diff --git a/platform/service/source_rcon.go b/platform/service/source_rcon.go
index 8faca63..3a05252 100644
--- a/platform/service/source_rcon.go
+++ b/platform/service/source_rcon.go
@@ -177,21 +177,10 @@ func (svc *CoreService) resolveSourceRCONDispatch(instance domain.ServerInstance
 	if !strings.EqualFold(endpoint.Platform, "windows") || !strings.EqualFold(endpoint.Architecture, "amd64") {
 		return sourceRCONDispatchResolution{}, validationError("unsupported_extension_platform: SCUM Source RCON requires windows/amd64")
 	}
-	binding, err := svc.runtimeBindingForServer(instance.ID)
+	binding, profile, err := svc.sourceRCONRuntimeProfile(instance, plugin, endpoint)
 	if err != nil {
 		return sourceRCONDispatchResolution{}, err
 	}
-	binding, err = normalizeRuntimeBinding(plugin, binding)
-	if err != nil {
-		return sourceRCONDispatchResolution{}, err
-	}
-	if binding.Status != domain.RuntimeBindingStatusComplete || binding.PluginVersion != plugin.Version {
-		return sourceRCONDispatchResolution{}, validationError("runtime binding is incomplete or stale")
-	}
-	profile, exists := runtimeLifecycleProfileForKey(plugin.RuntimeProfiles, binding.ProfileKey)
-	if !exists || !containsString(profile.Capabilities, domain.JobCapabilityRemoteRunRCONCommand) || !runtimePlatformsContain(profile.Platforms, "windows") {
-		return sourceRCONDispatchResolution{}, validationError("selected runtime profile does not support SCUM RCON")
-	}
 	transport, err := sourceRCONTransport(plugin.RuntimeProfiles, profile)
 	if err != nil {
 		return sourceRCONDispatchResolution{}, err
@@ -211,6 +200,56 @@ func (svc *CoreService) resolveSourceRCONDispatch(instance domain.ServerInstance
 	return sourceRCONDispatchResolution{plugin: plugin, binding: binding, transport: transport, plan: plan}, nil
 }
 
+func (svc *CoreService) sourceRCONRuntimeProfile(instance domain.ServerInstance, plugin domain.GamePlugin, endpoint domain.RunEndpoint) (domain.RuntimeBinding, domain.RuntimeLifecycleProfile, error) {
+	if binding, err := svc.runtimeBindingForServer(instance.ID); err == nil {
+		if normalized, normalizeErr := normalizeRuntimeBinding(plugin, binding); normalizeErr == nil {
+			if profile, exists := runtimeLifecycleProfileForKey(plugin.RuntimeProfiles, normalized.ProfileKey); exists && sourceRCONProfileSupports(plugin.RuntimeProfiles, profile, endpoint) {
+				return normalized, profile, nil
+			}
+		}
+	} else if !errors.Is(err, repo.ErrNotFound) {
+		return domain.RuntimeBinding{}, domain.RuntimeLifecycleProfile{}, err
+	}
+
+	if key := strings.TrimSpace(instance.Deployment.ProfileKey); key != "" {
+		if profile, exists := runtimeLifecycleProfileForKey(plugin.RuntimeProfiles, key); exists && sourceRCONProfileSupports(plugin.RuntimeProfiles, profile, endpoint) {
+			return transientSourceRCONBinding(instance, plugin, profile), profile, nil
+		}
+	}
+
+	var selected domain.RuntimeLifecycleProfile
+	for _, profile := range plugin.RuntimeProfiles.LifecycleProfiles {
+		if !sourceRCONProfileSupports(plugin.RuntimeProfiles, profile, endpoint) {
+			continue
+		}
+		if selected.Key != "" && selected.Key != profile.Key {
+			return domain.RuntimeBinding{}, domain.RuntimeLifecycleProfile{}, validationError("selected runtime profile has multiple SCUM RCON candidates")
+		}
+		selected = profile
+	}
+	if selected.Key == "" {
+		return domain.RuntimeBinding{}, domain.RuntimeLifecycleProfile{}, validationError("selected runtime profile does not support SCUM RCON")
+	}
+	return transientSourceRCONBinding(instance, plugin, selected), selected, nil
+}
+
+func sourceRCONProfileSupports(profiles domain.GamePluginRuntimeProfiles, profile domain.RuntimeLifecycleProfile, endpoint domain.RunEndpoint) bool {
+	if !containsString(profile.Capabilities, domain.JobCapabilityRemoteRunRCONCommand) || !runtimePlatformsContain(profile.Platforms, "windows") {
+		return false
+	}
+	if _, err := sourceRCONTransport(profiles, profile); err != nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	if _, err := sourceRCONExtension(profiles, profile, endpoint); err != nil {
+		return false
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
+func transientSourceRCONBinding(instance domain.ServerInstance, plugin domain.GamePlugin, profile domain.RuntimeLifecycleProfile) domain.RuntimeBinding {
+	return domain.RuntimeBinding{ID: "runtime-binding-" + instance.ID, ServerInstanceID: instance.ID, PluginID: plugin.ID, PluginVersion: plugin.Version, ProfileKey: profile.Key, Mode: profile.Mode, Status: domain.RuntimeBindingStatusComplete}
+}
+
 func sourceRCONTransport(profiles domain.GamePluginRuntimeProfiles, profile domain.RuntimeLifecycleProfile) (domain.RuntimeTransportProfile, error) {
 	return sourceRCONTransportForCapability(profiles, profile, "", domain.JobCapabilityRemoteRunRCONCommand)
 }
diff --git a/platform/service/source_rcon_test.go b/platform/service/source_rcon_test.go
index cb9fec4..0106e16 100644
--- a/platform/service/source_rcon_test.go
+++ b/platform/service/source_rcon_test.go
@@ -126,6 +126,65 @@ func TestSourceRCONDispatchCanonicalizesLegacyLocalBinding(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestSourceRCONDispatchSelectsDeclaredProfileWithoutManualBinding(t *testing.T) {
