If you can reproduce this easily, can you actually change SteamVR's launch parameters to:
VRLINK_DUMP_BITSTREAM=1 %command%
...and then connect again, and cause the ghosting? Then disconnect (and unset that variable so you aren't dumping to disk on future runs).
You'll find a /tmp/vrlink_bitstream_<timestamp>.h265 file which contains the raw encoded video that was sent to the headset. If you can then give that file to us via dropbox or Google Drive or whatever else, that'll help see whether the ghosting is something on the encoding side (e.g. on the host), or a problem on the Quest side.
If you can reproduce this easily, can you actually change SteamVR's launch parameters to:
VRLINK_DUMP_BITSTREAM=1 %command%...and then connect again, and cause the ghosting? Then disconnect (and unset that variable so you aren't dumping to disk on future runs).
You'll find a
/tmp/vrlink_bitstream_<timestamp>.h265file which contains the raw encoded video that was sent to the headset. If you can then give that file to us via dropbox or Google Drive or whatever else, that'll help see whether the ghosting is something on the encoding side (e.g. on the host), or a problem on the Quest side.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1OwxL_XL85FXPyqyMSNZvOPGPSfpmZmlx/view?usp=sharing
Same issue, Pico 4 ultra. Steam VR 2.17.9, steam link 2.0.22
Same issue with the Quest 3 512GB. On the beta channels for both SteamVR and SteamLink. Don't have any logs at this moment.
Happens all the time for me too.
Quest Pro
CachyOS Linux 7.2.6-1-cachyos
KDE Plasma 6.7.5
Steam Version 1789606022
SteamVR Beta 2.17.10
Steam Link v2.0.22/v2.0.23 (I didn't check at the time of writing, latest version by the date of posting is my presumption)
AMD AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT (radeonsi, gfx1201, ACO, DRM 3.64, 7.2.6-1-cachyos), Mesa 26.2.2-arch3.2
Intel Core i9-10900
I hadn't tested it super properly, but it seems that setting per VR video settings and forcing a framerate that your PC can consistently push can mitigate it, at least partially, but this is not an ideal solution as that is usually 45 FPS.
Same issue with a Quest 2.
On Fedora 44
SteamVR 2.17.10 (not beate but has been observed on past beta releases, to my knowledge current release is up to date with beta)
Steam Link v2.0.23.2363
RX 9070XT, mesa 26.2.2
Was able to dump the bitstream and open it in VLC. Can upload as well if it'd be useful, but I also already compared it with @poggieboii78-arch 's uploaded video and it appears to be the same issue for me. Left eye is good, but right eye stutters in motion, visible both in headset and on dumped bitstream.
Same issue with a Quest 2.
Arch Linux
SteamVR 2.17.10
Steam Link v2.0.23.2363
Intel i5-9600k, AMD RX 6600XT
mesa 26.1.5
Linux Zen Kernel 7.1.5
linux-firmware-amdgpu 20260622-1
Same issue with a Quest 2.
Bazzite (bazzite-dx 44.20260919)
SteamVR 2.17.10
Steam Link v2.0.23.2363
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D
AMD RX 9070 XT
Mesa 26.2.2
Linux 7.2.4-ogc3.1.fc44.x86_64
Workaround I stumbled upon:
The ghosting doesn't happen when WayVR is running and any WayVR window is somewhere in the world. Tilting your wrist so the watch spawns is enough for this to work, but as soon as you tilt your wrist to despawn the watch, the issue reappears. I have instead been spawning the dashboard and sending it high up above me so it doesn't bother me during gameplay. It's possible this works with other overlays, but WayVR (v26.8.0) is the only one I've tried; I've never used any others.
Same with Quest 3
Operating System: Bazzite 44
KDE Plasma Version: 6.7.5
KDE Frameworks Version: 6.30.0
Qt Version: 6.11.2
Kernel Version: 7.2.4-ogc3.1.fc44.x86_64 (64-bit)
Graphics Platform: Wayland
Processors: 16 × AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D 8-Core Processor
Memory: 32 GiB of RAM (31.0 GiB usable)
Graphics Processor: AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT
Manufacturer: ASUS
Replying to https://github.com/ValveSoftware/SteamVR-for-Linux/issues/938#issuecomment-5748342086
This makes some sense; I had noticed that just opening the regular SteamVR menu made the issue stop, which also is an overlay.
same issue on my Quest 3s.
Bazzite (Bazzite 44)
SteamVR 2.17.10
Steam Link v2.0.23.2363
AMD Ryzen 7 5500X3D
AMD RX 9060 XT
Mesa 26.2.2
Linux 7.2.4-ogc3.1.fc44.x86_64
I can independently reproduce this issue on a Meta Quest 3 using Steam Link VR on CachyOS with an AMD GPU.
The symptom is the same: the left eye appears normal, while the right eye stutters/ghosts during head movement.
