diff --git a/modules/desktop_display.sh b/modules/desktop_display.sh
index dde9269..d2e6f7d 100644
--- a/modules/desktop_display.sh
+++ b/modules/desktop_display.sh
@@ -299,6 +299,29 @@ configure_gdm3() {
     done
 }
 
+# Ordered session candidates for SDDM autologin:
+# Wayland first, then X11, per release. Existence
+# decides (no codename gates). The LXQt sessions
+# stay last for when the module starts offering LXQt.
+_sddm_session_candidates() {
+    local wayland_dir="${SESSION_DIR_WAYLAND:-/usr/share/wayland-sessions}"
+    local x11_dir="${SESSION_DIR_X11:-/usr/share/xsessions}"
+    local candidate
+    for candidate in \
+        "$wayland_dir/plasmawayland.desktop" \
+        "$wayland_dir/plasma.desktop" \
+        "$x11_dir/plasma.desktop" \
+        "$x11_dir/plasmax11.desktop" \
+        "$wayland_dir/lxqt-wayland.desktop" \
+        "$x11_dir/lxqt.desktop"; do
+        if [ -f "$candidate" ]; then
+            basename "$candidate" .desktop
+            return 0
+        fi
+    done
+    return 0
+}
+
 configure_sddm() {
     while true; do
         local choice
@@ -317,19 +340,11 @@ configure_sddm() {
             ;;
         2)
             local sddm_session=""
+            sddm_session=$(_sddm_session_candidates)
             local sddm_user="${SUDO_USER:-}"
             if [ -z "$sddm_user" ] || [ "$sddm_user" = "root" ]; then
                 sddm_user=$(awk -F: '$3>=1000 && $3<65534 {print $1}' /etc/passwd | head -1)
             fi
-            if [ -f /usr/share/wayland-sessions/plasmawayland.desktop ]; then
-                sddm_session="plasmawayland"
-            elif [ -f /usr/share/wayland-sessions/lxqt-wayland.desktop ]; then
-                sddm_session="lxqt-wayland"
-            elif [ -f /usr/share/xsessions/plasma.desktop ]; then
-                sddm_session="plasma"
-            elif [ -f /usr/share/xsessions/lxqt.desktop ]; then
-                sddm_session="lxqt"
-            fi
             sudo mkdir -p /etc/sddm.conf.d
             cat <<EOF | sudo tee /etc/sddm.conf.d/autologin.conf >/dev/null
 [Autologin]
diff --git a/modules/desktops/desktop_kde.sh b/modules/desktops/desktop_kde.sh
index 49807a7..7ef7d61 100644
--- a/modules/desktops/desktop_kde.sh
+++ b/modules/desktops/desktop_kde.sh
@@ -1,10 +1,32 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 # desktop_kde.sh — KDE Plasma desktop installer (SP2)
 # Full: kde-standard + sddm | Minimal: kde-plasma-desktop + sddm
-# Bookworm ships Plasma 5.27.5; Wayland is the default
-# session since Debian 12.
+# bookworm: Plasma 5.27.5 / KF5 / Qt5; SDDM defaults to
+# X11 (plasma.desktop in xsessions); Wayland is optional
+# via plasma-workspace-wayland (plasmawayland.desktop).
+# trixie: Plasma 6.3.6 / KF6 / Qt6; Wayland is the
+# primary session (plasma.desktop in wayland-sessions),
+# X11 the alternative (plasmax11.desktop). sddm is only
+# Recommends in the meta-kde chain, so the explicit sddm
+# in both routes is what guarantees the DM (and
+# xserver-xorg/xauth, hard deps of sddm in both releases).
 # License GPL v3
 
+# plasma-workspace-wayland exists only on bookworm:
+# bookworm's plasma-workspace ships the X11 session only,
+# and the Wayland session (plasmawayland.desktop) lives
+# in this separate package (a Recommends of plasma-desktop,
+# listed explicitly for the same determinism as the
+# explicit sddm). trixie integrates Wayland into
+# plasma-workspace itself and the package does not exist
+# there (packages.debian.org/trixie/plasma-workspace-wayland),
+# so naming it off-bookworm would fail the apt transaction.
+_kde_wayland_pkg() {
+    case "${DEBIAN_CODENAME:-}" in
+    bookworm) printf '%s\n' "plasma-workspace-wayland" ;;
+    *)        printf '%s\n' "" ;;
+    esac
+}
 kde_menu() {
     while true; do
         local -a kd_items=()
@@ -27,8 +49,15 @@ kde_menu() {
 
 _install_kde_full() {
     # Pre-apply summary: confirm the selection before any
-    # debconf or apt transaction starts.
-    _confirm_install_list "KDE Plasma Full" kde-standard sddm || return
+    # debconf or apt transaction starts. The Wayland
+    # session package is resolved once (bookworm only;
+    # the package does not exist on trixie) so the
+    # summary lists exactly what apt will install.
+    local wayland_pkg
+    wayland_pkg=$(_kde_wayland_pkg)
+    local -a pkgs=(kde-standard sddm)
+    [ -n "$wayland_pkg" ] && pkgs+=("$wayland_pkg")
+    _confirm_install_list "KDE Plasma Full" "${pkgs[@]}" || return
 
     echo -e "${GREEN}Installing KDE Plasma (Full)...${NC}"
 
