diff --git a/src/intel/vulkan/anv_device.c b/src/intel/vulkan/anv_device.c
index ff8a61e60e6..cfcf058a347 100644
--- a/src/intel/vulkan/anv_device.c
+++ b/src/intel/vulkan/anv_device.c
@@ -927,7 +927,7 @@ anv_physical_device_try_create(struct anv_instance *instance,
    device->has_reg_timestamp = anv_gem_reg_read(fd, TIMESTAMP | I915_REG_READ_8B_WA,
                                                 &u64_ignore) == 0;
 
-   device->always_flush_cache =
+   device->always_flush_cache = (INTEL_DEBUG & DEBUG_SYNC) ||
       driQueryOptionb(&instance->dri_options, "always_flush_cache");
 
    device->has_mmap_offset =