diff --git a/control_lifecycle_test.go b/control_lifecycle_test.go
index 4ec331a7..1eef98c8 100644
--- a/control_lifecycle_test.go
+++ b/control_lifecycle_test.go
@@ -144,11 +144,11 @@ type fakeConn struct {
 	rebinds int
 }
 
-func (c *fakeConn) Rebind() error                                    { c.rebinds++; return nil }
-func (c *fakeConn) LocalAddr() (netip.AddrPort, error)               { return netip.AddrPort{}, nil }
-func (c *fakeConn) ListenOut(_ udp.EncReader, _ func()) error        { return nil }
-func (c *fakeConn) WriteTo(_ []byte, _ netip.AddrPort, _ byte) error { return nil }
-func (c *fakeConn) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, _ []netip.AddrPort, _ []byte) (int, error) {
+func (c *fakeConn) Rebind() error                             { c.rebinds++; return nil }
+func (c *fakeConn) LocalAddr() (netip.AddrPort, error)        { return netip.AddrPort{}, nil }
+func (c *fakeConn) ListenOut(_ udp.EncReader, _ func()) error { return nil }
+func (c *fakeConn) WriteTo(_ []byte, _ netip.AddrPort) error  { return nil }
+func (c *fakeConn) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, _ []netip.AddrPort) (int, error) {
 	return len(bufs), nil
 }
 func (c *fakeConn) ReloadConfig(_ *config.C)      {}
diff --git a/ecn_inner_test.go b/ecn_inner_test.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 18dc94d4..00000000
--- a/ecn_inner_test.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,188 +0,0 @@
-package nebula
-
-import (
-	"encoding/binary"
-	"log/slog"
-	"testing"
-
-	"golang.org/x/net/ipv4"
-)
-
-func TestInnerECN(t *testing.T) {
-	cases := []struct {
-		name string
-		pkt  []byte
-		want byte
-	}{
-		{"empty", nil, 0},
-		{"v4_NotECT", v4WithToS(0x00), 0x00},
-		{"v4_ECT0", v4WithToS(0x02), 0x02},
-		{"v4_ECT1", v4WithToS(0x01), 0x01},
-		{"v4_CE", v4WithToS(0x03), 0x03},
-		{"v4_DSCP_then_NotECT", v4WithToS(0x88 | 0x00), 0x00},
-		{"v4_DSCP_then_CE", v4WithToS(0x88 | 0x03), 0x03},
-		{"v6_NotECT", v6WithTC(0x00), 0x00},
-		{"v6_ECT0", v6WithTC(0x02), 0x02},
-		{"v6_CE", v6WithTC(0x03), 0x03},
-		{"v6_DSCP_then_CE", v6WithTC(0x88 | 0x03), 0x03},
-		{"unknown_version", []byte{0xa5, 0xff}, 0},
-	}
-	for _, c := range cases {
-		t.Run(c.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			got := innerECN(c.pkt)
-			if got != c.want {
-				t.Errorf("innerECN=0x%02x want 0x%02x", got, c.want)
-			}
-		})
-	}
-}
-
-// v4WithToS returns a 2-byte slice tall enough for innerECN: byte 0 carries
-// version=4 in the high nibble, byte 1 is the full ToS so we exercise both
-// the DSCP and ECN portions through the byte 1 mask.
-func v4WithToS(tos byte) []byte {
-	return []byte{0x45, tos}
-}
-
-// v6WithTC builds a 2-byte slice that places a known traffic class value
-// across bytes 0 (high nibble of TC) and 1 (low nibble of TC). innerECN
-// extracts ECN as (b[1]>>4)&0x03, which corresponds to TC[1:0].
-func v6WithTC(tc byte) []byte {
-	return []byte{0x60 | (tc>>4)&0x0f, (tc & 0x0f) << 4}
-}
-
-func TestApplyOuterECN(t *testing.T) {
-	silent := slog.New(slog.DiscardHandler)
-	hi := &HostInfo{}
-
-	// Build a v4 packet helper with a given inner ECN field.
-	v4 := func(innerECN byte) []byte {
-		// 20-byte minimal IPv4 header with ToS = innerECN (DSCP zeroed).
-		return []byte{
-			0x45, innerECN, 0, 28,
-			0, 0, 0x40, 0,
-			64, 6, 0, 0,
-			10, 0, 0, 1,
-			10, 0, 0, 2,
-		}
-	}
-	// Build a v6 packet helper with a given inner ECN field. ECN occupies
-	// TC[1:0] which sit at byte 1 mask 0x30.
-	v6 := func(innerECN byte) []byte {
-		// 40-byte minimal IPv6 header with TC[1:0] = innerECN.
-		pkt := make([]byte, 40)
-		pkt[0] = 0x60                   // version=6, TC[7:4]=0
-		pkt[1] = (innerECN & 0x03) << 4 // TC[3:0]: low 2 bits = ECN, top 2 = DSCP-low (0)
-		return pkt
-	}
-
-	type cell struct {
-		outer    byte
-		inner    byte
-		wantECN  byte
-		wantSame bool // expect inner unchanged (true => verify the byte didn't move)
-	}
-
-	// RFC 6040 normal-mode combine table. Only outer==CE causes mutation.
-	table := []cell{
-		{ecnNotECT, ecnNotECT, ecnNotECT, true},
-		{ecnNotECT, ecnECT0, ecnECT0, true},
-		{ecnNotECT, ecnECT1, ecnECT1, true},
-		{ecnNotECT, ecnCE, ecnCE, true},
-
-		{ecnECT0, ecnNotECT, ecnNotECT, true},
-		{ecnECT0, ecnECT0, ecnECT0, true},
-		{ecnECT0, ecnECT1, ecnECT1, true},
-		{ecnECT0, ecnCE, ecnCE, true},
-
-		{ecnECT1, ecnNotECT, ecnNotECT, true},
-		{ecnECT1, ecnECT0, ecnECT0, true},
-		{ecnECT1, ecnECT1, ecnECT1, true},
-		{ecnECT1, ecnCE, ecnCE, true},
-
-		{ecnCE, ecnNotECT, ecnNotECT, true}, // legacy: log, leave alone
-		{ecnCE, ecnECT0, ecnCE, false},      // CE folded in
-		{ecnCE, ecnECT1, ecnCE, false},
-		{ecnCE, ecnCE, ecnCE, true},
-	}
-
-	for _, c := range table {
-		t.Run("v4", func(t *testing.T) {
-			pkt := v4(c.inner)
-			applyOuterECN(pkt, c.outer, hi, silent)
-			got := pkt[1] & 0x03
-			if got != c.wantECN {
-				t.Errorf("v4 outer=0x%02x inner=0x%02x: got 0x%02x want 0x%02x", c.outer, c.inner, got, c.wantECN)
-			}
-		})
-		t.Run("v6", func(t *testing.T) {
-			pkt := v6(c.inner)
-			applyOuterECN(pkt, c.outer, hi, silent)
-			got := (pkt[1] >> 4) & 0x03
-			if got != c.wantECN {
-				t.Errorf("v6 outer=0x%02x inner=0x%02x: got 0x%02x want 0x%02x", c.outer, c.inner, got, c.wantECN)
-			}
-		})
-	}
-}
-
-// TestApplyOuterECN_IPv4ChecksumStaysValid guards against H1: folding an outer
-// CE mark into the inner IPv4 ToS byte must keep the IPv4 header checksum valid.
-// The passthrough emit paths write the packet verbatim, so a stale checksum
-// turns an underlay congestion mark into packet loss at the receiver.
-func TestApplyOuterECN_IPv4ChecksumStaysValid(t *testing.T) {
-	silent := slog.New(slog.DiscardHandler)
-	hi := &HostInfo{}
-
-	// 20-byte IPv4 header with DSCP=0x88 and inner ECN = ECT(0). Folding CE
-	// flips only the low two bits of the ToS byte while leaving DSCP intact.
-	pkt := []byte{
-		0x45, 0x88 | ecnECT0, 0, 40,
-		0x1c, 0x46, 0x40, 0x00,
-		64, 6, 0, 0,
-		10, 0, 0, 1,
-		10, 0, 0, 2,
-	}
-	// Stamp a correct header checksum before the fold.
-	binary.BigEndian.PutUint16(pkt[10:12], ipv4HeaderChecksum(pkt[:ipv4.HeaderLen]))
-	if !ipv4HeaderChecksumValid(pkt[:ipv4.HeaderLen]) {
-		t.Fatal("test setup: initial header checksum invalid")
-	}
-
-	applyOuterECN(pkt, ecnCE, hi, silent)
-
-	// CE folded in, DSCP preserved.
-	if got, want := pkt[1], byte(0x88|ecnCE); got != want {
-		t.Fatalf("ToS after fold = 0x%02x, want 0x%02x", got, want)
-	}
-	// The incremental RFC 1624 update must leave the checksum valid and equal
-	// to a full recompute over the mutated header.
-	if !ipv4HeaderChecksumValid(pkt[:ipv4.HeaderLen]) {
-		t.Fatalf("IPv4 header checksum invalid after CE fold: 0x%04x", binary.BigEndian.Uint16(pkt[10:12]))
-	}
-	if got, want := binary.BigEndian.Uint16(pkt[10:12]), ipv4HeaderChecksum(pkt[:ipv4.HeaderLen]); got != want {
-		t.Fatalf("checksum = 0x%04x, full recompute = 0x%04x", got, want)
-	}
-}
-
-// ipv4HeaderChecksum computes the RFC 1071 IPv4 header checksum over hdr,
-// treating the checksum field (bytes 10:12) as zero.
-func ipv4HeaderChecksum(hdr []byte) uint16 {
-	var sum uint32
-	for i := 0; i+1 < len(hdr); i += 2 {
-		if i == 10 {
-			continue // checksum field
-		}
-		sum += uint32(hdr[i])<<8 | uint32(hdr[i+1])
-	}
-	for sum > 0xffff {
-		sum = (sum >> 16) + (sum & 0xffff)
-	}
-	return ^uint16(sum)
-}
-
-// ipv4HeaderChecksumValid reports whether the stored checksum matches a fresh
-// computation over the header.
-func ipv4HeaderChecksumValid(hdr []byte) bool {
-	return binary.BigEndian.Uint16(hdr[10:12]) == ipv4HeaderChecksum(hdr)
-}
diff --git a/handshake_manager.go b/handshake_manager.go
index d252f315..4942d6de 100644
--- a/handshake_manager.go
+++ b/handshake_manager.go
@@ -293,7 +293,7 @@ func (hm *HandshakeManager) handleOutbound(vpnIp netip.Addr, lighthouseTriggered
 	var sentTo []netip.AddrPort
 	hostinfo.remotes.ForEach(hm.mainHostMap.GetPreferredRanges(), func(addr netip.AddrPort, _ bool) {
 		hm.messageMetrics.Tx(header.Handshake, hh.machine.Subtype(), 1)
-		err := hm.outside.WriteTo(stage0, addr, 0)
+		err := hm.outside.WriteTo(stage0, addr)
 		if err != nil {
 			// These repeat every attempt, so match the success log below and only shout when the remotes changed
 			level := slog.LevelDebug
@@ -1074,7 +1074,7 @@ func (hm *HandshakeManager) sendHandshakeResponse(via ViaSender, msg []byte, hos
 
 	if !via.IsRelayed {
 		fields := append(logFields, "from", via)
-		err := f.outside.WriteTo(msg, via.UdpAddr, 0)
+		err := f.outside.WriteTo(msg, via.UdpAddr)
 		if err != nil {
 			f.l.Error("Failed to send handshake message", append(fields, "error", err)...)
 		} else {
@@ -1089,7 +1089,7 @@ func (hm *HandshakeManager) sendHandshakeResponse(via ViaSender, msg []byte, hos
 		// We received a valid handshake on this relay, so make sure the relay
 		// state reflects that, in case it had been marked Disestablished.
 		via.relayHI.relayState.UpdateRelayForByIdxState(via.relay.LocalIndex, Established)
-		f.SendVia(via.relayHI, via.relay, msg, make([]byte, 12), make([]byte, mtu), false, 0, 0)
+		f.SendVia(via.relayHI, via.relay, msg, make([]byte, 12), make([]byte, mtu), false, 0)
 		f.l.Info("Handshake message sent", append(logFields, "relay", via.relayHI.vpnAddrs[0])...)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/handshake_manager_test.go b/handshake_manager_test.go
index 7915c97c..03483d87 100644
--- a/handshake_manager_test.go
+++ b/handshake_manager_test.go
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ func (mw *mockEncWriter) SendMessageToVpnAddr(_ header.MessageType, _ header.Mes
 	return
 }
 
