diff --git a/src/amd/vulkan/radv_queue.c b/src/amd/vulkan/radv_queue.c
index 59183d506bf..b8bcaaff7e5 100644
--- a/src/amd/vulkan/radv_queue.c
+++ b/src/amd/vulkan/radv_queue.c
@@ -1643,8 +1643,11 @@ radv_queue_submit_normal(struct radv_queue *queue, struct vk_queue_submit *submi
          }
 
          queue->device->ws->cs_unchain(cmd_buffer->cs);
-         if (!chainable || !queue->device->ws->cs_chain(chainable, cmd_buffer->cs, queue->state.uses_shadow_regs))
-            cs_array[num_submitted_cs++] = cmd_buffer->cs;
+         if (!chainable || !queue->device->ws->cs_chain(chainable, cmd_buffer->cs, queue->state.uses_shadow_regs)) {
+            /* don't submit empty command buffers to the kernel. */
+            if (radv_queue_ring(queue) != AMD_IP_VCN_ENC || cmd_buffer->cs->cdw != 0)
+               cs_array[num_submitted_cs++] = cmd_buffer->cs;
+         }
 
          chainable = can_chain_next ? cmd_buffer->cs : NULL;
       }