diff --git a/doc/mjx.rst b/doc/mjx.rst
index 247dafa8..42ad03e8 100644
--- a/doc/mjx.rst
+++ b/doc/mjx.rst
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ volume hierarchy (BVH) and executing the raycaster:
         # 2. Render all configured cameras, including segmentation
         pixels, _, segmentation = mjx.render_with_segmentation(mx, d, rc_pytree)
 
-        # 3. Extract the RGB tensor and geom IDs for the first camera (index 0)
+        # 3. Extract the RGB tensor and segmentation IDs for the first camera
         rgb = get_rgb(rc_pytree, 0, pixels)
         seg = get_segmentation(rc_pytree, 0, segmentation)
 
@@ -265,6 +265,9 @@ volume hierarchy (BVH) and executing the raycaster:
 
     rgb, seg, d = render_fn(mx, d, rc.pytree())
 
+The segmentation image contains MuJoCo geom IDs per pixel, ``-1`` for
+background, and ``-2`` for flex bodies.
+
 .. WARNING::
    The batch dimension ``nworld`` is fixed when the render context is created via
    :func:`~mujoco.mjx.create_render_context` since the underlying Warp render context allocates
diff --git a/mjx/mujoco/mjx/_src/bvh.py b/mjx/mujoco/mjx/_src/bvh.py
index 1a75a8a0..87e75ae9 100644
--- a/mjx/mujoco/mjx/_src/bvh.py
+++ b/mjx/mujoco/mjx/_src/bvh.py
@@ -15,26 +15,23 @@
 """BVH helpers for MJX."""
 
 from typing import Any
+
+import mujoco.mjx.warp as mjxw
+
+from mujoco.mjx._src.warp_context import get_warp_render_context
 # pylint: disable=g-importing-member
 from mujoco.mjx._src.types import Data
 from mujoco.mjx._src.types import Impl
 from mujoco.mjx._src.types import Model
 # pylint: enable=g-importing-member
-import mujoco.mjx.warp as mjxw
 
 
 def refit_bvh(m: Model, d: Data, ctx: Any):
   """Refit the scene BVH for the current pose."""
   if m.impl == Impl.WARP and d.impl == Impl.WARP and mjxw.WARP_INSTALLED:
-    import mujoco.mjx.warp.render_context as mjxw_rc  # pylint: disable=g-import-not-at-top  # pytype: disable=import-error
     from mujoco.mjx.warp import bvh as mjxw_bvh  # pylint: disable=g-import-not-at-top  # pytype: disable=import-error
 
-    if not isinstance(ctx, mjxw_rc.RenderContextPytree):
-      raise TypeError(
-          f'Expected RenderContextPytree, got {type(ctx).__name__}.'
-          ' Use rc.pytree() to get the JAX-compatible handle.'
-      )
-
+    get_warp_render_context(ctx)
     return mjxw_bvh.refit_bvh(m, d, ctx)
 
   raise NotImplementedError('refit_bvh only implemented for MuJoCo Warp.')
diff --git a/mjx/mujoco/mjx/_src/render.py b/mjx/mujoco/mjx/_src/render.py
index d6126529..56666dc9 100644
--- a/mjx/mujoco/mjx/_src/render.py
+++ b/mjx/mujoco/mjx/_src/render.py
@@ -16,42 +16,38 @@
 
 from typing import Any
 
+import jax
+import mujoco.mjx.warp as mjxw
+
+from mujoco.mjx._src.warp_context import get_warp_render_context
+from mujoco.mjx._src.warp_context import require_segmentation_enabled
 # pylint: disable=g-importing-member
 from mujoco.mjx._src.types import Data
 from mujoco.mjx._src.types import Impl
 from mujoco.mjx._src.types import Model
 # pylint: enable=g-importing-member
-import mujoco.mjx.warp as mjxw
 
 
-def render(m: Model, d: Data, ctx: Any) -> Data:
-  """Render."""
+def render(m: Model, d: Data, ctx: Any) -> tuple[jax.Array, jax.Array]:
+  """Render packed RGB and depth buffers."""
   if m.impl == Impl.WARP and d.impl == Impl.WARP and mjxw.WARP_INSTALLED:
     from mujoco.mjx.warp import render as mjxw_render
-    from mujoco.mjx.warp import render_context as mjxw_rc
-
-    if not isinstance(ctx, mjxw_rc.RenderContextPytree):
-      raise TypeError(
-          f'Expected RenderContextPytree, got {type(ctx).__name__}.'
-          ' Use rc.pytree() to get the JAX-compatible handle.'
-      )
 
+    get_warp_render_context(ctx)
     return mjxw_render.render(m, d, ctx)
 
   raise NotImplementedError('render only implemented for MuJoCo Warp.')
 