-func (mw *mockEncWriter) SendVia(via *HostInfo, relay *Relay, ad, nb, out []byte, nocopy bool, outerECN byte, q int) {
+func (mw *mockEncWriter) SendVia(via *HostInfo, relay *Relay, ad, nb, out []byte, nocopy bool, q int) {
 	return
 }
 
diff --git a/inside.go b/inside.go
index 30468093..cee7a787 100644
--- a/inside.go
+++ b/inside.go
@@ -164,7 +164,6 @@ func (f *Interface) sendInsideMessage(hostinfo *HostInfo, pkt tio.Packet, nb []b
 	f.connectionManager.Out(hostinfo)
 
 	remote := hostinfo.GetRemote()
-	ecnEnabled := f.ecnEnabled.Load()
 	if hostinfo.lastRebindCount != f.rebindCount {
 		//NOTE: there is an update hole if a tunnel isn't used and exactly 256 rebinds occur before the tunnel is
 		// finally used again. This tunnel would eventually be torn down and recreated if this action didn't help.
@@ -215,11 +214,7 @@ func (f *Interface) sendInsideMessage(hostinfo *HostInfo, pkt tio.Packet, nb []b
 				return nil
 			}
 
-			var ecn byte
-			if ecnEnabled {
-				ecn = innerECN(seg)
-			}
-			sendBatch.Commit(toSend, relayHostInfo.GetRemote(), ecn)
+			sendBatch.Commit(toSend, relayHostInfo.GetRemote())
 			return nil
 		})
 		if err != nil {
@@ -237,11 +232,7 @@ func (f *Interface) sendInsideMessage(hostinfo *HostInfo, pkt tio.Packet, nb []b
 			return nil
 		}
 
-		var ecn byte
-		if ecnEnabled {
-			ecn = innerECN(seg)
-		}
-		sendBatch.Commit(out, remote, ecn)
+		sendBatch.Commit(out, remote)
 		return nil
 	})
 	if err != nil {
@@ -251,22 +242,6 @@ func (f *Interface) sendInsideMessage(hostinfo *HostInfo, pkt tio.Packet, nb []b
 	}
 }
 
-// innerECN returns the 2-bit IP-level ECN codepoint of an inner IPv4 or IPv6
-// packet, or 0 if pkt is too short or its IP version is unrecognized. Used at
-// encap to copy the inner codepoint onto the outer carrier per RFC 6040.
-func innerECN(pkt []byte) byte {
-	if len(pkt) < 2 {
-		return 0
-	}
-	switch pkt[0] >> 4 {
-	case 4:
-		return pkt[1] & 0x03
-	case 6:
-		return (pkt[1] >> 4) & 0x03
-	}
-	return 0
-}
-
 func (f *Interface) rejectInside(packet []byte, out []byte, q int) {
 	if !f.firewall.OutboundSendReject {
 		return
@@ -520,16 +495,15 @@ func (f *Interface) prepareSendVia(via *HostInfo,
 // ad is the plaintext data to authenticate, but not encrypt
 // nb is a buffer used to store the nonce value, re-used for performance reasons.
 // out is a buffer used to store the result of the Encrypt operation
-// outerECN is the 2-bit codepoint to stamp on the carrier datagram (0 for control traffic).
 // q indicates which writer to use to send the packet.
-func (f *Interface) SendVia(via *HostInfo, relay *Relay, ad, nb, out []byte, nocopy bool, outerECN byte, q int) {
+func (f *Interface) SendVia(via *HostInfo, relay *Relay, ad, nb, out []byte, nocopy bool, q int) {
 	toSend, err := f.prepareSendVia(via, relay, ad, nb, out, nocopy)
 	if err != nil {
 		// already logged by prepareSendVia
 		return
 	}
 
-	err = f.writers[q].WriteTo(toSend, via.GetRemote(), outerECN)
+	err = f.writers[q].WriteTo(toSend, via.GetRemote())
 	if err != nil {
 		via.logger(f.l).Info("Failed to WriteTo in sendVia", "error", err)
 	}
@@ -590,15 +564,8 @@ func (f *Interface) sendNoMetrics(t header.MessageType, st header.MessageSubType
 		return
 	}
 
-	// Data packets copy the inner packet's ECN codepoint onto the outer
-	// carrier per RFC 6040; control traffic stays Not-ECT.
-	var outerECN byte
-	if t == header.Message && f.ecnEnabled.Load() {
-		outerECN = innerECN(p)
-	}
-
 	if remote.IsValid() {
-		err = f.writers[q].WriteTo(out, remote, outerECN)
+		err = f.writers[q].WriteTo(out, remote)
 		if err != nil {
 			hostinfo.logger(f.l).Error("Failed to write outgoing packet",
 				"error", err,
@@ -606,7 +573,7 @@ func (f *Interface) sendNoMetrics(t header.MessageType, st header.MessageSubType
 			)
 		}
 	} else if hr := hostinfo.GetRemote(); hr.IsValid() {
-		err = f.writers[q].WriteTo(out, hr, outerECN)
+		err = f.writers[q].WriteTo(out, hr)
 		if err != nil {
 			hostinfo.logger(f.l).Error("Failed to write outgoing packet",
 				"error", err,
@@ -625,7 +592,7 @@ func (f *Interface) sendNoMetrics(t header.MessageType, st header.MessageSubType
 				)
 				continue
 			}
-			f.SendVia(relayHostInfo, relay, out, nb, fullOut[:header.Len+len(out)], true, outerECN, q)
+			f.SendVia(relayHostInfo, relay, out, nb, fullOut[:header.Len+len(out)], true, q)
 			break
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/interface.go b/interface.go
index 85003492..89fc95e9 100644
--- a/interface.go
+++ b/interface.go
@@ -96,12 +96,7 @@ type Interface struct {
 	// pinThreads controls whether listenIn pins each TUN reader OS thread to
 	// a CPU at all (tun.pin_threads, default true). When false, threads are
 	// left free to migrate as on stock nebula.
-	pinThreads bool
-	// ecnEnabled gates RFC 6040 underlay ECN propagation. When true,
-	// inside.go copies the inner ECN onto the outer carrier on encap and
-	// decryptToTun folds outer CE into the inner header on decap. Toggle
-	// via tunnels.ecn (default false; see reloadEcn for why).
-	ecnEnabled   atomic.Bool
+	pinThreads   bool
 	relayManager *relayManager
 
 	tryPromoteEvery atomic.Uint32
@@ -143,7 +138,7 @@ type Interface struct {
 }
 
 type EncWriter interface {
-	SendVia(via *HostInfo, relay *Relay, ad, nb, out []byte, nocopy bool, outerECN byte, q int)
+	SendVia(via *HostInfo, relay *Relay, ad, nb, out []byte, nocopy bool, q int)
 	SendMessageToVpnAddr(t header.MessageType, st header.MessageSubType, vpnAddr netip.Addr, p, nb, out []byte)
 	SendMessageToHostInfo(t header.MessageType, st header.MessageSubType, hostinfo *HostInfo, p, nb, out []byte)
 	Handshake(vpnAddr netip.Addr)
@@ -369,8 +364,8 @@ func (f *Interface) listenOut(i int) {
 	nb := make([]byte, 12, 12)
 	scratch := make([]byte, mtu)
 
-	listener := func(fromUdpAddr netip.AddrPort, payload []byte, meta udp.RxMeta) {
-		f.readOutsidePackets(ViaSender{UdpAddr: fromUdpAddr}, scratch, payload, h, fwPacket, lhh, nb, i, ctCache.Get(), meta)
+	listener := func(fromUdpAddr netip.AddrPort, payload []byte) {
+		f.readOutsidePackets(ViaSender{UdpAddr: fromUdpAddr}, scratch, payload, h, fwPacket, lhh, nb, i, ctCache.Get())
 	}
 
 	flusher := func() {
@@ -472,7 +467,6 @@ func (f *Interface) RegisterConfigChangeCallbacks(c *config.C) {
 	c.RegisterReloadCallback(f.reloadAcceptRecvError)
 	c.RegisterReloadCallback(f.reloadDisconnectInvalid)
 	c.RegisterReloadCallback(f.reloadMisc)
-	c.RegisterReloadCallback(f.reloadEcn)
 
 	for _, udpConn := range f.writers {
 		c.RegisterReloadCallback(udpConn.ReloadConfig)
@@ -605,32 +599,6 @@ func (f *Interface) reloadMisc(c *config.C) {
 	}
 }
 
-// reloadEcn syncs Interface.ecnEnabled with the tunnels.ecn config knob.
-//
-// Default is disabled (RFC 6040 compatibility mode). There is no in-band
-// capability negotiation, and RFC 6040 §4.3 forbids marking the outer
-// header ECT unless the ingress knows the egress propagates CE inward: a
-// receiver that cannot read outer ECN (any pre-ECN nebula) silently
-// discards AQM CE marks, so the inner flow is advertised as
-// congestion-responsive but never sees the signal and never backs off.
-// Setting tunnels.ecn=true is the operator's assertion that every peer
-// this host tunnels with runs an ECN-capable nebula with the knob enabled;
-// enable it fleet-wide or not at all. It is also the escape hatch for
-// underlay middleboxes that rewrite or drop ECN bits unpredictably.
-func (f *Interface) reloadEcn(c *config.C) {
-	initial := c.InitialLoad()
-	if initial || c.HasChanged("tunnels.ecn") {
-		v := c.GetBool("tunnels.ecn", true) //todo!!!
-		changed := f.ecnEnabled.Swap(v) != v
-		if !initial {
-			f.l.Info("tunnels.ecn changed", "enabled", v)
-			if changed {
-				f.l.Warn("tunnels.ecn datapath toggled, but route-level ECN negotiation (RTAX_FEATURE_ECN) retains its previous state until nebula is restarted", "enabled", v)
-			}
-		}
-	}
-}
-
 func (f *Interface) emitStats(ctx context.Context, i time.Duration) {
 	ticker := time.NewTicker(i)
 	defer ticker.Stop()
diff --git a/lighthouse_test.go b/lighthouse_test.go
index 6b15e162..7a81e5d2 100644
--- a/lighthouse_test.go
+++ b/lighthouse_test.go
@@ -498,7 +498,7 @@ type testEncWriter struct {
 	protocolVersion cert.Version
 }
 
-func (tw *testEncWriter) SendVia(via *HostInfo, relay *Relay, ad, nb, out []byte, nocopy bool, outerECN byte, q int) {
+func (tw *testEncWriter) SendVia(via *HostInfo, relay *Relay, ad, nb, out []byte, nocopy bool, q int) {
 }
 func (tw *testEncWriter) Handshake(vpnIp netip.Addr) {
 }
diff --git a/outside.go b/outside.go
index 5f1b24a4..28be3520 100644
--- a/outside.go
+++ b/outside.go
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/firewall"
 	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/header"
-	"github.com/slackhq/nebula/udp"
 	"golang.org/x/net/ipv4"
 )
 
@@ -26,7 +25,7 @@ var ErrOutOfWindow = errors.New("out of window packet")
 // readOutsidePackets processes one received underlay packet.
 // Message payloads are decrypted IN PLACE, so packet must stay untouched
 // by the caller until the batcher for queue q has been flushed
-func (f *Interface) readOutsidePackets(via ViaSender, scratch []byte, packet []byte, h *header.H, fwPacket *firewall.Packet, lhf *LightHouseHandler, nb []byte, q int, localCache firewall.ConntrackCache, meta udp.RxMeta) {
+func (f *Interface) readOutsidePackets(via ViaSender, scratch []byte, packet []byte, h *header.H, fwPacket *firewall.Packet, lhf *LightHouseHandler, nb []byte, q int, localCache firewall.ConntrackCache) {
 	err := h.Parse(packet)
 	if err != nil {
 		// Hole punch packets are 0 or 1 byte big, so lets ignore printing those errors
@@ -124,7 +123,7 @@ func (f *Interface) readOutsidePackets(via ViaSender, scratch []byte, packet []b
 			}
 			return
 		}
-		f.handleOutsideRelayPacket(hostinfo, via, scratch, packet, h, fwPacket, lhf, nb, q, localCache, meta)
+		f.handleOutsideRelayPacket(hostinfo, via, scratch, packet, h, fwPacket, lhf, nb, q, localCache)
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -144,7 +143,7 @@ func (f *Interface) readOutsidePackets(via ViaSender, scratch []byte, packet []b
 	case header.Message:
 		switch h.Subtype {
 		case header.MessageNone:
-			f.handleOutsideMessagePacket(hostinfo, out, scratch, fwPacket, nb, q, localCache, meta)
+			f.handleOutsideMessagePacket(hostinfo, out, scratch, fwPacket, nb, q, localCache)
 		default:
 			hostinfo.logger(f.l).Error("IsValidSubType was true, but unexpected message subtype seen", "from", via, "header", h)
 			return
@@ -186,7 +185,7 @@ func (f *Interface) readOutsidePackets(via ViaSender, scratch []byte, packet []b
 	}
 }
 
