diff --git a/src/compiler/glsl/gl_nir_linker.c b/src/compiler/glsl/gl_nir_linker.c
index 6b26b9c1042..e0b36a224d1 100644
--- a/src/compiler/glsl/gl_nir_linker.c
+++ b/src/compiler/glsl/gl_nir_linker.c
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@ gl_nir_opts(nir_shader *nir)
    } while (progress);
 }
 
-void
+static void
 gl_nir_link_opts(nir_shader *producer, nir_shader *consumer)
 {
    if (producer->options->lower_to_scalar) {
@@ -756,6 +756,24 @@ gl_nir_link_spirv(const struct gl_constants *consts,
                   struct gl_shader_program *prog,
                   const struct gl_nir_linker_options *options)
 {
+   struct gl_linked_shader *linked_shader[MESA_SHADER_STAGES];
+   unsigned num_shaders = 0;
+
+   for (unsigned i = 0; i < MESA_SHADER_STAGES; i++) {
+      if (prog->_LinkedShaders[i])
+         linked_shader[num_shaders++] = prog->_LinkedShaders[i];
+   }
+
+   /* Linking the stages in the opposite order (from fragment to vertex)
+    * ensures that inter-shader outputs written to in an earlier stage
+    * are eliminated if they are (transitively) not used in a later
+    * stage.
+    */
+   for (int i = num_shaders - 2; i >= 0; i--) {
+      gl_nir_link_opts(linked_shader[i]->Program->nir,
+                       linked_shader[i + 1]->Program->nir);
+   }
+
    for (unsigned i = 0; i < MESA_SHADER_STAGES; i++) {
       struct gl_linked_shader *shader = prog->_LinkedShaders[i];
       if (shader) {
@@ -919,6 +937,34 @@ gl_nir_link_glsl(const struct gl_constants *consts,
          return false;
    }
 
+   if (prog->data->LinkStatus == LINKING_FAILURE)
+      return false;
+
+   struct gl_linked_shader *linked_shader[MESA_SHADER_STAGES];
+   unsigned num_shaders = 0;
+
+   for (unsigned i = 0; i < MESA_SHADER_STAGES; i++) {
+      if (prog->_LinkedShaders[i])
+         linked_shader[num_shaders++] = prog->_LinkedShaders[i];
+   }
+
+   /* Linking the stages in the opposite order (from fragment to vertex)
+    * ensures that inter-shader outputs written to in an earlier stage
+    * are eliminated if they are (transitively) not used in a later
+    * stage.
+    */
+   for (int i = num_shaders - 2; i >= 0; i--) {
+      gl_nir_link_opts(linked_shader[i]->Program->nir,
+                       linked_shader[i + 1]->Program->nir);
+   }
+
+   /* Tidy up any left overs from the linking process for single shaders.
+    * For example varying arrays that get packed may have dead elements that
+    * can be now be eliminated now that array access has been lowered.
+    */
+   if (num_shaders == 1)
+      gl_nir_opts(linked_shader[0]->Program->nir);
+
    for (unsigned i = 0; i < MESA_SHADER_STAGES; i++) {
       struct gl_linked_shader *shader = prog->_LinkedShaders[i];
       if (shader) {
diff --git a/src/compiler/glsl/gl_nir_linker.h b/src/compiler/glsl/gl_nir_linker.h
index 892f4d7660b..4454c110f6d 100644
--- a/src/compiler/glsl/gl_nir_linker.h
+++ b/src/compiler/glsl/gl_nir_linker.h
@@ -54,8 +54,6 @@ struct gl_nir_linker_options {
 
 void gl_nir_opts(nir_shader *nir);
 
-void gl_nir_link_opts(nir_shader *producer, nir_shader *consumer);
-
 bool gl_nir_link_spirv(const struct gl_constants *consts,
                        struct gl_shader_program *prog,
                        const struct gl_nir_linker_options *options);
diff --git a/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_glsl_to_nir.cpp b/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_glsl_to_nir.cpp
index 23c6e8f88a5..fa5bfc31f86 100644
--- a/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_glsl_to_nir.cpp
+++ b/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_glsl_to_nir.cpp
@@ -712,16 +712,6 @@ st_link_nir(struct gl_context *ctx,
       gl_nir_opts(linked_shader[0]->Program->nir);
 
    if (shader_program->data->spirv) {
-      /* Linking the stages in the opposite order (from fragment to vertex)
-       * ensures that inter-shader outputs written to in an earlier stage
-       * are eliminated if they are (transitively) not used in a later
-       * stage.
-       */
-      for (int i = num_shaders - 2; i >= 0; i--) {
-         gl_nir_link_opts(linked_shader[i]->Program->nir,
-                          linked_shader[i + 1]->Program->nir);
-      }
-
       static const gl_nir_linker_options opts = {
          true /*fill_parameters */
       };
@@ -731,23 +721,6 @@ st_link_nir(struct gl_context *ctx,
       if (!gl_nir_link_glsl(&ctx->Const, &ctx->Extensions, ctx->API,
                             shader_program))
          return GL_FALSE;
-
-      /* Linking the stages in the opposite order (from fragment to vertex)
-       * ensures that inter-shader outputs written to in an earlier stage
-       * are eliminated if they are (transitively) not used in a later
-       * stage.
-       */
-      for (int i = num_shaders - 2; i >= 0; i--) {
-         gl_nir_link_opts(linked_shader[i]->Program->nir,
-                          linked_shader[i + 1]->Program->nir);
-      }
-
-      /* Tidy up any left overs from the linking process for single shaders.
-       * For example varying arrays that get packed may have dead elements that
-       * can be now be eliminated now that array access has been lowered.
-       */
-      if (num_shaders == 1)
-         gl_nir_opts(linked_shader[0]->Program->nir);
    }
 
    for (unsigned i = 0; i < num_shaders; i++) {