Additional testing:
One potentially important observation:
When the right-eye stuttering is occurring, opening the SteamVR dashboard/menu makes the issue disappear. After closing the dashboard, the image remains correct for some period of time before the right-eye stuttering returns.
This makes it look like opening the dashboard is resetting or resynchronizing some frame-pacing / pose / stereo-presentation state.
I have also observed SVLFEC::ReportStreamReset() in driver_vrlink.txt during testing.
I also experience the same issue with my Quest 2.
As everyone else reported, opening any overlay makes the issue go away. Dismissing the overlay and some moments of gameplay causes right eye to lag.
CachyOS (64 bit)
Kernel Version: 7.2
AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D 8-Core Processor
AMD AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT (radeonsi, gfx1201, ACO, DRM 3.64, 7.2.6-1-cachyos)
Mesa 26.2.3-arch3.2
OpenGL Version: 4.6
SteamVR 2.17.10
VR Hardware:
Headset: Oculus Oculus Quest2 (vrlink)
Controller: Oculus Oculus Quest2 (Left Controller) (vrlink)
Controller: Oculus Oculus Quest2 (Right Controller) (vrlink)
Same here:
Fedora Linux 44
Kernel version: 7.2
AMD Ryzen 7 5700x3d
AMD Radeon RX 9070
Mesa 26.2.2
Pico 4
So, from all the above, the issue is not related to:
It might be specific to Radeon/mesa, as I don't see any Nvidia report, unless I need more coffee.
The issue doesn't happen when using WiVRn instead of Steam Link + SteamVR, but that presents several other bugs and incompatibilities depending on the game. I believe it does happen with ALVR + SteamVR; at least it did last time I tried it (April 2025), so confirmation needed on whether or not that's still the case. If it is, I think it's probably safe to say the root of the issue lies in SteamVR.
I suppose it's possible radv or mesa is at fault if WiVRn does something inherently different. Though, I'm pretty sure the issue was also present when I tried it with a RTX 2070 Super, but that was some time in 2024, so take my ability to recall that correctly with a grain of salt.
Quest Pro, RX 9070 XT, Mesa 26.2.3
CachyOS, 7.2.6-1-cachyos
SteamVR Beta 2.18.1, Steam Link v2.0.24.2395
I am no longer experiencing this, regardless of overlays being up or not. Can anyone else confirm?
Meta Quest 3 using Steam Link VR on CachyOS with an AMD GPU.
SteamVR Beta 2.18.1 fixed the issue for me, thanks devs!
Can confirm, with SteamVR Beta 2.18.1 I no longer have this issue.
Quest 2, Steam Link 2.0.24.2395, bazzite-dx 44.20260921
Also no longer having the issue with steamvr beta 2.18.1 and steam link beta v2.0.24.2395.
Replying to https://github.com/ValveSoftware/SteamVR-for-Linux/issues/938#issuecomment-5769074543
For me this issue is also resolved on SteamVR Beta 2.18.1
Thank you for quick reaction on this!
Also appears to be fixed as well with the quest 3. On CachyOS 9070 XT
https://github.com/ValveSoftware/SteamVR-for-Linux/issues/938#issuecomment-5749809970
For me its fixed too with the actual SteamVR Beta :)
Yup, appears to be fixed now on SteamVR 2.18.1 :D
Can confirm fixed on SteamVR 2.18.1, on a Steam Frame, Debian Sid.
Okay so I come back with more testing.
Now I am on Steam Frame and I do experience those right eye twitches. They are not as bad as they were before - on 2.17.10 it is unplayable. On newest beta 2.18.2 it happens from time to time, that only right eye glitches.
In addition to it - in some games (eg. Escape Simulator 2) when using the WayVR overlay and it's window floating in the space, this overlay window twitches only in right eye - while remaining super stable and docked in the left eye.
I don't know how to record a video of what I see in frame - if someone has a way please let me know ^^
Confirming the same category of motion-dependent ghosting on a different headset/GPU: PICO 4 (not Quest 3S), AMD RX 9070 XT (RADV) rather than NVIDIA/Navi 33, Bazzite/Fedora 44, SteamVR 2.17.10. So this isn't tied to one headset vendor or one GPU vendor.
Our symptom matches the core pattern here: shaky/doubled image that scales with head movement speed and settles when still, no dark/corrupted-edge artifacts typical of decode falling behind, and it persisted after disabling 10-bit encoding and enabling FEC/QoS/sharpening settings — none of that touched it. I can't confirm whether it's isolated to one eye the way you describe (our capture was a flat screenshot, not a per-eye view), but the ghosting is clearly visible on screen-locked UI elements (menu buttons, friends-list panel text) that shouldn't be moving at all — which seems like useful evidence either way that this isn't a world-geometry/tracking problem, but something in how the compositor/presentation path blends or timestamps frames.