 
-def render_with_segmentation(m: Model, d: Data, ctx: Any) -> Data:
+def render_with_segmentation(
+    m: Model, d: Data, ctx: Any
+) -> tuple[jax.Array, jax.Array, jax.Array]:
   """Render and return RGB, depth, and packed segmentation outputs."""
   if m.impl == Impl.WARP and d.impl == Impl.WARP and mjxw.WARP_INSTALLED:
     from mujoco.mjx.warp import render as mjxw_render
-    from mujoco.mjx.warp import render_context as mjxw_rc
 
-    if not isinstance(ctx, mjxw_rc.RenderContextPytree):
-      raise TypeError(
-          f'Expected RenderContextPytree, got {type(ctx).__name__}.'
-          ' Use rc.pytree() to get the JAX-compatible handle.'
-      )
+    warp_rc = get_warp_render_context(ctx)
+    require_segmentation_enabled(warp_rc)
 
     return mjxw_render.render_with_segmentation(m, d, ctx)
 
diff --git a/mjx/mujoco/mjx/_src/render_util.py b/mjx/mujoco/mjx/_src/render_util.py
index 56c7e6ad..78f537b1 100644
--- a/mjx/mujoco/mjx/_src/render_util.py
+++ b/mjx/mujoco/mjx/_src/render_util.py
@@ -19,36 +19,13 @@ from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
 import jax
 import jax.numpy as jnp
 
-import mujoco.mjx.warp as mjxw
+from mujoco.mjx._src.warp_context import get_camera_resolution
+from mujoco.mjx._src.warp_context import get_warp_render_context
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
   from mujoco.mjx.warp.render_context import RenderContextPytree
 
 
-def _get_warp_render_context(rc: 'RenderContextPytree'):
-  """Validates and returns the backing Warp render context."""
-  if not mjxw.WARP_INSTALLED:
-    raise RuntimeError('Warp not installed.')
-
-  from mujoco.mjx.warp import render_context as mjxw_rc
-
-  if not isinstance(rc, mjxw_rc.RenderContextPytree):
-    raise TypeError(
-        f'Expected RenderContextPytree, got {type(rc).__name__}.'
-        ' Use rc.pytree() to get the JAX-compatible handle.'
-    )
-
-  # pylint: disable=protected-access
-  return mjxw_rc._MJX_RENDER_CONTEXT_BUFFERS[(rc.key, None)]
-
-
-def _get_camera_resolution(warp_rc, cam_id: int) -> tuple[int, int]:
-  """Returns the render resolution for a given camera."""
-  width = int(warp_rc.cam_res.numpy()[cam_id][0])
-  height = int(warp_rc.cam_res.numpy()[cam_id][1])
-  return width, height
-
-
 def get_rgb(
     rc: 'RenderContextPytree',
     cam_id: int,
@@ -68,9 +45,9 @@ def get_rgb(
   Raises:
     RuntimeError: If Warp is not installed.
   """
-  warp_rc = _get_warp_render_context(rc)
+  warp_rc = get_warp_render_context(rc)
   rgb_adr = int(warp_rc.rgb_adr.numpy()[cam_id])
-  width, height = _get_camera_resolution(warp_rc, cam_id)
+  width, height = get_camera_resolution(warp_rc, cam_id)
 
   packed = jax.lax.dynamic_slice_in_dim(
       rgb_data, rgb_adr, width * height, axis=rgb_data.ndim - 1
@@ -104,9 +81,9 @@ def get_depth(
   Raises:
     RuntimeError: If Warp is not installed.
   """
-  warp_rc = _get_warp_render_context(rc)
+  warp_rc = get_warp_render_context(rc)
   depth_adr = int(warp_rc.depth_adr.numpy()[cam_id])
-  width, height = _get_camera_resolution(warp_rc, cam_id)
+  width, height = get_camera_resolution(warp_rc, cam_id)
 
   raw = jax.lax.dynamic_slice_in_dim(
       depth_data, depth_adr, width * height, axis=depth_data.ndim - 1
@@ -121,7 +98,7 @@ def get_segmentation(
     cam_id: int,
     seg_data: jax.Array,
 ) -> jax.Array:
-  """Extract raw geom IDs for a camera.
+  """Extract raw segmentation IDs for a camera.
 
