diff --git a/.pick_status.json b/.pick_status.json
index d89eaf76568..e852e5d1be9 100644
--- a/.pick_status.json
+++ b/.pick_status.json
@@ -314,7 +314,7 @@
         "description": "intel: fix null render target setup logic",
         "nominated": true,
         "nomination_type": 2,
-        "resolution": 0,
+        "resolution": 1,
         "main_sha": null,
         "because_sha": "98cdb9349a7fa181c3895655d217589f909a7beb",
         "notes": null
diff --git a/src/intel/compiler/brw_nir.h b/src/intel/compiler/brw_nir.h
index 95acf75930f..d520b14a7e7 100644
--- a/src/intel/compiler/brw_nir.h
+++ b/src/intel/compiler/brw_nir.h
@@ -154,6 +154,13 @@ brw_nir_fs_needs_null_rt(const struct intel_device_info *devinfo,
    if (devinfo->ver < 11)
       return true;
 
+   /* Depth/Stencil needs a valid render target even if there is no color
+    * output.
+    */
+   if (nir->info.outputs_written & (BITFIELD_BIT(FRAG_RESULT_DEPTH) |
+                                    BITFIELD_BIT(FRAG_RESULT_STENCIL)))
+      return true;
+
    uint64_t relevant_outputs = 0;
    if (multisample_fbo)
       relevant_outputs |= BITFIELD64_BIT(FRAG_RESULT_SAMPLE_MASK);
diff --git a/src/intel/vulkan/anv_pipeline.c b/src/intel/vulkan/anv_pipeline.c
index 78204082d72..aa3a09a9411 100644
--- a/src/intel/vulkan/anv_pipeline.c
+++ b/src/intel/vulkan/anv_pipeline.c
@@ -456,15 +456,6 @@ rp_color_mask(const struct vk_render_pass_state *rp)
          color_mask |= BITFIELD_BIT(i);
    }
 
-   /* If there is depth/stencil attachment, even if the fragment shader
-    * doesn't write the depth/stencil output, we need a valid render target so
-    * that the compiler doesn't use the null-rt which would cull the
-    * depth/stencil output.
-    */
-   if (rp->depth_attachment_format != VK_FORMAT_UNDEFINED ||
-       rp->stencil_attachment_format != VK_FORMAT_UNDEFINED)
-      color_mask |= 1;
-
    return color_mask;
 }
 
@@ -1481,23 +1472,13 @@ anv_pipeline_link_fs(const struct brw_compiler *compiler,
                      const struct vk_render_pass_state *rp)
 {
    /* Initially the valid outputs value is set to all possible render targets
-    * valid (see populate_wm_prog_key()), before we look at the shader
-    * variables. Here we look at the output variables of the shader an compute
-    * a correct number of render target outputs.
+    * valid (see populate_wm_prog_key()), because we're not looking at the
+    * shader code yet. Here we look at the output written to get a correct
+    * number of render target outputs.
     */
-   stage->key.wm.color_outputs_valid = 0;
-   nir_foreach_shader_out_variable_safe(var, stage->nir) {
-      if (var->data.location < FRAG_RESULT_DATA0)
-         continue;
-
-      const unsigned rt = var->data.location - FRAG_RESULT_DATA0;
-      const unsigned array_len =
-         glsl_type_is_array(var->type) ? glsl_get_length(var->type) : 1;
-      assert(rt + array_len <= MAX_RTS);
-
-      stage->key.wm.color_outputs_valid |= BITFIELD_RANGE(rt, array_len);
-   }
-   stage->key.wm.color_outputs_valid &= rp_color_mask(rp);
+   const uint64_t rt_mask =
+      stage->nir->info.outputs_written >> FRAG_RESULT_DATA0;
+   stage->key.wm.color_outputs_valid = rt_mask & rp_color_mask(rp);
    stage->key.wm.nr_color_regions =
       util_last_bit(stage->key.wm.color_outputs_valid);
 
@@ -1527,6 +1508,9 @@ anv_pipeline_link_fs(const struct brw_compiler *compiler,
                  compiler->devinfo, stage->nir,
                  stage->key.wm.multisample_fbo != INTEL_NEVER,
                  stage->key.wm.alpha_to_coverage != INTEL_NEVER)) {
+      /* Ensure the shader doesn't discard the writes */
+      stage->key.wm.color_outputs_valid = 0x1;
+      stage->key.wm.nr_color_regions = 1;
       /* Setup a null render target */
       rt_bindings[0] = (struct anv_pipeline_binding) {
          .set = ANV_DESCRIPTOR_SET_COLOR_ATTACHMENTS,
diff --git a/src/intel/vulkan/anv_private.h b/src/intel/vulkan/anv_private.h
index 15f7ad94293..95223d01bdd 100644
--- a/src/intel/vulkan/anv_private.h
+++ b/src/intel/vulkan/anv_private.h
@@ -270,7 +270,14 @@ struct intel_perf_query_result;
 #define ANV_TRTT_L1_NULL_TILE_VAL 0
 #define ANV_TRTT_L1_INVALID_TILE_VAL 1
 
+/* The binding table entry id disabled, the shader can write to it and the
+ * driver should use a null surface state so that writes are discarded.
+ */
 #define ANV_COLOR_OUTPUT_DISABLED (0xff)
+/* The binding table entry id unused, the shader does not write to it and the
+ * driver can leave whatever surface state was used before. Transitioning
+ * to/from this entry does not require render target cache flush.
+ */
 #define ANV_COLOR_OUTPUT_UNUSED   (0xfe)
 
 static inline uint32_t