-func (f *Interface) handleOutsideRelayPacket(hostinfo *HostInfo, via ViaSender, scratch []byte, packet []byte, h *header.H, fwPacket *firewall.Packet, lhf *LightHouseHandler, nb []byte, q int, localCache firewall.ConntrackCache, meta udp.RxMeta) {
+func (f *Interface) handleOutsideRelayPacket(hostinfo *HostInfo, via ViaSender, scratch []byte, packet []byte, h *header.H, fwPacket *firewall.Packet, lhf *LightHouseHandler, nb []byte, q int, localCache firewall.ConntrackCache) {
 	// Successfully validated the thing. Get rid of the Relay header and the AEAD tag
 	signedPayload := packet[header.Len : len(packet)-hostinfo.ConnectionState.dKey.Overhead()]
 	// Pull the Roaming parts up here, and return in all call paths.
@@ -213,7 +212,7 @@ func (f *Interface) handleOutsideRelayPacket(hostinfo *HostInfo, via ViaSender,
 			relay:     relay,
 			IsRelayed: true,
 		}
-		f.readOutsidePackets(via, scratch, signedPayload, h, fwPacket, lhf, nb, q, localCache, meta)
+		f.readOutsidePackets(via, scratch, signedPayload, h, fwPacket, lhf, nb, q, localCache)
 	case ForwardingType:
 		// Find the target HostInfo relay object
 		targetHI, targetRelay, err := f.hostMap.QueryVpnAddrsRelayFor(hostinfo.vpnAddrs, relay.PeerAddr)
@@ -233,12 +232,8 @@ func (f *Interface) handleOutsideRelayPacket(hostinfo *HostInfo, via ViaSender,
 				// Forward this packet through the relay tunnel, rebuilding it in place.
 				// Encode overwrites the old outer header, and the new AEAD tag lands where the old one was
 				fwdBuf := packet[:0:len(packet)] // Cap to len(packet) to protect memory from a larger parent buffer
-				var fwdECN byte
-				if f.ecnEnabled.Load() {
-					fwdECN = meta.OuterECN
-				}
 				//todo it would potentially be nice to batch these
-				f.SendVia(targetHI, targetRelay, signedPayload, nb, fwdBuf, true, fwdECN, q)
+				f.SendVia(targetHI, targetRelay, signedPayload, nb, fwdBuf, true, q)
 			case TerminalType:
 				hostinfo.logger(f.l).Error("Unexpected Relay Type of Terminal")
 				return
@@ -505,85 +500,7 @@ func parseV4(data []byte, incoming bool, fp *firewall.Packet) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-// 2-bit IP-level ECN codepoints (lower bits of IPv4 ToS / IPv6 TC).
-const (
-	ecnNotECT = 0x00
-	ecnECT1   = 0x01
-	ecnECT0   = 0x02
-	ecnCE     = 0x03
-)
-
-// applyOuterECN folds an outer CE mark from the underlay into the inner
-// IP header per RFC 6040 normal mode. It mutates pkt[1] in place. Other
-// codepoints are advisory only and leave the inner unchanged.
-//
-// Merge cases (outer × inner → action):
-//
-//	outer != CE                : no-op (inner is authoritative)
-//	outer == CE, inner Not-ECT : log; cannot propagate to a non-ECN host
-//	outer == CE, inner ECT/CE  : rewrite inner ECN to CE
-func applyOuterECN(pkt []byte, outerECN byte, hostinfo *HostInfo, l *slog.Logger) {
-	if outerECN&ecnCE != ecnCE || len(pkt) < 2 {
-		return
-	}
-	switch pkt[0] >> 4 {
-	case 4:
-		switch pkt[1] & 0x03 {
-		case ecnNotECT:
-			if l.Enabled(context.Background(), slog.LevelDebug) {
-				hostinfo.logger(l).Debug("RFC 6040: outer CE on inner Not-ECT, leaving inner unchanged")
-			}
-		case ecnCE:
-			// Already CE.
-		default:
-			// Rewriting the ToS byte invalidates the IPv4 header checksum, so
-			// patch it incrementally per RFC 1624 (HC' = ~(~HC + ~m + m')). The
-			// ToS is the low byte of the 16-bit word at pkt[0:2]; the header
-			// checksum lives at pkt[10:12]. A header too short to carry a
-			// checksum can't be fixed up here, so leave it for newPacket to
-			// reject rather than emit a mangled packet.
-			if len(pkt) < ipv4.HeaderLen {
-				return
-			}
-			m := binary.BigEndian.Uint16(pkt[0:2])
-			pkt[1] = (pkt[1] &^ 0x03) | ecnCE
-			mNew := binary.BigEndian.Uint16(pkt[0:2])
-			sum := uint32(^binary.BigEndian.Uint16(pkt[10:12])) + uint32(^m) + uint32(mNew)
-			for sum > 0xffff {
-				sum = (sum >> 16) + (sum & 0xffff)
-			}
-			binary.BigEndian.PutUint16(pkt[10:12], ^uint16(sum))
-		}
-	case 6:
-		switch (pkt[1] >> 4) & 0x03 {
-		case ecnNotECT:
-			if l.Enabled(context.Background(), slog.LevelDebug) {
-				hostinfo.logger(l).Debug("RFC 6040: outer CE on inner Not-ECT, leaving inner unchanged")
-			}
-		case ecnCE:
-			// Already CE.
-		default:
-			pkt[1] = (pkt[1] &^ 0x30) | (ecnCE << 4)
-		}
-	}
-}
-
-func (f *Interface) handleOutsideMessagePacket(hostinfo *HostInfo, out []byte, scratch []byte, fwPacket *firewall.Packet, nb []byte, q int, localCache firewall.ConntrackCache, meta udp.RxMeta) {
-	// RFC 6040 normal-mode combine: fold any outer CE mark stamped by the
-	// underlay into the inner header before firewall + TUN write. Other
-	// outer codepoints are advisory only — we keep the inner unchanged.
-	if f.ecnEnabled.Load() {
-		outerECN := meta.OuterECN
-		if meta.QueueCongested {
-			// nebula-as-AQM: our own receive queue is the congested hop on
-			// this path and no kernel AQM can see it. Depth beyond the
-			// marking threshold is treated as CE so ECT senders back off
-			// before the queue regulates by tail-drop instead.
-			outerECN = ecnCE
-		}
-		applyOuterECN(out, outerECN, hostinfo, f.l)
-	}
-
+func (f *Interface) handleOutsideMessagePacket(hostinfo *HostInfo, out []byte, scratch []byte, fwPacket *firewall.Packet, nb []byte, q int, localCache firewall.ConntrackCache) {
 	err := newPacket(out, true, fwPacket)
 	if err != nil {
 		hostinfo.logger(f.l).Warn("Error while validating inbound packet",
@@ -621,7 +538,7 @@ func (f *Interface) sendRecvError(endpoint netip.AddrPort, index uint32) {
 	f.messageMetrics.Tx(header.RecvError, 0, 1)
 
 	b := header.Encode(make([]byte, header.Len), header.Version, header.RecvError, 0, index, 0)
-	_ = f.outside.WriteTo(b, endpoint, 0)
+	_ = f.outside.WriteTo(b, endpoint)
 	if f.l.Enabled(context.Background(), slog.LevelDebug) {
 		f.l.Debug("Recv error sent",
 			"index", index,
diff --git a/overlay/batch/batch.go b/overlay/batch/batch.go
index d34f7751..5cb6cbe4 100644
--- a/overlay/batch/batch.go
+++ b/overlay/batch/batch.go
@@ -19,11 +19,9 @@ type RxBatcher interface {
 type TxBatcher interface {
 	// Reserve creates a pkt to borrow
 	Reserve(sz int) []byte
-	// Commit borrows pkt and records its destination plus the 2-bit
-	// IP-level ECN codepoint to set on the outer (carrier) header. The
-	// caller must keep pkt valid until the next Flush. Pass 0 (Not-ECT)
-	// to leave the outer ECN field unset.
-	Commit(pkt []byte, dst netip.AddrPort, outerECN byte)
+	// Commit borrows pkt and records its destination. The caller must
+	// keep pkt valid until the next Flush.
+	Commit(pkt []byte, dst netip.AddrPort)
 	// Flush emits every queued packet via the underlying batch writer in arrival order and reports how many were
 	// actually written. A short count means some destinations were undeliverable, not that the batch failed.
 	// After Flush returns, borrowed payload slices may be recycled.
diff --git a/overlay/batch/tx_batch.go b/overlay/batch/tx_batch.go
index a78943a5..4f6f7da2 100644
--- a/overlay/batch/tx_batch.go
+++ b/overlay/batch/tx_batch.go
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ const SendBatchCap = 128
 
 // batchWriter is the minimal subset of udp.Conn needed by SendBatch to flush.
 type batchWriter interface {
-	WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, outerECNs []byte) (int, error)
+	WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort) (int, error)
 }
 
 // SendBatch accumulates encrypted UDP packets and flushes them via WriteBatch.
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ type SendBatch struct {
 	out   batchWriter
 	bufs  [][]byte
 	dsts  []netip.AddrPort
-	ecns  []byte
 	arena *Arena
 }
 
@@ -26,7 +25,6 @@ func NewSendBatch(out batchWriter, batchCap, arenaSize int) *SendBatch {
 		out:   out,
 		bufs:  make([][]byte, 0, batchCap),
 		dsts:  make([]netip.AddrPort, 0, batchCap),
-		ecns:  make([]byte, 0, batchCap),
 		arena: NewArena(arenaSize),
 	}
 }
@@ -40,10 +38,9 @@ func (b *SendBatch) Reserve(sz int) []byte {
 // bounding how long the first packet of a large read batch waits.
 func (b *SendBatch) Len() int { return len(b.bufs) }
 
-func (b *SendBatch) Commit(pkt []byte, dst netip.AddrPort, outerECN byte) {
+func (b *SendBatch) Commit(pkt []byte, dst netip.AddrPort) {
 	b.bufs = append(b.bufs, pkt)
 	b.dsts = append(b.dsts, dst)
-	b.ecns = append(b.ecns, outerECN)
 }
 
 // Flush writes every queued packet and reports how many actually went out. A short count means some destinations
@@ -52,12 +49,11 @@ func (b *SendBatch) Flush() (int, error) {
 	var err error
 	written := 0
 	if len(b.bufs) > 0 {
-		written, err = b.out.WriteBatch(b.bufs, b.dsts, b.ecns)
+		written, err = b.out.WriteBatch(b.bufs, b.dsts)
 	}
 	clear(b.bufs)
 	b.bufs = b.bufs[:0]
 	b.dsts = b.dsts[:0]
-	b.ecns = b.ecns[:0]
 	b.arena.Reset()
 	return written, err
 }
diff --git a/overlay/batch/tx_batch_test.go b/overlay/batch/tx_batch_test.go
index d314784a..9a2a75b4 100644
--- a/overlay/batch/tx_batch_test.go
+++ b/overlay/batch/tx_batch_test.go
@@ -8,10 +8,9 @@ import (
 type fakeBatchWriter struct {
 	bufs  [][]byte
 	addrs []netip.AddrPort
-	ecns  []byte
 }
 
-func (w *fakeBatchWriter) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, ecns []byte) (int, error) {
+func (w *fakeBatchWriter) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort) (int, error) {
 	// Snapshot — SendBatch.Flush nils its slot pointers right after WriteBatch
 	// returns, so tests must capture data before that happens.
 	w.bufs = make([][]byte, len(bufs))
@@ -21,7 +20,6 @@ func (w *fakeBatchWriter) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, ecns
 		w.bufs[i] = cp
 	}
 	w.addrs = append(w.addrs[:0], addrs...)
-	w.ecns = append(w.ecns[:0], ecns...)
 	return len(bufs), nil
 }
 
@@ -36,7 +34,7 @@ func TestSendBatchReserveCommitFlush(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatalf("slot %d: cap=%d want 32", i, cap(slot))
 		}
 		pkt := append(slot[:0], byte(i), byte(i+1), byte(i+2))
-		b.Commit(pkt, ap, 0)
+		b.Commit(pkt, ap)
 	}
 	if _, err := b.Flush(); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Flush: %v", err)
@@ -77,7 +75,7 @@ func TestSendBatchSlotsDoNotOverlap(t *testing.T) {
 	for i := 0; i < 3; i++ {
 		s := b.Reserve(8)
 		pkt := append(s[:0], byte(0xA0+i), byte(0xB0+i))
-		b.Commit(pkt, ap, 0)
+		b.Commit(pkt, ap)
 	}
 	if _, err := b.Flush(); err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Flush: %v", err)
@@ -98,11 +96,11 @@ func TestSendBatchGrowPreservesCommitted(t *testing.T) {
 
 	s1 := b.Reserve(4)
 	pkt1 := append(s1[:0], 0x11, 0x22, 0x33, 0x44)
-	b.Commit(pkt1, ap, 0)
+	b.Commit(pkt1, ap)
 
 	s2 := b.Reserve(8) // exceeds remaining cap, triggers grow
 	pkt2 := append(s2[:0], 0xA, 0xB, 0xC, 0xD, 0xE)
-	b.Commit(pkt2, ap, 0)
+	b.Commit(pkt2, ap)
 
