diff --git a/csaxs_bec/device_configs/canon_laptop_sim.yaml b/csaxs_bec/device_configs/canon_laptop_sim.yaml
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+# Canon CR-N300 -- laptop / offline development session.
+#
+# A complete BEC session containing nothing but the simulated camera, for working on
+# the device off the beamline. Load it with:
+#
+#     bec.config.update_session_with_file(
+#         "<checkout>/csaxs_bec/device_configs/canon_laptop_sim.yaml")
+#
+# This REPLACES the active session, which is the point: no beamline motors or
+# detectors are defined, so nothing here can address hardware even by accident.
+#
+# The real camera is deliberately absent. It lives at an X12SA address that is not
+# routable from a laptop, and including it would only produce connection errors on
+# every startup. Use canon_crn300.yaml on a beamline host for the real device.
+
+ptz_cam_sim:
+  description: Canon CR-N300 PTZ camera (simulation, no hardware required)
+  deviceClass: csaxs_bec.devices.canon.canon_ptz.CanonPTZCamera
+  deviceConfig:
+    simulation: true
+    gradual_motion: true       # finite-speed travel, so move statuses are exercised
+    buffer_maxlen: 32
+    acquisition_mode: "jpeg_poll"
+    poll_rate: 5.0             # faster than the real 2 Hz default; keeps the sim lively
+    stream_start: "connect"    # NOT "stage" -- see readoutPriority below
+  deviceTags:
+    - camera
+    - ptz
+    - simulation
+  enabled: true
+  onFailure: buffer
+  readOnly: false
+  readoutPriority: on_request
+  softwareTrigger: false