diff --git a/src/core/hle/D3D8/Direct3D9/Shader.cpp b/src/core/hle/D3D8/Direct3D9/Shader.cpp
index 0eb331c14..c6b384e24 100644
--- a/src/core/hle/D3D8/Direct3D9/Shader.cpp
+++ b/src/core/hle/D3D8/Direct3D9/Shader.cpp
@@ -199,8 +199,14 @@ void ShaderHlsl::LoadShadersFromDisk() {
 			auto insertionPoint = insertionPoints[i];
 			auto index = hlsl.find(insertionPoint, pos);
 
-			this->pixelShaderTemplateHlsl[i] = hlsl.substr(pos, index - pos);
-			pos = index + insertionPoint.length();
+			if (index == std::string::npos) {
+				// Handle broken shaders
+				this->pixelShaderTemplateHlsl[i] = "";
+			}
+			else {
+				this->pixelShaderTemplateHlsl[i] = hlsl.substr(pos, index - pos);
+				pos = index + insertionPoint.length();
+			}
 		}
 		this->pixelShaderTemplateHlsl[insertionPoints.size()] = hlsl.substr(pos);
 	}
@@ -224,8 +230,17 @@ void ShaderHlsl::LoadShadersFromDisk() {
 
 		const std::string insertionPoint = "// <XBOX SHADER PROGRAM GOES HERE>\n";
 		auto index = hlsl.find(insertionPoint);
-		this->vertexShaderTemplateHlsl[0] = hlsl.substr(0, index);
-		this->vertexShaderTemplateHlsl[1] = hlsl.substr(index + insertionPoint.length());
+
+		if (index == std::string::npos) {
+			// Handle broken shaders
+			this->vertexShaderTemplateHlsl[0] = hlsl;
+			this->vertexShaderTemplateHlsl[1] = "";
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			this->vertexShaderTemplateHlsl[0] = hlsl.substr(0, index);
+			this->vertexShaderTemplateHlsl[1] = hlsl.substr(index + insertionPoint.length());
+		}
 	}
 
 	// Fixed Function Vertex Shader
diff --git a/src/core/hle/D3D8/XbPixelShader.cpp b/src/core/hle/D3D8/XbPixelShader.cpp
index 3b810e206..37544a42f 100644
--- a/src/core/hle/D3D8/XbPixelShader.cpp
+++ b/src/core/hle/D3D8/XbPixelShader.cpp
@@ -769,9 +769,11 @@ IDirect3DPixelShader9* GetFixedFunctionShader()
 	int shaderVersion = g_ShaderHlsl.UpdateShaders();
 	if (pixelShaderVersion != shaderVersion) {
 		pixelShaderVersion = shaderVersion;
+		g_pD3DDevice->SetPixelShader(nullptr);
 
 		for (auto& hostShader : ffPsCache) {
-			hostShader.second->Release();
+			if (hostShader.second)
+				hostShader.second->Release();
 		}
 
 		ffPsCache.clear();
@@ -864,63 +866,69 @@ IDirect3DPixelShader9* GetFixedFunctionShader()
 	// In D3D9 it seems we need to know hardcode if we're doing a 2D or 3D lookup
 	const std::string sampleTypePattern = "TEXTURE_SAMPLE_TYPE;";
 	auto sampleTypeReplace = hlslTemplate.find(sampleTypePattern);
+	std::string finalShader = hlslTemplate;
 
-	static constexpr std::string_view typeToString[] = {
-		"SAMPLE_NONE",
-		"SAMPLE_2D",
-		"SAMPLE_3D",
-		"SAMPLE_CUBE"
-	};
+	if (sampleTypeReplace != std::string::npos) {
+		static constexpr std::string_view typeToString[] = {
+			"SAMPLE_NONE",
+			"SAMPLE_2D",
+			"SAMPLE_3D",
+			"SAMPLE_CUBE"
+		};
 
-	std::stringstream sampleTypeString;
-	sampleTypeString << "{"
-		<< typeToString[sampleType[0]] << ", "
-		<< typeToString[sampleType[1]] << ", "
-		<< typeToString[sampleType[2]] << ", "
-		<< typeToString[sampleType[3]] << "};";
+		std::stringstream sampleTypeString;
+		sampleTypeString << "{"
+			<< typeToString[sampleType[0]] << ", "
+			<< typeToString[sampleType[1]] << ", "
+			<< typeToString[sampleType[2]] << ", "
+			<< typeToString[sampleType[3]] << "};";
 
-	auto finalShader = hlslTemplate.replace(sampleTypeReplace, sampleTypePattern.size(), sampleTypeString.str());
+		finalShader = hlslTemplate.replace(sampleTypeReplace, sampleTypePattern.size(), sampleTypeString.str());
+	}
 
 	// Hardcode the texture stage operations and arguments
 	// So the shader handles exactly one combination of values
 	const std::string stageDef = "// STAGE DEFINITIONS";
-	auto stageDefInsert = finalShader.find(stageDef) + stageDef.size();
+	auto stageDefInsert = finalShader.find(stageDef);
+	if (stageDefInsert != std::string::npos) {
+		stageDefInsert += stageDef.size();
 
-	std::stringstream stageSetup;
-	stageSetup << '\n';
+		std::stringstream stageSetup;
+		stageSetup << '\n';
 
-	for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
+		for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
 #ifdef ENABLE_FF_ALPHAKILL
-		// Even when a stage is disabled, we still have to fully initialize it's values, to prevent
-		// "error X4000: variable 'stages' used without having been completely initialized"
+			// Even when a stage is disabled, we still have to fully initialize it's values, to prevent
+			// "error X4000: variable 'stages' used without having been completely initialized"
 #else
-		// The stage is initialized to be disabled
-		// We don't have to output anything
-		if (states[i].COLOROP == X_D3DTOP_DISABLE)
-			continue;
+			// The stage is initialized to be disabled
+			// We don't have to output anything
+			if (states[i].COLOROP == X_D3DTOP_DISABLE)
+				continue;
 