 	// pkt1 must still be intact even though backing reallocated.
 	if pkt1[0] != 0x11 || pkt1[3] != 0x44 {
diff --git a/punchy.go b/punchy.go
index 915942fa..4bce4392 100644
--- a/punchy.go
+++ b/punchy.go
@@ -176,7 +176,7 @@ func (p *Punchy) SendPunch(hostinfo *HostInfo) {
 		p.sendPunchToAllRemotes(hostinfo)
 	} else if hr := hostinfo.GetRemote(); hr.IsValid() {
 		p.metricPunchyTx.Inc(1)
-		p.punchConn.WriteTo([]byte{1}, hr, 0)
+		p.punchConn.WriteTo([]byte{1}, hr)
 	}
 }
 
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ func (p *Punchy) SendPunchToAll(hostinfo *HostInfo) {
 func (p *Punchy) sendPunchToAllRemotes(hostinfo *HostInfo) {
 	hostinfo.remotes.ForEach(p.hm.GetPreferredRanges(), func(addr netip.AddrPort, preferred bool) {
 		p.metricPunchyTx.Inc(1)
-		p.punchConn.WriteTo([]byte{1}, addr, 0)
+		p.punchConn.WriteTo([]byte{1}, addr)
 	})
 }
 
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ func (p *Punchy) Start(ctx context.Context, ifce EncWriter, hm *HostMap, lh ligh
 				p.l.Debug("Punching", "target", job.target, "vpnAddr", job.vpnAddr)
 			}
 			p.metricHolepunchTx.Inc(1)
-			p.punchConn.WriteTo(empty, job.target, 0)
+			p.punchConn.WriteTo(empty, job.target)
 		case job.vpnAddr.IsValid():
 			// A nebula test packet to the host trying to contact us.
 			// In the case of a double nat or other difficult scenario, this may help establish a tunnel.
diff --git a/relay_manager.go b/relay_manager.go
index 0aa7ff4b..46d7a2bb 100644
--- a/relay_manager.go
+++ b/relay_manager.go
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ func (rm *relayManager) StartRelays(f *Interface, vpnIp netip.Addr, hh *Handshak
 		switch existingRelay.State {
 		case Established:
 			hl.Log(context.Background(), level, "Send handshake via relay", "relay", relay.String())
-			f.SendVia(relayHostInfo, existingRelay, stage0, make([]byte, 12), make([]byte, mtu), false, 0, 0)
+			f.SendVia(relayHostInfo, existingRelay, stage0, make([]byte, 12), make([]byte, mtu), false, 0)
 		case Disestablished:
 			// Mark this relay as 'requested'
 			relayHostInfo.relayState.UpdateRelayForByIpState(vpnIp, Requested)
diff --git a/udp/conn.go b/udp/conn.go
index ab517b20..2d407981 100644
--- a/udp/conn.go
+++ b/udp/conn.go
@@ -14,29 +14,9 @@ const MTU = 9001
 // only costs additional sendmmsg chunks within a single WriteBatch call.
 const MaxWriteBatch = 128
 
-// RxMeta carries per-packet metadata extracted from the RX path (ancillary
-// data, kernel offload state, etc.) and passed to EncReader callbacks.
-// Backends that do not produce a particular signal leave its zero value.
-//
-// OuterECN is the 2-bit IP-level ECN codepoint stamped on the carrier
-// datagram (extracted from IP_TOS / IPV6_TCLASS cmsg on Linux). Zero
-// means Not-ECT, which is also the value backends without ECN RX support
-// supply on every packet.
-type RxMeta struct {
-	OuterECN byte
-	// QueueCongested is set when the receiving socket's kernel queue depth
-	// exceeded the configured AQM marking threshold (tunnels.ecn_mark_threshold)
-	// when this batch was pulled. The decap path treats it like an outer CE
-	// mark on ECT inner packets — nebula acting as the AQM for the one queue
-	// on the tunnel path no kernel AQM can see. Backends without queue
-	// introspection leave it false.
-	QueueCongested bool
-}
-
 type EncReader func(
 	addr netip.AddrPort,
 	payload []byte,
-	meta RxMeta,
 )
 
 type Conn interface {
@@ -47,23 +27,15 @@ type Conn interface {
 	// Callers use it to flush per-batch accumulators such as TUN write coalescers.
 	// Single-packet backends call flush after each packet. flush must not be nil.
 	ListenOut(r EncReader, flush func()) error
-	// WriteTo sends a single packet to addr.
-	// outerECN is the 2-bit IP-level ECN codepoint to stamp on the packet's outer IP header.
-	// 0 (Not-ECT) is the pass-through value.
-	// Linux attaches it as an IP_TOS / IPV6_TCLASS cmsg. Backends without per-packet ECN support ignore it.
-	WriteTo(b []byte, addr netip.AddrPort, outerECN byte) error
+	WriteTo(b []byte, addr netip.AddrPort) error
 	// WriteBatch sends a contiguous batch of packets, each with its own
-	// destination. bufs and addrs must have the same length. outerECNs may
-	// be nil (treated as all-zero / Not-ECT); when non-nil it must have the
-	// same length as bufs, and outerECNs[i] is the 2-bit IP-level ECN
-	// codepoint to set on packet i's outer header. Linux uses sendmmsg(2)
-	// for a single syscall and attaches the value as IP_TOS / IPV6_TCLASS
-	// cmsg; other backends ignore it.
+	// destination. bufs and addrs must have the same length. Linux uses
+	// sendmmsg(2) for a single syscall.
 	//
 	// Returns the number of packets successfully written. A destination the kernel rejects costs only
 	// its own packet, so a short count means some peers were undeliverable, not that the batch failed.
 	// Not safe for concurrent use on the same Conn.
-	WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, outerECNs []byte) (int, error)
+	WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort) (int, error)
 	ReloadConfig(c *config.C)
 	SupportsMultipleReaders() bool
 	Close() error
@@ -83,10 +55,10 @@ func (NoopConn) ListenOut(_ EncReader, _ func()) error {
 func (NoopConn) SupportsMultipleReaders() bool {
 	return false
 }
-func (NoopConn) WriteTo(_ []byte, _ netip.AddrPort, _ byte) error {
+func (NoopConn) WriteTo(_ []byte, _ netip.AddrPort) error {
 	return nil
 }
-func (NoopConn) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, _ []netip.AddrPort, _ []byte) (int, error) {
+func (NoopConn) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, _ []netip.AddrPort) (int, error) {
 	return len(bufs), nil
 }
 func (NoopConn) ReloadConfig(_ *config.C) {
diff --git a/udp/udp_darwin.go b/udp/udp_darwin.go
index 60c0d065..b381920f 100644
--- a/udp/udp_darwin.go
+++ b/udp/udp_darwin.go
@@ -89,8 +89,7 @@ func NewListenConfig(multi bool) net.ListenConfig {
 //go:noescape
 func sendto(s int, buf []byte, flags int, to unsafe.Pointer, addrlen int32) (err error)
 
-// WriteTo ignores outerECN; per-packet ECN marking is not implemented on darwin.
-func (u *StdConn) WriteTo(b []byte, ap netip.AddrPort, _ byte) error {
+func (u *StdConn) WriteTo(b []byte, ap netip.AddrPort) error {
 	var sa unsafe.Pointer
 	var addrLen int32
 
@@ -141,14 +140,14 @@ func (u *StdConn) WriteTo(b []byte, ap netip.AddrPort, _ byte) error {
 	}
 }
 
-func (u *StdConn) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, _ []byte) (int, error) {
+func (u *StdConn) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort) (int, error) {
 	// An un-sendable destination costs its own packet, never the ones behind it in the batch.
 	// TODO: WriteTo maps EWOULDBLOCK to an error, so a full send buffer
 	// silently drops the rest of a burst (linux blocks instead). Poll for
 	// writability on EAGAIN before giving up on the remainder.
 	written := 0
 	for i, b := range bufs {
-		if err := u.WriteTo(b, addrs[i], 0); err == nil {
+		if err := u.WriteTo(b, addrs[i]); err == nil {
 			written++
 		} else {
 			u.l.Debug("failed to write packet in batch", "udpAddr", addrs[i], "error", err)
@@ -196,7 +195,7 @@ func (u *StdConn) ListenOut(r EncReader, flush func()) error {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		r(netip.AddrPortFrom(rua.Addr().Unmap(), rua.Port()), buffer[:n], RxMeta{})
+		r(netip.AddrPortFrom(rua.Addr().Unmap(), rua.Port()), buffer[:n])
 		flush()
 	}
 }
diff --git a/udp/udp_ecn_outer_linux_test.go b/udp/udp_ecn_outer_linux_test.go
deleted file mode 100644
index c8e4a916..00000000
--- a/udp/udp_ecn_outer_linux_test.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,191 +0,0 @@
-//go:build linux && !android && !e2e_testing
-
-package udp
-
-import (
-	"encoding/binary"
-	"net/netip"
-	"testing"
-
-	"golang.org/x/sys/unix"
-)
-
-// TestPlanRunBreaksOnECNChange confirms that two same-destination, same-size
-// packets with different outer ECN end up in separate sendmmsg entries (the
-// kernel stamps one outer codepoint per entry, so a run that straddled the
-// boundary would silently lose information).
-func TestPlanRunBreaksOnECNChange(t *testing.T) {
-	u := &batchWriter{gsoSupported: true, maxGSOSegments: 63}
-	dst := netip.MustParseAddrPort("10.0.0.1:4242")
-
-	bufs := [][]byte{
-		make([]byte, 1200),
-		make([]byte, 1200),
-		make([]byte, 1200),
-	}
-	addrs := []netip.AddrPort{dst, dst, dst}
-
-	t.Run("uniform_ecn_runs_together", func(t *testing.T) {
-		ecns := []byte{0x02, 0x02, 0x02}
-		runLen, segSize := u.planRun(bufs, addrs, ecns, 0, 64)
-		if runLen != 3 {
-			t.Errorf("runLen=%d want 3 (uniform ECT(0))", runLen)
-		}
-		if segSize != 1200 {
-			t.Errorf("segSize=%d want 1200", segSize)
-		}
-	})
-
-	t.Run("ecn_change_truncates_run", func(t *testing.T) {
-		// 0,0,3: first two run together, CE seeds a fresh entry.
-		ecns := []byte{0x00, 0x00, 0x03}
-		runLen, _ := u.planRun(bufs, addrs, ecns, 0, 64)
-		if runLen != 2 {
-			t.Errorf("runLen=%d want 2 (ECN changes at index 2)", runLen)
-		}
-	})
-
-	t.Run("nil_ecns_runs_full", func(t *testing.T) {
-		runLen, _ := u.planRun(bufs, addrs, nil, 0, 64)
-		if runLen != 3 {
-			t.Errorf("runLen=%d want 3 (nil ecns means no break)", runLen)
-		}
-	})
-
-	t.Run("first_ecn_is_singleton", func(t *testing.T) {
-		// Second packet has different ECN from the first → run halts at 1
-		// (the first packet alone forms the run).
-		ecns := []byte{0x00, 0x03, 0x03}
-		runLen, _ := u.planRun(bufs, addrs, ecns, 0, 64)
-		if runLen != 1 {
-			t.Errorf("runLen=%d want 1 (different ECN immediately)", runLen)
-		}
-	})
-}
-
-// ecnReceiver is a raw UDP socket with IP_RECVTOS / IPV6_RECVTCLASS enabled,
-// used to observe the outer ECN codepoint WriteTo stamps on the wire.
-type ecnReceiver struct {
-	fd   int
-	addr netip.AddrPort
-}
-
-func newEcnReceiver(t *testing.T, v6 bool) *ecnReceiver {
-	t.Helper()
-	family := unix.AF_INET
-	if v6 {
-		family = unix.AF_INET6
-	}
-	fd, err := unix.Socket(family, unix.SOCK_DGRAM, 0)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("socket: %v", err)
-	}
-	t.Cleanup(func() { unix.Close(fd) })
-
-	var bindAddr netip.Addr
-	if v6 {
-		if err = unix.SetsockoptInt(fd, unix.IPPROTO_IPV6, unix.IPV6_RECVTCLASS, 1); err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("IPV6_RECVTCLASS: %v", err)
-		}
-		if err = unix.Bind(fd, &unix.SockaddrInet6{Addr: [16]byte{15: 1}}); err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("bind ::1: %v", err)
-		}
-		bindAddr = netip.MustParseAddr("::1")
-	} else {
-		if err = unix.SetsockoptInt(fd, unix.IPPROTO_IP, unix.IP_RECVTOS, 1); err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("IP_RECVTOS: %v", err)
-		}
-		if err = unix.Bind(fd, &unix.SockaddrInet4{Addr: [4]byte{127, 0, 0, 1}}); err != nil {
-			t.Fatalf("bind 127.0.0.1: %v", err)
-		}
-		bindAddr = netip.MustParseAddr("127.0.0.1")
-	}
-	tv := unix.Timeval{Sec: 5}
-	if err = unix.SetsockoptTimeval(fd, unix.SOL_SOCKET, unix.SO_RCVTIMEO, &tv); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("SO_RCVTIMEO: %v", err)
-	}
-
-	sa, err := unix.Getsockname(fd)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("getsockname: %v", err)
-	}
-	var port int
-	switch v := sa.(type) {
-	case *unix.SockaddrInet4:
-		port = v.Port
-	case *unix.SockaddrInet6:
-		port = v.Port
-	default:
-		t.Fatalf("unexpected sockaddr %T", sa)
-	}
-	return &ecnReceiver{fd: fd, addr: netip.AddrPortFrom(bindAddr, uint16(port))}
-}
-
-// recvECN receives one datagram and returns the 2-bit ECN codepoint from its
-// TOS / TCLASS cmsg.
-func (r *ecnReceiver) recvECN(t *testing.T) byte {
-	t.Helper()
-	buf := make([]byte, 128)
-	oob := make([]byte, 128)
-	_, oobn, _, _, err := unix.Recvmsg(r.fd, buf, oob, 0)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("recvmsg: %v", err)
-	}
-	cmsgs, err := unix.ParseSocketControlMessage(oob[:oobn])
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("parse cmsg: %v", err)
-	}
-	for _, m := range cmsgs {
-		switch {
-		case m.Header.Level == unix.IPPROTO_IP && m.Header.Type == unix.IP_TOS:
-			return m.Data[0] & 0x03
-		case m.Header.Level == unix.IPPROTO_IPV6 && m.Header.Type == unix.IPV6_TCLASS:
-			return byte(binary.NativeEndian.Uint32(m.Data)) & 0x03
-		}
-	}
-	t.Fatal("no TOS/TCLASS cmsg received")
-	return 0
-}
-
-// TestWriteToStampsOuterECN sends single packets through StdConn.WriteTo and
-// asserts the requested ECN codepoint lands on the outer IP header, for a
-// v4 socket, a v6 socket, and the dual-stack case where a v4-mapped
-// destination must be stamped via IP_TOS rather than IPV6_TCLASS.
-func TestWriteToStampsOuterECN(t *testing.T) {
-	cases := []struct {
-		name    string
-		bind    string
-		recvV6  bool
-		sendECN byte
-	}{
-		{"v4_socket_to_v4", "127.0.0.1", false, 0x03},
-		{"v6_socket_to_v6", "::1", true, 0x01},
-		{"dualstack_v6_socket_to_v4_mapped", "::", false, 0x02},
-	}
-	for _, tc := range cases {
-		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			c, err := NewListener(testLogger(), netip.MustParseAddr(tc.bind), 0, false, 8)
-			if err != nil {
-				t.Fatalf("NewListener: %v", err)
-			}
-			defer c.Close()
-			rx := newEcnReceiver(t, tc.recvV6)
-
-			if err = c.WriteTo([]byte("ecn"), rx.addr, tc.sendECN); err != nil {
-				t.Fatalf("WriteTo(ecn=%#02x): %v", tc.sendECN, err)
-			}
-			if got := rx.recvECN(t); got != tc.sendECN {
-				t.Errorf("outer ECN = %#02x, want %#02x", got, tc.sendECN)
-			}
-
-			// The zero codepoint sends no TOS cmsg and must arrive Not-ECT
-			// (the socket-default TOS byte).
-			if err = c.WriteTo([]byte("ecn"), rx.addr, 0); err != nil {
-				t.Fatalf("WriteTo(ecn=0): %v", err)
-			}
-			if got := rx.recvECN(t); got != 0 {
-				t.Errorf("outer ECN = %#02x, want 0 (Not-ECT)", got)
-			}
-		})
-	}
-}
diff --git a/udp/udp_generic.go b/udp/udp_generic.go
index 975e6549..9735592c 100644
--- a/udp/udp_generic.go
+++ b/udp/udp_generic.go
@@ -39,13 +39,12 @@ func NewGenericListener(l *slog.Logger, ip netip.Addr, port int, multi bool, bat
 	return nil, fmt.Errorf("Unexpected PacketConn: %T %#v", pc, pc)
 }
 