@@ -42,7 +71,7 @@ _install_kde_full() {
     fi
     echo "${target_dm} shared/default-x-display-manager select ${target_dm}" | sudo debconf-set-selections
     _ensure_apt_updated
-    _run_cmd "KDE Full" "sudo apt install -y kde-standard sddm" \
+    _run_cmd "KDE Full" "sudo apt install -y ${pkgs[*]}" \
         "Installing KDE Plasma (Full Meta Package) + SDDM..."
     if [ "$target_dm" = "sddm" ]; then
         sudo systemctl enable sddm
@@ -56,8 +85,15 @@ _install_kde_full() {
 
 _install_kde_minimal() {
     # Pre-apply summary: confirm the selection before any
-    # debconf or apt transaction starts.
-    _confirm_install_list "KDE Plasma Minimal" kde-plasma-desktop sddm || return
+    # debconf or apt transaction starts. The Wayland
+    # session package is resolved once (bookworm only;
+    # the package does not exist on trixie) so the
+    # summary lists exactly what apt will install.
+    local wayland_pkg
+    wayland_pkg=$(_kde_wayland_pkg)
+    local -a pkgs=(kde-plasma-desktop sddm)
+    [ -n "$wayland_pkg" ] && pkgs+=("$wayland_pkg")
+    _confirm_install_list "KDE Plasma Minimal" "${pkgs[@]}" || return
 
     echo -e "${GREEN}Installing KDE Plasma Desktop (Minimal)...${NC}"
 
@@ -71,7 +107,7 @@ _install_kde_minimal() {
     fi
     echo "${target_dm} shared/default-x-display-manager select ${target_dm}" | sudo debconf-set-selections
     _ensure_apt_updated
-    _run_cmd "KDE Minimal" "sudo apt install -y kde-plasma-desktop sddm" \
+    _run_cmd "KDE Minimal" "sudo apt install -y ${pkgs[*]}" \
         "Installing KDE Plasma Desktop (Minimal) + SDDM..."
     if [ "$target_dm" = "sddm" ]; then
         sudo systemctl enable sddm
diff --git a/tests/desktops.bats b/tests/desktops.bats
index f92479c..d5d7e1d 100644
--- a/tests/desktops.bats
+++ b/tests/desktops.bats
@@ -60,6 +60,10 @@ teardown() {
     if [ -n "${MOCK_APT_ROOT:-}" ]; then
         rm -rf "$MOCK_APT_ROOT"
     fi
+    if [ -n "${SESSION_FIXTURE:-}" ]; then
+        rm -rf "$SESSION_FIXTURE"
+    fi
+    unset SESSION_DIR_WAYLAND SESSION_DIR_X11
 }
 
