diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/zink/zink_instance.py b/src/gallium/drivers/zink/zink_instance.py
index bc0313b7c3e..b3c2451df27 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/zink/zink_instance.py
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/zink/zink_instance.py
@@ -55,9 +55,9 @@ EXTENSIONS = [
 LAYERS = [
     # if we have debug_util, allow a validation layer to be added.
     Layer("VK_LAYER_KHRONOS_validation",
-      conditions=["have_EXT_debug_utils"]),
+      conditions=["zink_debug & ZINK_DEBUG_VALIDATION"]),
     Layer("VK_LAYER_LUNARG_standard_validation",
-      conditions=["have_EXT_debug_utils", "!have_layer_KHRONOS_validation"]),
+      conditions=["zink_debug & ZINK_DEBUG_VALIDATION", "!have_layer_KHRONOS_validation"]),
 ]
 
 REPLACEMENTS = {
@@ -146,11 +146,6 @@ zink_create_instance(struct zink_instance_info *instance_info)
        }
    }
 
-   // Clear have_EXT_debug_utils if we do not want debug info
-   if (!(zink_debug & ZINK_DEBUG_VALIDATION)) {
-      have_EXT_debug_utils = false;
-   }
-
     // Build up the layers from the reported ones
     uint32_t layer_count = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/zink/zink_screen.c b/src/gallium/drivers/zink/zink_screen.c
index d0f855f218d..ab1c4e590b0 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/zink/zink_screen.c
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/zink/zink_screen.c
@@ -1612,7 +1612,8 @@ zink_internal_create_screen(const struct pipe_screen_config *config)
    if (!screen->instance)
       goto fail;
 
-   if (screen->instance_info.have_EXT_debug_utils && !create_debug(screen))
+   if (screen->instance_info.have_EXT_debug_utils &&
+      (zink_debug & ZINK_DEBUG_VALIDATION) && !create_debug(screen))
       debug_printf("ZINK: failed to setup debug utils\n");
 
    choose_pdev(screen);