diff --git a/warp/_src/context.py b/warp/_src/context.py
index 8721555ba5..cf34289553 100644
--- a/warp/_src/context.py
+++ b/warp/_src/context.py
@@ -3870,6 +3870,13 @@ def get_cuda_compile_arch(self) -> int | None:
                 output_arch = min(self.arch, warp.config.ptx_target_arch)
             else:
                 output_arch = min(self.arch, runtime.default_ptx_arch)
+
+            # Ensure the chosen PTX arch is actually supported by NVRTC.
+            # Note: _resolve_supported_ptx_arch may clamp *up* to a higher arch
+            # than self.arch.  This is intentional — PTX is forward-compatible,
+            # so the CUDA driver's JIT will translate it down at load time.
+            if runtime.nvrtc_supported_archs and output_arch not in runtime.nvrtc_supported_archs:
+                output_arch = _resolve_supported_ptx_arch(output_arch, runtime.nvrtc_supported_archs)
         else:
             output_arch = self.arch
 
@@ -3947,6 +3954,26 @@ def _validate_cuda_arch_suffix(
     return suffix
 
 
+def _resolve_supported_ptx_arch(target_arch: int, supported_archs: set[int]) -> int:
+    """Return ``target_arch`` if NVRTC supports it, otherwise the closest supported arch.
+
+    Preference is given to the lowest supported architecture that is >=
+    ``target_arch`` so that the resulting PTX is as broadly forward-compatible
+    as possible.  If no such architecture exists the highest supported value
+    is returned instead.
+
+    ``supported_archs`` must be non-empty; a ``ValueError`` is raised otherwise.
+    """
+    if not supported_archs:
+        raise ValueError("supported_archs must be non-empty")
+    if target_arch in supported_archs:
+        return target_arch
+    above = sorted(a for a in supported_archs if a >= target_arch)
+    resolved = above[0] if above else max(supported_archs)
+    print(f"Warning: PTX target arch sm_{target_arch} is not supported by NVRTC; using sm_{resolved} instead")
+    return resolved
+
+
 """ Meta-type for arguments that can be resolved to a concrete Device.
 """
 DeviceLike = Union[Device, str, None]
@@ -5199,11 +5226,16 @@ def __init__(self):
                 )
             except ValueError:
                 pass  # no eligible NVRTC-supported arch ≥ default, retain existing
+
+            # Validate that the chosen PTX arch is actually supported by NVRTC
+            if self.nvrtc_supported_archs and self.default_ptx_arch not in self.nvrtc_supported_archs:
+                self.default_ptx_arch = _resolve_supported_ptx_arch(self.default_ptx_arch, self.nvrtc_supported_archs)
         else:
             self.set_default_device("cpu")
             if self.nvrtc_supported_archs:
                 # NVRTC available but no devices/driver — enable offline compilation
-                self.default_ptx_arch = warp.config.ptx_target_arch if warp.config.ptx_target_arch is not None else 75
+                target = warp.config.ptx_target_arch if warp.config.ptx_target_arch is not None else 75
+                self.default_ptx_arch = _resolve_supported_ptx_arch(target, self.nvrtc_supported_archs)
             else:
                 self.default_ptx_arch = None
 
diff --git a/warp/tests/test_context.py b/warp/tests/test_context.py
index dcf932d03a..ef85339129 100644
--- a/warp/tests/test_context.py
+++ b/warp/tests/test_context.py
@@ -16,6 +16,38 @@ def test_context_type_str(self):
         self.assertEqual(wp._src.context.type_str(tuple[int, float]), "tuple[int, float]")
         self.assertEqual(wp._src.context.type_str(tuple[int, ...]), "tuple[int, ...]")
 
+    def test_resolve_supported_ptx_arch_exact_match(self):
+        """Target arch is in the supported set — returned as-is."""
+        resolve = wp._src.context._resolve_supported_ptx_arch
+        self.assertEqual(resolve(75, {70, 75, 80, 86}), 75)
+        self.assertEqual(resolve(86, {70, 75, 80, 86}), 86)
+
+    def test_resolve_supported_ptx_arch_clamp_up(self):
+        """Target arch missing — lowest supported arch >= target is chosen."""
+        resolve = wp._src.context._resolve_supported_ptx_arch
+        # 75 not in set, next above is 80
+        self.assertEqual(resolve(75, {70, 80, 86}), 80)
+        # 72 not in set, next above is 75
+        self.assertEqual(resolve(72, {60, 75, 80}), 75)
+
+    def test_resolve_supported_ptx_arch_fallback_to_max(self):
+        """All supported archs are below the target — highest supported is returned."""
+        resolve = wp._src.context._resolve_supported_ptx_arch
+        self.assertEqual(resolve(90, {70, 75, 80}), 80)
+
+    def test_resolve_supported_ptx_arch_single_element(self):
+        """Only one supported arch available."""
+        resolve = wp._src.context._resolve_supported_ptx_arch
+        self.assertEqual(resolve(75, {80}), 80)
+        self.assertEqual(resolve(90, {80}), 80)
+        self.assertEqual(resolve(80, {80}), 80)
+
+    def test_resolve_supported_ptx_arch_empty_raises(self):
+        """Empty supported set must raise an explicit error."""
+        resolve = wp._src.context._resolve_supported_ptx_arch
+        with self.assertRaises(ValueError):
+            resolve(75, set())
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main(verbosity=2)