diff --git a/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_pbo.c b/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_pbo.c
index 66ffb54428a..a3fb0e65208 100644
--- a/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_pbo.c
+++ b/src/mesa/state_tracker/st_pbo.c
@@ -648,7 +648,13 @@ st_init_pbo_helpers(struct st_context *st)
    if (screen->get_param(screen, PIPE_CAP_TGSI_INSTANCEID)) {
       if (screen->get_param(screen, PIPE_CAP_TGSI_VS_LAYER_VIEWPORT)) {
          st->pbo.layers = true;
-      } else if (screen->get_param(screen, PIPE_CAP_MAX_GEOMETRY_OUTPUT_VERTICES) >= 3) {
+      } else if (screen->get_param(screen, PIPE_CAP_MAX_GEOMETRY_OUTPUT_VERTICES) >= 3 &&
+                 screen->get_shader_param(screen, PIPE_SHADER_GEOMETRY,
+                                          PIPE_SHADER_CAP_PREFERRED_IR) != PIPE_SHADER_IR_NIR) {
+         /* As the download GS is created in TGSI, and TGSI to NIR translation
+          * is not implemented for GS, avoid using GS for drivers preferring
+          * NIR shaders.
+          */
          st->pbo.layers = true;
          st->pbo.use_gs = true;
       }