-// WriteTo ignores outerECN; the stdlib UDPConn offers no per-packet TOS control.
-func (u *GenericConn) WriteTo(b []byte, addr netip.AddrPort, _ byte) error {
+func (u *GenericConn) WriteTo(b []byte, addr netip.AddrPort) error {
 	_, err := u.UDPConn.WriteToUDPAddrPort(b, addr)
 	return err
 }
 
-func (u *GenericConn) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, _ []byte) (int, error) {
+func (u *GenericConn) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort) (int, error) {
 	// An un-sendable destination costs its own packet, never the ones behind it in the batch.
 	written := 0
 	for i, b := range bufs {
@@ -107,7 +106,7 @@ func (u *GenericConn) ListenOut(r EncReader, flush func()) error {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		r(netip.AddrPortFrom(rua.Addr().Unmap(), rua.Port()), buffer[:n], RxMeta{})
+		r(netip.AddrPortFrom(rua.Addr().Unmap(), rua.Port()), buffer[:n])
 		flush()
 	}
 }
diff --git a/udp/udp_linux.go b/udp/udp_linux.go
index 0b00a2f2..001555a3 100644
--- a/udp/udp_linux.go
+++ b/udp/udp_linux.go
@@ -8,10 +8,8 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"log/slog"
-	"math"
 	"net"
 	"net/netip"
-	"strconv"
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"syscall"
 	"unsafe"
@@ -39,19 +37,6 @@ type StdConn struct {
 	// consecutive same-flow datagrams into a single recvmmsg entry; the
 	// delivered cmsg carries the gso_size used to split them back apart.
 	groSupported bool
-
-	// ecnRecvSupported is true when IP_RECVTOS / IPV6_RECVTCLASS was
-	// successfully enabled — the kernel will deliver the outer IP-ECN of
-	// each arriving datagram as a per-slot cmsg, and ListenOut passes
-	// the parsed value to the EncReader callback for RFC 6040 combine.
-	ecnRecvSupported bool
-
-	// ecnMarkThreshold holds tunnels.ecn_mark_threshold as float64 bits: the
-	// fraction of the socket receive buffer above which listenOutBatch flags
-	// the batch QueueCongested (decap then CE-marks ECT inner packets). Zero
-	// disables sampling entirely. Atomic because ReloadConfig may update it
-	// while the reader runs.
-	ecnMarkThreshold atomic.Uint64
 }
 
 func NewListener(l *slog.Logger, ip netip.Addr, port int, multi bool, batch int) (Conn, error) {
@@ -102,11 +87,6 @@ func NewListener(l *slog.Logger, ip netip.Addr, port int, multi bool, batch int)
 	if batch > 1 {
 		out.prepareGRO()
 	}
-	// Best-effort: ask the kernel to deliver outer IP-ECN as ancillary data
-	// on every recvmmsg slot so the decap side can apply RFC 6040 combine.
-	// On older kernels these may not exist; failing here just means we get
-	// 0 (Not-ECT) on every slot, which is the same as ecn_mode=disable.
-	out.prepareECNRecv()
 
 	return out, nil
 }
@@ -138,34 +118,6 @@ func (u *StdConn) prepareGRO() {
 	recordCapability("udp.gro.enabled", true)
 }
 
-// prepareECNRecv turns on IP_RECVTOS / IPV6_RECVTCLASS so the outer IP-ECN
-// field of each arriving datagram is delivered as ancillary data alongside
-// the payload. ListenOut reads it via parseRecvCmsg and passes the codepoint
-// through the EncReader for RFC 6040 combine on the decap side. Best-effort:
-// we keep going on failure, and each family degrades independently — a peer
-// whose family's probe failed just delivers no cmsg and lands as Not-ECT.
-// Only a failure of every family the socket speaks turns the parsing off.
-func (u *StdConn) prepareECNRecv() {
-	v4err := unix.SetsockoptInt(u.sysFd, unix.IPPROTO_IP, unix.IP_RECVTOS, 1)
-	var v6err error
-	if !u.isV4 {
-		v6err = unix.SetsockoptInt(u.sysFd, unix.IPPROTO_IPV6, unix.IPV6_RECVTCLASS, 1)
-	}
-	switch {
-	case v4err != nil && (u.isV4 || v6err != nil):
-		u.l.Info("udp: outer-ECN RX disabled", "reason", "kernel rejected probe", "error", errors.Join(v4err, v6err))
-		recordCapability("udp.ecn_rx.enabled", false)
-		return
-	case v4err != nil:
-		u.l.Debug("udp: outer-ECN RX degraded", "reason", "kernel rejected probe on IPv4", "error", v4err)
-	case v6err != nil:
-		u.l.Debug("udp: outer-ECN RX degraded", "reason", "kernel rejected probe on IPv6", "error", v6err)
-	}
-	u.ecnRecvSupported = true
-	u.l.Info("udp: outer-ECN RX enabled")
-	recordCapability("udp.ecn_rx.enabled", true)
-}
-
 // recordCapability registers (or updates) a boolean gauge for one of the
 // kernel-feature probes. Gauges go to 1 when the feature is enabled, 0 when
 // it is not — dashboards can show degraded state on partially-supported
@@ -312,12 +264,6 @@ func (u *StdConn) ListenOut(r EncReader, flush func()) error {
 		bufSize = udpGROBufferSize
 		cmsgSpace = unix.CmsgSpace(udpGROCmsgPayload)
 	}
-	if u.ecnRecvSupported {
-		// IP_TOS arrives as 1 byte; IPV6_TCLASS arrives as a 4-byte int.
-		// Reserve enough for the wider of the two so the same buffer fits
-		// either family alongside any UDP_GRO cmsg.
-		cmsgSpace += unix.CmsgSpace(4)
-	}
 	msgs, buffers, names, _ := prepareRawMessages(u.batch, bufSize, cmsgSpace)
 
 	for {
@@ -330,23 +276,6 @@ func (u *StdConn) ListenOut(r EncReader, flush func()) error {
 			}
 		}
 
-		// AQM sample: one getsockopt per recvmmsg batch (skipped entirely at
-		// threshold 0). Sampled BEFORE the read: a single recvmmsg can drain
-		// more than the whole receive buffer (64 GRO superpackets ≈ 4MB), so
-		// post-read residue is ~always zero; the pre-read depth is the
-		// backlog that accumulated while the previous batch was processed —
-		// the actual standing-queue signal. Depth beyond the configured
-		// fraction of the receive buffer flags every packet in the batch so
-		// decap CE-marks ECT inner packets: the ECN substitute for the
-		// tail-drop this queue otherwise regulates with.
-		congested := false
-		if frac := math.Float64frombits(u.ecnMarkThreshold.Load()); frac > 0 {
-			var mi [unix.SK_MEMINFO_VARS]uint32
-			if err := u.getMemInfo(&mi); err == nil {
-				congested = float64(mi[unix.SK_MEMINFO_RMEM_ALLOC]) >= frac*float64(mi[unix.SK_MEMINFO_RCVBUF])
-			}
-		}
-
 		n, err := u.recvmmsg(msgs)
 		if err != nil {
 			if errors.Is(err, unix.EINTR) {
@@ -362,12 +291,11 @@ func (u *StdConn) ListenOut(r EncReader, flush func()) error {
 			payload := buffers[i][:msgs[i].Len]
 
 			segSize := 0
-			outerECN := byte(0)
 			if cmsgSpace > 0 {
-				segSize, outerECN = parseRecvCmsg(&msgs[i].Hdr, u.groSupported, u.ecnRecvSupported)
+				segSize = parseRecvCmsg(&msgs[i].Hdr)
 			}
 
-			deliverSegments(r, from, payload, segSize, RxMeta{OuterECN: outerECN, QueueCongested: congested})
+			deliverSegments(r, from, payload, segSize)
 		}
 
 		flush()
@@ -375,9 +303,9 @@ func (u *StdConn) ListenOut(r EncReader, flush func()) error {
 }
 
 // deliverSegments hands a received superdatagram to r, splitting it back into pre-coalesce packets
-func deliverSegments(r EncReader, from netip.AddrPort, payload []byte, segSize int, meta RxMeta) {
+func deliverSegments(r EncReader, from netip.AddrPort, payload []byte, segSize int) {
 	if segSize <= 0 || segSize >= len(payload) { //avoid bogus values
-		r(from, payload, meta)
+		r(from, payload)
 		return
 	}
 	for off := 0; off < len(payload); off += segSize {
@@ -385,25 +313,16 @@ func deliverSegments(r EncReader, from netip.AddrPort, payload []byte, segSize i
 		if end > len(payload) {
 			end = len(payload)
 		}
-		r(from, payload[off:end], meta)
+		r(from, payload[off:end])
 	}
 }
 
