diff --git a/packages/capture/src/create-capture.js b/packages/capture/src/create-capture.js
index 628bef33d..c17caaf88 100644
--- a/packages/capture/src/create-capture.js
+++ b/packages/capture/src/create-capture.js
@@ -3,17 +3,24 @@
 const debug = require('debug-logfmt')('browserless:capture')
 const createGoto = require('@browserless/goto')
 
-// Resolve the device (and therefore the viewport) without navigating, so the
-// recorder can be sized and started before `goto` runs. The viewport is derived
-// from the `device`/`viewport` opts, which are known ahead of navigation.
-const resolveViewport = (goto, page, opts) => {
+// Resolve the device viewport and apply it before recording starts. The
+// viewport is derived from the `device`/`viewport` opts (known ahead of
+// navigation), so the recorder can be sized and started before `goto` runs.
+// Applying it up front matters for tab capture: `getUserMedia` pins exact
+// width/height from the target device, so the page must already match it —
+// otherwise a custom `device` overconstrains against the browser's default
+// viewport and fails before navigation begins.
+const prepareViewport = async (goto, page, opts) => {
   if (typeof goto.getDevice === 'function') {
     const device = goto.getDevice({
       headers: { ...(opts.headers || {}) },
       device: opts.device ?? goto.defaultDevice,
       viewport: opts.viewport
     })
-    if (device && device.viewport) return device.viewport
+    if (device && device.viewport) {
+      await page.setViewport(device.viewport)
+      return device.viewport
+    }
   }
   return page.viewport()
 }
@@ -30,7 +37,7 @@ module.exports =
       return function capture (page) {
         return async (url, opts = {}) => {
           const duration = debug.duration({ url })
-          const viewport = resolveViewport(goto, page, opts)
+          const viewport = await prepareViewport(goto, page, opts)
           const result = await runMode(page, opts, viewport, {
             onStarted: () => goto(page, { ...opts, url, animations: true })
           })
diff --git a/packages/capture/src/recorder/index.js b/packages/capture/src/recorder/index.js
index 069118b63..7337d124c 100644
--- a/packages/capture/src/recorder/index.js
+++ b/packages/capture/src/recorder/index.js
@@ -96,9 +96,9 @@ const record = async (page, opts, viewport, { onStarted, getSize, startSource, l
   // error surfaces immediately instead of after the full `duration`.
   const recordingWindow = new AbortController()
   try {
-    // Apply the viewport before the first frame so frames are captured at the
-    // intended size from the start (goto re-applies it idempotently during nav).
-    await page.setViewport(viewport).catch(NOOP)
+    // The viewport is already applied (by `prepareViewport`) before the first
+    // frame, so frames are captured at the intended size from the start; goto
+    // re-applies it idempotently during navigation.
     stop = await startSource({ page, muxer, width, height, fps, quality })
 
     // The source is rolling: only now kick off navigation so the page's load and
diff --git a/packages/capture/test/index.js b/packages/capture/test/index.js
index 78535dfb1..35d938044 100644
--- a/packages/capture/test/index.js
+++ b/packages/capture/test/index.js
@@ -386,6 +386,41 @@ test('supports a custom `fps`', async t => {
   t.is(startRecordingPayload.videoConstraints.mandatory.maxFrameRate, 60)
 })
 
+test('applies the device viewport before recording starts', async t => {
+  const createCapture = loadCapture()
+
+  const deviceViewport = {
+    width: 390,
+    height: 844,
+    deviceScaleFactor: 3,
+    isMobile: true,
+    hasTouch: true,
+    isLandscape: false
+  }
+
+  const { page } = createFixture()
+  const browser = page.browser()
+
+  // Tab capture pins exact width/height from the device, so `getUserMedia` (run
+  // inside START_RECORDING) overconstrains unless the page already matches. Snap
+  // the viewport at that moment to prove it was applied before recording begins.
+  let viewportAtRecordingStart
+  browser.__setOnStartRecording(() => {
+    viewportAtRecordingStart = page.viewport()
+  })
+
+  const capture = createCapture({
+    goto: createGoto(undefined, {
+      device: { ...DEFAULT_DEVICE, viewport: deviceViewport }
+    })
+  })
+
+  await capture(page)('https://example.com', { duration: 20, audio: false, video: true })
+
+  t.deepEqual(viewportAtRecordingStart, deviceViewport)
+  t.deepEqual(page.viewport(), deviceViewport)
+})
+
 test('starts recording before navigation', async t => {
   const createCapture = loadCapture()
   const events = []