diff --git a/source/extensions/omni.isaac.lab/omni/isaac/lab/envs/utils/marl.py b/source/extensions/omni.isaac.lab/omni/isaac/lab/envs/utils/marl.py
index 46519048aee..4550d77b167 100644
--- a/source/extensions/omni.isaac.lab/omni/isaac/lab/envs/utils/marl.py
+++ b/source/extensions/omni.isaac.lab/omni/isaac/lab/envs/utils/marl.py
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ def __init__(self, env: DirectMARLEnv) -> None:
             self.cfg = self.env.cfg
             self.sim = self.env.sim
             self.scene = self.env.scene
+            self.render_mode = self.env.render_mode
 
             self.single_observation_space = gym.spaces.Dict()
             if self._state_as_observation:
@@ -126,7 +127,7 @@ def step(self, action: torch.Tensor) -> VecEnvStepReturn:
             return obs, rewards, terminated, time_outs, extras
 
         def render(self, recompute: bool = False) -> np.ndarray | None:
-            self.env.render(recompute)
+            return self.env.render(recompute)
 
         def close(self) -> None:
             self.env.close()
diff --git a/source/extensions/omni.isaac.lab_tasks/omni/isaac/lab_tasks/direct/cart_double_pendulum/agents/skrl_ippo_cfg.yaml b/source/extensions/omni.isaac.lab_tasks/omni/isaac/lab_tasks/direct/cart_double_pendulum/agents/skrl_ippo_cfg.yaml
index b795d9d0816..bc0c5182179 100644
--- a/source/extensions/omni.isaac.lab_tasks/omni/isaac/lab_tasks/direct/cart_double_pendulum/agents/skrl_ippo_cfg.yaml
+++ b/source/extensions/omni.isaac.lab_tasks/omni/isaac/lab_tasks/direct/cart_double_pendulum/agents/skrl_ippo_cfg.yaml
@@ -76,5 +76,5 @@ agent:
 # https://skrl.readthedocs.io/en/latest/api/trainers/sequential.html
 trainer:
   class: SequentialTrainer
-  timesteps: 1600
+  timesteps: 4800
   environment_info: log
diff --git a/source/extensions/omni.isaac.lab_tasks/omni/isaac/lab_tasks/direct/cart_double_pendulum/agents/skrl_mappo_cfg.yaml b/source/extensions/omni.isaac.lab_tasks/omni/isaac/lab_tasks/direct/cart_double_pendulum/agents/skrl_mappo_cfg.yaml
index fc2f07de553..dcd794f57a5 100644
--- a/source/extensions/omni.isaac.lab_tasks/omni/isaac/lab_tasks/direct/cart_double_pendulum/agents/skrl_mappo_cfg.yaml
+++ b/source/extensions/omni.isaac.lab_tasks/omni/isaac/lab_tasks/direct/cart_double_pendulum/agents/skrl_mappo_cfg.yaml
@@ -78,5 +78,5 @@ agent:
 # https://skrl.readthedocs.io/en/latest/api/trainers/sequential.html
 trainer:
   class: SequentialTrainer
-  timesteps: 1600
+  timesteps: 4800
   environment_info: log
diff --git a/source/extensions/omni.isaac.lab_tasks/omni/isaac/lab_tasks/direct/cart_double_pendulum/agents/skrl_ppo_cfg.yaml b/source/extensions/omni.isaac.lab_tasks/omni/isaac/lab_tasks/direct/cart_double_pendulum/agents/skrl_ppo_cfg.yaml
index 160ebcde604..7c1fd452d70 100644
--- a/source/extensions/omni.isaac.lab_tasks/omni/isaac/lab_tasks/direct/cart_double_pendulum/agents/skrl_ppo_cfg.yaml
+++ b/source/extensions/omni.isaac.lab_tasks/omni/isaac/lab_tasks/direct/cart_double_pendulum/agents/skrl_ppo_cfg.yaml
@@ -76,5 +76,5 @@ agent:
 # https://skrl.readthedocs.io/en/latest/api/trainers/sequential.html
 trainer:
   class: SequentialTrainer
-  timesteps: 1600
+  timesteps: 4800
   environment_info: log
diff --git a/source/standalone/workflows/rl_games/play.py b/source/standalone/workflows/rl_games/play.py
index 7aa1456fe0e..f5cb42a6fcf 100644
--- a/source/standalone/workflows/rl_games/play.py
+++ b/source/standalone/workflows/rl_games/play.py
@@ -94,6 +94,11 @@ def main():
 
     # create isaac environment
     env = gym.make(args_cli.task, cfg=env_cfg, render_mode="rgb_array" if args_cli.video else None)
+
+    # convert to single-agent instance if required by the RL algorithm
+    if isinstance(env.unwrapped, DirectMARLEnv):
+        env = multi_agent_to_single_agent(env)
+
     # wrap for video recording
     if args_cli.video:
         video_kwargs = {
@@ -106,10 +111,6 @@ def main():
         print_dict(video_kwargs, nesting=4)
         env = gym.wrappers.RecordVideo(env, **video_kwargs)
 