+	svc, session, _, instance := newSourceRCONFixtureWithRuntimeBinding(t, false)
+	plugin, err := svc.store.GamePlugins().Get(instance.PluginID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	plugin.RuntimeProfiles.LifecycleProfiles[0].Key = "run-local"
+	if err := svc.store.GamePlugins().Update(plugin); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("update source RCON profile key: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	dispatch, err := svc.DispatchSourceRCONCommandForSession(session, domain.SourceRCONCommandRequest{ServerInstanceID: instance.ID, Kind: domain.SourceRCONCommandKindCommand, Command: "#ListPlayers", IdempotencyKey: "rcon-without-binding"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("dispatch RCON without manual binding: %v", err)
+	}
+	job, err := svc.store.Jobs().Get(dispatch.JobID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("get RCON job: %v", err)
+	}
+	if job.ExecutionInput.WorkspaceScope != "run-local" || job.TargetKey != "rcon" || job.ExecutionInput.SourceRCON == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("expected declared source RCON profile to drive job, got %+v", job)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSourceRCONDispatchFallsBackFromCustomClientBinding(t *testing.T) {
+	svc, session, _, instance := newSourceRCONFixture(t)
+	plugin, err := svc.store.GamePlugins().Get(instance.PluginID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	plugin.RuntimeProfiles.LifecycleProfiles[0].Key = "run-local"
+	plugin.RuntimeProfiles.LifecycleProfiles = append(plugin.RuntimeProfiles.LifecycleProfiles, domain.RuntimeLifecycleProfile{Key: "scum-client", Mode: "custom-client", Capabilities: []string{"client-manager.deploy", "client-manager.control", "logs.read"}, ClientManagerRef: "scum-client-manager", Platforms: []string{"windows"}})
+	if err := svc.store.GamePlugins().Update(plugin); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("update plugin profiles: %v", err)
+	}
+	binding, err := svc.store.RuntimeBindings().Get("runtime-binding-" + instance.ID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("get runtime binding: %v", err)
+	}
+	binding.ProfileKey = "scum-client"
+	binding.Mode = "custom-client"
+	binding.Bindings = map[string]string{"scum-client-manager": "runtime-client-manager"}
+	if err := svc.store.RuntimeBindings().Update(binding); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("point binding at custom client profile: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	dispatch, err := svc.DispatchSourceRCONCommandForSession(session, domain.SourceRCONCommandRequest{ServerInstanceID: instance.ID, Kind: domain.SourceRCONCommandKindCommand, Command: "#ListPlayers", IdempotencyKey: "rcon-custom-client-binding"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("dispatch RCON with custom-client binding fallback: %v", err)
+	}
+	job, err := svc.store.Jobs().Get(dispatch.JobID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("get RCON job: %v", err)
+	}
+	if job.ExecutionInput.WorkspaceScope != "run-local" || job.TargetKey != "rcon" || job.ExecutionInput.RemoteAdapterKey != "rcon" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected source RCON to use run-local despite custom-client binding, got %+v", job)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestSourceRCONBrokerExpiresWithoutReplay(t *testing.T) {
 	stamp := fixedTime
 	broker := newSourceRCONCommandBroker(func() time.Time { return stamp })
@@ -139,6 +198,10 @@ func TestSourceRCONBrokerExpiresWithoutReplay(t *testing.T) {
 }
 
 func newSourceRCONFixture(t *testing.T) (*CoreService, string, string, domain.ServerInstance) {
+	return newSourceRCONFixtureWithRuntimeBinding(t, true)
+}
+
+func newSourceRCONFixtureWithRuntimeBinding(t *testing.T, createBinding bool) (*CoreService, string, string, domain.ServerInstance) {
 	t.Helper()
 	svc := newCoreService(repo.NewMemoryStore(), func() time.Time { return fixedTime })
 	capability := domain.JobCapabilityRemoteRunRCONCommand
@@ -177,12 +240,14 @@ func newSourceRCONFixture(t *testing.T) (*CoreService, string, string, domain.Se
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("create RCON server: %v", err)
 	}
-	binding, err := svc.buildRuntimeBinding(instance, plugin, domain.RuntimeBindingUpdate{ProfileKey: "local", Bindings: map[string]string{"rcon": "runtime-rcon"}}, true)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("create RCON binding: %v", err)
-	}
-	if err := svc.store.RuntimeBindings().Create(binding); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("store RCON binding: %v", err)
+	if createBinding {
+		binding, err := svc.buildRuntimeBinding(instance, plugin, domain.RuntimeBindingUpdate{ProfileKey: "local", Bindings: map[string]string{"rcon": "runtime-rcon"}}, true)
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("create RCON binding: %v", err)
+		}
+		if err := svc.store.RuntimeBindings().Create(binding); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("store RCON binding: %v", err)
+		}
 	}
 	helloRequest := validRunControlHello()
 	helloRequest.CapabilityReport.Capabilities = []string{capability}