diff --git a/include/render/vulkan.h b/include/render/vulkan.h
index de1195b8f..c00b1122b 100644
--- a/include/render/vulkan.h
+++ b/include/render/vulkan.h
@@ -212,6 +212,7 @@ struct wlr_vk_render_format_setup {
 	bool use_blending_buffer;
 	bool use_srgb;
 	VkRenderPass render_pass;
+	VkRenderPass render_pass_clear;
 
 	VkPipeline output_pipe_identity;
 	VkPipeline output_pipe_srgb;
diff --git a/render/vulkan/pass.c b/render/vulkan/pass.c
index b250543ce..38be3320b 100644
--- a/render/vulkan/pass.c
+++ b/render/vulkan/pass.c
@@ -429,33 +429,32 @@ static bool render_pass_submit(struct wlr_render_pass *wlr_pass) {
 	}
 
 	if (pass->two_pass) {
-		// The render pass changes the blend image layout from
-		// color attachment to read only, so on each frame, before
-		// the render pass starts, we change it back
-		VkImageLayout blend_src_layout = VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_SHADER_READ_ONLY_OPTIMAL;
-		if (!render_buffer->two_pass.blend_transitioned) {
-			blend_src_layout = VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_UNDEFINED;
+		// On the first frame the clear render pass transitions the blend
+		// image from undefined and we just mark it transitioned. On every
+		// frame after, the previous frame left it read-only, so we change
+		// it back to a color attachment before the render pass starts
+		if (render_buffer->two_pass.blend_transitioned) {
+			VkImageMemoryBarrier blend_acq_barrier = {
+				.sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_IMAGE_MEMORY_BARRIER,
+				.srcQueueFamilyIndex = VK_QUEUE_FAMILY_IGNORED,
+				.dstQueueFamilyIndex = VK_QUEUE_FAMILY_IGNORED,
+				.image = render_buffer->two_pass.blend_image,
+				.oldLayout = VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_SHADER_READ_ONLY_OPTIMAL,
+				.newLayout = VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_COLOR_ATTACHMENT_OPTIMAL,
+				.srcAccessMask = VK_ACCESS_SHADER_READ_BIT,
+				.dstAccessMask = VK_ACCESS_COLOR_ATTACHMENT_WRITE_BIT,
+				.subresourceRange = {
+					.aspectMask = VK_IMAGE_ASPECT_COLOR_BIT,
+					.layerCount = 1,
+					.levelCount = 1,
+				},
+			};
+			vkCmdPipelineBarrier(stage_cb->vk, VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_FRAGMENT_SHADER_BIT,
+				VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_COLOR_ATTACHMENT_OUTPUT_BIT,
+				0, 0, NULL, 0, NULL, 1, &blend_acq_barrier);
+		} else {
 			render_buffer->two_pass.blend_transitioned = true;
 		}
-
-		VkImageMemoryBarrier blend_acq_barrier = {
-			.sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_IMAGE_MEMORY_BARRIER,
-			.srcQueueFamilyIndex = VK_QUEUE_FAMILY_IGNORED,
-			.dstQueueFamilyIndex = VK_QUEUE_FAMILY_IGNORED,
-			.image = render_buffer->two_pass.blend_image,
-			.oldLayout = blend_src_layout,
-			.newLayout = VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_COLOR_ATTACHMENT_OPTIMAL,
-			.srcAccessMask = VK_ACCESS_SHADER_READ_BIT,
-			.dstAccessMask = VK_ACCESS_COLOR_ATTACHMENT_WRITE_BIT,
-			.subresourceRange = {
-				.aspectMask = VK_IMAGE_ASPECT_COLOR_BIT,
-				.layerCount = 1,
-				.levelCount = 1,
-			},
-		};
-		vkCmdPipelineBarrier(stage_cb->vk, VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_FRAGMENT_SHADER_BIT,
-			VK_PIPELINE_STAGE_COLOR_ATTACHMENT_OUTPUT_BIT,
-			0, 0, NULL, 0, NULL, 1, &blend_acq_barrier);
 	}
 
 	// acquire render buffer before rendering
@@ -1334,11 +1333,15 @@ struct wlr_vk_render_pass *vulkan_begin_render_pass(struct wlr_vk_renderer *rend
 	int height = buffer->wlr_buffer->height;
 	VkRect2D rect = { .extent = { width, height } };
 
+	bool blend_first_use = pass->two_pass && !buffer->two_pass.blend_transitioned;
+	VkClearValue clear_value = {0};
 	VkRenderPassBeginInfo rp_info = {
 		.sType = VK_STRUCTURE_TYPE_RENDER_PASS_BEGIN_INFO,
 		.renderArea = rect,
-		.clearValueCount = 0,
-		.renderPass = render_setup->render_pass,
+		.clearValueCount = blend_first_use ? 1 : 0,
+		.pClearValues = blend_first_use ? &clear_value : NULL,
+		.renderPass = blend_first_use ?
+			render_setup->render_pass_clear : render_setup->render_pass,
 		.framebuffer = buffer_out->framebuffer,
 	};
 	vkCmdBeginRenderPass(cb->vk, &rp_info, VK_SUBPASS_CONTENTS_INLINE);
diff --git a/render/vulkan/renderer.c b/render/vulkan/renderer.c
index d342dee2c..44f4d39d8 100644
--- a/render/vulkan/renderer.c
+++ b/render/vulkan/renderer.c
@@ -169,6 +169,7 @@ static void destroy_render_format_setup(struct wlr_vk_renderer *renderer,
 
 	VkDevice dev = renderer->dev->dev;
 	vkDestroyRenderPass(dev, setup->render_pass, NULL);
+	vkDestroyRenderPass(dev, setup->render_pass_clear, NULL);
 	vkDestroyPipeline(dev, setup->output_pipe_identity, NULL);
 	vkDestroyPipeline(dev, setup->output_pipe_srgb, NULL);
 	vkDestroyPipeline(dev, setup->output_pipe_pq, NULL);
@@ -2585,6 +2586,14 @@ static struct wlr_vk_render_format_setup *find_or_create_render_setup(
 			goto error;
 		}
 
+		attachments[0].loadOp = VK_ATTACHMENT_LOAD_OP_CLEAR;
+		attachments[0].initialLayout = VK_IMAGE_LAYOUT_UNDEFINED;
+		res = vkCreateRenderPass(dev, &rp_info, NULL, &setup->render_pass_clear);
+		if (res != VK_SUCCESS) {
+			wlr_vk_error("Failed to create 2-step clear render pass", res);
+			goto error;
+		}
+
 		// this is only well defined if render pass has a 2nd subpass
 		if (!init_blend_to_output_pipeline(
 				renderer, setup->render_pass, renderer->output_pipe_layout,