diff --git a/.pick_status.json b/.pick_status.json
index f5be3d7c79d..2440526cb79 100644
--- a/.pick_status.json
+++ b/.pick_status.json
@@ -304,7 +304,7 @@
         "description": "venus: handle device probing properly.",
         "nominated": true,
         "nomination_type": 1,
-        "resolution": 0,
+        "resolution": 1,
         "main_sha": null,
         "because_sha": null,
         "notes": null
diff --git a/src/virtio/vulkan/vn_instance.c b/src/virtio/vulkan/vn_instance.c
index 43f46cfaa28..239d7b93732 100644
--- a/src/virtio/vulkan/vn_instance.c
+++ b/src/virtio/vulkan/vn_instance.c
@@ -276,6 +276,7 @@ vn_CreateInstance(const VkInstanceCreateInfo *pCreateInfo,
       return vn_error(NULL, result);
    }
 
+   VkInstance instance_handle = vn_instance_to_handle(instance);
    /* ring_idx = 0 reserved for CPU timeline */
    instance->ring_idx_used_mask = 0x1;
 
@@ -294,6 +295,10 @@ vn_CreateInstance(const VkInstanceCreateInfo *pCreateInfo,
    }
 
    result = vn_instance_init_renderer(instance);
+   if (result == VK_ERROR_INITIALIZATION_FAILED) {
+      *pInstance = instance_handle;
+      return VK_SUCCESS;
+   }
    if (result != VK_SUCCESS)
       goto out_mtx_destroy;
 
@@ -333,7 +338,6 @@ vn_CreateInstance(const VkInstanceCreateInfo *pCreateInfo,
       local_create_info.pApplicationInfo = &local_app_info;
    }
 
-   VkInstance instance_handle = vn_instance_to_handle(instance);
    result = vn_call_vkCreateInstance(instance->ring.ring, pCreateInfo, NULL,
                                      &instance_handle);
    if (result != VK_SUCCESS)
@@ -407,16 +411,18 @@ vn_DestroyInstance(VkInstance _instance,
    mtx_destroy(&instance->physical_device.mutex);
    mtx_destroy(&instance->ring_idx_mutex);
 
-   vn_call_vkDestroyInstance(instance->ring.ring, _instance, NULL);
+   if (instance->renderer) {
+      vn_call_vkDestroyInstance(instance->ring.ring, _instance, NULL);
 
-   vn_instance_fini_ring(instance);
+      vn_instance_fini_ring(instance);
 
-   vn_renderer_shmem_pool_fini(instance->renderer,
-                               &instance->reply_shmem_pool);
+      vn_renderer_shmem_pool_fini(instance->renderer,
+                                  &instance->reply_shmem_pool);
 
-   vn_renderer_shmem_pool_fini(instance->renderer, &instance->cs_shmem_pool);
+      vn_renderer_shmem_pool_fini(instance->renderer, &instance->cs_shmem_pool);
 
-   vn_renderer_destroy(instance->renderer, alloc);
+      vn_renderer_destroy(instance->renderer, alloc);
+   }
 
    driDestroyOptionCache(&instance->dri_options);
    driDestroyOptionInfo(&instance->available_dri_options);
diff --git a/src/virtio/vulkan/vn_physical_device.c b/src/virtio/vulkan/vn_physical_device.c
index 3022a79e7c0..6ef24a285d0 100644
--- a/src/virtio/vulkan/vn_physical_device.c
+++ b/src/virtio/vulkan/vn_physical_device.c
@@ -1500,6 +1500,10 @@ enumerate_physical_devices(struct vn_instance *instance,
    struct vn_physical_device *physical_devs = NULL;
    VkResult result;
 
+   if (!instance->renderer) {
+       *out_count = 0;
+       return VK_SUCCESS;
+   }
    uint32_t count = 0;
    result = vn_call_vkEnumeratePhysicalDevices(
       ring, vn_instance_to_handle(instance), &count, NULL);