 #endif
-		std::string target = "stages[" + std::to_string(i) + "].";
+			std::string target = "stages[" + std::to_string(i) + "].";
 
-		auto s = states[i];
-		stageSetup << target << "COLOROP = " << GetD3DTOPString(s.COLOROP) << ";\n";
+			auto s = states[i];
+			stageSetup << target << "COLOROP = " << GetD3DTOPString(s.COLOROP) << ";\n";
 
-		stageSetup << target << "COLORARG0 = " << GetD3DTASumString(s.COLORARG0) << ";\n";
-		stageSetup << target << "COLORARG1 = " << GetD3DTASumString(s.COLORARG1) << ";\n";
-		stageSetup << target << "COLORARG2 = " << GetD3DTASumString(s.COLORARG2) << ";\n";
+			stageSetup << target << "COLORARG0 = " << GetD3DTASumString(s.COLORARG0) << ";\n";
+			stageSetup << target << "COLORARG1 = " << GetD3DTASumString(s.COLORARG1) << ";\n";
+			stageSetup << target << "COLORARG2 = " << GetD3DTASumString(s.COLORARG2) << ";\n";
 
-		stageSetup << target << "ALPHAOP = " << GetD3DTOPString(s.ALPHAOP) << ";\n";
+			stageSetup << target << "ALPHAOP = " << GetD3DTOPString(s.ALPHAOP) << ";\n";
 
-		stageSetup << target << "ALPHAARG0 = " << GetD3DTASumString(s.ALPHAARG0) << ";\n";
-		stageSetup << target << "ALPHAARG1 = " << GetD3DTASumString(s.ALPHAARG1) << ";\n";
-		stageSetup << target << "ALPHAARG2 = " << GetD3DTASumString(s.ALPHAARG2) << ";\n";
+			stageSetup << target << "ALPHAARG0 = " << GetD3DTASumString(s.ALPHAARG0) << ";\n";
+			stageSetup << target << "ALPHAARG1 = " << GetD3DTASumString(s.ALPHAARG1) << ";\n";
+			stageSetup << target << "ALPHAARG2 = " << GetD3DTASumString(s.ALPHAARG2) << ";\n";
 
-		stageSetup << target << "RESULTARG = " << GetD3DTASumString(s.RESULTARG, false) << ";\n";
-		stageSetup << '\n';
+			stageSetup << target << "RESULTARG = " << GetD3DTASumString(s.RESULTARG, false) << ";\n";
+			stageSetup << '\n';
+		}
+
+		finalShader = finalShader.insert(stageDefInsert, stageSetup.str());
 	}
 
-	finalShader = finalShader.insert(stageDefInsert, stageSetup.str());
-
 	// Compile the shader
 	ID3DBlob* pShaderBlob;
 
@@ -932,13 +940,15 @@ IDirect3DPixelShader9* GetFixedFunctionShader()
 	auto pseudoSourceFile = hlslDir.append(pseudoFileName).string();
 	EmuCompileShader(finalShader, "ps_3_0", &pShaderBlob, pseudoSourceFile.c_str());
 
-	// Create shader object for the device
 	IDirect3DPixelShader9* pShader = nullptr;
-	auto hRet = g_pD3DDevice->CreatePixelShader((DWORD*)pShaderBlob->GetBufferPointer(), &pShader);
-	if (hRet != S_OK) {
-		EmuLog(LOG_LEVEL::ERROR2, "Failed to compile fixed function pixel shader");
+	if (pShaderBlob) {
+		// Create shader object for the device
+		auto hRet = g_pD3DDevice->CreatePixelShader((DWORD*)pShaderBlob->GetBufferPointer(), &pShader);
+		if (hRet != S_OK) {
+			EmuLog(LOG_LEVEL::ERROR2, "Failed to compile fixed function pixel shader");
+		}
+		pShaderBlob->Release();
 	}
-	pShaderBlob->Release();
 
 	// Insert the shader into the cache
 	ffPsCache[key] = pShader;
@@ -1023,9 +1033,11 @@ void DxbxUpdateActivePixelShader() // NOPATCH
   int shaderVersion = g_ShaderHlsl.UpdateShaders();
   if (pixelShaderVersion != shaderVersion) {
 	  pixelShaderVersion = shaderVersion;
+	  g_pD3DDevice->SetPixelShader(nullptr);
 
 	  for (auto& hostShader : g_RecompiledPixelShaders) {
-		  hostShader.ConvertedPixelShader->Release();
+		  if (hostShader.ConvertedPixelShader)
+			  hostShader.ConvertedPixelShader->Release();
 	  }
 
 	  g_RecompiledPixelShaders.clear();
diff --git a/src/core/hle/D3D8/XbVertexShader.cpp b/src/core/hle/D3D8/XbVertexShader.cpp
index e94c09694..7ee6006d5 100644
--- a/src/core/hle/D3D8/XbVertexShader.cpp
+++ b/src/core/hle/D3D8/XbVertexShader.cpp
@@ -1153,6 +1153,7 @@ void CxbxUpdateHostVertexShader()
 	int shaderVersion = g_ShaderHlsl.UpdateShaders();
 	if (vertexShaderVersion != shaderVersion) {
 		vertexShaderVersion = shaderVersion;
+		g_pD3DDevice->SetVertexShader(nullptr);
 
 		EmuLog(LOG_LEVEL::INFO, "Loading vertex shaders...");