diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 54bb5742..8d417257 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -87,9 +87,9 @@
   - solarized
 * `regex-copy`/`show-urls-copy` will copy and paste the selected text if the hint
   is completed with an uppercase character ([#1975][1975]).
-* `16f-bit` to `tweak.surface-bit-depth`. Makes foot use 16-bit
-  floating point image buffers. They provide the necessary color
-  precision required by `gamma-correct-blending=yes`.
+* `16-bit` and `16f-bit` to `tweak.surface-bit-depth`. Makes foot use
+  16-bit (integer/floating point) image buffers. They provide the
+  necessary color precision required by `gamma-correct-blending=yes`.
 
 [2025]: https://codeberg.org/dnkl/foot/issues/2025
 [1975]: https://codeberg.org/dnkl/foot/issues/1975
diff --git a/config.c b/config.c
index 2ff4c4cd..0bf846f6 100644
--- a/config.c
+++ b/config.c
@@ -2814,7 +2814,12 @@ parse_section_tweak(struct context *ctx)
 #if defined(HAVE_PIXMAN_RGBA_FLOAT16)
         return value_to_enum(
                 ctx,
-                (const char *[]){"auto", "8-bit", "10-bit", "16f-bit", NULL},
+                (const char *[]){"auto", "8-bit", "10-bit", "16-bit", "16f-bit", NULL},
+                (int *)&conf->tweak.surface_bit_depth);
+#elif defined(HAVE_PIXMAN_RGBA_16)
+        return value_to_enum(
+                ctx,
+                (const char *[]){"auto", "8-bit", "10-bit", "16-bit", NULL},
                 (int *)&conf->tweak.surface_bit_depth);
 #else
         return value_to_enum(
diff --git a/config.h b/config.h
index eb5c9651..63873edb 100644
--- a/config.h
+++ b/config.h
@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ enum shm_bit_depth {
     SHM_BITS_AUTO,
     SHM_BITS_8,
     SHM_BITS_10,
+    SHM_BITS_16,
     SHM_BITS_16F,
 };
 
diff --git a/doc/foot.ini.5.scd b/doc/foot.ini.5.scd
index 502fd267..bd0d2a92 100644
--- a/doc/foot.ini.5.scd
+++ b/doc/foot.ini.5.scd
@@ -2024,7 +2024,7 @@ any of these options.
 
 *surface-bit-depth*
 	Selects which RGB bit depth to use for image buffers. One of
-	*auto*, *8-bit*, *10-bit*, or *16f-bit*.
+	*auto*, *8-bit*, *10-bit*, *16-bit*, or *16f-bit*.
 	
 	*auto* chooses bit depth depending on other settings, and
 	availability.
@@ -2036,11 +2036,12 @@ any of these options.
 	alpha channel. Thus, it provides higher precision color channels,
 	but a lower precision alpha channel.
 	
-	*16f-bit* uses 16 bits (floating point) for each color channel,
-	alpha included. If available, this is the default when
-	*gamma-correct-blending=yes*.
+	*16-bit* and *16f-bit* uses 16 bits (with *16f-bit* being floating
+	point) for each color channel, alpha included. If available, this
+	is the default when *gamma-correct-blending=yes* (with *16-bit*
+	being preferred over *16f-bit*).
 	
-	Note that both *10-bit* and *16f-bit* are much slower than
+	Note that both *10-bit*, *16-bit* and *16f-bit* are much slower than
 	*8-bit*; if you want to use gamma-correct blending, and if you
 	prefer speed (throughput and input latency) over accurate colors,
 	you can set *surface-bit-depth=8-bit* explicitly.
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 5fe77aea..d8e300e1 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -150,6 +150,11 @@ if pixman.version().version_compare('>=0.44.3')
   add_project_arguments('-DHAVE_PIXMAN_RGBA_FLOAT16', language: 'c')
 endif
 
+# TODO: 0.46.0
+if pixman.version().version_compare('>=0.44.3')
+  add_project_arguments('-DHAVE_PIXMAN_RGBA_16', language: 'c')
+endif
+
 tllist = dependency('tllist', version: '>=1.1.0', fallback: 'tllist')
 fcft = dependency('fcft', version: ['>=3.3.1', '<4.0.0'], fallback: 'fcft')
 
diff --git a/shm.c b/shm.c
index 9c227e45..afdf4b6b 100644
--- a/shm.c
+++ b/shm.c
@@ -986,10 +986,40 @@ shm_chain_new(struct wayland *wayl, bool scrollable, size_t pix_instances,
     static bool have_logged = false;
     static bool have_logged_10_fallback = false;
 
