diff --git a/src/xrt/compositor/main/comp_compositor.c b/src/xrt/compositor/main/comp_compositor.c
index 08ebbf43a..6aa1eb608 100644
--- a/src/xrt/compositor/main/comp_compositor.c
+++ b/src/xrt/compositor/main/comp_compositor.c
@@ -714,7 +714,7 @@ compositor_init_vulkan(struct comp_compositor *c)
 
 	struct comp_vulkan_arguments vk_args = {
 	    .get_instance_proc_address = vkGetInstanceProcAddr,
-	    .instance_extensions = instance_extension_list,
+	    .required_instance_extensions = instance_extension_list,
 	    .required_device_extensions = required_device_extension_list,
 	    .optional_device_extensions = optional_device_extension_list,
 	    .log_level = c->settings.log_level,
diff --git a/src/xrt/compositor/util/comp_vulkan.c b/src/xrt/compositor/util/comp_vulkan.c
index 9683e53ee..b9cd67642 100644
--- a/src/xrt/compositor/util/comp_vulkan.c
+++ b/src/xrt/compositor/util/comp_vulkan.c
@@ -110,6 +110,30 @@ create_instance(struct vk_bundle *vk, const struct comp_vulkan_arguments *vk_arg
 {
 	VkResult ret;
 
+	uint32_t prop_count = 0;
+	vk->vkEnumerateInstanceExtensionProperties(NULL, &prop_count, NULL);
+
+	VkExtensionProperties *props = U_TYPED_ARRAY_CALLOC(VkExtensionProperties, prop_count);
+	vk->vkEnumerateInstanceExtensionProperties(NULL, &prop_count, props);
+
+	struct u_string_list *instance_ext_list = u_string_list_create_from_list(vk_args->required_instance_extensions);
+
+
+	uint32_t optional_instance_ext_count = u_string_list_get_size(vk_args->optional_instance_extensions);
+	const char *const *optional_instance_exts = u_string_list_get_data(vk_args->optional_instance_extensions);
+	for (uint32_t i = 0; i < optional_instance_ext_count; i++) {
+		const char *optional_ext = optional_instance_exts[i];
+		for (uint32_t j = 0; j < prop_count; j++) {
+			if (strcmp(optional_ext, props[j].extensionName) == 0) {
+				int added = u_string_list_append_unique(instance_ext_list, optional_ext);
+				if (added == 0) {
+					VK_ERROR(vk, "Duplicate device extension %s not added twice", optional_ext);
+				}
+				break;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+
 	VkApplicationInfo app_info = {
 	    .sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_APPLICATION_INFO,
 	    .pApplicationName = "Monado Compositor",
@@ -120,8 +144,8 @@ create_instance(struct vk_bundle *vk, const struct comp_vulkan_arguments *vk_arg
 	VkInstanceCreateInfo instance_info = {
 	    .sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_INSTANCE_CREATE_INFO,
 	    .pApplicationInfo = &app_info,
-	    .enabledExtensionCount = u_string_list_get_size(vk_args->instance_extensions),
-	    .ppEnabledExtensionNames = u_string_list_get_data(vk_args->instance_extensions),
+	    .enabledExtensionCount = u_string_list_get_size(instance_ext_list),
+	    .ppEnabledExtensionNames = u_string_list_get_data(instance_ext_list),
 	};
 
 	ret = vk->vkCreateInstance(&instance_info, NULL, &vk->instance);
@@ -130,6 +154,8 @@ create_instance(struct vk_bundle *vk, const struct comp_vulkan_arguments *vk_arg
 		return ret;
 	}
 
+	u_string_list_destroy(&instance_ext_list);
+
 	ret = vk_get_instance_functions(vk);
 	if (ret != VK_SUCCESS) {
 		VK_ERROR_RET(vk, "vk_get_instance_functions", "Failed to get Vulkan instance functions.", ret);
diff --git a/src/xrt/compositor/util/comp_vulkan.h b/src/xrt/compositor/util/comp_vulkan.h
index d8599cd00..c92a10f76 100644
--- a/src/xrt/compositor/util/comp_vulkan.h
+++ b/src/xrt/compositor/util/comp_vulkan.h
@@ -29,7 +29,10 @@ struct comp_vulkan_arguments
 	PFN_vkGetInstanceProcAddr get_instance_proc_address;
 
 	//! Extensions that the instance is created with.
-	struct u_string_list *instance_extensions;
+	struct u_string_list *required_instance_extensions;
+
+	//! Extensions that the instance is created with.
+	struct u_string_list *optional_instance_extensions;
 
 	//! Extensions that the device is created with.
 	struct u_string_list *required_device_extensions;