diff --git a/src/modules/powerdisplay/PowerDisplay.Lib/Drivers/DDC/DdcCiController.cs b/src/modules/powerdisplay/PowerDisplay.Lib/Drivers/DDC/DdcCiController.cs
index 574e451def..0c9fc598f3 100644
--- a/src/modules/powerdisplay/PowerDisplay.Lib/Drivers/DDC/DdcCiController.cs
+++ b/src/modules/powerdisplay/PowerDisplay.Lib/Drivers/DDC/DdcCiController.cs
@@ -418,6 +418,9 @@ namespace PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.DDC
                     }
                 }
 
+                // Initialize brightness (always supported for DDC/CI monitors)
+                InitializeBrightness(monitor, candidate.Handle);
+
                 monitors.Add(monitor);
                 newHandleMap[monitor.Id] = candidate.Handle;
 
@@ -452,6 +455,19 @@ namespace PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.DDC
             }
         }
 
+        /// <summary>
+        /// Initialize brightness value for a monitor using VCP 0x10.
+        /// </summary>
+        private static void InitializeBrightness(Monitor monitor, IntPtr handle)
+        {
+            if (GetVCPFeatureAndVCPFeatureReply(handle, VcpCodeBrightness, IntPtr.Zero, out uint current, out uint max))
+            {
+                var brightnessInfo = new VcpFeatureValue((int)current, 0, (int)max);
+                monitor.CurrentBrightness = brightnessInfo.ToPercentage();
+                Logger.LogDebug($"[{monitor.Id}] Brightness: {monitor.CurrentBrightness}%");
+            }
+        }
+
         /// <summary>
         /// Update monitor capability flags based on parsed VCP capabilities.
         /// </summary>
diff --git a/src/modules/powerdisplay/PowerDisplay.Lib/Drivers/DDC/DdcCiNative.cs b/src/modules/powerdisplay/PowerDisplay.Lib/Drivers/DDC/DdcCiNative.cs
index 48beabe5ec..64f21d0e2a 100644
--- a/src/modules/powerdisplay/PowerDisplay.Lib/Drivers/DDC/DdcCiNative.cs
+++ b/src/modules/powerdisplay/PowerDisplay.Lib/Drivers/DDC/DdcCiNative.cs
@@ -7,19 +7,10 @@ using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
 using ManagedCommon;
 using static PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.NativeConstants;
-using static PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.NativeDelegates;
 using static PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.PInvoke;
 
 // Type aliases for Windows API naming conventions compatibility
-using DISPLAY_DEVICE = PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.DisplayDevice;
-using DISPLAYCONFIG_DEVICE_INFO_HEADER = PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.DISPLAYCONFIG_DEVICE_INFO_HEADER;
-using DISPLAYCONFIG_MODE_INFO = PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.DISPLAYCONFIG_MODE_INFO;
-using DISPLAYCONFIG_PATH_INFO = PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.DISPLAYCONFIG_PATH_INFO;
-using DISPLAYCONFIG_TARGET_DEVICE_NAME = PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.DISPLAYCONFIG_TARGET_DEVICE_NAME;
 using LUID = PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.Luid;
-using MONITORINFOEX = PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.MonitorInfoEx;
-using PHYSICAL_MONITOR = PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.PhysicalMonitor;
-using RECT = PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.Rect;
 
 #pragma warning disable SA1649 // File name should match first type name - Multiple related types for DDC/CI
 #pragma warning disable SA1402 // File may only contain a single type - Related DDC/CI types grouped together
diff --git a/src/modules/powerdisplay/PowerDisplay.Lib/Drivers/DDC/MonitorDiscoveryHelper.cs b/src/modules/powerdisplay/PowerDisplay.Lib/Drivers/DDC/MonitorDiscoveryHelper.cs
index 2bdc864b31..6e56b687fa 100644
--- a/src/modules/powerdisplay/PowerDisplay.Lib/Drivers/DDC/MonitorDiscoveryHelper.cs
+++ b/src/modules/powerdisplay/PowerDisplay.Lib/Drivers/DDC/MonitorDiscoveryHelper.cs
@@ -6,11 +6,8 @@ using System;
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using ManagedCommon;
 using PowerDisplay.Common.Models;
-using PowerDisplay.Common.Utils;
 using static PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.NativeConstants;
 using static PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.PInvoke;
-
-using MONITORINFOEX = PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.MonitorInfoEx;
 using PHYSICAL_MONITOR = PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.PhysicalMonitor;
 
 namespace PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.DDC
@@ -100,6 +97,8 @@ namespace PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.DDC
         /// <summary>
         /// Create Monitor object from physical monitor and display info.
         /// Uses MonitorDisplayInfo directly from QueryDisplayConfig for stable identification.
+        /// Note: Brightness is not initialized here - MonitorManager handles brightness initialization
+        /// after discovery to avoid slow I2C operations during the discovery phase.
         /// </summary>
         /// <param name="physicalMonitor">Physical monitor structure with handle and description</param>
         /// <param name="monitorInfo">Display info from QueryDisplayConfig (HardwareId, FriendlyName, MonitorNumber)</param>
@@ -131,14 +130,11 @@ namespace PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.DDC
                     name = "External Display";
                 }
 
-                // Get current brightness
-                var brightnessInfo = GetCurrentBrightness(physicalMonitor.HPhysicalMonitor);
-
                 var monitor = new Monitor
                 {
                     Id = monitorId,
                     Name = name.Trim(),
-                    CurrentBrightness = brightnessInfo.IsValid ? brightnessInfo.ToPercentage() : 50,
+                    CurrentBrightness = 50, // Default value, will be updated by MonitorManager after discovery
                     MinBrightness = 0,
                     MaxBrightness = 100,
                     IsAvailable = true,
@@ -165,23 +161,10 @@ namespace PowerDisplay.Common.Drivers.DDC
             }
         }
 
-        /// <summary>
-        /// Get current brightness using VCP code 0x10
-        /// </summary>
-        private VcpFeatureValue GetCurrentBrightness(IntPtr handle)
-        {
-            if (GetVCPFeatureAndVCPFeatureReply(handle, VcpCodeBrightness, IntPtr.Zero, out uint current, out uint max))
-            {
-                return new VcpFeatureValue((int)current, 0, (int)max);
-            }
-
-            return VcpFeatureValue.Invalid;
-        }
-
         /// <summary>
         /// Extract manufacturer from name
         /// </summary>
-        private string ExtractManufacturer(string name)
+        private static string ExtractManufacturer(string name)
         {
             if (string.IsNullOrEmpty(name))
             {
diff --git a/src/modules/powerdisplay/PowerDisplay/Helpers/MonitorManager.cs b/src/modules/powerdisplay/PowerDisplay/Helpers/MonitorManager.cs
index 8cf2e5c844..7c2bb3aa6c 100644
--- a/src/modules/powerdisplay/PowerDisplay/Helpers/MonitorManager.cs
+++ b/src/modules/powerdisplay/PowerDisplay/Helpers/MonitorManager.cs
@@ -79,7 +79,8 @@ namespace PowerDisplay.Helpers
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Discover all monitors from all controllers.
-        /// All initialization (brightness, capabilities, input source) is done during controller discovery.
+        /// Each controller is responsible for fully initializing its monitors
+        /// (including brightness, capabilities, input source, color temperature, etc.)
         /// </summary>
         public async Task<IReadOnlyList<Monitor>> DiscoverMonitorsAsync(CancellationToken cancellationToken = default)
         {