diff --git a/spa/plugins/vulkan/vulkan-blit-utils.c b/spa/plugins/vulkan/vulkan-blit-utils.c
index fd738ca11..4cda26458 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/vulkan/vulkan-blit-utils.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/vulkan/vulkan-blit-utils.c
@@ -557,6 +557,14 @@ int spa_vulkan_blit_ready(struct vulkan_blit_state *s)
 
 int spa_vulkan_blit_process(struct vulkan_blit_state *s)
 {
+	if (!s->initialized) {
+		spa_log_warn(s->log, "Renderer not initialized");
+		return -1;
+	}
+	if (!s->prepared) {
+		spa_log_warn(s->log, "Renderer not prepared");
+		return -1;
+	}
 	CHECK(updateBuffers(s));
 	CHECK(runCommandBuffer(s));
 	// CHECK(vulkan_wait_fence(&s->base, s->fence));
@@ -618,6 +626,7 @@ int spa_vulkan_blit_init(struct vulkan_blit_state *s)
 		SPA_VIDEO_FORMAT_RGB,
 	};
 	vulkan_format_infos_init(&s->base, SPA_N_ELEMENTS(raw_formats), raw_formats, &s->formatInfosRaw);
+	s->initialized = true;
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -626,4 +635,5 @@ void spa_vulkan_blit_deinit(struct vulkan_blit_state *s)
 	vulkan_format_infos_deinit(&s->formatInfosRaw);
 	vulkan_format_infos_deinit(&s->formatInfosDSP);
 	vulkan_base_deinit(&s->base);
+	s->initialized = false;
 }