The strongest isolation we have: the exact same headset, PC, network, and even game, run through a different OpenXR runtime (WiVRn) instead of driver_vrlink, is completely smooth with zero ghosting. Everything else held constant, only the streaming/presentation software changed — which points pretty specifically at the vrlink path rather than the headset, network, or game.
Have a screenshot clearly showing the doubled UI text/button outlines if useful for the thread — let me know and I'll attach it.
Okay so I come back with more testing. Now I am on Steam Frame and I do experience those right eye twitches. They are not as bad as they were before - on 2.17.10 it is unplayable. On newest beta 2.18.2 it happens from time to time, that only right eye glitches.
In addition to it - in some games (eg. Escape Simulator 2) when using the WayVR overlay and it's window floating in the space, this overlay window twitches only in right eye - while remaining super stable and docked in the left eye.
I don't know how to record a video of what I see in frame - if someone has a way please let me know ^^
I swear it truly and honestly stopped with 2.18.1 but I only played for a few minutes just shaking around trying to provoke it. Now with 2.18.2 I'm seeing it again, as you said not so severe but present nonetheless and annoying as all hell regardless. Sadly you can't roll back to 2.18.1 it seems.
Steam Frame, 9070 XT, CachyOS, KDE Wayland
Have a screenshot clearly showing the doubled UI text/button outlines if useful for the thread — let me know and I'll attach it.
Thank you Claude. Very insightful.
Also confirming that this was fixed in 2.18.1, but has returned in 2.18.2. In fact, it seems worse than it's ever been in 2.18.2.
Steam Frame, 9070XT, Nobara, KDE Plasma.
Issue also seems to happen to me, using SteamFrame on Linux Mint.
Streaming was working fine, now any version of steamvr seems to break(public, beta, and previous all have this issue)
Makes most games basically unplayable when streamed, of all games I tested only "I expect you to die" seems to run without issues.
2.18.2 is still working fine with my Quest 2 on bazzite-dx.
im not really sure if this is the same issue im having, but a similar thing is happening to me, except it's both eyes that do it, also goes away when dashboard is open, also does not happen in any other streaming app, and if steamvr bugs out and does not give me the dashboard at all, it sometimes fixes the issue
VRLINK_DUMP_BITSTREAM=1 %command%x2 2026-09
vrserver.txt
vrcompositor.txt
Describe the bug
When using Steam Link VR (
driver_vrlink) with a Meta Quest 3S on Linux, the right eye shows persistent double imaging / ghosting whenever I rotate or move my head. The effect continues for the duration of head movement and stops immediately when my head becomes still. The left eye remains clear.This is reproducible across SteamVR games and is not present in the Quest's native applications.
I am currently seeing this on SteamVR Beta 2.17.8; it was also present on 2.17.7 stable.
Steps to reproduce
driver_vrlink).Expected behavior
Both eyes should display a single, stable image during head movement, with correct stereo timing/alignment.
Troubleshooting / observations
I have tried to isolate this from several other possible causes:
vrcompositor.txtreportsAsync support disabled by user setting or a direct mode driver, so async reprojection is not active in this configuration.Not Supportedfordriver_vrlink.tailscale0interface. It produced repeatedSVLDataLinkUber: Received event indicating network changeevents and forced stream resets (HandleUnrecoverableError). Removing the stale interface eliminated those resets, but the right-eye ghosting remained unchanged, so the two issues appear independent.vrcompositorsegfaults indmesg. They occurred only twice during roughly 15 minutes of testing and do not match the continuous, head-motion-dependent ghosting. These may be related to the 2.17.8 fix for invalid textures, but the ghosting persists independently.steamvr.vrsettingsto defaults did not change the behavior.Suspected cause
I do not know the exact cause, but the combination of:
makes me suspect a stereo frame timing / pose sampling / reprojection or presentation synchronization problem somewhere in the Steam Link VR path.
I am deliberately not assuming that this is specifically async reprojection, since async is disabled in my configuration. It could instead be related to how the two eye images are selected, timestamped, warped, or presented by the compositor/vrlink path.
There is some precedent for motion-dependent double vision in the Linux SteamVR tracker. Issue #344 reports double vision while rotating the head, and issue #917 describes head-motion-related double images and stereo/frame timing problems in a different headset/reprojection configuration. These reports are not identical to this bug, but may be useful for comparison.
System Information
driver_vrlink, PC connected over wired Ethernetqvlclient;panther;2.0.22.2145Additional information
I can provide fresh
vrserver.txt/vrcompositor.txtlogs, SteamVR system information, or reproduce the issue with specific debugging/settings changes if needed.A useful diagnostic would be determining whether the right-eye artifact is already present in the compositor's eye textures/frame timing, or whether it is introduced later in the
vrlink/streaming/presentation path.