diff --git a/internal/validate/job.go b/internal/validate/job.go
index 2967281..6afe000 100644
--- a/internal/validate/job.go
+++ b/internal/validate/job.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package validate
 
 import (
 	"encoding/json"
-	"fmt"
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/nexrender/nexrender-cli/internal/api"
@@ -20,14 +19,5 @@ func JobPayload(data []byte) (api.JobCreation, error) {
 	if payload.Preview != nil && *payload.Preview && payload.Settings != nil {
 		return api.JobCreation{}, clierr.Validation("preview and settings cannot be used together", "Remove settings for a preview job, or set preview to false.")
 	}
-	if payload.Settings != nil && payload.Settings.Codec != nil {
-		codec := strings.TrimSpace(*payload.Settings.Codec)
-		if codec != "" && !strings.HasPrefix(codec, "video_") && !strings.HasPrefix(codec, "image_") {
-			return api.JobCreation{}, clierr.Validation(
-				fmt.Sprintf("codec %q is missing its output prefix", codec),
-				"Use a full identifier such as video_h264_vbr_15mbps, video_prores_422, or image_png.",
-			)
-		}
-	}
 	return payload, nil
 }
diff --git a/internal/validate/job_test.go b/internal/validate/job_test.go
index aaab508..8cdf885 100644
--- a/internal/validate/job_test.go
+++ b/internal/validate/job_test.go
@@ -11,8 +11,15 @@ func TestJobPayloadRules(t *testing.T) {
 	if _, err := JobPayload(previewWithSettings); err == nil {
 		t.Fatal("expected preview/settings conflict")
 	}
-	shortCodec := []byte(`{"template":{"id":"tpl"},"settings":{"type":"video","codec":"h264"}}`)
-	if _, err := JobPayload(shortCodec); err == nil {
-		t.Fatal("expected short codec to fail")
+}
+
+// The API matches codecs by suffix, and its OpenAPI examples use short names, so the
+// CLI must not reject them. Unknown codecs are left to the API, which lists the options.
+func TestJobPayloadAcceptsShortAndFullCodecNames(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, codec := range []string{"png", "jpeg", "h264_vbr_5mbps", "prores_4444", "gif", "image_png", "video_h264_vbr_15mbps"} {
+		payload := []byte(`{"template":{"id":"tpl","composition":"Main"},"settings":{"type":"video","codec":"` + codec + `"}}`)
+		if _, err := JobPayload(payload); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("codec %q was rejected: %v", codec, err)
+		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/skills/nexrender/references/operations.md b/skills/nexrender/references/operations.md
index ce45805..9d824c1 100644
--- a/skills/nexrender/references/operations.md
+++ b/skills/nexrender/references/operations.md
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 ## Job payloads
 
 - Layer names are case-sensitive. Use the `name` returned by `template layers` as `layerName`.
-- Codec identifiers use their full prefix, such as `video_h264_vbr_15mbps`, `image_png`, or `video_prores_422`.
+- Codecs can be given by their short name (`h264_vbr_15mbps`, `prores_422`, `png`, `gif`) or in full (`video_h264_vbr_15mbps`, `image_png`). The API rejects unknown codecs and lists the supported ones.
 - `preview: true` and `settings` are mutually exclusive. Preview mode ignores normal output settings.
 - `${secrets.NAME}` is the secret reference form.
 - `missingFonts` is a visual-correctness warning. A render may finish with fallback fonts and still be wrong.