 # ── _existing_display_manager ────────────────────────
@@ -254,3 +258,172 @@ _gnome_capture_apt_cmd() {
     [[ "$output" == *"apt install -y gnome gdm3 gnome-terminal"* ]]
     [[ "$output" != *ptyxis* ]]
 }
+
+# ── KDE Plasma: bookworm Wayland gate ─────────────
+# plasma-workspace-wayland exists only on bookworm:
+# bookworm's plasma-workspace ships the X11 session
+# only, so the explicit listing keeps the Wayland
+# session in the transaction deterministically; off
+# bookworm the package does not exist and nothing is
+# named in the apt command.
+
+# _kde_capture_apt_cmd runs one KDE installer with
+# every external effect stubbed (same shape as the
+# GNOME capture helper): the apt command is captured
+# instead of executed, and the PATH sudo mock stays
+# in dry-run mode so debconf and systemctl invocations
+# are logged, not executed.
+_kde_capture_apt_cmd() {
+    local installer="$1"
+    _load_module_with_deps_marked kde
+    KDE_APT_CMD=""
+    _confirm_install_list() { return 0; }
+    _ensure_apt_updated() { :; }
+    _run_cmd() { KDE_APT_CMD="$2"; }
+    "$installer"
+    printf '%s\n' "$KDE_APT_CMD"
+}
+
+# _kde_capture_confirm runs one KDE installer with the
+# pre-apply summary captured instead of shown: _confirm
+# records the list _confirm_install_list builds, so the
+# summary content (never an empty package line) can be
+# asserted directly. The pipewire follow-up offer is
+# stubbed so the recorded list is the package summary.
+_kde_capture_confirm() {
+    local installer="$1"
+    _load_module_with_deps_marked kde
+    KDE_CONFIRM_LIST=""
+    _confirm() { KDE_CONFIRM_LIST="$2"; return 0; }
+    _ensure_apt_updated() { :; }
+    _run_cmd() { :; }
+    _offer_pipewire_after_desktop() { :; }
+    "$installer"
+    printf '%s\n' "$KDE_CONFIRM_LIST"
+}
+
+@test "_kde_wayland_pkg prints plasma-workspace-wayland on bookworm" {
+    export DEBIAN_CODENAME="bookworm"
+    _load_module_with_deps_marked kde
+    run _kde_wayland_pkg
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [ "$output" = "plasma-workspace-wayland" ]
+}
+
+@test "_kde_wayland_pkg prints nothing off bookworm" {
+    export DEBIAN_CODENAME="trixie"
+    _load_module_with_deps_marked kde
+    run _kde_wayland_pkg
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [ -z "$output" ]
+}
+
+@test "KDE Full installs the Wayland session package on bookworm" {
+    export DEBIAN_CODENAME="bookworm"
+    export MOCK_SUDO_DRY_RUN=1
+    run _kde_capture_apt_cmd _install_kde_full
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [[ "$output" == *"apt install -y kde-standard sddm plasma-workspace-wayland"* ]]
+}
+
+@test "KDE Full omits the Wayland session package off bookworm" {
+    export DEBIAN_CODENAME="trixie"
+    export MOCK_SUDO_DRY_RUN=1
+    run _kde_capture_apt_cmd _install_kde_full
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [[ "$output" == *"apt install -y kde-standard sddm"* ]]
+    [[ "$output" != *"plasma-workspace-wayland"* ]]
+}
+
+@test "KDE Minimal installs the Wayland session package on bookworm" {
+    export DEBIAN_CODENAME="bookworm"
+    export MOCK_SUDO_DRY_RUN=1
+    run _kde_capture_apt_cmd _install_kde_minimal
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [[ "$output" == *"apt install -y kde-plasma-desktop sddm plasma-workspace-wayland"* ]]
+}
+
+@test "KDE Minimal omits the Wayland session package off bookworm" {
+    export DEBIAN_CODENAME="trixie"
+    export MOCK_SUDO_DRY_RUN=1
+    run _kde_capture_apt_cmd _install_kde_minimal
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [[ "$output" == *"apt install -y kde-plasma-desktop sddm"* ]]
+    [[ "$output" != *"plasma-workspace-wayland"* ]]
+}
+
+@test "KDE Minimal summary lists the Wayland session package on bookworm" {
+    export DEBIAN_CODENAME="bookworm"
+    export MOCK_SUDO_DRY_RUN=1
+    run _kde_capture_confirm _install_kde_minimal
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [[ "$output" == *"plasma-workspace-wayland"* ]]
+}
+
+@test "KDE Minimal summary shows no empty package line off bookworm" {
+    export DEBIAN_CODENAME="trixie"
+    export MOCK_SUDO_DRY_RUN=1
+    run _kde_capture_confirm _install_kde_minimal
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [[ "$output" == *"kde-plasma-desktop"* ]]
+    [[ "$output" == *"sddm"* ]]
+    [[ "$output" != *"plasma-workspace-wayland"* ]]
+    [[ "$output" != *"- "$'\n'* ]]
+}
+
+# ── _sddm_session_candidates: ordered session probe ──
+# Existence decides (no codename gates) and Wayland is
+# preferred. The roots are redirected to a per-test
+# fixture tree through SESSION_DIR_WAYLAND /
+# SESSION_DIR_X11 (same spirit as the DM_FILE fixture),
+# so the probe never touches the real /usr/share tree.
+
+_sddm_session_fixture() {
+    SESSION_FIXTURE="$(mktemp -d)"
+    mkdir -p "$SESSION_FIXTURE/wayland" "$SESSION_FIXTURE/x11"
+    SESSION_DIR_WAYLAND="$SESSION_FIXTURE/wayland"
+    SESSION_DIR_X11="$SESSION_FIXTURE/x11"
+    export SESSION_DIR_WAYLAND SESSION_DIR_X11
+}
+
+@test "SDDM session probe prefers bookworm Wayland (plasmawayland)" {
+    _sddm_session_fixture
+    : >"$SESSION_DIR_WAYLAND/plasmawayland.desktop"
+    : >"$SESSION_DIR_X11/plasma.desktop"
+    run _sddm_session_candidates
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [ "$output" = "plasmawayland" ]
+}
+
+@test "SDDM session probe picks trixie Wayland (plasma.desktop)" {
+    _sddm_session_fixture
+    : >"$SESSION_DIR_WAYLAND/plasma.desktop"
+    : >"$SESSION_DIR_X11/plasmax11.desktop"
+    run _sddm_session_candidates
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [ "$output" = "plasma" ]
+}
+
+@test "SDDM session probe falls back to trixie X11 (plasmax11)" {
+    _sddm_session_fixture
+    : >"$SESSION_DIR_X11/plasmax11.desktop"
+    run _sddm_session_candidates
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [ "$output" = "plasmax11" ]
+}
+
+@test "SDDM session probe keeps LXQt last when no KDE session exists" {
+    _sddm_session_fixture
+    : >"$SESSION_DIR_WAYLAND/lxqt-wayland.desktop"
+    : >"$SESSION_DIR_X11/lxqt.desktop"
+    run _sddm_session_candidates
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [ "$output" = "lxqt-wayland" ]
+}
+
+@test "SDDM session probe returns empty when no session file exists" {
+    _sddm_session_fixture
+    run _sddm_session_candidates
+    [ "$status" -eq 0 ]
+    [ -z "$output" ]
+}