alpha to coverage without a multisampled target; Vulkan with one sample would
+  # instead drop every fragment under half alpha, which erased the meadow's flowers
+  if samples > 1 { Vk.put_i32(ms, VkPipelineMultisampleStateCreateInfo_alphaToCoverageEnable, st.a2c) }
   let ds = bytes(VkPipelineDepthStencilStateCreateInfo_sizeof)
   Vk.zero(ds, VkPipelineDepthStencilStateCreateInfo_sizeof)
   Vk.put_i32(ds, VkPipelineDepthStencilStateCreateInfo_sType, VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_PIPELINE_DEPTH_STENCIL_STATE_CREATE_INFO)
@@ -607,10 +609,12 @@ function gvk_frame_cb() -> pointer {
   return gvk_cb
 }
 
-# a view of one layer of an array image, for a cascade drawn into on its own
+# The view a pass draws into: level 0 only (an attachment view has exactly one level, and a target
+# the exposure measure mipmaps has several), and one layer of an array image for a cascade drawn
+# on its own. Keyed by the image's generation, so a replaced image never reuses a stale view.
 function gvk_view_of(tex: int, layer1: int) -> long {
-  if layer1 == 0 { return gvk_tex_view[tex] }
-  let key = `{tex}:{layer1}`
+  if layer1 == 0 and gvk_tex_levels[tex] <= 1 and gvk_tex_layers[tex] <= 1 { return gvk_tex_view[tex] }
+  let key = `{tex}:{gvk_tex_gen[tex]}:{layer1}`
   if gvk_layer_views == null { gvk_layer_views = new []string;  gvk_layer_view = new []long }
   for i in 0 .. len(gvk_layer_views) { if gvk_layer_views[i] == key { return gvk_layer_view[i] } }
   let depth = gvk_tex_vkfmt[tex] == VK_FORMAT_D32_SFLOAT
@@ -623,7 +627,7 @@ function gvk_view_of(tex: int, layer1: int) -> long {
   let sr = VkImageViewCreateInfo_subresourceRange
   if depth { Vk.put_i32(vci, sr + VkImageSubresourceRange_aspectMask, VK_IMAGE_ASPECT_DEPTH_BIT) } else { Vk.put_i32(vci, sr + VkImageSubresourceRange_aspectMask, VK_IMAGE_ASPECT_COLOR_BIT) }
   Vk.put_i32(vci, sr + VkImageSubresourceRange_levelCount, 1)
-  Vk.put_i32(vci, sr + VkImageSubresourceRange_baseArrayLayer, layer1 - 1)
+  if layer1 > 0 { Vk.put_i32(vci, sr + VkImageSubresourceRange_baseArrayLayer, layer1 - 1) }
   Vk.put_i32(vci, sr + VkImageSubresourceRange_layerCount, 1)
   let out = bytes(8)
   let zero: long = 0
diff --git a/packages/ludic.render3d/gpu_vk_res.ludic b/packages/ludic.render3d/gpu_vk_res.ludic
index ea5f92f6..15a41612 100644
--- a/packages/ludic.render3d/gpu_vk_res.ludic
+++ b/packages/ludic.render3d/gpu_vk_res.ludic
@@ -52,6 +52,9 @@ var gvk_tex_layers: []int = null
 var gvk_tex_vkfmt: []int = null
 var gvk_tex_dims_w: []int = null
 var gvk_tex_dims_h: []int = null
+var gvk_tex_glfmt: []int = null        # the format the renderer asked for (gpu.ludic's vocabulary)
+var gvk_tex_array: []int = null        # 1 for an array image
+var gvk_tex_gen: []int = null          # bumped whenever the image behind a handle is replaced
 var gvk_unpack_swap: bool = false     # GL_UNPACK_SWAP_BYTES: 16-bit PNG samples arrive big-endian
 