   Args:
     rc: RenderContextPytree.
@@ -129,21 +106,23 @@ def get_segmentation(
     seg_data: Packed segmentation output, shape (..., total_pixels) as integers.
 
   Returns:
-    Integer segmentation array with shape (..., H, W).
+    Integer segmentation array with shape (..., H, W). Each pixel contains the
+    MuJoCo geom ID of the hit geometry, ``-1`` for background, or ``-2`` for a
+    flex body.
     Any leading batch axes in `seg_data` are preserved.
 
   Raises:
     RuntimeError: If Warp is not installed.
     ValueError: If segmentation is not enabled for the selected camera.
   """
-  warp_rc = _get_warp_render_context(rc)
+  warp_rc = get_warp_render_context(rc)
   seg_adr = int(warp_rc.seg_adr.numpy()[cam_id])
   if seg_adr < 0:
     raise ValueError(
         f'Camera {cam_id} was not configured with segmentation rendering.'
     )
 
-  width, height = _get_camera_resolution(warp_rc, cam_id)
+  width, height = get_camera_resolution(warp_rc, cam_id)
   packed = jax.lax.dynamic_slice_in_dim(
       seg_data, seg_adr, width * height, axis=seg_data.ndim - 1
   )
diff --git a/mjx/mujoco/mjx/_src/warp_context.py b/mjx/mujoco/mjx/_src/warp_context.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3479ccfd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mjx/mujoco/mjx/_src/warp_context.py
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+# Copyright 2026 DeepMind Technologies Limited
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+# ==============================================================================
+"""Shared helpers for MJX-Warp render contexts."""
+
+from typing import TYPE_CHECKING
+
+import mujoco.mjx.warp as mjxw
+
+if TYPE_CHECKING:
+  from mujoco.mjx.warp.render_context import RenderContextPytree
+
+
+def get_warp_render_context(rc: 'RenderContextPytree'):
+  """Validates and returns the backing Warp render context."""
+  if not mjxw.WARP_INSTALLED:
+    raise RuntimeError('Warp not installed.')
+
+  from mujoco.mjx.warp import render_context as mjxw_rc
+
+  if not isinstance(rc, mjxw_rc.RenderContextPytree):
+    raise TypeError(
+        f'Expected RenderContextPytree, got {type(rc).__name__}.'
+        ' Use rc.pytree() to get the JAX-compatible handle.'
+    )
+
+  # pylint: disable=protected-access
+  return mjxw_rc._MJX_RENDER_CONTEXT_BUFFERS[(rc.key, None)]
+
+
+def get_camera_resolution(warp_rc, cam_id: int) -> tuple[int, int]:
+  """Returns the render resolution for a given camera."""
+  width = int(warp_rc.cam_res.numpy()[cam_id][0])
+  height = int(warp_rc.cam_res.numpy()[cam_id][1])
+  return width, height
+
+
+def require_segmentation_enabled(warp_rc) -> None:
+  """Raises if the render context has no segmentation-enabled cameras."""
+  if not (warp_rc.seg_adr.numpy() >= 0).any():
+    raise ValueError(
+        'Render context was not configured with segmentation rendering. '
+        'Pass render_seg=True or enable it for at least one camera in '
+        'create_render_context.'
+    )
diff --git a/mjx/mujoco/mjx/warp/render_test.py b/mjx/mujoco/mjx/warp/render_test.py
index fc089617..6745c2e6 100644
--- a/mjx/mujoco/mjx/warp/render_test.py
+++ b/mjx/mujoco/mjx/warp/render_test.py
@@ -185,6 +185,22 @@ class RenderTest(parameterized.TestCase):
     )
     np.testing.assert_array_equal(unpacked_seg, expected_seg)
 
+  def test_render_with_segmentation_raises_when_disabled(self):
+    """Tests render_with_segmentation rejects contexts without seg output."""
+    self._maybe_skip()
+    mx, dx_batch, rc = _get_model_data_rc(
+        'humanoid/humanoid.xml', 1, render_seg=False
+    )
+
+    dx_batch = jax.jit(mjx.refit_bvh)(mx, dx_batch, rc.pytree())
+    with self.assertRaisesWithLiteralMatch(
+        ValueError,
+        'Render context was not configured with segmentation rendering. '
+        'Pass render_seg=True or enable it for at least one camera in '
+        'create_render_context.',
+    ):
+      jax.jit(mjx.render_with_segmentation)(mx, dx_batch, rc.pytree())
+
   @parameterized.product(
       xml=('humanoid/humanoid.xml',),
       batch_size=(4, 16),