-    # convert to single-agent instance if required by the RL algorithm
-    if isinstance(env.unwrapped, DirectMARLEnv):
-        env = multi_agent_to_single_agent(env)
-
     # wrap around environment for rl-games
     env = RlGamesVecEnvWrapper(env, rl_device, clip_obs, clip_actions)
 
diff --git a/source/standalone/workflows/rl_games/train.py b/source/standalone/workflows/rl_games/train.py
index a925be8575b..f2fa76e6ad3 100644
--- a/source/standalone/workflows/rl_games/train.py
+++ b/source/standalone/workflows/rl_games/train.py
@@ -129,6 +129,11 @@ def main(env_cfg: ManagerBasedRLEnvCfg | DirectRLEnvCfg | DirectMARLEnvCfg, agen
 
     # create isaac environment
     env = gym.make(args_cli.task, cfg=env_cfg, render_mode="rgb_array" if args_cli.video else None)
+
+    # convert to single-agent instance if required by the RL algorithm
+    if isinstance(env.unwrapped, DirectMARLEnv):
+        env = multi_agent_to_single_agent(env)
+
     # wrap for video recording
     if args_cli.video:
         video_kwargs = {
@@ -141,10 +146,6 @@ def main(env_cfg: ManagerBasedRLEnvCfg | DirectRLEnvCfg | DirectMARLEnvCfg, agen
         print_dict(video_kwargs, nesting=4)
         env = gym.wrappers.RecordVideo(env, **video_kwargs)
 
-    # convert to single-agent instance if required by the RL algorithm
-    if isinstance(env.unwrapped, DirectMARLEnv):
-        env = multi_agent_to_single_agent(env)
-
     # wrap around environment for rl-games
     env = RlGamesVecEnvWrapper(env, rl_device, clip_obs, clip_actions)
 
diff --git a/source/standalone/workflows/rsl_rl/play.py b/source/standalone/workflows/rsl_rl/play.py
index 067c38165bb..ba618b44056 100644
--- a/source/standalone/workflows/rsl_rl/play.py
+++ b/source/standalone/workflows/rsl_rl/play.py
@@ -74,6 +74,11 @@ def main():
 
     # create isaac environment
     env = gym.make(args_cli.task, cfg=env_cfg, render_mode="rgb_array" if args_cli.video else None)
+
+    # convert to single-agent instance if required by the RL algorithm
+    if isinstance(env.unwrapped, DirectMARLEnv):
+        env = multi_agent_to_single_agent(env)
+
     # wrap for video recording
     if args_cli.video:
         video_kwargs = {
@@ -86,10 +91,6 @@ def main():
         print_dict(video_kwargs, nesting=4)
         env = gym.wrappers.RecordVideo(env, **video_kwargs)
 
-    # convert to single-agent instance if required by the RL algorithm
-    if isinstance(env.unwrapped, DirectMARLEnv):
-        env = multi_agent_to_single_agent(env)
-
     # wrap around environment for rsl-rl
     env = RslRlVecEnvWrapper(env)
 
diff --git a/source/standalone/workflows/rsl_rl/train.py b/source/standalone/workflows/rsl_rl/train.py
index 6c737983156..9e07bf09f98 100644
--- a/source/standalone/workflows/rsl_rl/train.py
+++ b/source/standalone/workflows/rsl_rl/train.py
@@ -100,6 +100,10 @@ def main(env_cfg: ManagerBasedRLEnvCfg | DirectRLEnvCfg | DirectMARLEnvCfg, agen
     # create isaac environment
     env = gym.make(args_cli.task, cfg=env_cfg, render_mode="rgb_array" if args_cli.video else None)
 
+    # convert to single-agent instance if required by the RL algorithm
+    if isinstance(env.unwrapped, DirectMARLEnv):
+        env = multi_agent_to_single_agent(env)
+
     # save resume path before creating a new log_dir
     if agent_cfg.resume:
         resume_path = get_checkpoint_path(log_root_path, agent_cfg.load_run, agent_cfg.load_checkpoint)
@@ -116,10 +120,6 @@ def main(env_cfg: ManagerBasedRLEnvCfg | DirectRLEnvCfg | DirectMARLEnvCfg, agen
         print_dict(video_kwargs, nesting=4)
         env = gym.wrappers.RecordVideo(env, **video_kwargs)
 
-    # convert to single-agent instance if required by the RL algorithm
-    if isinstance(env.unwrapped, DirectMARLEnv):
-        env = multi_agent_to_single_agent(env)
-
     # wrap around environment for rsl-rl
     env = RslRlVecEnvWrapper(env)
 
diff --git a/source/standalone/workflows/sb3/play.py b/source/standalone/workflows/sb3/play.py
index e26908911b1..95d5b96abcf 100644
--- a/source/standalone/workflows/sb3/play.py
+++ b/source/standalone/workflows/sb3/play.py
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@
 from stable_baselines3 import PPO
 from stable_baselines3.common.vec_env import VecNormalize
 