 function gvk_tex_new() -> int {
@@ -60,7 +63,9 @@ function gvk_tex_new() -> int {
     gvk_tex_image = new []long;  gvk_tex_view = new []long;  gvk_tex_mem = new []long
     gvk_tex_levels = new []int;  gvk_tex_layers = new []int;  gvk_tex_vkfmt = new []int
     gvk_tex_dims_w = new []int;  gvk_tex_dims_h = new []int
+    gvk_tex_glfmt = new []int;  gvk_tex_array = new []int;  gvk_tex_gen = new []int
     push(gvk_tex_dims_w, 0);  push(gvk_tex_dims_h, 0)
+    push(gvk_tex_glfmt, 0);  push(gvk_tex_array, 0);  push(gvk_tex_gen, 0)
     # handle 0 is "no texture", as it is on OpenGL
     push(gvk_tex_image, zero);  push(gvk_tex_view, zero);  push(gvk_tex_mem, zero)
     push(gvk_tex_levels, 0);  push(gvk_tex_layers, 0);  push(gvk_tex_vkfmt, 0)
@@ -68,6 +73,7 @@ function gvk_tex_new() -> int {
   push(gvk_tex_image, zero);  push(gvk_tex_view, zero);  push(gvk_tex_mem, zero)
   push(gvk_tex_levels, 0);  push(gvk_tex_layers, 0);  push(gvk_tex_vkfmt, 0)
   push(gvk_tex_dims_w, 0);  push(gvk_tex_dims_h, 0)
+  push(gvk_tex_glfmt, 0);  push(gvk_tex_array, 0);  push(gvk_tex_gen, 0)
   return len(gvk_tex_image) - 1
 }
 
@@ -191,6 +197,8 @@ function gvk_tex_storage(tex: int, array: bool, ifmt: int, w: int, h: int, layer
   gvk_tex_image[tex] = image;  gvk_tex_view[tex] = gvk_handle(out);  gvk_tex_mem[tex] = mem
   gvk_tex_levels[tex] = levels;  gvk_tex_layers[tex] = layers;  gvk_tex_vkfmt[tex] = vkfmt
   gvk_tex_dims_w[tex] = w;  gvk_tex_dims_h[tex] = h
+  gvk_tex_glfmt[tex] = ifmt;  gvk_tex_gen[tex] = gvk_tex_gen[tex] + 1
+  if array { gvk_tex_array[tex] = 1 } else { gvk_tex_array[tex] = 0 }
   # a target starts cleared-to-nothing but readable: every level in the layout samplers expect
   let cb = gvk_once_begin()
   gvk_barrier(cb, image, depth, 0, levels, layers, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_UNDEFINED, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_SHADER_READ_ONLY_OPTIMAL)
@@ -285,7 +293,42 @@ function gvk_tex_upload(tex: int, ifmt: int, w: int, h: int, layers: int, fmt: i
 }
 