+#if defined(HAVE_PIXMAN_RGBA_16)
+    static bool have_logged_16_fallback = false;
+
+    if (desired_bit_depth == SHM_BITS_16) {
+        if (wayl->shm_have_abgr161616 && wayl->shm_have_xbgr161616) {
+            pixman_fmt_without_alpha = PIXMAN_a16b16g16r16;
+            shm_fmt_without_alpha = WL_SHM_FORMAT_XBGR16161616;
+
+            pixman_fmt_without_alpha = PIXMAN_a16b16g16r16;
+            shm_fmt_with_alpha = WL_SHM_FORMAT_ABGR16161616;
+
+            if (!have_logged) {
+                have_logged = true;
+                LOG_INFO("using 16-bit BGR surfaces");
+            }
+        } else {
+            if (!have_logged_16_fallback) {
+                have_logged_16_fallback = true;
+
+                LOG_WARN(
+                    "16-bit surfaces requested, but compositor does not "
+                    "implement ABGR161616+XBGR161616");
+            }
+        }
+    }
+#endif
+
 #if defined(HAVE_PIXMAN_RGBA_FLOAT16)
     static bool have_logged_16f_fallback = false;
 
-    if (desired_bit_depth == SHM_BITS_16F) {
+    if (desired_bit_depth == SHM_BITS_16F ||
+        (desired_bit_depth == SHM_BITS_16 &&
+         pixman_fmt_with_alpha == PIXMAN_a8r8g8b8))
+    {
         if (wayl->shm_have_abgr161616f && wayl->shm_have_xbgr161616f) {
             pixman_fmt_without_alpha = PIXMAN_rgba_float16;
             shm_fmt_without_alpha = WL_SHM_FORMAT_XBGR16161616F;
@@ -1007,16 +1037,14 @@ shm_chain_new(struct wayland *wayl, bool scrollable, size_t pix_instances,
 
                 LOG_WARN(
                     "16f-bit surfaces requested, but compositor does not "
-                    "implement ABGR161616F+XBGR161616F. Falling back to either "
-                    "10- or 8-bit surfaces");
+                    "implement ABGR161616F+XBGR161616F");
             }
         }
     }
 #endif
 
-    if (desired_bit_depth == SHM_BITS_10 ||
-        (desired_bit_depth == SHM_BITS_16F &&
-         pixman_fmt_with_alpha == PIXMAN_a8r8g8b8))
+    if (desired_bit_depth >= SHM_BITS_10 &&
+        pixman_fmt_with_alpha == PIXMAN_a8r8g8b8)
     {
         if (wayl->shm_have_argb2101010 && wayl->shm_have_xrgb2101010) {
             pixman_fmt_without_alpha = PIXMAN_x2r10g10b10;
@@ -1051,7 +1079,7 @@ shm_chain_new(struct wayland *wayl, bool scrollable, size_t pix_instances,
                 LOG_WARN(
                     "10-bit surfaces requested, but compositor does not "
                     "implement ARGB2101010+XRGB2101010, or "
-                    "ABGR2101010+XBGR2101010. Falling back to 8-bit surfaces");
+                    "ABGR2101010+XBGR2101010");
             }
         }
     } else  {
diff --git a/wayland.c b/wayland.c
index b8003d83..a3c5e722 100644
--- a/wayland.c
+++ b/wayland.c
@@ -244,6 +244,8 @@ shm_format(void *data, struct wl_shm *wl_shm, uint32_t format)
     case WL_SHM_FORMAT_ARGB2101010: wayl->shm_have_argb2101010 = true; break;
     case WL_SHM_FORMAT_XBGR2101010: wayl->shm_have_xbgr2101010 = true; break;
     case WL_SHM_FORMAT_ABGR2101010: wayl->shm_have_abgr2101010 = true; break;
+    case WL_SHM_FORMAT_XBGR16161616: wayl->shm_have_xbgr161616 = true; break;
+    case WL_SHM_FORMAT_ABGR16161616: wayl->shm_have_abgr161616 = true; break;
     case WL_SHM_FORMAT_XBGR16161616F: wayl->shm_have_xbgr161616f = true; break;
     case WL_SHM_FORMAT_ABGR16161616F: wayl->shm_have_abgr161616f = true; break;
     }
diff --git a/wayland.h b/wayland.h
index 9e69e4a2..d693c686 100644
--- a/wayland.h
+++ b/wayland.h
@@ -498,6 +498,8 @@ struct wayland {
     bool shm_have_xbgr2101010:1;
     bool shm_have_abgr161616f:1;
     bool shm_have_xbgr161616f:1;
+    bool shm_have_abgr161616:1;
+    bool shm_have_xbgr161616:1;
 };
 
 struct wayland *wayl_init(