diff --git a/src/broadcom/compiler/vir.c b/src/broadcom/compiler/vir.c
index c18318a6295..04129fa522e 100644
--- a/src/broadcom/compiler/vir.c
+++ b/src/broadcom/compiler/vir.c
@@ -761,6 +761,8 @@ v3d_nir_lower_vs_early(struct v3d_compile *c)
         NIR_PASS_V(c->s, nir_lower_io, nir_var_shader_in | nir_var_shader_out,
                    type_size_vec4,
                    (nir_lower_io_options)0);
+        /* clean up nir_lower_io's deref_var remains */
+        NIR_PASS_V(c->s, nir_opt_dce);
 }
 
 static void