-// parseRecvCmsg walks the per-slot ancillary buffer once and extracts up to
-// two values of interest in a single pass: the UDP_GRO gso_size (when
-// wantGRO is true) and the outer IP-level ECN codepoint stamped on the
-// carrier (when wantECN is true). Returns zeros for whichever field is not
-// requested or not present.
-//
-// The outer ECN is accepted from EITHER an IP_TOS (IPPROTO_IP, 1-byte) or an
-// IPV6_TCLASS (IPPROTO_IPV6, 4-byte int) cmsg, regardless of the socket's
-// family: a dual-stack v6 socket (isV4 == false) delivers IPv4 peers' outer
-// ECN as an IP_TOS cmsg — gating on socket family here dropped v4-underlay
-// ECN entirely. Whichever cmsg the kernel delivered carries the value.
-func parseRecvCmsg(hdr *msghdr, wantGRO, wantECN bool) (gso int, ecn byte) {
+// parseRecvCmsg walks the per-slot ancillary buffer and extracts the UDP_GRO
+// gso_size, or 0 when no UDP_GRO cmsg is present.
+func parseRecvCmsg(hdr *msghdr) (gso int) {
 	controllen := int(hdr.Controllen)
 	if controllen < unix.SizeofCmsghdr || hdr.Control == nil {
-		return 0, 0
+		return 0
 	}
 	ctrl := unsafe.Slice(hdr.Control, controllen)
 	off := 0
@@ -412,37 +331,25 @@ func parseRecvCmsg(hdr *msghdr, wantGRO, wantECN bool) (gso int, ecn byte) {
 		clen := int(ch.Len)
 		// Compare against the remaining bytes rather than off+clen
 		if clen < unix.SizeofCmsghdr || clen > len(ctrl)-off {
-			return gso, ecn
+			return gso
 		}
 		dataOff := off + unix.CmsgLen(0)
-		switch {
-		case wantGRO && ch.Level == unix.SOL_UDP && ch.Type == unix.UDP_GRO:
+		if ch.Level == unix.SOL_UDP && ch.Type == unix.UDP_GRO {
 			if dataOff+udpGROCmsgPayload <= len(ctrl) {
 				gso = int(int32(binary.NativeEndian.Uint32(ctrl[dataOff : dataOff+udpGROCmsgPayload])))
 			}
-		case wantECN && ch.Level == unix.IPPROTO_IP && ch.Type == unix.IP_TOS:
-			// IP_TOS arrives as a single byte; only the low 2 bits are ECN.
-			// A dual-stack v6 socket carries v4 peers' outer ECN here.
-			if dataOff+1 <= len(ctrl) {
-				ecn = ctrl[dataOff] & 0x03
-			}
-		case wantECN && ch.Level == unix.IPPROTO_IPV6 && ch.Type == unix.IPV6_TCLASS:
-			// IPV6_TCLASS arrives as a 4-byte int; ECN is the low 2 bits.
-			if dataOff+4 <= len(ctrl) {
-				ecn = byte(binary.NativeEndian.Uint32(ctrl[dataOff:dataOff+4])) & 0x03
-			}
 		}
 		// Advance by the aligned cmsg space.
 		off += unix.CmsgSpace(clen - unix.CmsgLen(0))
 	}
-	return gso, ecn
+	return gso
 }
 
-func (u *StdConn) WriteTo(b []byte, ip netip.AddrPort, ecn byte) error {
-	return sendmsg(u.sysFd, b, ip, u.isV4, ecn)
+func (u *StdConn) WriteTo(b []byte, ip netip.AddrPort) error {
+	return sendto(u.sysFd, b, ip, u.isV4)
 }
 
-func sendmsg(fd int, b []byte, addr netip.AddrPort, isV4 bool, ecn byte) error {
+func sendto(fd int, b []byte, addr netip.AddrPort, isV4 bool) error {
 	var rsa [unix.SizeofSockaddrInet6]byte
 	nlen, err := writeSockaddr(rsa[:], addr, isV4)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -452,43 +359,25 @@ func sendmsg(fd int, b []byte, addr netip.AddrPort, isV4 bool, ecn byte) error {
 	if len(b) > 0 {
 		base = &b[0]
 	}
-
-	var iov iovec
-	iov.Base = base
-	setIovLen(&iov, len(b))
-
-	var hdr msghdr
-	hdr.Name = &rsa[0]
-	hdr.Namelen = uint32(nlen)
-	hdr.Iov = &iov
-	setMsgIovlen(&hdr, 1)
-
-	// Stack scratch for the ECN cmsg, typed as uint64s so its base is cmsg-aligned on every arch.
-	// CmsgSpace(4) needs 24 bytes on 64-bit linux, 16 on 32-bit.
-	var ctrl [3]uint64
-	if ecn != 0 {
-		buf := (*[24]byte)(unsafe.Pointer(&ctrl[0]))[:]
-		writeECNCmsg(buf, addr.Addr().Unmap().Is4(), ecn)
-		hdr.Control = &buf[0]
-		setMsgControllen(&hdr, unix.CmsgSpace(4))
-	}
-
 	_, _, errno := unix.Syscall6(
-		unix.SYS_SENDMSG,
+		unix.SYS_SENDTO,
 		uintptr(fd),
-		uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&hdr)),
-		0, 0, 0, 0,
+		uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(base)),
+		uintptr(len(b)),
+		0,
+		uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&rsa[0])),
+		uintptr(nlen),
 	)
 	if errno != 0 {
-		return &net.OpError{Op: "sendmsg", Err: errno}
+		return &net.OpError{Op: "sendto", Err: errno}
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
 // WriteBatch sends bufs via sendmmsg(2), coalescing same-destination runs into UDP-GSO superpackets when supported.
 // See batchWriter in udp_linux_writebatch.go for the mechanics.
-func (u *StdConn) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, ecns []byte) (int, error) {
-	return u.bw.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs, ecns)
+func (u *StdConn) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort) (int, error) {
+	return u.bw.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs)
 }
 
 // writeSockaddr encodes addr into buf (which must be at least SizeofSockaddrInet6 bytes).
@@ -522,8 +411,6 @@ func writeSockaddr(buf []byte, addr netip.AddrPort, isV4 bool) (int, error) {
 }
 
 func (u *StdConn) ReloadConfig(c *config.C) {
-	u.reloadECNMarkThreshold(c)
-
 	b := c.GetInt("listen.read_buffer", 0)
 	if b > 0 {
 		if err := u.SetRecvBuffer(b); err == nil {
@@ -565,37 +452,6 @@ func (u *StdConn) ReloadConfig(c *config.C) {
 	}
 }
 
-// reloadECNMarkThreshold parses tunnels.ecn_mark_threshold: the fraction
-// (0..1] of the receive buffer above which decap CE-marks ECT inner packets.
-// 0 (the default) disables the AQM sampling. Reloadable.
-func (u *StdConn) reloadECNMarkThreshold(c *config.C) {
-	var frac float64
-	switch v := c.Get("tunnels.ecn_mark_threshold").(type) {
-	case nil:
-	case float64:
-		frac = v
-	case int:
-		frac = float64(v)
-	case string:
-		f, err := strconv.ParseFloat(v, 64)
-		if err != nil {
-			u.l.Warn("tunnels.ecn_mark_threshold is not a number; disabling", "value", v)
-		} else {
-			frac = f
-		}
-	default:
-		u.l.Warn("tunnels.ecn_mark_threshold is not a number; disabling", "value", v)
-	}
-	if frac < 0 || frac > 1 {
-		u.l.Warn("tunnels.ecn_mark_threshold must be within [0, 1]; disabling", "value", frac)
-		frac = 0
-	}
-	old := math.Float64frombits(u.ecnMarkThreshold.Swap(math.Float64bits(frac)))
-	if old != frac {
-		u.l.Info("tunnels.ecn_mark_threshold set", "fraction", frac)
-	}
-}
-
 func (u *StdConn) getMemInfo(meminfo *[unix.SK_MEMINFO_VARS]uint32) error {
 	var vallen uint32 = 4 * unix.SK_MEMINFO_VARS
 	_, _, err := unix.Syscall6(unix.SYS_GETSOCKOPT, uintptr(u.sysFd), uintptr(unix.SOL_SOCKET), uintptr(unix.SO_MEMINFO), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(meminfo)), uintptr(unsafe.Pointer(&vallen)), 0)
diff --git a/udp/udp_linux_fixes_test.go b/udp/udp_linux_fixes_test.go
index 03696b76..4ed3514d 100644
--- a/udp/udp_linux_fixes_test.go
+++ b/udp/udp_linux_fixes_test.go
@@ -3,13 +3,11 @@
 package udp
 
 import (
-	"encoding/binary"
 	"fmt"
 	"log/slog"
 	"net"
 	"net/netip"
 	"slices"
-	"syscall"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 	"unsafe"
@@ -56,39 +54,6 @@ func buildCmsg(level, typ int32, data []byte) []byte {
 	return buf
 }
 
-// TestParseRecvCmsgOuterECNFamily is the RX half of the dual-stack ECN fix:
-// parseRecvCmsg must read the outer ECN from whichever family the kernel
-// delivered, not from the socket family. On the default `::` dual-stack bind
-// a v4 peer's outer ECN arrives as an IP_TOS cmsg, which the old socket-family
-// gate ignored entirely.
-func TestParseRecvCmsgOuterECNFamily(t *testing.T) {
-	tc := make([]byte, 4)
-	binary.NativeEndian.PutUint32(tc, 0x02)
-
-	cases := []struct {
-		name string
-		ctrl []byte
-		want byte
-	}{
-		{"ip_tos_ce", buildCmsg(int32(unix.IPPROTO_IP), int32(unix.IP_TOS), []byte{0x03}), 0x03},
-		{"ip_tos_ect0", buildCmsg(int32(unix.IPPROTO_IP), int32(unix.IP_TOS), []byte{0x02}), 0x02},
-		{"ipv6_tclass_ect0", buildCmsg(int32(unix.IPPROTO_IPV6), int32(unix.IPV6_TCLASS), tc), 0x02},
-	}
-	for _, c := range cases {
-		t.Run(c.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			hdr := &msghdr{Control: &c.ctrl[0]}
-			setMsgControllen(hdr, len(c.ctrl))
-			gso, ecn := parseRecvCmsg(hdr, false, true)
-			if gso != 0 {
-				t.Errorf("gso = %d, want 0 (no UDP_GRO cmsg present)", gso)
-			}
-			if ecn != c.want {
-				t.Errorf("ecn = 0x%02x, want 0x%02x", ecn, c.want)
-			}
-		})
-	}
-}
-
 func testLogger() *slog.Logger {
 	return slog.New(slog.DiscardHandler)
 }
@@ -125,7 +90,7 @@ func TestWriteBatchBadFamilyDeliversOthers(t *testing.T) {
 	bufs := [][]byte{[]byte("AAA"), []byte("BBB"), []byte("CCC")}
 	addrs := []netip.AddrPort{good, bad, good}
 
-	n, err := sender.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs, nil)
+	n, err := sender.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("WriteBatch returned error, want nil (bad dest should be isolated): %v", err)
 	}
@@ -151,93 +116,6 @@ func TestWriteBatchBadFamilyDeliversOthers(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
-// TestWriteBatchOuterTOSToV4Mapped is the TX half of the dual-stack ECN fix,
-// verified against a live kernel: WriteBatch on the default `::` dual-stack
-// socket, sending to a v4-mapped destination, must stamp the outer ECN via an
-// IP_TOS cmsg (not IPV6_TCLASS, which the kernel's v4 path ignores) so a v4
-// receiver actually sees it.
-func TestWriteBatchOuterTOSToV4Mapped(t *testing.T) {
-	rx, err := net.ListenUDP("udp4", &net.UDPAddr{IP: net.IPv4(127, 0, 0, 1)})
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Skipf("cannot open v4 receiver (sandbox?): %v", err)
-	}
-	defer rx.Close()
-	rxPort := rx.LocalAddr().(*net.UDPAddr).Port
-
-	// Ask the kernel to deliver the received outer TOS as ancillary data.
-	rxRaw, err := rx.SyscallConn()
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("SyscallConn: %v", err)
-	}
-	var soErr error
-	if err := rxRaw.Control(func(fd uintptr) {
-		soErr = unix.SetsockoptInt(int(fd), unix.IPPROTO_IP, unix.IP_RECVTOS, 1)
-	}); err != nil || soErr != nil {
-		t.Skipf("cannot enable IP_RECVTOS (sandbox/kernel?): ctrl=%v so=%v", err, soErr)
-	}
-
-	c, err := NewListener(testLogger(), netip.IPv6Unspecified(), 0, false, 1)
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Skipf("cannot open dual-stack sender (sandbox?): %v", err)
-	}
-	defer c.Close()
-	sender := c.(*StdConn)
-	if sender.isV4 {
-		t.Skipf("sender came up v4-only; need a dual-stack v6 socket for this test")
-	}
-
-	// v4-mapped-in-v6 destination: routed through the kernel's IPv4 path.
-	dst := netip.AddrPortFrom(netip.AddrFrom4([4]byte{127, 0, 0, 1}), uint16(rxPort))
-	const wantECN = byte(0x02) // ECT(0)
-
-	if _, err := sender.WriteBatch([][]byte{[]byte("tos-probe")}, []netip.AddrPort{dst}, []byte{wantECN}); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("WriteBatch: %v", err)
-	}
-
-	// Read the datagram plus its ancillary TOS.
-	rx.SetReadDeadline(time.Now().Add(3 * time.Second))
-	payload := make([]byte, 128)
-	oob := make([]byte, 512)
-	var n, oobn int
-	var rerr error
-	if err := rxRaw.Read(func(fd uintptr) bool {
-		n, oobn, _, _, rerr = unix.Recvmsg(int(fd), payload, oob, 0)
-		if rerr == syscall.EAGAIN || rerr == syscall.EWOULDBLOCK {
-			return false
-		}
-		return true
-	}); err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("waiting for datagram failed (no delivery?): %v", err)
-	}
-	if rerr != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("Recvmsg: %v", rerr)
-	}
-	if string(payload[:n]) != "tos-probe" {
-		t.Fatalf("payload = %q, want %q", string(payload[:n]), "tos-probe")
-	}
-
-	cmsgs, err := unix.ParseSocketControlMessage(oob[:oobn])
-	if err != nil {
-		t.Fatalf("ParseSocketControlMessage: %v", err)
-	}
-	found := false
-	var gotTOS byte
-	for _, m := range cmsgs {
-		if m.Header.Level == unix.IPPROTO_IP && m.Header.Type == unix.IP_TOS && len(m.Data) >= 1 {
-			found = true
-			gotTOS = m.Data[0]
-		}
-	}
-	if !found {
-		t.Fatalf("no IP_TOS cmsg delivered to v4 receiver — outer ECN did not land (%d cmsgs)", len(cmsgs))
-	}
-	if gotTOS&0x03 != wantECN {
-		t.Errorf("received outer TOS = 0x%02x, want low-2-bits = 0x%02x", gotTOS, wantECN)
-	} else {
-		t.Logf("verified: v4 receiver saw outer TOS 0x%02x (ECN=0x%02x) from dual-stack sender", gotTOS, gotTOS&0x03)
-	}
-}
-
 // TestWriteBatchUnreachableDestDeliversOthers is the kernel-rejection twin of
 // TestWriteBatchBadFamilyDeliversOthers. A destination the kernel refuses outright (240.0.0.0/4 is reserved, so
 // the send returns EINVAL) fails its sendmmsg entry; WriteBatch must drop only that entry and still deliver
@@ -264,7 +142,7 @@ func TestWriteBatchUnreachableDestDeliversOthers(t *testing.T) {
 	addrs := []netip.AddrPort{good, good, bad, good, good}
 