 # The mip chain from level 0, each level blitted down from the one above it
+# A target made without pixels has one level; the renderer asking it for mipmaps (the exposure
+# measure reads the HDR scene's smallest level every frame) grows it a full chain, level 0 kept.
+function gvk_tex_grow_mips(tex: int, w: int, h: int) -> bool {
+  let old_image = gvk_tex_image[tex]
+  let old_view = gvk_tex_view[tex]
+  let old_mem = gvk_tex_mem[tex]
+  let layers = gvk_tex_layers[tex]
+  let zero: long = 0
+  gvk_tex_image[tex] = zero
+  if not gvk_tex_storage(tex, gvk_tex_array[tex] == 1, gvk_tex_glfmt[tex], w, h, layers, true) { return false }
+  let cb = gvk_once_begin()
+  gvk_barrier(cb, old_image, false, 0, 1, layers, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_SHADER_READ_ONLY_OPTIMAL, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_TRANSFER_SRC_OPTIMAL)
+  gvk_barrier(cb, gvk_tex_image[tex], false, 0, 1, layers, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_SHADER_READ_ONLY_OPTIMAL, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_TRANSFER_DST_OPTIMAL)
+  let ic = bytes(VkImageCopy_sizeof)
+  Vk.zero(ic, VkImageCopy_sizeof)
+  Vk.put_i32(ic, VkImageCopy_srcSubresource + VkImageSubresourceLayers_aspectMask, VK_IMAGE_ASPECT_COLOR_BIT)
+  Vk.put_i32(ic, VkImageCopy_srcSubresource + VkImageSubresourceLayers_layerCount, layers)
+  Vk.put_i32(ic, VkImageCopy_dstSubresource + VkImageSubresourceLayers_aspectMask, VK_IMAGE_ASPECT_COLOR_BIT)
+  Vk.put_i32(ic, VkImageCopy_dstSubresource + VkImageSubresourceLayers_layerCount, layers)
+  Vk.put_i32(ic, VkImageCopy_extent + VkExtent3D_width, w)
+  Vk.put_i32(ic, VkImageCopy_extent + VkExtent3D_height, h)
+  Vk.put_i32(ic, VkImageCopy_extent + VkExtent3D_depth, 1)
+  Vk.cmd_copy_image(cb, old_image, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_TRANSFER_SRC_OPTIMAL, gvk_tex_image[tex], VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_TRANSFER_DST_OPTIMAL, 1, ic)
+  gvk_barrier(cb, gvk_tex_image[tex], false, 0, 1, layers, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_TRANSFER_DST_OPTIMAL, VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_SHADER_READ_ONLY_OPTIMAL)
+  let ok = gvk_once_end(cb)
+  Vk.destroy_image_view(gvk_dev, old_view, null)
+  Vk.destroy_image(gvk_dev, old_image, null)
+  Vk.free_memory(gvk_dev, old_mem, null)
+  gvk_n_allocs -= 1
+  return ok
+}
+
 function gvk_tex_mips(tex: int, w: int, h: int) -> bool {
+  if gvk_tex_levels[tex] <= 1 and (w > 1 or h > 1) and not gvk_is_depth(gvk_tex_glfmt[tex]) {
+    if not gvk_tex_grow_mips(tex, w, h) { return false }
+  }
   let levels = gvk_tex_levels[tex]
   if levels <= 1 { return true }
   let image = gvk_tex_image[tex]
@@ -372,6 +415,7 @@ function gvk_tex_release(tex: int) -> void {
   gvk_n_allocs -= 1
   gvk_tex_image[tex] = zero;  gvk_tex_view[tex] = zero;  gvk_tex_mem[tex] = zero
   gvk_tex_levels[tex] = 0;  gvk_tex_layers[tex] = 0;  gvk_tex_vkfmt[tex] = 0
+  gvk_tex_gen[tex] = gvk_tex_gen[tex] + 1
 }
 
 # ---- samplers -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
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diff --git a/packages/ludic.render3d/shaders/spv/e9b6300c.vert.spv b/packages/ludic.render3d/shaders/spv/e9b6300c.vert.spv
index a0730921..17d7ba64 100644
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diff --git a/packages/ludic.render3d/shaders/spv/f4382918.vert.spv b/packages/ludic.render3d/shaders/spv/f4382918.vert.spv
index 5fb95e1f..7051758f 100644
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diff --git a/tools/ludic-cli/shaders.ludic b/tools/ludic-cli/shaders.ludic
index b287520c..de75c8bf 100644
--- a/tools/ludic-cli/shaders.ludic
+++ b/tools/ludic-cli/shaders.ludic
@@ -173,7 +173,9 @@ function cmd_shaders() -> int {
     # is untouched. No y flip: a Vulkan target's row 0 is where OpenGL's is (NDC y = -1), so render
     # to texture, sampling and gl_FragCoord agree; only the present and the screenshot flip.
     let depth_remap = "\n#undef main\nvoid main() {\n  ludic_gl_main();\n  gl_Position.z = (gl_Position.z + gl_Position.w) * 0.5;\n}\n"
-    let vsrc = "#version 460\n" + defines + "#define main ludic_gl_main\n" + shd_file(parts[0]) + depth_remap
+    # invariant: the foliage's depth prepass and its lit pass (depth EQUAL) are different variants,
+    # and without it the compiler may compute their positions a hair apart and fail the test
+    let vsrc = "#version 460\n" + defines + "invariant gl_Position;\n#define main ludic_gl_main\n" + shd_file(parts[0]) + depth_remap
     let fsrc = "#version 460\n" + defines + shd_noise + shd_lighting + shd_file(parts[1])
     # one binding table for both stages
     shd_names = new []pointer