diff --git a/renderer/premake5_pls_renderer.lua b/renderer/premake5_pls_renderer.lua
index 44345a329..46a5ec6f4 100644
--- a/renderer/premake5_pls_renderer.lua
+++ b/renderer/premake5_pls_renderer.lua
@@ -8,6 +8,14 @@ newoption({
     description = 'compile with support for vulkan',
 })
 
+-- For Vulkan-only builds on Apple hosts that lack the Metal toolchain (e.g.
+-- MoltenVK-backed desktop JVM builds): skips Metal shader libraries, Metal
+-- backend sources, and Metal ORE defines.
+newoption({
+    trigger = 'no_metal',
+    description = 'exclude the Metal backend and its shader libraries',
+})
+
 -- Internal capability flag opted into by platform packages.
 newoption({
     trigger = '_console_only_ore_vk',
@@ -49,7 +57,7 @@ end
 -- Only active when --with_rive_canvas is enabled.
 -- RIVE_ORE is defined whenever any ore backend is active, so C++ code can guard
 -- ore API calls without enumerating every backend.
-filter({ 'system:macosx or ios', 'options:with_rive_canvas', 'options:not for_unreal' })
+filter({ 'system:macosx or ios', 'options:with_rive_canvas', 'options:not for_unreal', 'options:not no_metal' })
 do
     defines({ 'ORE_BACKEND_METAL', 'RIVE_ORE' })
 end
@@ -246,7 +254,7 @@ end
 
 makecommand = makecommand .. ' FLAGS="' .. minify_flags .. '"'
 
-if os.host() == 'macosx' then
+if os.host() == 'macosx' and not _OPTIONS['no_metal'] then
     if rive_target_os == 'ios' and _OPTIONS['variant'] == 'system' then
         makecommand = makecommand .. ' rive_pls_ios_metallib'
     elseif rive_target_os == 'ios' and _OPTIONS['variant'] == 'emulator' then
@@ -412,7 +420,7 @@ do
         buildoptions({ '-fobjc-arc' })
     end
 
-    filter({ 'system:macosx or ios', 'options:not nop-obj-c', 'options:not for_unreal' })
+    filter({ 'system:macosx or ios', 'options:not nop-obj-c', 'options:not for_unreal', 'options:not no_metal' })
     do
         files({ 'src/metal/*.mm' })
     end
@@ -424,7 +432,7 @@ do
         files({ 'src/ore/*.cpp' })
     end
 
-    filter({ 'system:macosx or ios', 'options:not nop-obj-c', 'options:with_rive_canvas', 'options:not for_unreal' })
+    filter({ 'system:macosx or ios', 'options:not nop-obj-c', 'options:with_rive_canvas', 'options:not for_unreal', 'options:not no_metal' })
     do
         files({ 'src/ore/metal/*.mm' })
     end
diff --git a/renderer/rive_vk_bootstrap/src/vulkan_library.cpp b/renderer/rive_vk_bootstrap/src/vulkan_library.cpp
index 3927cf206..ec42e6454 100644
--- a/renderer/rive_vk_bootstrap/src/vulkan_library.cpp
+++ b/renderer/rive_vk_bootstrap/src/vulkan_library.cpp
@@ -48,17 +48,31 @@ VulkanLibrary::VulkanLibrary(bool* successOut)
 #endif
     };
 
-    for (auto* filenameCandidate : libFilenameCandidates)
+    // Allow embedders (e.g. JVM hosts that extract a bundled MoltenVK to a
+    // temp directory) to point directly at a Vulkan library.
+    if (const char* explicitPath = getenv("RIVE_VULKAN_LIBRARY_PATH"))
     {
 #ifdef _WIN32
-        m_library = LoadLibraryA(filenameCandidate);
+        m_library = LoadLibraryA(explicitPath);
 #else
-        m_library = dlopen(filenameCandidate, RTLD_NOW | RTLD_LOCAL);
+        m_library = dlopen(explicitPath, RTLD_NOW | RTLD_LOCAL);
 #endif
+    }
 
-        if (m_library != nullptr)
+    if (m_library == nullptr)
+    {
+        for (auto* filenameCandidate : libFilenameCandidates)
         {
-            break;
+#ifdef _WIN32
+            m_library = LoadLibraryA(filenameCandidate);
+#else
+            m_library = dlopen(filenameCandidate, RTLD_NOW | RTLD_LOCAL);
+#endif
+
+            if (m_library != nullptr)
+            {
+                break;
+            }
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/command_server.cpp b/src/command_server.cpp
index 414465842..df0789040 100644
--- a/src/command_server.cpp
+++ b/src/command_server.cpp
@@ -1758,9 +1758,17 @@ bool CommandServer::processCommands()
                 if (rive::ArtboardInstance* artboard =
                         getArtboardInstance(artboardHandle))
                 {
-                    if (auto stateMachine =
-                            name.empty() ? artboard->defaultStateMachine()
-                                         : artboard->stateMachineNamed(name))
+                    auto stateMachine =
+                        name.empty() ? artboard->defaultStateMachine()
+                                     : artboard->stateMachineNamed(name);
+                    if (stateMachine == nullptr && name.empty())
+                    {
+                        // Match ArtboardInstance::defaultScene(): fall back
+                        // to the first state machine when the artboard has
+                        // no default set (older editor exports).
+                        stateMachine = artboard->stateMachineAt(0);
+                    }
+                    if (stateMachine)
                     {
                         std::unique_lock<std::mutex> accesLock(
                             m_stateMachineAccessMutex);