diff --git a/config.h.meson b/config.h.meson
index def3150..a16796f 100644
--- a/config.h.meson
+++ b/config.h.meson
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #mesondefine HAVE_EPOXY_GLX_H
 #mesondefine ENABLE_MINIGBM_ALLOCATION
 #mesondefine ENABLE_VENUS
+#mesondefine ENABLE_VENUS_VALIDATE
 #mesondefine HAVE_FUNC_ATTRIBUTE_VISIBILITY
 #mesondefine HAVE_EVENTFD_H
 #mesondefine HAVE_DLFCN_H
diff --git a/meson.build b/meson.build
index 2ccc20a..9c878bd 100644
--- a/meson.build
+++ b/meson.build
@@ -203,9 +203,14 @@ if with_glx
 endif
 
 with_venus = get_option('venus-experimental')
+with_venus_validate = get_option('venus-validate')
 if with_venus
    venus_dep = dependency('vulkan')
    conf_data.set('ENABLE_VENUS', 1)
+
+   if with_venus_validate
+      conf_data.set('ENABLE_VENUS_VALIDATE', 1)
+   endif
 endif
 
 if cc.compiles('void __attribute__((hidden)) func() {}')
diff --git a/meson_options.txt b/meson_options.txt
index ddcd44b..52b8df4 100644
--- a/meson_options.txt
+++ b/meson_options.txt
@@ -45,6 +45,13 @@ option(
   description : 'enable support for venus'
 )
 
+option(
+  'venus-validate',
+  type : 'boolean',
+  value : 'false',
+  description : 'enable the validation layer for venus'
+)
+
 option(
   'tests',
   type : 'boolean',
diff --git a/src/vkr_renderer.c b/src/vkr_renderer.c
index 040b6a9..9138e8f 100644
--- a/src/vkr_renderer.c
+++ b/src/vkr_renderer.c
@@ -4742,8 +4742,15 @@ vkr_context_create(size_t debug_len, const char *debug_name)
    memcpy(ctx->debug_name, debug_name, debug_len);
    ctx->debug_name[debug_len] = '\0';
 
-   ctx->validate_level =
-      VKR_DEBUG(VALIDATE) ? VKR_CONTEXT_VALIDATE_FULL : VKR_CONTEXT_VALIDATE_NONE;
+#ifdef ENABLE_VENUS_VALIDATE
+   ctx->validate_level = VKR_CONTEXT_VALIDATE_ON;
+   ctx->validate_fatal = false; /* TODO set this to true */
+#else
+   ctx->validate_level = VKR_CONTEXT_VALIDATE_NONE;
+   ctx->validate_fatal = false;
+#endif
+   if (VKR_DEBUG(VALIDATE))
+      ctx->validate_level = VKR_CONTEXT_VALIDATE_FULL;
 
    if (mtx_init(&ctx->mutex, mtx_plain) != thrd_success) {
       free(ctx->debug_name);