diff --git a/src/compiler/glsl/gl_nir_linker.c b/src/compiler/glsl/gl_nir_linker.c
index afa17c4ed8e..120db7e1acd 100644
--- a/src/compiler/glsl/gl_nir_linker.c
+++ b/src/compiler/glsl/gl_nir_linker.c
@@ -1677,6 +1677,32 @@ gl_nir_link_glsl(const struct gl_constants *consts,
 
    MESA_TRACE_FUNC();
 
+   /* Validate the inputs of each stage with the output of the preceding
+    * stage.
+    */
+   unsigned prev = MESA_SHADER_STAGES;
+   for (unsigned i = 0; i <= MESA_SHADER_FRAGMENT; i++) {
+      if (prog->_LinkedShaders[i] == NULL)
+         continue;
+
+      if (prev == MESA_SHADER_STAGES) {
+         prev = i;
+         continue;
+      }
+
+      gl_nir_validate_interstage_inout_blocks(prog, prog->_LinkedShaders[prev],
+                                              prog->_LinkedShaders[i]);
+      if (!prog->data->LinkStatus)
+         return false;
+
+      prev = i;
+   }
+
+   /* Cross-validate uniform blocks between shader stages */
+   gl_nir_validate_interstage_uniform_blocks(prog, prog->_LinkedShaders);
+   if (!prog->data->LinkStatus)
+      return false;
+
    if (prog->IsES && prog->GLSL_Version == 100)
       if (!validate_invariant_builtins(consts, prog,
             prog->_LinkedShaders[MESA_SHADER_VERTEX],
@@ -1721,7 +1747,7 @@ gl_nir_link_glsl(const struct gl_constants *consts,
    /* Validate the inputs of each stage with the output of the preceding
     * stage.
     */
-   unsigned prev = first;
+   prev = first;
    for (unsigned i = prev + 1; i <= MESA_SHADER_FRAGMENT; i++) {
       if (prog->_LinkedShaders[i] == NULL)
          continue;
diff --git a/src/compiler/glsl/linker.cpp b/src/compiler/glsl/linker.cpp
index 706bafdde55..75c30b3d5ce 100644
--- a/src/compiler/glsl/linker.cpp
+++ b/src/compiler/glsl/linker.cpp
@@ -2554,7 +2554,6 @@ link_shaders(struct gl_context *ctx, struct gl_shader_program *prog)
 #endif
 
    void *mem_ctx = ralloc_context(NULL); // temporary linker context
-   unsigned prev = MESA_SHADER_STAGES;
 
    /* Separate the shaders into groups based on their type.
     */
@@ -2728,31 +2727,6 @@ link_shaders(struct gl_context *ctx, struct gl_shader_program *prog)
 
    resize_tes_inputs(consts, prog);
 
-   /* Validate the inputs of each stage with the output of the preceding
-    * stage.
-    */
-   for (unsigned i = 0; i <= MESA_SHADER_FRAGMENT; i++) {
-      if (prog->_LinkedShaders[i] == NULL)
-         continue;
-
-      if (prev == MESA_SHADER_STAGES) {
-         prev = i;
-         continue;
-      }
-
-      validate_interstage_inout_blocks(prog, prog->_LinkedShaders[prev],
-                                       prog->_LinkedShaders[i]);
-      if (!prog->data->LinkStatus)
-         goto done;
-
-      prev = i;
-   }
-
-   /* Cross-validate uniform blocks between shader stages */
-   validate_interstage_uniform_blocks(prog, prog->_LinkedShaders);
-   if (!prog->data->LinkStatus)
-      goto done;
-
 done:
    for (unsigned i = 0; i < MESA_SHADER_STAGES; i++) {
       free(shader_list[i]);