diff --git a/src/panfrost/lib/pan_image.h b/src/panfrost/lib/pan_image.h
index e1a8add2aba..236e2c4d5a5 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/lib/pan_image.h
+++ b/src/panfrost/lib/pan_image.h
@@ -262,8 +262,11 @@ struct pan_image_usage {
    /* Image frequently updated with host data. */
    bool frequent_host_updates;
 
-   /* Scanout image. */
-   bool scanout;
+   /* Legacy scanout image. */
+   bool legacy_scanout;
+
+   /* Image created by WSI. */
+   bool wsi;
 };
 
 static inline enum pan_mod_support
diff --git a/src/panfrost/lib/pan_mod.c b/src/panfrost/lib/pan_mod.c
index bd3fc9cb651..a6ebf26415e 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/lib/pan_mod.c
+++ b/src/panfrost/lib/pan_mod.c
@@ -247,8 +247,8 @@ pan_mod_afbc_test_props(const struct pan_kmod_dev_props *dprops,
    if (iprops->extent_px.width <= 16 && iprops->extent_px.height <= 16)
       return PAN_MOD_NOT_OPTIMAL;
 
-   /* Reserve 32x8 tiles for scanout buffers. */
-   if (iusage && !iusage->scanout &&
+   /* Reserve 32x8 tiles for WSI images. */
+   if (iusage && !iusage->wsi &&
        pan_afbc_superblock_width(iprops->modifier) != 16)
       return PAN_MOD_NOT_OPTIMAL;
 
diff --git a/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_image.c b/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_image.c
index 2b157aa75bb..a23bb1dd5fd 100644
--- a/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_image.c
+++ b/src/panfrost/vulkan/panvk_image.c
@@ -124,7 +124,8 @@ get_iusage(struct panvk_image *image, const VkImageCreateInfo *create_info)
 
    iusage.host_copy =
       !!(image->vk.usage & VK_IMAGE_USAGE_HOST_TRANSFER_BIT_EXT);
-   iusage.scanout = wsi_info && wsi_info->scanout;
+   iusage.legacy_scanout = wsi_info && wsi_info->scanout;
+   iusage.wsi = wsi_info != NULL;
 
    return iusage;
 }
@@ -373,6 +374,11 @@ panvk_image_get_mod(struct panvk_image *image,
       assert(!"Missing modifier info");
    }
 
+   /* legacy scanout (images without any external modifier info) should default to LINEAR. */
+   if (iusage.legacy_scanout)
+      return DRM_FORMAT_MOD_LINEAR;
+
+   /* Without external dependencies, pick the best modifier that supports the image. */
    return panvk_image_get_mod_from_list(image, &iusage, NULL, 0);
 }