 	// The bad destination is reported, but only after every other packet has been attempted.
-	if _, err := sender.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs, nil); err == nil {
+	if _, err := sender.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs); err == nil {
 		t.Log("WriteBatch returned nil; kernel accepted the reserved address, delivery assertions still apply")
 	}
 
@@ -317,11 +195,11 @@ func TestParseRecvCmsgCorruptLenNoPanic(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Run(c.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			hdr := &msghdr{Control: &c.ctrl[0]}
 			setMsgControllen(hdr, len(c.ctrl))
-			gso, ecn := parseRecvCmsg(hdr, true, true)
+			gso := parseRecvCmsg(hdr)
 			// The valid leading UDP_GRO cmsg (payload 0) must still parse;
 			// the corrupt trailer just ends the walk.
-			if gso != 0 || ecn != 0 {
-				t.Errorf("parseRecvCmsg = (%d, %#x), want (0, 0)", gso, ecn)
+			if gso != 0 {
+				t.Errorf("parseRecvCmsg = %d, want 0", gso)
 			}
 		})
 	}
@@ -367,16 +245,12 @@ func TestDeliverSegments(t *testing.T) {
 			}
 
 			var got [][]byte
-			meta := RxMeta{OuterECN: 0x2}
-			deliverSegments(func(a netip.AddrPort, seg []byte, m RxMeta) {
+			deliverSegments(func(a netip.AddrPort, seg []byte) {
 				if a != from {
 					t.Errorf("from = %v, want %v", a, from)
 				}
-				if m != meta {
-					t.Errorf("meta = %+v, want %+v", m, meta)
-				}
 				got = append(got, seg)
-			}, from, c.payload, c.segSize, meta)
+			}, from, c.payload, c.segSize)
 
 			if len(got) != len(wantLens) {
 				t.Fatalf("delivered %d segments, want %d", len(got), len(wantLens))
@@ -481,7 +355,7 @@ func TestWriteBatchPartialSendRewind(t *testing.T) {
 				return accept, nil
 			}
 
-			written, err := w.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs, nil)
+			written, err := w.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs)
 			if err != nil {
 				t.Fatalf("WriteBatch: %v", err)
 			}
@@ -534,7 +408,7 @@ func TestWriteBatchSkipUnroutableRunAccounting(t *testing.T) {
 				return accept, nil
 			}
 
-			written, err := w.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs, nil)
+			written, err := w.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs)
 			if err != nil {
 				t.Fatalf("WriteBatch: %v", err)
 			}
@@ -591,7 +465,7 @@ func TestWriteBatchMidChunkRejectResumes(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	written, err := w.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs, nil)
+	written, err := w.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("WriteBatch: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -648,7 +522,7 @@ func TestWriteBatchMidChunkEIODisablesGSOWithoutDup(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	written, err := w.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs, nil)
+	written, err := w.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("WriteBatch: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -676,7 +550,7 @@ func TestWriteBatchZeroProgress(t *testing.T) {
 	w.sendFn = func(start, n int) (int, error) { return 0, nil }
 	bufs := [][]byte{make([]byte, 100)}
 	addrs := []netip.AddrPort{netip.MustParseAddrPort("127.0.0.1:4242")}
-	if _, err := w.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs, nil); err == nil {
+	if _, err := w.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs); err == nil {
 		t.Fatal("WriteBatch = nil error on zero progress, want error")
 	}
 }
@@ -702,7 +576,7 @@ func TestWriteBatchEIODisablesGSOAndReplays(t *testing.T) {
 		return n, nil
 	}
 
-	written, err := w.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs, nil)
+	written, err := w.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("WriteBatch: %v", err)
 	}
@@ -773,7 +647,7 @@ func TestGSOEngagesOnLoopback(t *testing.T) {
 		addrs[i] = dst
 	}
 
-	written, err := sc.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs, nil)
+	written, err := sc.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("WriteBatch: %v", err)
 	}
diff --git a/udp/udp_linux_test.go b/udp/udp_linux_test.go
index cbc73b87..5eca0938 100644
--- a/udp/udp_linux_test.go
+++ b/udp/udp_linux_test.go
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ func runTeardownCase(t *testing.T, batch int, name string, traffic func(send net
 	var received atomic.Int64
 	loopDone := make(chan error, 1)
 	go func() {
-		loopDone <- sc.ListenOut(func(netip.AddrPort, []byte, RxMeta) {
+		loopDone <- sc.ListenOut(func(netip.AddrPort, []byte) {
 			received.Add(1)
 		}, func() {})
 	}()
diff --git a/udp/udp_linux_writebatch.go b/udp/udp_linux_writebatch.go
index 00bc95cb..bc94464c 100644
--- a/udp/udp_linux_writebatch.go
+++ b/udp/udp_linux_writebatch.go
@@ -27,17 +27,17 @@ import (
 //	packet   one element of bufs: a single UDP datagram. The unit of the
 //	         returned written count.
 //	run      consecutive packets planRun groups into one entry: same
-//	         destination and outer ECN, equal sizes (a shorter packet only
-//	         last), within maxGSOBytes and maxGSOSegments. Without GSO a run
-//	         is always one packet. Runs are atomic: packed whole into one
-//	         entry, or skipped whole if the socket cannot address their
-//	         destination, leaving a hole (bufs indices covered by no entry).
+//	         destination, equal sizes (a shorter packet only last), within
+//	         maxGSOBytes and maxGSOSegments. Without GSO a run is always one
+//	         packet. Runs are atomic: packed whole into one entry, or
+//	         skipped whole if the socket cannot address their destination,
+//	         leaving a hole (bufs indices covered by no entry).
 //	entry    one mmsghdr slot of the sendmmsg array; the kernel's unit of
 //	         success and failure. A multi-packet entry carries a UDP_SEGMENT
 //	         cmsg and is sent as one superpacket the kernel segments into
 //	         gso_size-byte datagrams. Entries never split.
 //	chunk    the entries packed for one sendmmsg call, at most MaxWriteBatch.
-//	batch    the caller's whole bufs/addrs/ecns triple, processed as one or
+//	batch    the caller's whole bufs/addrs pair, processed as one or
 //	         more chunks.
 type batchWriter struct {
 	fd   int
@@ -59,13 +59,10 @@ type batchWriter struct {
 	names [][]byte
 
 	// Per-entry cmsg scratch: one contiguous slab of
-	// MaxWriteBatch * cmsgSpace bytes holding two cmsg headers per entry
-	// (UDP_SEGMENT, then IP_TOS / IPV6_TCLASS). Layout in
-	// prepareWriteMessages.
-	cmsg         []byte
-	cmsgSpace    int
-	cmsgSegSpace int
-	cmsgEcnSpace int
+	// MaxWriteBatch * cmsgSpace bytes holding one UDP_SEGMENT cmsg per
+	// entry. Layout in prepareWriteMessages.
+	cmsg      []byte
+	cmsgSpace int
 
 	// entryEnd[e] is the bufs index after the last packet packed into entry
 	// e. entryEnd[e]-entryPkts[e] recovers the bufs index the entry's run
@@ -91,17 +88,11 @@ func newBatchWriter(fd int, isV4 bool, l *slog.Logger) *batchWriter {
 
 // prepareWriteMessages allocates the per-entry mmsghdr/iovec/sockaddr/cmsg
 // scratch. Hdr.Iov/Iovlen/Control/Controllen are wired per call, since an
-// entry spans a variable number of iovecs and may or may not carry cmsgs.
+// entry spans a variable number of iovecs and may or may not carry a cmsg.
 //
-// Each entry's cmsg slot holds up to two headers at fixed offsets:
-//
-//	[0 .. cmsgSegSpace)          UDP_SEGMENT (gso_size, uint16)
-//	[cmsgSegSpace .. cmsgSpace)  IP_TOS or IPV6_TCLASS (int32)
-//
-// The UDP_SEGMENT header is pre-filled here; only its payload is rewritten
-// per call. The ECN header is written per entry by writeEntryCmsg because
-// its Level/Type follow the destination's family. Hdr.Control/Controllen
-// select whichever subset applies (none / segment / ecn / both).
+// Each entry's cmsg slot holds one UDP_SEGMENT (gso_size, uint16) header,
+// pre-filled here; only its payload is rewritten per call.
+// Hdr.Control/Controllen select whether it applies (none / segment).
 func (w *batchWriter) prepareWriteMessages(n int) {
 	w.msgs = make([]rawMessage, n)
 	w.iovs = make([]iovec, n)
@@ -109,9 +100,7 @@ func (w *batchWriter) prepareWriteMessages(n int) {
 	w.entryEnd = make([]int, n)
 	w.entryPkts = make([]int, n)
 
-	w.cmsgSegSpace = unix.CmsgSpace(2)
-	w.cmsgEcnSpace = unix.CmsgSpace(4)
-	w.cmsgSpace = w.cmsgSegSpace + w.cmsgEcnSpace
+	w.cmsgSpace = unix.CmsgSpace(2)
 	w.cmsg = make([]byte, n*w.cmsgSpace)
 
 	for k := 0; k < n; k++ {
@@ -197,13 +186,10 @@ func parseRelease(r string) (major, minor int) {
 //
 // Returns the number of packets sent. An error means the call itself
 // failed; a short count means some destinations were undeliverable.
-func (w *batchWriter) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, ecns []byte) (int, error) {
+func (w *batchWriter) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort) (int, error) {
 	if len(bufs) != len(addrs) {
 		return 0, fmt.Errorf("WriteBatch: len(bufs)=%d != len(addrs)=%d", len(bufs), len(addrs))
 	}
-	if ecns != nil && len(ecns) != len(bufs) {
-		return 0, fmt.Errorf("WriteBatch: len(ecns)=%d != len(bufs)=%d", len(ecns), len(bufs))
-	}
 
 	// Callers deliver same-destination packets contiguously and in counter order, so we run the GSO planner directly without a pre-sort.
 	// A sorting pass measurably hurt throughput in microbenchmarks while providing no observed reordering benefit.
@@ -221,7 +207,7 @@ func (w *batchWriter) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, ecns []b
 			if iovBudget < 1 {
 				break
 			}
-			runLen, segSize := w.planRun(bufs, addrs, ecns, i, iovBudget)
+			runLen, segSize := w.planRun(bufs, addrs, i, iovBudget)
 			if runLen == 0 {
 				break
 			}
@@ -254,13 +240,7 @@ func (w *batchWriter) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, ecns []b
 			setMsgIovlen(hdr, runLen)
 			hdr.Namelen = uint32(nlen)
 
-			var ecn byte
-			if ecns != nil {
-				ecn = ecns[i]
-			}
-			// ECN cmsg family follows the destination, not the socket
-			dstIsV4 := addrs[i].Addr().Unmap().Is4()
-			w.writeEntryCmsg(entry, runLen, segSize, ecn, dstIsV4)
+			w.writeEntryCmsg(entry, runLen, segSize)
 
 			i += runLen
 			iovIdx += runLen
@@ -340,9 +320,8 @@ func (w *batchWriter) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, ecns []b
 
