diff --git a/ext/vulkan/vkinstance.c b/ext/vulkan/vkinstance.c
index 61e71bec7b..d68e985a11 100644
--- a/ext/vulkan/vkinstance.c
+++ b/ext/vulkan/vkinstance.c
@@ -45,6 +45,15 @@ GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY (GST_CAT_DEFAULT);
 GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY (GST_VULKAN_DEBUG_CAT);
 GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY (GST_CAT_CONTEXT);
 
+enum
+{
+  SIGNAL_0,
+  SIGNAL_CREATE_DEVICE,
+  LAST_SIGNAL
+};
+
+static guint gst_vulkan_instance_signals[LAST_SIGNAL] = { 0 };
+
 #define gst_vulkan_instance_parent_class parent_class
 G_DEFINE_TYPE_WITH_CODE (GstVulkanInstance, gst_vulkan_instance,
     GST_TYPE_OBJECT, GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY_INIT (GST_CAT_DEFAULT,
@@ -74,15 +83,29 @@ gst_vulkan_instance_init (GstVulkanInstance * instance)
 }
 
 static void
-gst_vulkan_instance_class_init (GstVulkanInstanceClass * instance_class)
+gst_vulkan_instance_class_init (GstVulkanInstanceClass * klass)
 {
   gst_vulkan_memory_init_once ();
   gst_vulkan_image_memory_init_once ();
   gst_vulkan_buffer_memory_init_once ();
 
-  g_type_class_add_private (instance_class, sizeof (GstVulkanInstancePrivate));
+  g_type_class_add_private (klass, sizeof (GstVulkanInstancePrivate));
 
-  G_OBJECT_CLASS (instance_class)->finalize = gst_vulkan_instance_finalize;
+  /**
+   * GstVulkanInstance::create-device:
+   * @object: the #GstVulkanDisplay
+   *
+   * Overrides the #GstVulkanDevice creation mechanism.
+   * It can be called from any thread.
+   *
+   * Returns: the newly created #GstVulkanDevice.
+   */
+  gst_vulkan_instance_signals[SIGNAL_CREATE_DEVICE] =
+      g_signal_new ("create-device", G_TYPE_FROM_CLASS (klass),
+      G_SIGNAL_RUN_LAST, 0, NULL, NULL, g_cclosure_marshal_generic,
+      GST_TYPE_VULKAN_DEVICE, 0);
+
+  G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass)->finalize = gst_vulkan_instance_finalize;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -383,6 +406,28 @@ gst_vulkan_instance_get_proc_address (GstVulkanInstance * instance,
   return vkGetInstanceProcAddr (instance->instance, name);
 }
 
+GstVulkanDevice *
+gst_vulkan_instance_create_device (GstVulkanInstance * instance,
+    GError ** error)
+{
+  GstVulkanDevice *device;
+
+  g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VULKAN_INSTANCE (instance), NULL);
+
+  g_signal_emit (instance, gst_vulkan_instance_signals[SIGNAL_CREATE_DEVICE], 0,
+      &device);
+
+  if (!device)
+    device = gst_vulkan_device_new (instance);
+
+  if (!gst_vulkan_device_open (device, error)) {
+    gst_object_unref (device);
+    device = NULL;
+  }
+
+  return device;
+}
+
 /**
  * gst_context_set_vulkan_instance:
  * @context: a #GstContext
diff --git a/ext/vulkan/vkinstance.h b/ext/vulkan/vkinstance.h
index f70ba7df69..a0fc910304 100644
--- a/ext/vulkan/vkinstance.h
+++ b/ext/vulkan/vkinstance.h
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ gboolean            gst_vulkan_instance_open                (GstVulkanInstance *
 gpointer            gst_vulkan_instance_get_proc_address    (GstVulkanInstance * instance,
                                                              const gchar * name);
 
+GstVulkanDevice *   gst_vulkan_instance_create_device       (GstVulkanInstance * instance,
+                                                             GError ** error);
+
 void                gst_context_set_vulkan_instance         (GstContext * context,
                                                              GstVulkanInstance * instance);
 gboolean            gst_context_get_vulkan_instance         (GstContext * context,
diff --git a/ext/vulkan/vksink.c b/ext/vulkan/vksink.c
index 81a77c23af..901f05dd04 100644
--- a/ext/vulkan/vksink.c
+++ b/ext/vulkan/vksink.c
@@ -258,8 +258,8 @@ gst_vulkan_sink_change_state (GstElement * element, GstStateChange transition)
         return GST_STATE_CHANGE_FAILURE;
       }
 
-      vk_sink->device = gst_vulkan_device_new (vk_sink->instance);
-      if (!gst_vulkan_device_open (vk_sink->device, &error)) {
+      if (!(vk_sink->device =
+              gst_vulkan_instance_create_device (vk_sink->instance, &error))) {
         GST_ELEMENT_ERROR (vk_sink, RESOURCE, NOT_FOUND,
             ("Failed to create vulkan device"), ("%s", error->message));
         return GST_STATE_CHANGE_FAILURE;