+from omni.isaac.lab.envs import DirectMARLEnv, multi_agent_to_single_agent
 from omni.isaac.lab.utils.dict import print_dict
 
 import omni.isaac.lab_tasks  # noqa: F401
@@ -82,6 +83,11 @@ def main():
 
     # create isaac environment
     env = gym.make(args_cli.task, cfg=env_cfg, render_mode="rgb_array" if args_cli.video else None)
+
+    # convert to single-agent instance if required by the RL algorithm
+    if isinstance(env.unwrapped, DirectMARLEnv):
+        env = multi_agent_to_single_agent(env)
+
     # wrap for video recording
     if args_cli.video:
         video_kwargs = {
diff --git a/source/standalone/workflows/sb3/train.py b/source/standalone/workflows/sb3/train.py
index 1ce8062961c..bf60fda825d 100644
--- a/source/standalone/workflows/sb3/train.py
+++ b/source/standalone/workflows/sb3/train.py
@@ -104,6 +104,11 @@ def main(env_cfg: ManagerBasedRLEnvCfg | DirectRLEnvCfg | DirectMARLEnvCfg, agen
 
     # create isaac environment
     env = gym.make(args_cli.task, cfg=env_cfg, render_mode="rgb_array" if args_cli.video else None)
+
+    # convert to single-agent instance if required by the RL algorithm
+    if isinstance(env.unwrapped, DirectMARLEnv):
+        env = multi_agent_to_single_agent(env)
+
     # wrap for video recording
     if args_cli.video:
         video_kwargs = {
@@ -116,10 +121,6 @@ def main(env_cfg: ManagerBasedRLEnvCfg | DirectRLEnvCfg | DirectMARLEnvCfg, agen
         print_dict(video_kwargs, nesting=4)
         env = gym.wrappers.RecordVideo(env, **video_kwargs)
 
-    # convert to single-agent instance if required by the RL algorithm
-    if isinstance(env.unwrapped, DirectMARLEnv):
-        env = multi_agent_to_single_agent(env)
-
     # wrap around environment for stable baselines
     env = Sb3VecEnvWrapper(env)
 
diff --git a/source/standalone/workflows/skrl/play.py b/source/standalone/workflows/skrl/play.py
index d523a48930e..2280c32d61d 100644
--- a/source/standalone/workflows/skrl/play.py
+++ b/source/standalone/workflows/skrl/play.py
@@ -116,6 +116,11 @@ def main():
 
     # create isaac environment
     env = gym.make(args_cli.task, cfg=env_cfg, render_mode="rgb_array" if args_cli.video else None)
+
+    # convert to single-agent instance if required by the RL algorithm
+    if isinstance(env.unwrapped, DirectMARLEnv) and algorithm in ["ppo"]:
+        env = multi_agent_to_single_agent(env)
+
     # wrap for video recording
     if args_cli.video:
         video_kwargs = {
@@ -128,10 +133,6 @@ def main():
         print_dict(video_kwargs, nesting=4)
         env = gym.wrappers.RecordVideo(env, **video_kwargs)
 
-    # convert to single-agent instance if required by the RL algorithm
-    if isinstance(env.unwrapped, DirectMARLEnv) and algorithm in ["ppo"]:
-        env = multi_agent_to_single_agent(env)
-
     # wrap around environment for skrl
     env = SkrlVecEnvWrapper(env, ml_framework=args_cli.ml_framework)  # same as: `wrap_env(env, wrapper="auto")`
 
diff --git a/source/standalone/workflows/skrl/train.py b/source/standalone/workflows/skrl/train.py
index bbbdabf6a16..a42fece9ef0 100644
--- a/source/standalone/workflows/skrl/train.py
+++ b/source/standalone/workflows/skrl/train.py
@@ -151,6 +151,11 @@ def main(env_cfg: ManagerBasedRLEnvCfg | DirectRLEnvCfg | DirectMARLEnvCfg, agen
 
     # create isaac environment
     env = gym.make(args_cli.task, cfg=env_cfg, render_mode="rgb_array" if args_cli.video else None)
+
+    # convert to single-agent instance if required by the RL algorithm
+    if isinstance(env.unwrapped, DirectMARLEnv) and algorithm in ["ppo"]:
+        env = multi_agent_to_single_agent(env)
+
     # wrap for video recording
     if args_cli.video:
         video_kwargs = {
@@ -163,10 +168,6 @@ def main(env_cfg: ManagerBasedRLEnvCfg | DirectRLEnvCfg | DirectMARLEnvCfg, agen
         print_dict(video_kwargs, nesting=4)
         env = gym.wrappers.RecordVideo(env, **video_kwargs)
 
-    # convert to single-agent instance if required by the RL algorithm
-    if isinstance(env.unwrapped, DirectMARLEnv) and algorithm in ["ppo"]:
-        env = multi_agent_to_single_agent(env)
-
     # wrap around environment for skrl
     env = SkrlVecEnvWrapper(env, ml_framework=args_cli.ml_framework)  # same as: `wrap_env(env, wrapper="auto")`