 // planRun returns the length of the run starting at start and its segment
 // size (len(bufs[start])). A run of length 1 carries no UDP_SEGMENT cmsg
-// and is sent as a plain datagram; without GSO support planRun always
-// returns 1. Outer ECN is a run boundary: the kernel stamps one codepoint per entry.
-func (w *batchWriter) planRun(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, ecns []byte, start, iovBudget int) (int, int) {
+// and is sent as a plain datagram; without GSO support planRun always returns 1.
+func (w *batchWriter) planRun(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, start, iovBudget int) (int, int) {
 	if start >= len(bufs) || iovBudget < 1 {
 		return 0, 0
 	}
@@ -351,10 +330,6 @@ func (w *batchWriter) planRun(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, ecns []byte
 		return 1, segSize
 	}
 	dst := addrs[start]
-	var ecn byte
-	if ecns != nil {
-		ecn = ecns[start]
-	}
 	maxLen := w.maxGSOSegments
 	if iovBudget < maxLen {
 		maxLen = iovBudget
@@ -369,9 +344,6 @@ func (w *batchWriter) planRun(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, ecns []byte
 		if addrs[start+runLen] != dst {
 			break
 		}
-		if ecns != nil && ecns[start+runLen] != ecn {
-			break
-		}
 		if total+nextLen > maxGSOBytes {
 			break
 		}
@@ -385,55 +357,18 @@ func (w *batchWriter) planRun(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, ecns []byte
 	return runLen, segSize
 }
 
-// writeECNCmsg fills the start of buf with one IP_TOS / IPV6_TCLASS cmsg
-// carrying the 2-bit ECN codepoint. buf must be cmsg-aligned (the batch
-// writer's heap slab is runtime-aligned; sendmsg passes uint64-backed stack
-// scratch) and at least CmsgSpace(4) bytes. The cmsg family must match the
-// socket: on the default dual-stack v6 bind, a v4-mapped destination takes
-// the kernel's IPv4 path, which reads IP_TOS and ignores IPV6_TCLASS. The
-// payload is a 4-byte int for both families, so the cmsg space is the same.
-func writeECNCmsg(buf []byte, dstIsV4 bool, ecn byte) {
-	h := (*unix.Cmsghdr)(unsafe.Pointer(&buf[0]))
-	if dstIsV4 {
-		h.Level = int32(unix.IPPROTO_IP)
-		h.Type = int32(unix.IP_TOS)
-	} else {
-		h.Level = int32(unix.IPPROTO_IPV6)
-		h.Type = int32(unix.IPV6_TCLASS)
-	}
-	setCmsgLen(h, unix.CmsgLen(4))
-	dataOff := unix.CmsgLen(0)
-	binary.NativeEndian.PutUint32(buf[dataOff:dataOff+4], uint32(ecn))
-}
-
-// writeEntryCmsg writes one entry's cmsgs: the UDP_SEGMENT payload when
-// runLen >= 2, the IP_TOS/IPV6_TCLASS cmsg when ecn != 0, then points
-// Hdr.Control at the smallest span covering the cmsgs in use.
-func (w *batchWriter) writeEntryCmsg(entry, runLen, segSize int, ecn byte, dstIsV4 bool) {
+// writeEntryCmsg writes one entry's UDP_SEGMENT payload when runLen >= 2 and
+// points Hdr.Control at it; a single-packet entry carries no cmsg.
+func (w *batchWriter) writeEntryCmsg(entry, runLen, segSize int) {
 	hdr := &w.msgs[entry].Hdr
-	useSeg := runLen >= 2
-	useEcn := ecn != 0
 	base := entry * w.cmsgSpace
 
-	if useSeg {
+	if runLen >= 2 {
 		dataOff := base + unix.CmsgLen(0)
 		binary.NativeEndian.PutUint16(w.cmsg[dataOff:dataOff+2], uint16(segSize))
-	}
-	if useEcn {
-		writeECNCmsg(w.cmsg[base+w.cmsgSegSpace:], dstIsV4, ecn)
-	}
-
-	switch {
-	case useSeg && useEcn:
 		hdr.Control = &w.cmsg[base]
 		setMsgControllen(hdr, w.cmsgSpace)
-	case useSeg:
-		hdr.Control = &w.cmsg[base]
-		setMsgControllen(hdr, w.cmsgSegSpace)
-	case useEcn:
-		hdr.Control = &w.cmsg[base+w.cmsgSegSpace]
-		setMsgControllen(hdr, w.cmsgEcnSpace)
-	default:
+	} else {
 		hdr.Control = nil
 		setMsgControllen(hdr, 0)
 	}
diff --git a/udp/udp_linux_writebatch_alloc_test.go b/udp/udp_linux_writebatch_alloc_test.go
index ffc641cb..5f0c2cd5 100644
--- a/udp/udp_linux_writebatch_alloc_test.go
+++ b/udp/udp_linux_writebatch_alloc_test.go
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import (
 // no per-packet heap allocations on the happy path: all mmsghdr/iovec/cmsg
 // scratch is preallocated in newBatchWriter and WriteBatch may only rewrite
 // it. The batch deliberately mixes a GSO-eligible run, a short tail segment,
-// destination changes, and zero/nonzero outer ECN so the planner, sockaddr,
+// destination changes, so the planner, sockaddr,
 // and cmsg paths are all exercised.
 func TestWriteBatchNoAllocs(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, tc := range []struct {
@@ -53,91 +53,40 @@ func TestWriteBatchNoAllocs(t *testing.T) {
 
 			var bufs [][]byte
 			var addrs []netip.AddrPort
-			var ecns []byte
-			add := func(b []byte, dst netip.AddrPort, ecn byte) {
+			add := func(b []byte, dst netip.AddrPort) {
 				bufs = append(bufs, b)
 				addrs = append(addrs, dst)
-				ecns = append(ecns, ecn)
 			}
-			// GSO-eligible run with a short tail, all ECT(0).
+			// GSO-eligible run with a short tail.
 			for k := 0; k < 8; k++ {
-				add(payload, dstA, 0b10)
+				add(payload, dstA)
 			}
-			add(short, dstA, 0b10)
-			// ECN change on the same destination forces a run boundary.
-			add(payload, dstA, 0)
+			add(short, dstA)
+			add(payload, dstA)
 			// Alternating destinations defeat coalescing entirely.
 			for k := 0; k < 4; k++ {
 				dst := dstA
 				if k%2 == 0 {
 					dst = dstB
 				}
-				add(payload, dst, 0)
+				add(payload, dst)
 			}
 
-			send := func(ecns []byte) {
-				t.Helper()
-				var werr error
-				// Warm-up outside the measured runs.
-				if _, err := tx.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs, ecns); err != nil {
-					t.Fatalf("WriteBatch warm-up: %v", err)
-				}
-				allocs := testing.AllocsPerRun(100, func() {
-					if _, err := tx.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs, ecns); err != nil {
-						werr = err
-					}
-				})
-				if werr != nil {
-					t.Fatalf("WriteBatch: %v", werr)
-				}
-				if allocs != 0 {
-					t.Fatalf("WriteBatch allocated %.1f times per call, want 0", allocs)
-				}
+			var werr error
+			// Warm-up outside the measured runs.
+			if _, err := tx.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs); err != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("WriteBatch warm-up: %v", err)
 			}
-			send(ecns)
-			send(nil)
-		})
-	}
-}
-
-// TestWriteToNoAllocs verifies the single-packet WriteTo path performs no
-// heap allocations on the happy path, both without ancillary data and with
-// an ECN cmsg (which is built in stack scratch, not a per-call slab).
-func TestWriteToNoAllocs(t *testing.T) {
-	for _, tc := range []struct {
-		name string
-		addr string
-	}{
-		{"v4", "127.0.0.1"},
-		{"v6", "::1"},
-	} {
-		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
-			ip := netip.MustParseAddr(tc.addr)
-			newConn := func() Conn {
-				c, err := NewListener(testLogger(), ip, 0, false, 8)
-				if err != nil {
-					t.Fatalf("NewListener: %v", err)
+			allocs := testing.AllocsPerRun(100, func() {
+				if _, err := tx.WriteBatch(bufs, addrs); err != nil {
+					werr = err
 				}
-				t.Cleanup(func() { _ = c.Close() })
-				return c
+			})
+			if werr != nil {
+				t.Fatalf("WriteBatch: %v", werr)
 			}
-			tx := newConn()
-			rx := newConn()
-			dst, err := rx.LocalAddr()
-			if err != nil {
-				t.Fatalf("LocalAddr: %v", err)
-			}
-
-			payload := make([]byte, 512)
-			for _, ecn := range []byte{0, 0x03} {
-				allocs := testing.AllocsPerRun(100, func() {
-					if werr := tx.WriteTo(payload, dst, ecn); werr != nil {
-						t.Fatalf("WriteTo(ecn=%#02x): %v", ecn, werr)
-					}
-				})
-				if allocs != 0 {
-					t.Errorf("ecn=%#02x: %v allocs per WriteTo, want 0", ecn, allocs)
-				}
+			if allocs != 0 {
+				t.Fatalf("WriteBatch allocated %.1f times per call, want 0", allocs)
 			}
 		})
 	}
diff --git a/udp/udp_rio_windows.go b/udp/udp_rio_windows.go
index f9a555cf..566a44d9 100644
--- a/udp/udp_rio_windows.go
+++ b/udp/udp_rio_windows.go
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ func (u *RIOConn) ListenOut(r EncReader, flush func()) error {
 			continue
 		}
 
-		r(netip.AddrPortFrom(netip.AddrFrom16(rua.Addr).Unmap(), (rua.Port>>8)|((rua.Port&0xff)<<8)), buffer[:n], RxMeta{})
+		r(netip.AddrPortFrom(netip.AddrFrom16(rua.Addr).Unmap(), (rua.Port>>8)|((rua.Port&0xff)<<8)), buffer[:n])
 		flush()
 	}
 }
@@ -254,8 +254,7 @@ retry:
 	return n, ep, nil
 }
 
-// WriteTo ignores outerECN; per-packet ECN marking is not implemented on windows.
-func (u *RIOConn) WriteTo(buf []byte, ip netip.AddrPort, _ byte) error {
+func (u *RIOConn) WriteTo(buf []byte, ip netip.AddrPort) error {
 	if !u.isOpen.Load() {
 		return net.ErrClosed
 	}
@@ -318,11 +317,11 @@ func (u *RIOConn) WriteTo(buf []byte, ip netip.AddrPort, _ byte) error {
 	return winrio.SendEx(u.rq, dataBuffer, 1, nil, addressBuffer, nil, nil, 0, 0)
 }
 
-func (u *RIOConn) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, _ []byte) (int, error) {
+func (u *RIOConn) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort) (int, error) {
 	// An un-sendable destination costs its own packet, never the ones behind it in the batch.
 	written := 0
 	for i, b := range bufs {
-		if err := u.WriteTo(b, addrs[i], 0); err == nil {
+		if err := u.WriteTo(b, addrs[i]); err == nil {
 			written++
 		} else {
 			u.l.Debug("failed to write packet in batch", "udpAddr", addrs[i], "error", err)
diff --git a/udp/udp_tester.go b/udp/udp_tester.go
index 8d1ddc34..13d0bc15 100644
--- a/udp/udp_tester.go
+++ b/udp/udp_tester.go
@@ -153,8 +153,7 @@ func (u *TesterConn) Get(block bool) *Packet {
 // Below this is boilerplate implementation to make nebula actually work
 //********************************************************************************************************************//
 
-// WriteTo ignores outerECN; the in-memory tester carries no IP headers.
-func (u *TesterConn) WriteTo(b []byte, addr netip.AddrPort, _ byte) error {
+func (u *TesterConn) WriteTo(b []byte, addr netip.AddrPort) error {
 	p := acquirePacket()
 	if cap(p.Data) < len(b) {
 		p.Data = make([]byte, len(b))
@@ -172,10 +171,10 @@ func (u *TesterConn) WriteTo(b []byte, addr netip.AddrPort, _ byte) error {
 		return nil
 	}
 }
-func (u *TesterConn) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort, _ []byte) (int, error) {
+func (u *TesterConn) WriteBatch(bufs [][]byte, addrs []netip.AddrPort) (int, error) {
 	written := 0
 	for i, b := range bufs {
-		if err := u.WriteTo(b, addrs[i], 0); err == nil {
+		if err := u.WriteTo(b, addrs[i]); err == nil {
 			written++
 		} else {
 			u.l.Debug("failed to write packet in batch", "udpAddr", addrs[i], "error", err)
@@ -190,7 +189,7 @@ func (u *TesterConn) ListenOut(r EncReader, flush func()) error {
 		case <-u.done:
 			return os.ErrClosed
 		case p := <-u.RxPackets:
-			r(p.From, p.Data, RxMeta{})
+			r(p.From, p.Data)
 			// The batcher borrows plaintext decrypted in place inside p.Data
 			// until Flush, so the packet must stay alive across flush()
 			flush()