diff --git a/gfx/common/vulkan_common.h b/gfx/common/vulkan_common.h
index a66544af6a..69c9758819 100644
--- a/gfx/common/vulkan_common.h
+++ b/gfx/common/vulkan_common.h
@@ -342,6 +342,7 @@ typedef struct vk
    struct video_viewport vp;
    struct vk_per_frame *chain;
    struct vk_per_frame swapchain[VULKAN_MAX_SWAPCHAIN_IMAGES];
+   struct vk_texture default_texture;
 
    /* Currently active command buffer. */
    VkCommandBuffer cmd;
diff --git a/gfx/drivers/vulkan.c b/gfx/drivers/vulkan.c
index 09769b1b0a..9ca988f1a1 100644
--- a/gfx/drivers/vulkan.c
+++ b/gfx/drivers/vulkan.c
@@ -645,6 +645,7 @@ static void vulkan_deinit_descriptor_pool(vk_t *vk)
 static void vulkan_init_textures(vk_t *vk)
 {
    unsigned i;
+   const uint32_t zero = 0;
    vulkan_init_samplers(vk);
 
    if (!vk->hw.enable)
@@ -665,6 +666,10 @@ static void vulkan_init_textures(vk_t *vk)
                   NULL, NULL, VULKAN_TEXTURE_DYNAMIC);
       }
    }
+
+   vk->default_texture = vulkan_create_texture(vk, NULL,
+         1, 1, VK_FORMAT_B8G8R8A8_UNORM,
+         &zero, NULL, VULKAN_TEXTURE_STATIC);
 }
 
 static void vulkan_deinit_textures(vk_t *vk)
@@ -683,6 +688,9 @@ static void vulkan_deinit_textures(vk_t *vk)
          vulkan_destroy_texture(
                vk->context->device, &vk->swapchain[i].texture_optimal);
    }
+
+   if (vk->default_texture.memory != VK_NULL_HANDLE)
+      vulkan_destroy_texture(vk->context->device, &vk->default_texture);
 }
 
 static void vulkan_deinit_command_buffers(vk_t *vk)
@@ -1732,28 +1740,43 @@ static bool vulkan_frame(void *data, const void *frame,
       if (vk->hw.enable)
       {
          /* Does this make that this can happen at all? */
-         if (!vk->hw.image)
+         if (vk->hw.image)
          {
-            RARCH_ERR("[Vulkan]: HW image is not set. Buggy core?\n");
-            return false;
-         }
+            input.image        = vk->hw.image->create_info.image;
+            input.view         = vk->hw.image->image_view;
+            input.layout       = vk->hw.image->image_layout;
 
-         input.image        = vk->hw.image->create_info.image;
-         input.view         = vk->hw.image->image_view;
-         input.layout       = vk->hw.image->image_layout;
+            /* The format can change on a whim. */
+            input.format       = vk->hw.image->create_info.format;
 
-         /* The format can change on a whim. */
-         input.format       = vk->hw.image->create_info.format;
+            if (frame)
+            {
+               input.width     = frame_width;
+               input.height    = frame_height;
+            }
+            else
+            {
+               input.width     = vk->hw.last_width;
+               input.height    = vk->hw.last_height;
+            }
 
-         if (frame)
-         {
-            input.width     = frame_width;
-            input.height    = frame_height;
+            input.image        = vk->hw.image->create_info.image;
+            input.view         = vk->hw.image->image_view;
+            input.layout       = vk->hw.image->image_layout;
+
+            /* The format can change on a whim. */
+            input.format       = vk->hw.image->create_info.format;
          }
          else
          {
-            input.width     = vk->hw.last_width;
-            input.height    = vk->hw.last_height;
+            /* Fall back to the default, black texture.
+             * This can happen if we restart the video driver while in the menu. */
+            input.image  = vk->default_texture.image;
+            input.view   = vk->default_texture.view;
+            input.layout = vk->default_texture.layout;
+            input.format = vk->default_texture.format;
+            input.width  = vk->default_texture.width;
+            input.height = vk->default_texture.height;
          }
 
          vk->hw.last_width  = input.width;