diff --git a/bootstrap/host/README.md b/bootstrap/host/README.md
index 5f3d5da..ec69265 100644
--- a/bootstrap/host/README.md
+++ b/bootstrap/host/README.md
@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ The playbook:
 - configures apt repositories for Docker, Kubernetes, Helm, OpenTofu, and Brave
 - installs the captured Debian package set, filtering packages unavailable on
   the current Debian release
-- installs user-level pipx CLI tools such as `yt-dlp`
+- installs user-level pipx CLI tools such as `yt-dlp`, plus runtime helpers
+  such as `ffmpeg` and `nodejs`
 - installs Zoom from the upstream `.deb` when requested on amd64
 - adds `jv` to expected local groups
 - enables core services such as Docker, containerd, kubelet, ssh, cron, and
diff --git a/bootstrap/host/group_vars/debian_pc.yml b/bootstrap/host/group_vars/debian_pc.yml
index 418aa92..0a234c6 100644
--- a/bootstrap/host/group_vars/debian_pc.yml
+++ b/bootstrap/host/group_vars/debian_pc.yml
@@ -41,9 +41,11 @@ debian_pc_base_packages:
   - bash-completion
   - ca-certificates
   - curl
+  - ffmpeg
   - git
   - gnupg
   - gpg
+  - nodejs
   - python3
   - python3-apt
   - rsync
diff --git a/infra/youtube-backup/README.md b/infra/youtube-backup/README.md
index 2ff20d9..3e81efb 100644
--- a/infra/youtube-backup/README.md
+++ b/infra/youtube-backup/README.md
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ The backup root defaults to `/data/youtube-backup`.
 pipx install yt-dlp
 ```
 
-If thumbnail embedding fails, install `ffmpeg` on the host.
+The Debian host bootstrap installs `yt-dlp`, `ffmpeg`, and `nodejs` for this
+helper. On another machine, install those tools before running the backup.
 
 ## Configure