diff --git a/families/personaplex/reference/adapter.py b/families/personaplex/reference/adapter.py
index 0d2836b6ca..18ce5d7c33 100644
--- a/families/personaplex/reference/adapter.py
+++ b/families/personaplex/reference/adapter.py
@@ -62,8 +62,8 @@ def run() -> list[Any]:
                     tokens = self.generator.step(encoded[:, :, index:index + 1])
                     if tokens is None:
                         continue
+                    # Decode the returned stream once; the other codec is only needed for official warmup.
                     chunks.append(self.mimi.decode(tokens[:, 1:9])[0, 0].float())
-                    self.other_mimi.decode(tokens[:, 1:9])
                     if len(chunks) >= frames:
                         return chunks
             return chunks
diff --git a/families/personaplex/tests/test_reference_decode_work.py b/families/personaplex/tests/test_reference_decode_work.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..3cc9ffd663
--- /dev/null
+++ b/families/personaplex/tests/test_reference_decode_work.py
@@ -0,0 +1,70 @@
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright (c) 2026 NVIDIA CORPORATION & AFFILIATES. All rights reserved.
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+"""The timed Native task decodes the audio it returns, once per frame."""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+import sys
+from types import ModuleType, SimpleNamespace
+
+import numpy as np
+import pytest
+
+from families.personaplex.reference.adapter import Adapter
+
+
+def test_native_speech_does_not_decode_discarded_audio(monkeypatch, tmp_path):
+    torch = pytest.importorskip("torch")
+
+    class Codec:
+        sample_rate = 24_000
+
+        def __init__(self):
+            self.decode_calls = 0
+
+        def reset_streaming(self):
+            pass
+
+        def decode(self, tokens):
+            self.decode_calls += 1
+            value = float(tokens[0, 0, 0])
+            return torch.tensor([[[value, value + 0.5]]])
+
+    class Generator:
+        def reset_streaming(self):
+            pass
+
+        def step(self, encoded):
+            return encoded[:, :1].expand(1, 17, 1)
+
+    # Exercise the real invoke loop without loading a checkpoint or using CUDA.
+    lm = ModuleType("moshi.models.lm")
+    lm._iterate_audio = lambda *args, **kwargs: iter(())
+    lm.encode_from_sphn = lambda *args, **kwargs: iter(
+        [torch.tensor([[[1, 2, 3]]], dtype=torch.int64)]
+    )
+    monkeypatch.setitem(sys.modules, "moshi.models.lm", lm)
+
+    adapter = Adapter.__new__(Adapter)
+    adapter.mimi = Codec()
+    adapter.other_mimi = Codec()  # retained for the pinned official warmup
+    adapter.generator = Generator()
+    adapter.frame_size = 1920
+    adapter.host = SimpleNamespace(
+        required=lambda request, name: request[name],
+        load_audio=lambda *args: np.zeros(5760, dtype=np.float32),
+        timed=lambda run: (run(), 1.0),
+        tensor_observation=lambda audio, base: {"audio": audio},
+        invocation=lambda observation, ms: (observation, ms),
+    )
+
+    observation, _ = adapter.invoke(
+        {"audio_path": "input.wav", "max_new_tokens": 2}, tmp_path / "result"
+    )
+
+    np.testing.assert_array_equal(observation["audio"], [1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5])
+    assert observation["output_tokens"] == 2
+    assert observation["sample_rate"] == 24_000
+    assert adapter.mimi.decode_calls == 2
+    assert adapter.other_mimi.decode_calls == 0