diff --git a/src/backend/vulkan/VulkanBackend.cpp b/src/backend/vulkan/VulkanBackend.cpp
index 44efd0b445..9396de411b 100644
--- a/src/backend/vulkan/VulkanBackend.cpp
+++ b/src/backend/vulkan/VulkanBackend.cpp
@@ -471,6 +471,9 @@ namespace backend { namespace vulkan {
             usedKnobs->swapchain = true;
         }
 
+        // Always require independentBlend because it is a core NXT feature,
+        usedKnobs->features.independentBlend = VK_TRUE;
+
         // Find a universal queue family
         {
             constexpr uint32_t kUniversalFlags =